Brian Auger and the Trinity: Far Horizons

The pop world of the late sixties/early seventies period was notable for its dissolving of genres and for its richness of instrumentation. Once jazz, soul, R&B, blues, psychedelia, and acid rock had found each other, the result was a flowering of bands who enjoyed a sunny heyday of horns and Hammond organ, until the guitar groups finally reasserted themselves. In the States, Chicago and Blood, Sweat & Tears were the most successful and high-profile of the breed. In the UK, the sixties were a happy hunting ground for roaring Hammond organ groups like The Graham Bond Organization, Zoot Money and the Big Roll Band, and most popular of all, Georgie Fame and the Blue Flames. (Retro San Francisco outfit Monophonics have been mining this neglected seam in recent years.)

Brian Auger began his professional musical life as a jazz pianist, earning his stripes with Ronnie Scott, Tubby Hayes, Joe Harriott and Jimmy Skidmore. But hearing Jimmy Smith's Back at the Chicken Shack (Blue Note, 1963) blasting from a West London record shop one day, he resolved there and then to get hold of a Hammond B3, and thus began his lifelong career as an organist.

Auger and the Trinity are chiefly remembered for their storming 1968 version of Bob Dylan's "This Wheel's On Fire," featuring singer Julie Driscoll (although it's not featured in this selection). The single was a big hit in the UK and Europe, but made little impact in the US. Auger's refusal to be pigeonholed undoubtedly affected his career, but he stuck at it for years afterward with his band Oblivion Express, and is still at it in 2022.

This four-volume box set covering the period between 1967 and 1970 allows us to appreciate the sheer breadth of Auger's musical references. Two of these albums, Open (Polydor, 1967), and the double album Streetnoise (Polydor, 1969) feature Driscoll's powerful soul voice, while Definitely What! (Marmalade/Atco, 1968) and Befour (RCA, 1970) focus on the trio of Auger on Hammond, bassist Dave Ambrose and drummer Clive Thacker, plus a bevy of session horn and string players. Along with pop favourites of the day like The Beatles' "A Day in the Life" and Donovan Leitch's "Season of the Witch," there are lovely versions of "All Blues," Wes Montgomery's "Bumpin' on Sunset" and Herbie Hancock's "Maiden Voyage," the latter featuring guitarist Gary Boyle.