Bluesberry Jam
Encyclopedia
Bluesberry Jam were a blues rock band active in the 1960s. They were for a time geographically as well as chronilogically similar to Pacific Gas & Electric and Canned Heat. Their musical styles were also similar.
They are also notable for the calibre of musicians that passed through their ranks.
Among the members of the band were future Canned Heat
drummer Adolfo "Fito" de la Parra and legendary guitarist Ted Greene
and Charlie Allen
future front man of Pacific Gas & Electric
. Another notable member was Frank Cook
who was with Canned Heat and would end up in Pacific Gas & Electric.
.
Canned Heat had actually shared their first musical bill with them at the Magic Mushroom in Los Angeles.
Mexican born drummer Fito de la Parra was in a band called the Sotweed Factor.
When Softweed Factor broke up, he joined Bluesberry Jam. He would stay with the band until leaving to Join Canned Heat. The truning point was one night when Bluesberry Jam were playing at the Magic Mushroom sharing the same bill with Canned Heat, there were others watching de la Parra for a certain reason. This was actually arranged by Skip Taylor the manager so that Canned Heat's members could watch Bluesberry Jam drummer Adolfo “Fito” de la Parra at work. The result of this was de la Parra joining Canned Heat. As Canned Heat were looking to get rid of Frank Cook their drummer, the whole thing became a simple switch-over with Cook then becoming the drummer for Bluesberry Jam Frank Cook actually had a Jazz background. He had previously played with trumpeter Chet Baker
, pianist Elmo Hope
and bassist Charlie Haden
. He had also been involved with Shirley Ellis
and Dobie Gray
.
Cook would stay with them until he joined Pacific Gas & Electric. By that time his former band mate Charlie Allen was with PGE as well. Al Walten who was a member of an early version of Pacific Gas & Electric left to Join Bluesberry Jam.
, Iron Butterfly
and Sweetwater
. in mid 1969 playing at venues such as Thee Experience in Sunset Blvd, a venue where Alice Cooper
, Sons of Champlin
, Poco
and Blues Image would also appear. Between the 9th and 11 June that year they shared billing with Joe Cocker
.
as being the drummer for Bluesberry Jam. The fact that certain members of the bands had switched places have added to the confusion.
Pacific Gas & Electric was formed in 1967 and their first album released in 1968. The Canned Heat website places Bluesberry Jam at the Magic Mushroom venue prior to December 1, 1967 and the Rock Archeology website places Bluesberry Jam at the Thee Experience venue on two dates in June 1969. This would indicate that rather that one band evolving out of another, Pacific Gas & Electric inherited some of Bluesberry Jam's members. As both bands were active as separate working bands at the same time, then this would prove the case.
They are also notable for the calibre of musicians that passed through their ranks.
Among the members of the band were future Canned Heat
Canned Heat
Canned Heat is a blues-rock/boogie rock band that formed in Los Angeles, California in 1965. The group has been noted for its own interpretations of blues material as well as for efforts to promote the interest in this type of music and its original artists...
drummer Adolfo "Fito" de la Parra and legendary guitarist Ted Greene
Ted Greene
Theodore "Ted" Greene was an American fingerstyle jazz guitarist, music columnist, and music educator active in Encino, California.-Early Days:...
and Charlie Allen
Charlie Allen (singer)
Charlie Allen was one of the founding members of blues and rock outfit Pacific Gas & Electric and the vocalist for the group. By 1968 the group consisted of Charlie Allen, Frank Cook, Tom Marshall, Brent Block, and guitarist Glenn Schwartz...
future front man of Pacific Gas & Electric
Pacific Gas & Electric (band)
Pacific Gas & Electric was an American blues rock band in the late 1960s and early 1970s, led by singer Charlie Allen. Their biggest hit was "Are You Ready?"-Career:...
. Another notable member was Frank Cook
Frank Cook
Francis Cook is a British Independent politician, who was the Labour Party Member of Parliament for Stockton North from 1983 until 2010.- Background :...
who was with Canned Heat and would end up in Pacific Gas & Electric.
Band info
Bluesberry Jam came out of Los Angeles and were among the three most popular blues bands of that era. The other two being Pacific Gas & Electric and Canned HeatCanned Heat
Canned Heat is a blues-rock/boogie rock band that formed in Los Angeles, California in 1965. The group has been noted for its own interpretations of blues material as well as for efforts to promote the interest in this type of music and its original artists...
.
Canned Heat had actually shared their first musical bill with them at the Magic Mushroom in Los Angeles.
Mexican born drummer Fito de la Parra was in a band called the Sotweed Factor.
When Softweed Factor broke up, he joined Bluesberry Jam. He would stay with the band until leaving to Join Canned Heat. The truning point was one night when Bluesberry Jam were playing at the Magic Mushroom sharing the same bill with Canned Heat, there were others watching de la Parra for a certain reason. This was actually arranged by Skip Taylor the manager so that Canned Heat's members could watch Bluesberry Jam drummer Adolfo “Fito” de la Parra at work. The result of this was de la Parra joining Canned Heat. As Canned Heat were looking to get rid of Frank Cook their drummer, the whole thing became a simple switch-over with Cook then becoming the drummer for Bluesberry Jam Frank Cook actually had a Jazz background. He had previously played with trumpeter Chet Baker
Chet Baker
Chesney Henry "Chet" Baker, Jr. was an American jazz trumpeter, flugelhornist and singer.Though his music earned him a large following , Baker's popularity was due in part to his "matinee idol-beauty" and "well-publicized drug habit."He died in 1988 in Amsterdam, the...
