Search - Danny Kalb, Stefan Grossman :: Crosscurrent

Another Rare (even in its time) album I never thought I'd fi

John Perry | Buffalo, NY | 02/19/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I probably paid under a dollar for this when new; it was a cutout. I figured if Danny Kalb was on it, it must be great. I was right; this is a gem. Plus, it introduced me to the acoustic folk blues of Stefan Grossman whose career has prospered while Kalb's demons have overcome him, tragically. He leads a hard life now.

Danny Kalb was part of the folk music boom of the 1960s. One of many white boys who learned some guitar and took to singing in the coffeehouses near Harvard: rich kids singing music about being broke and troubled. Right. Stefan Grossman was doing the same thing in Greenwich Village.

In 1965, Elektra Records recorded some of these guys and put out a compilation titled, "The Blues Project". Shortly thereafter, Kalb formed a blues/folk-rock band, lifting that tiltle for it's name. Like Paul Butterfield's band, they were pioneers blazing a trail for the blues as interpreted by (mostly) whites.

Although critically acclaimed, by 1967 the band was gone for all intents and purposes. The other members all went on to bigger and better things: money, recognition, and (in the case of Al Kooper), fame.

Kooper formed Blood, Sweat & Tears; Steve Katz went with him. Roy Blumenfeld and (the late) Danny Kulberg remained to see The Blues Project morph into Sea Train. Danny Kalb reformed The Blues Project and toured mostly as a trio for a few years.

I saw them in Buffalo and was awed by his individual, incredible approach to guitar. Like Michael Bloomfield, Danny's style was like no other's. Unlike Bloomfield, thankfully, Danny Kalb's demons have not yet killed him.

Buy this album. To my knowledge it's the only album he made outside of Blues Project recordings and Stefan Grossman takes him down an inspired path. They both play acoustic with a tight rhythm section.

Stefan Grossman wrote all but two songs and sings the lion's share. He had been part of The Even Dozen Jug Band. This might have been a Stefan Grossman solo record, actually, but Kalb's name could sell more records at that time. Still, the music works. I love the way they blend their guitars together so effectively; it's what makes this music exceptional.

I've been waiting so many years for this on CD. I'm smilin'."

A Gem....at least for me

L. Kilbourne | 12/24/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I stumbled upon Crosscurrents around 1973 and thought that the musical partnership of Danny Kalb and Stefan Grossman was magic. In particular, I loved and have been haunted by "Eagles on the Half" for well over a quarter century now.



What's surprising is Stefan Grossman's take on it: Some years ago he played at the Barns at Wolf Trap in Virginia outside Washington, DC, along with the great John Renbourn of Pentagle fame. At intermission I managed to pigeonhole Grossman to tell him how much I loved that album and to ask whether there were plans to re-release it.



His response was a dismissive "I hope not," and his tone made clear that the object of my veneration was not anything of which he was fond. That pretty much ended our conversation.



Oh well... there are people who make music and people who listen to music. And obviously they don't always agree.



I still love the album!"

A fine album of acoustic blues from two outstanding guitaris

R. Wilkof | 02/22/2009

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I listened to this record a lot while in college, and many of the songs stayed in my mind for years. Since I don't have a functional turntable anymore, I was glad to see this reissued in CD format. It's a very understated record, but it hooks you. Interestingly, I saw Stefan Grossman after a concert about 10 years ago and told him how much I liked the record. His response was really off-putting. Instead of simply being gracious, he said something to the effect of "Are you kidding? That was a horrible record." Even if he didn't like it, he still should realize that music, like all forms of art, affects members of its audience in different ways, and this record had a positive impact on me."