line-up 1 (1968-69)

- Tad Baczek -- lead guitar

- Gary Davis -- keyboards

- Warner Davis -- drums, percussion

- Gene Garfin -- vocals, percussion, woodwinds

- Greg Leroy -- bass, lead guitar

- Bernie Schwartz (aka Tony Curtis) -- lead vocals

- Barbara Wallace -- lead vocals

- Don Atello (Bernie Schwartz)

- Bernie Schwartz (solo efforts)

- Crazy Horse (Grey Leroy)

- Gas Company (Grey Leroy)

- The Pets (Grey Leroy)

- Adrian Pride (Bernie Schwartz)

- Timber (Warner Davis)

Genre: psych

Rating: *** (3 stars)

Title:  The Comfortable Chair

Company: Ode

Catalog: Z12-44005

Year: 1968

Country/State: Santa Monica, California

Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+

Comments: minor cover wear

Available: 1

Catalog ID: 4328

Price: $70.00

Cost: $66.00

About thirty years ago his was one of the first "collectable" albums I added to my collection.  It was an album I'd read about in some collector forums and based on strong reviews I remember parting with about $20 when I found a copy in a local used record store.  At the time I remember being under whelmed by the collection, but having spent $20 it must have been good.  Right?   

Revisiting the album thirty years later, what do I think?

What little attention 1969's "The Comfortable Chair" has gotten seems to stem from the fact Lou Adler, and The Doors drummer John Densmore and guitarist Robbie Kreiger served as producers for the band's sole 1969 album.  While you can't claim the LP was a major psychedelic masterpiece, it's wholehearted embrace of that '60s hippie vibe did have some modest charms.  

Singer/guitarist Bernie Schwartz was apparently the band's front man and creative lead.  Schwartz's professional musical career stretched back to the early 1960s. Born and raised in Southern California, as a teenager he'd become an accomplished sessions guitarist.  He'd also struck up a friendship with songwriters Dale Bobbitt and Sharon Sheeley (perhaps best known as Eddie Cochran's fiancé) and begun writing material with them.  Under his own name and aliases such as Don Atello and Adrian Pride he released a string of instantly obscure 45s.  By the mid-'60s Schwartz shifted his attention from performing to writing where he began to make a name for himself; placing material with The East Side Kids, Power and The Yellow Payges.   1968 saw him form The Comfortable Chair.

With five of the seven band members contributing to the writing chores "The Comfortable Chair" featured an all original collection of material. Lead singers Bernie Schwartz and Barbara Wallace were both talented vocalists, navigating through a mixture of sensitive singer/songwriter ballads, folk-tinged numbers, more rock-oriented numbers and mysticism stoked lite-psych moves. The big difference from flower pop competitors like The Association, The Peppermint Rainbow, Spanky and Our Gang, or The Sunshine Company stemmed from fully embracing the '60s hippy vibe (check out the album photos) and their penchant for those hypersensitive ballads.  With the exception of Wallace's ballad "Now", her upbeat "Let Me Through" and the album's first single "Be Me" nothing here was particularly upbeat, or catchy. Exemplified by "Some Soon, Some Day" and "Stars In Heaven" much of the album featured a dreamy aura that might appeal to lite-psych fans. The band's penchant for heavy orchestration often pushed the material in the film soundtrack direction and there were way too many of those hyper-sensitive ballads for their own good.  That wasn't to imply the album was a washout.  The opener "Ain't No Good No More",  'I'll See You' and ''Let Me Through" were all pleasant.  Exemplified by the mildly experimental closer "The Beast  (Kali Yuza)", had  the album been a little more original and included a couple of more conventional rock or pop numbers the results would have been far stronger.  As is, if you could stay awake through the whole thing the album made for a fascinating game of 'spot the influence'.  My ears heard bits of David LaFlame and It's a Beautiful Day (luckily without the violins) and Wallace's performances bore a passing  resemblance to early The Jefferson Airplane ("Be Me").  

I've never seen it, but the group also had a cameo in the 1969 Bob Hope, Jackie Gleason and Jane Wyman flick "How To Commit a Marriage".  They played a rock band performing two tracks ("A Child's Garden" and "Be Me") in the flick. 

Sales of the album were non-existent and the band quickly called it quits.  Uncle Sam subsequently served Schwartz with an induction notice.  Claiming conscientious objector status, he began working for Goodwill Industries, in his spare time collaborating with songwriter Sharon Sheeley who had recently signed a writing deal with Pierre Cosette and Burt Sugarman's newly formed, MGM-affiliated CoBurt Records. Signed to the label Schwartz released a 1970 solo album "The Wheel" (Coburt catalog number CO-1001).  He's now a fairly well know psychologist, author and professor.

