ay morning coming down // (Scott Johnson).
This Tuesday, Jesse Colin Young will turn 81. This installment of my Sunday morning series was written one year ago to celebrate his 80th birthday. Yesterday, while listening to Albert O host Highway 61 Revisited at WUMB, I was reminded of his birthday. It was vaguely reminiscent of something I had made for him so I went on our search engine to find it. I’m going to give it another spin, but in slightly rewritten form. It doesn’t matter if you have it from last year or if it isn’t of interest to you, just pass it by.
After seeing Jesse perform with his Celtic Mambo line-up at Rossi’s Blue Star Room, Minneapolis in 2006, I interviewed Jesse via email. “Aloha Jesse” I cite from the interview below, but forgot to mention that it was last year.
Jesse is either the founder of the Youngbloods, or a solo artist. His work is amazing. It has been a source of inspiration for me for a long period. It triggers a multitude of emotions and memories. I would like to briefly salute him and post videos of some his work this morning.
Jesse suffered for many years from Lyme Disease. He was not diagnosed until he read a book about the condition. He has been able to return to work after a successful course of antibiotic treatment. You’ve likely heard him talk about it if you’ve been around him since 2017. He wants to shine a spotlight on the disease.
Jesse was born in the Greenwich Village folk scene. As a folk musician, he released two albums. Soul of a City Boy (1964), was his first. “You Gotta Fix it” was one of six original songs on the album.
In 1965, Jesse recorded Young Blood for Mercury. The title pointed to the future. “Trouble In Mind” features John Sebastian’s unmistakable sound on the harmonica.
Jesse founded the Youngbloods with Jerry Corbitt playing guitar, Lowell “Banana” Levinger on keyboards and Joe Bauer on drums. Jesse was a folk musician and had already released two solo albums by the time he formed the Youngbloods. Guitar is his first love. Jesse switched from guitar to bass in order to make the group work.
Felix Pappalardi produced the Youngbloods’ debut album, entitled “Get Together”, which featured the top 10 hit song “Get Together,” written and performed by Chet Powers. Powers was a member of Quicksilver Messenger Service, and also wrote under the aliases Dino Valenti or Jesse Oris Farrow. Jesse explained to me that “The Youngbloods were one the house bands at Cafe Au Go Go [in Greenwich Village]” and that the song was first heard at an open mic there in 2006. It was sung by Buzzy Linhart, and I fell in love with the song and took it to rehearsal with the YBs that day. We couldn’t record it because I was crazy about it.
The song was released as a single in 1967 and became a huge hit 2 years later. It was used by the National Conference of Christians and Jews to soundtrack a public service announcement promoting national unity in 1969. Before it became a hit with the Youngbloods, the song had been recorded several times. Jesse’s passionate vocal made this version of “The Song” click. The NCCJ ad brought this recording to the attention and struck a chord. Jesse’s voice caught our attention. He still plays the song 50 years later, and still whispers “Listen!”
Earth Music, the Youngbloods’ next album, was their follow-up. Both of their first albums are full of great songs. I don’t believe RCA knew how to promote the group. Jesse wrote “All My Dreams Blue” for the album.
Jesse adapted “Sugar Babe”, a field recording made by John Lomax and Alan Lomax. It has never sounded so good before.
In spring 1970, I was first to hear the Youngbloods on the college circuit. They had already released Elephant Mountain, their third album, which was produced by Charlie Daniels. The album opens with Jesse’s “Darkness, Darkness.”
Jesse’s “Sunlight”, the fourth track on the album, is at the opposite end of the spiritual spectrum. This is easily one my favorite songs of all time. This was a huge hit!
Elephant Mountain was the Youngbloods peak. Beautiful tracks are featured on the album. Although they did a few tracks, it is a perfect album. They also recorded Good, Dusty, and High On a Ridge Top. These records reflect Jesse’s love for blues, country, folk, and rock. It was pleasant to descend from Elephant Mountain if it was downhill. Jesse’s cover to Taj Mahal’s “She caught the Katy (and left me a Mule To Ride)” is shown below.
Jesse has had a successful solo career, recording many albums with excellent musicians backing him. Song for Juli is my favorite. The title track is dedicated to his daughter. He must have stuffed so many beautiful melodies into this song. He loved the girl, I believe.
Jesse believed he had found paradise at his mountaintop home in northern California. It was destroyed in the 1995 fire at Point Reyes National Seashore. He paid tribute to it in “Ridgetop” before the fire.
Jesse was a scholarship student at Phillips Academy. His passion for the guitar led to him being in conflict with school authorities. He was expelled from high school during his senior year. As he modified “Hesitation Blues” for his own purposes, you can hear his intelligence and love of wordplay.
Jesse spoke about his battle with Lyme Disease when we met him in Minneapolis in 2018. He stated that he had stopped touring and thought that he was retired. He went to the Berklee College of Music graduation of his son and saw his son’s classmates playing. He was inspired to join forces and take them on the road. This is the Dakota aggregation (Tristan Young on bass and Donnie Hogue drums, JennHwanWong on keyboard, Jack Sheehan and Aleif Hamdan on electric guitars, and Virginia Garcia Alves and Sally Rose backing Jesse’s vocals). The video below shows them performing Jesse’s medley from Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Happening” and “Mercy Mercy Me” live at Daryl’s House 2017.
Song for Juli first featured Jesse’s cover version of “T-Bone Shuffle”. He also gave it a vigorous workout with his son’s group. When we saw him in Minneapolis, I still remember the keyboard, the sax and the lead guitarist’s wailing on this particular song.
Visit Jesse’s site. Let’s end with the 2021 video of Jesse covering Van Morrison’s “These Dreams of You”.
