KooperKast

In this very short but intriguing Appaloosa episode we hear about Al’s first project as producer after Blood Sweat and Tears.  But Al had 2 members of Blood Sweat and Tears play on the Appaloosa album, which is an interesting side story.

Al gets a call from Danny Kalb about coming to a jam session... thus starts a new chapter in Al's career. Until Al wanted to add horns...

In 1967, Joni Mitchell broke up with Blues Project drummer Roy Blumenfeld and she ran into Al Kooper at a bar that night. Al walked her home and Joni sang some songs for him. He was so impressed with her music that he called friend Judy Collins at 2am to get her to take Joni to the Newport Folks Festival the next day. Judy said yes, but grumbled about being woken up. Joni's appearance at Newport kickstarted her career and Al helped her get a record contract. But you have to hear Al tell it.

A little different take on the famous Like A Rolling Stone session where Al met Bloomfield and became Dylan's organ player. The episode starts with Al and Frank Zappa chasing the same woman, who became Gail Zappa.

Al talks about getting Deep Purple to hire his favorite guitar player and how it really didn't work out; then the same fellows shows up in a bizarre incident. Just another chapter the the life of the Zelig of Rock, Al Kooper.

How Denny Cordell got Al to play on early Tom Petty sessions, resulting in The Heartbreakers going on the road the first time opening for Al's act, which was a very large band with horns and backup singers. Al sat in with the Heartbreakers on a few Petty songs to help generate some buzz.

Al tells about his upcoming CD of  demo recording going back to the 1960's and since then. He then launches into a great story about where on of the songs came from, the result of an epic quest to find Little Beaver, the great R&B guitarist.