"The Comfortable Chair" track listing:
(side 1)

1.) Ain't No Good No More (Ted Baczek - Barbara Wallace - Gene Garfin) - 2:35 rating: *** stars

Opening with Gary Davis's Hammond B-3 "church organ" fills Ain't No Good No More" started out with consider promise.  Over the next two and a half minutes the song  bounced all over the musical spectrum including harmony-rich pop, breaking waves sound effects and psych-rock (courtesy of Tad Baczek's guitar solo).  Unfortunately Bernie Schwartz's lead vocals sounded like an outtake from "Jesus Christ Superstar" and there wasn't much of a melody. 

2.) A Child's Garden (Bernie Schwartz) - 2:32 rating: *** stars

"A Child's Garden" was the first in a string of pretty, but hyper-sensitive ballads.  Showcasing some sweet harmony vocals and a Gene Garfin's clarinet solo, there was a very '60s vibe to this one.  The song was one of two used in soundtrack for the Bob Hope and Jackie Gleason comedy "How To Commit a Marriage".  YouTube has a clip of the band's performance in the film:  '' the comfortable chair '' - a child's garden film 1969. - YouTube  

3.) I'll See You (Gary Davis - Barbara Wallace - Bernie Schwartz) - 2:27 rating: *** stars

Propelled by Greg Leroy bass and Warner Davis' energetic drumming "I'll See You" was one of the album's most mainstream performances.  The song found Schwartz and Barbara Wallace sharing lead vocals.  Wallace's crystalline voice was startling.  Ode tapped it as the album's second single: 

- 1969's "I'll See You" b/w "Now" (Ode catalog number ZS7 112)

4.) Princess (Bernie Schwartz) - 3:08 rating: ** stars

The highly orchestrated opening again sounded like something from a Broadway show of a film soundtrack and that impression didn't fade when you heard the rest of "Princess".  Kicked along by Schwartz's gaudy, overwrought vocals, this one was painful to sit through.

5.) Now (Barbara Wallace) - 2:50 rating: **** stars

Penned by Wallace, the ballad "Now" was one of the album's most commercial tune.  The song also sported one of the album's prettiest melodies and the multi-tracked vocals demonstrated Wallace could belt out a tune.  The song was tapped as the "B" side to their "I'll See You" 45.

6.) Some Soon, Some Day (Ted Baczek - Bernie Schwartz - Gene Garfin) - 3:05 rating: *** stars

Another fragile ballad, "Some Soon, Some Day" featured a pretty melody and the group's sweet harmony vocals.  Imagine The Mamas and the Papas singing at a funeral after a week on downers.   The song was tapped as the "B" side of their "Be Me" 45.

(side 2)

1.) Be Me (Ted Baczek - Bernie Schwartz - Gene Garfin) - 2:30 rating: *** stars

The album's first single, "Be Me" was also the album's most West Coast" psych sounding effort.  This one bares more than a passing resemblance to early Jefferson Airplane.  The band was also featured performing the song in "How To Commit a Marriage".

- 1969's 'Be Me' b/w 'Come Soon, Some Day' (Ode catalog number ZS7 109)

YouTube has a clip of the move performance.  Ah the life was so tough for privileged white hippies -   '' the comfortable chair '' - be me film 1969. - YouTube

2.) Loved It All (Bernie Schwartz) - 2:15 rating: ** stars

Anyone for another heavily orchestrated Broadway ready ballad with sensitive, fragile vocals?

3.) Let Me Through (K. Wallace - Barbara Wallace) - 2:12 rating: **** stars

"Let Me Through" was another Wallace composition and provided another album highlight. I've come to appreciate her clear and powerful voice.  Greg Leroy provided some tasty bass.

4.) Stars In Heaven (Ted Baczek - Bernie Schwartz - Barbara Wallace - Gene Garfin) - 3:00 rating: *** stars

With some group vocals "Stars In Heaven" had an odd folk-meets-church-choir sound.  This one always reminds me of The Electric Prunes "Mass In F Minor" album.

5.) Pale Night of Quiet (Ted Baczek - Bernie Schwartz) - 3:48 rating: * star

Okay, "Pale Night of Quiet" pushed me over the edge,  I'm all for a nice ballad, but there's a limit to how many sensitive, flute-powered slice of singer/songwriter angst I can take.  Never thought I'd say this but give me a slice of The Carpenters over this.

6.) The Beast  (Kali Yuza)  (Bernie Schwartz - 3:27 rating: *** stars

Showcasing Gary Davis' keyboards, "The Beast  (Kali Yuza)" may not have been a great song, but at least it wasn't a ballad.  Complete with treated vocals and various studio effects, the tune was the album's most experimental outing, bouncing between rock, jazz and jazzy moves.  Interesting way to end the collection.

© Scott R. Blackerby February, 2026