Brian Auger
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
|
Related e |
|
Featured: |
Brian Auger (born 18 July 1939) is an English composer and keyboardist working in jazz and rock, known for recordings such as "Light on the Path" (1973) and "Happiness Is Just Around the Bend" (1973).
Career
In 1965 Auger formed the group Steampacket along with Long John Baldry, Julie Driscoll and Rod Stewart. With Driscoll and the band Trinity he went on to produce several hit singles, notably a cover of David Ackles' Road to Cairo and Bob Dylan's This Wheel's on Fire. In 1970 he formed Brian Auger's Oblivion Express. The Oblivion Express served to cultivate several top musicians, including future The Average White Band drummers Robbie Mackintosh and Steve Ferrone, as well as guitarist Jim Mullen. Likewise, in 1971 he produced and appeared on Mogul Thrash's only album. Two members of the band, Roger Ball and Malcolm Duncan, would also go on to form the Average White Band.
In 1989, Brian Auger was Musical Director for the thirteen-part film retrospective series "Villa Fantastica", made for German TV. A live recording of the series, Super Jam (1990), features Brian Auger on piano, Pete York on drums, Dick Morrissey on tenor, Roy Williams on trombone, Harvey Weston on bass and singers Zoot Money and Maria Muldaur.
Auger toured with blues rocker Eric Burdon in the early 1990s, and recorded the album Access All Areas: Live with him in 1993. After several projects, including albums with family members, he reformed the Oblivion Express in the late 1990s, with a line-up that eventually featured his son and daughter.
The newly revived Oblivion Express played at the 2006 Starwood Festival[1], featuring Brian's son Karma Auger on drums, his daughter Savannah Auger on vocals, and Derek Frank on bass.
Discography
- 1965 - Don't Send Me No Flowers - Sonny Boy Williamson
- 1965-1969 - The Mod Years (Complete Singles, B-Sides, and rare tracks)
- 1967 - Open (Trinity's first album)
- 1968 - Definitely What (First Solo Album)
- 1969 - Streetnoise (Double Album)
- 1967/1970 - Befour (Last Brian Auger Trinity Album)
- 1970 - Oblivion Express (First Oblivion Express Album)
- 1971 - A Better Land (Oblivion Express)
- 1972 - Second Wind (Oblivion Express)
- 1973 - Closer To It (Oblivion Express)
- 1975 - Straight Ahead (Oblivion Express)
- 1975 - Live Oblivion Volume 1
- 1975 - Live Oblivion Volume 2
- 1975 - Reinforcements (Oblivion Express)
- 1976 - Best of Brian Auger (Double Album)
- 1975 - Happiness Heartaches (Oblivion Express)
- 1977 - Encore - Brian Auger & Julie Tippetts (Reunion Album)
- 1980 - Search Party
- 1982 - Here and Now
- 1987 - Keys to the Heart
- 1990 - Super Jam - Villa Fantastica
- 1993 - Access All Areas: Live - Eric Burdon/Brian Auger Band (Double Album)
- 1993 - Tony Williams: Live in Tokyo 1978
- 1998 - Blue Groove - Karma Auger
- 1999 - Voices of Other Times (Oblivion Express)
- 2001 - Soft & Furry - Ali Auger
- 2004 - Auger Rhythms: Brian Augers Musical History (The Trinity, Julie Driscoll, Oblivion Express)
- 2005 - Brian Auger: Insights of the Keyboard Master (DVD)
- 2005 - Looking In the Eye of the World (Oblivion Express)
- 2005 - Live at the Baked Potato (Oblivion Express) Double CD
- 2005 - Live at the Baked Potato (Oblivion Express) DVD
See also
- Streetnoise - 1968 album
