WIZARDS FROM KANSAS - Same - Radioactive, 1970

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Actually hailing from Kansas, the Wizard’s were an obscure country-influenced outfit whose debut album featured some fine versions of classics from the period, including Buffy St Marie’s Codine, as well as some excellent originals such as Misty Mountainside, Country Dawn and She Rides With Witches.The original five-piece band enjoyed considerable local success, and eventually found themselves playing the Fillmore East, a gig which led to offers of a number of record deals which the group initially declined. However, towards the end of 1969 Mercury Records finally convinced them to sign to the label, and their eponymous first (and only) album was recorded in the summer of 1970 in San Francisco. During the recording of the album, several band members decided they would rather play jazz, and duly departed to pursue their interests , leaving Mercury with a newly recorded album and no band to promote it. Mercury lost interest and the album sunk without trace. There is a lot of fine stuff on this album, and the band exhibited a particularly impressive range of tight vocal harmonies. A highly recommended album that is extremely collectable.

Track listing: 1. High Flying Bird 2. High Mister 3. 912 1/2 Mass 4. Codine 5. Freedom Speech 6. Flyaway Days 7. Misty Mountainside 8. Country Dawn 9. She Rides With Witches