Artist:: California Earthquake
Album: Reformation
Recorded At – T.T.G. Studios
Released: 1971
Band Members:
Bill Connors - Guitar
Jim Gordon - Drums
Mike Barrowman - Horn
Jon Clarke - Horn
Brian Griffin - Organ, Leader
John Guerin - Drums
Joel Porter - Horn
Don Roberts - Horn
Roy Smith - Vocals
Mayo Tiana - Horn
Dennis Parker - Rhythm Section
Arranged By – Brian Griffin, Jimmy Langford, Tommy Oliver, Tony Scotti
Art Direction, Design – Norman Seeff
Orchestrated By – Brian Griffin, Jimmy Langford
Producer – Tommy Oliver, Tony Scotti
A1: In The Beginning, Written-By – Brian Griffin, Tommy Oliver, Tony Scotti
A2: Let There Be Light, Written-By – Jimmy Langford, Tommy Oliver, Tony Scotti
A3: Who Is That Man, Written-By – Jim Wolk
A4: Friday: 3 P.M, Written-By – Brian Griffin
A5: Put Your Hand In The Hand, Written-By – Gene MacLellan
A6: My God And I, Written-By – John Bucky Wilkin
B1: Have You Read The Word, Written-By – Tommy Oliver
B2: The Bible Salesman, Written-By – Billy Vera, Chip Taylor
B3: Sally Go Down, Written-By – Tommy Oliver
B4: Prelude To Suzanne, Written-By – Brian Griffin, Jimmy Langford
B5: Suzanne, Written-By – Leonard Cohen
B6: Reformation '71, Written-By – Tommy Oliver
Away back when God’s popularity was occasionally leaking over into major labels, California Earthquake took the brass rock bull by the horns, combining the fervent soul of Blood, Sweat & Tears with some of the progressive hard rock crunch of Chicago’s debut. The end results are indeed commendable and quite professional sounding. The organ is hot, the lead guitar bristles with excitement and Roy Smith’s vocals burn with passion. From the thunderous ‘Let There Be Light’ (which includes some cool psychy vocal echoes) to the symphonic art-rock instrumental ‘In The Beginning’ to the funk-groovin’ ‘Reformation ’71’, California Earthquake proudly shows that they got da power. As with some other big-label spiritual projects of the day like the God Squad and The Electric Prunes’ Mass In F Minor, the overall vibe here seems more a mainstream Christian-themed experiment rather than a grassroots expression of the Jesus People. Includes covers of ‘Put Your Hand In The Hand’, Billy Vera’s ‘The Bible Salesman’ and Leonard Cohen’s ‘Suzanne’. (The Archivist, 4th edition by Ken Scott).
