Mk II was the second album of the British

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

 blues-rock

Blues-rock

Blues rock is a hybrid musical genre combining bluesy improvisations over the 12-bar blues and extended boogie jams with rock and roll styles. The core of the blues rock sound is created by the electric guitar, piano, bass guitar and drum kit, with the electric guitar usually amplified through a...

 band Steamhammer

Steamhammer (band)

Steamhammer was a blues-rock band from Worthing, England. The band was founded in 1968 by Martin Quittenton and Kieran White...

.

Background

Not selling as many records as they had hoped, Steamhammer nevertheless became a top Europe

Europe

Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...

an open-air attraction, mainly due to their excellent live performance. For over two hours each night they would provide instrumental improvisations, exemplarised by the guitar work of Martin Pugh

Martin Pugh

Martin John Pugh is a British guitarist who came to prominence after joining blues-rock band Steamhammer in 1968, staying with that band through five years and four albums. Their debut album, Steamhammer, was released in 1969 and yielded a minor hit single in Europe, "Junior's Wailing"...

 and the harmonica of Kieran White

Kieran White

Kieran Raymond White was a British vocalist and guitarist. He sang and played in the blues-rock band Steamhammer, formed in 1968. Their debut album Steamhammer was released in 1969, on which he co-wrote many of the songs and also played harmonica. He left the band in 1971...

. In summer 1969, Martin Quittenton

Martin Quittenton

Martin Quittenton is a British guitarist and composer. He played in the blues rock band Steamhammer, formed in 1968. Their debut album Steamhammer was released in 1969 with keyboardist Pete Sears as a special guest....

 left the band, followed by drummer Michael Rushton. They were replaced by Steve Jolliffe

Steve Jolliffe

Steve Jolliffe is an English musician.Jolliffe was a member of the blues-rock band Steamhammer between 1969 and 1970, playing saxophone and flute on their Mk II album, the band's second album in 1969....

 (saxophone, flute) and Mick Bradley (drums).

Jollife's feel for precise arrangements and jazz

Jazz

Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...

 influences especially inspired the recording of this second Mk II album. Going beyond the boundaries of traditional blues forms, the band members applied their musical creativity and imagination without the need for technical trickery.

Track listing

1. "Supposed to Be Free"
2. "Johnny Carl Morton"
3. "Sunset Chase"
4. "Contemporary Chick Con Song"
5. "Turn Around"
6. "6/8 for Amiran"
7. "Passing Through"
8. "Down Along the Grove"
9. "Another Travelling Tune"
10. "Fran and Dee Take a Ride"
11. "Junior's Wailing" *
12. "Windmill" *
13. "Autumn Song" *
14. "Blues for Passing People" *

Personnel

• Martin Pugh
  Martin Pugh
  Martin John Pugh is a British guitarist who came to prominence after joining blues-rock band Steamhammer in 1968, staying with that band through five years and four albums. Their debut album, Steamhammer, was released in 1969 and yielded a minor hit single in Europe, "Junior's Wailing"...
  
   - Acoustic & Electric Guitar
• Kieran White
  Kieran White
  Kieran Raymond White was a British vocalist and guitarist. He sang and played in the blues-rock band Steamhammer, formed in 1968. Their debut album Steamhammer was released in 1969, on which he co-wrote many of the songs and also played harmonica. He left the band in 1971...
  
   - Guitar (Acoustic), Harmonica, Jew's-Harp, Vocals
• Mick Bradley - Percussion, Conga, Drums
• Steve Davy - Bass
• Steve Jolliffe
  Steve Jolliffe
  Steve Jolliffe is an English musician.Jolliffe was a member of the blues-rock band Steamhammer between 1969 and 1970, playing saxophone and flute on their Mk II album, the band's second album in 1969....
  
  - Flute (Alto), Flute (Soprano), Harpsichord, Sax (Alto), Sax (Tenor), Vocals
• Fritz Fryer - Producer
• John Hawkins - Producer
• Paul Tregurtha - Engineer
• Mike Bobak - Engineer

Product details

• Audio CD (July 18, 2006)
• Original release date: 1969
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: Repertoire
• ASIN: B000025R1K

External links

• Prog Archives information
• Steamhammer official website by Martin Pugh