Erik Jacobsen
Encyclopedia
Erik Jacobsen is an American record producer, best known for his work in the 1960s with Tim Hardin
, The Lovin' Spoonful
, The Charlatans
and Norman Greenbaum
, and later with Tazmanian Devils and Chris Isaak
.
In 1962 Jacobsen was the banjo player in bluegrass band, The Knob Lick Upper 10,000, with Dwain Story and Pete Childs. They performed at The Bitter End
coffee house in New York City
, where they were signed by manager Albert Grossman
. They recorded two albums for Mercury Records
, Introducing The Knob Lick Upper 10,000 (1962), and Work Out (1963), and were among the first folk and bluegrass artists to play Carnegie Hall
.
In 1964, after hearing The Beatles, Jacobsen quit the group, intending to form a new band which combined folk music with electric instruments. Returning to New York, he soon met John Sebastian
, who had similar ideas, and they began jamming with other musicians, including Jerry Yester
, Zal Yanovsky
, Jesse Colin Young
, Cass Elliott and Denny Doherty
. Jacobsen produced various demos for different combinations of these musicians, prototypes of the folk rock
style, some of which were issued on the 1966 Elektra
album What's Shakin'
, and others on a 1999 compilation The Magic Circle. Jacobsen was also introduced to singer-songwriter Tim Hardin, began working as his manager, and produced his demos for Columbia Records
. The Lovin' Spoonful formed early in 1965, and Jacobsen won them a recording contract with Kama Sutra Records
. Jacobsen produced all their early hits, including "Do You Believe In Magic", "Daydream" and "Summer in the City".
The Kama Sutra label also expanded its search for talent into California, and Jacobsen worked there with the label's signings, The Charlatans and Sopwith Camel
. In 1968, he worked as producer with Norman Greenbaum, producing his first album and worldwide hit "Spirit in the Sky
". In 1969, Jacobsen produced the left field #90 pop hit "Mill Valley" for Rita Abrams
(as "Miss Abrams and the Strawberry Point School Third Grade Class") and produced a subsequent album for her in 1970.
In 1980-1984 he produced two albums with the Tazmanian Devils on Warner Brothers records and in 1985 he produced the first album by Chris Isaak. He went on to produce all Isaak's subsequent albums up to 1998.
Tim Hardin
James Timothy "Tim" Hardin was an American folk musician and composer. He wrote the Top 40 hits "If I Were a Carpenter", covered by, among others, Joan Baez, Bobby Darin, Johnny Cash, Ramblin' Jack Elliot, and Robert Plant, and "Reason to Believe", covered by many, including Rod Stewart, as well...
, The Lovin' Spoonful
The Lovin' Spoonful
The Lovin' Spoonful is an American pop rock band of the 1960s, named to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000. When asked about his band, leader John Sebastian said it sounded like a combination of "Mississippi John Hurt and Chuck Berry," prompting his friend, Fritz Richmond, to suggest the name...
, The Charlatans
The Charlatans (U.S. band)
The Charlatans were an influential psychedelic rock band that played a role in the development of the San Francisco music scene during the 1960s and are often cited by critics as being the first group to play in the style that became known as the San Francisco Sound...
and Norman Greenbaum
Norman Greenbaum
Norman Greenbaum is an American singer-songwriter. He was raised in a traditional Jewish household and went to Hebrew school. His initial interest in music was sparked by Southern blues music and the folk music that was hugely popular in the late 1950s and early 1960s...
, and later with Tazmanian Devils and Chris Isaak
Chris Isaak
Christopher Joseph "Chris" Isaak is an American rock musician and occasional actor.-Early life:Isaak was born in Stockton, California, the son of Dorothy , a potato chip factory worker, and Joe Isaak, a forklift driver. Isaak's mother is Italian American, originating from Genoa...
.
In 1962 Jacobsen was the banjo player in bluegrass band, The Knob Lick Upper 10,000, with Dwain Story and Pete Childs. They performed at The Bitter End
The Bitter End
The Bitter End is a nightclub in New York City's Greenwich Village. It opened its doors in 1961 at 147 Bleecker Street under the auspices of owner Fred Weintraub. The club changed its name to The Other End during the 1970s...
coffee house in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, where they were signed by manager Albert Grossman
Albert Grossman
Albert Bernard Grossman was an American entrepreneur and manager in the American folk music scene and rock and roll. He was most famous as the manager of Bob Dylan between 1962 and 1970.-Biography:...
. They recorded two albums for Mercury Records
Mercury Records
Mercury Records is a record label operating as a standalone company in the UK and as part of the Island Def Jam Motown Music Group in the US; both are subsidiaries of Universal Music Group. There is also a Mercury Records in Australia, which is a local artist and repertoire division of Universal...