, pianist Elmo Hope
Elmo Hope
St. Elmo Sylvester Hope was an American jazz pianist, performing chiefly in the bop and hard bop genres. His highly individual piano-playing and, especially, his compositions have led a few enthusiasts and critics such as David Rosenthal to place him alongside his contemporaries Bud Powell and...
and bassist Charlie Haden
Charlie Haden
Charles Edward Haden is an American jazz musician. He is a double bassist, probably best known for his long association with saxophonist Ornette Coleman...
. He had also been involved with Shirley Ellis
Shirley Ellis
Shirley Ellis is an American soul music singer and songwriter of West Indian origin. She is best known for her novelty hits "The Nitty Gritty" , "The Name Game" and "The Clapping Song"...
and Dobie Gray
Dobie Gray
Dobie Gray is an African American singer and songwriter, whose musical career has spanned soul, country, pop and musical theater...
.
Cook would stay with them until he joined Pacific Gas & Electric. By that time his former band mate Charlie Allen was with PGE as well. Al Walten who was a member of an early version of Pacific Gas & Electric left to Join Bluesberry Jam.
Venues
Besides The Magic Mushroom, the band could be seen playing at The Shrine Auditorium on Jefferson Blvd. On November 25, 1967, they shared billing at The Shrine Auditorium with The DoorsThe Doors
The Doors were an American rock band formed in 1965 in Los Angeles, California, with vocalist Jim Morrison, keyboardist Ray Manzarek, drummer John Densmore, and guitarist Robby Krieger...
, Iron Butterfly
Iron Butterfly
Iron Butterfly is a US psychedelic rock band best known for the 1968 hit "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida".Their heyday was the late 1960s, but the band has been reincarnated with various members. In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida is the 31st best-selling album in the world, selling more than 25 million copies.-History:The...
and Sweetwater
Sweetwater
Sweetwater is a synonym for freshwater. It may also refer to:- Places :* Sweet Water, Alabama* Sweetwater, Duval County, Florida* Sweetwater, Hardee County, Florida* Sweetwater, Miami-Dade County, Florida* Sweet Water, Illinois* Sweetwater, Idaho...
. in mid 1969 playing at venues such as Thee Experience in Sunset Blvd, a venue where Alice Cooper
Alice Cooper
Alice Cooper is an American rock singer, songwriter and musician whose career spans more than four decades...
, Sons of Champlin
Sons of Champlin
The Sons of Champlin is an American rock band, formed in the late 1960s and hailing from the San Francisco-Bay area. They are fronted by vocalist/keyboardist/guitarist Bill Champlin, who was also a member of the rock band Chicago.-Early years:...
, Poco
Poco
Poco is an Southern California country rock band originally formed by Richie Furay and Jim Messina following the demise of Buffalo Springfield in 1968. The title of their first album, Pickin' Up the Pieces, is a reference to the break-up of Buffalo Springfield. Highly influential and creative,...
and Blues Image would also appear. Between the 9th and 11 June that year they shared billing with Joe Cocker
Joe Cocker
John Robert "Joe" Cocker, OBE is an English rock and blues musician, composer and actor, who came to popularity in the 1960s, and is most known for his gritty voice, his idiosyncratic arm movements while performing, and his cover versions of popular songs, particularly those of The Beatles...
.
Confusion
There are a number of misleading bios and reviews that possibly mistakenly credit Bluesberry Jam members with being in certain bands and certain other members of bands being members of Bluesberry jam. They also mistaken in Bluesberry Jam's position regarding the evolution of Pacific Gas & Electric. While it is true that a number of Pacific Gas & Electric's members did come from Bluesberry Jam and at least one member of Pacific Gas & Electric left that band to Join Bluesberry Jam, Pacific Gas & Electric didn't evolve out of Bluesberry Jam as such. The Pacific Gas & Electric website states that neither Tom Marshall or Brent Block were members of Bluesberry Jam and Fito de la Parra was never a member of Pacific Gas & Electric. There are sites that credit future Pacific Gas & Electric front man Charlie AllenCharlie Allen
Charlie Allen was an American jazz trumpeter.Allen grew up in Chicago, and began playing in the early 1920s just out of high school. He was a member of the bands of Hugh Swift , Dave Peyton , Doc Cook , Clifford King , and Johnny Long...
as being the drummer for Bluesberry Jam. The fact that certain members of the bands had switched places have added to the confusion.
Pacific Gas & Electric was formed in 1967 and their first album released in 1968. The Canned Heat website places Bluesberry Jam at the Magic Mushroom venue prior to December 1, 1967 and the Rock Archeology website places Bluesberry Jam at the Thee Experience venue on two dates in June 1969. This would indicate that rather that one band evolving out of another, Pacific Gas & Electric inherited some of Bluesberry Jam's members. As both bands were active as separate working bands at the same time, then this would prove the case.
Later years
- After leaving Bluesberry Jam and becoming the drummer of Pacific Gas & Electric, Frank Cook would end up becoming the band's manager as a result of being injured by a drunk driver in a car accident. It is believed that in later years Frank Cook would become a Psychiatrist in California.
- Charlie Allen would stay with Pacific Gas & Electric until 1973 where he would use the band's name to launch a solo career. He would pass away in 1990.
- Ted Greene would become a well-respected guitarist and teacher. He would pass away in 2005.
- Fito de la Parra would remain with Canned Heat up until the present.
Past members
- Adolfo “Fito” de la Parra (Drums)
- Al Walten (Vocal)
- Ted Greene (Guitar)
- Charlie Allen (Drums)
- Frank Cook (Drums)