, Introducing The Knob Lick Upper 10,000 (1962), and Work Out (1963), and were among the first folk and bluegrass artists to play Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States, located at 881 Seventh Avenue, occupying the east stretch of Seventh Avenue between West 56th Street and West 57th Street, two blocks south of Central Park....
.
In 1964, after hearing The Beatles, Jacobsen quit the group, intending to form a new band which combined folk music with electric instruments. Returning to New York, he soon met John Sebastian
John Sebastian
John Benson Sebastian Jr. is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist and autoharpist. He is best known as a founder of The Lovin' Spoonful, a band inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000...
, who had similar ideas, and they began jamming with other musicians, including Jerry Yester
Jerry Yester
Jerry Yester is an American folk rock musician, record producer, and arranger.Growing up in Burbank, California, Yester formed a duo with brother Jim Yester, the Yester Brothers, and starting playing folk clubs in Los Angeles in 1960...
, Zal Yanovsky
Zal Yanovsky
Zalman "Zal" Yanovsky was a Canadian rock musician. Born in Toronto, he was the son of political cartoonist Avrom Yanovsky. He played lead guitar and sang for the Lovin' Spoonful, a rock band which he founded with John Sebastian in 1964...
, Jesse Colin Young
Jesse Colin Young
Jesse Colin Young is an American singer / songwriter / folksinger and a founding member of the group The Youngbloods.-Early life:...
, Cass Elliott and Denny Doherty
Denny Doherty
Dennis Gerrard Stephen Doherty was a Canadian singer and songwriter. He was most widely known as a founding member of the 1960s musical group The Mamas & the Papas.-Early career:...
. Jacobsen produced various demos for different combinations of these musicians, prototypes of the folk rock
Folk rock
Folk rock is a musical genre combining elements of folk music and rock music. In its earliest and narrowest sense, the term referred to a genre that arose in the United States and the UK around the mid-1960s...
style, some of which were issued on the 1966 Elektra
Elektra Records
Elektra Records is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group. In 2004, it was consolidated into WMG's Atlantic Records Group. After five years of dormancy, the label was revived by Atlantic in 2009....
album What's Shakin'
What's Shakin'
-Side One:# "Good Time Music" – The Lovin' Spoonful# "Almost Grown" – The Lovin' Spoonful# "Spoonful" – The Paul Butterfield Blues Band# "Off the Wall" – The Paul Butterfield Blues Band...
, and others on a 1999 compilation The Magic Circle. Jacobsen was also introduced to singer-songwriter Tim Hardin, began working as his manager, and produced his demos for Columbia Records
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
. The Lovin' Spoonful formed early in 1965, and Jacobsen won them a recording contract with Kama Sutra Records
Kama Sutra Records
Kama Sutra Records was started in 1964 by Arthur "Artie" Ripp, Hy Mizrahi and Phil Steinberg as Kama Sutra Productions, a production house. The word "Kama Sutra" is a Sanskrit terminology....
. Jacobsen produced all their early hits, including "Do You Believe In Magic", "Daydream" and "Summer in the City".
The Kama Sutra label also expanded its search for talent into California, and Jacobsen worked there with the label's signings, The Charlatans and Sopwith Camel
Sopwith Camel (band)
Sopwith Camel was a rock music band associated with the San Francisco psychedelic rock scene of the late 1960s.-Career:The band formed in late 1965 and their line-up consisted of vocalist and saxophone player Peter Kraemer, guitarists Terry MacNeil and William "Truckaway" Sievers, bassist Martin...
. In 1968, he worked as producer with Norman Greenbaum, producing his first album and worldwide hit "Spirit in the Sky
Spirit in the Sky
"Spirit in the Sky" is a song written and originally recorded by Norman Greenbaum and released in 1969. The single sold two million copies in 1969 and 1970 and reached number three in the U.S. Billboard chart, as well as number one on the UK, Australian and Canadian charts in 1970. Rolling Stone...
". In 1969, Jacobsen produced the left field #90 pop hit "Mill Valley" for Rita Abrams
Rita Abrams
Rita Abrams is an American songwriter, performer and writer. Her song "Mill Valley", recorded with children at the school where she was teaching, was released under the name Miss Abrams and the Strawberry Point Third Grade Class in 1970, becoming a Billboard Hot 100 hit and being nominated for a...
(as "Miss Abrams and the Strawberry Point School Third Grade Class") and produced a subsequent album for her in 1970.
In 1980-1984 he produced two albums with the Tazmanian Devils on Warner Brothers records and in 1985 he produced the first album by Chris Isaak. He went on to produce all Isaak's subsequent albums up to 1998.