By Thomas Semioli

 

Gone at Last, Mind Games, Sweet Disposition, Stranded in a Limousine….  Live from New York, it’s Gordon Edwards!

 

He was the bassist who helped forge the soundtrack of the Big Apple in the 1970s wherein jazz, funk, punk, rock, disco and reggae created a magical musical brew.

 

The Bronx was burning uptown, CBGB was forging new waves downtown, and the beautiful people were boogieing in mid-town Studio 54 as Gordon Edwards grooved mightily with passages that percolated with the rhythm of the streets.

 

Edwards was surprise choice for John Lennon’s Mind Games (1973) as the ex-Beatle usually favored unadorned accompaniment from his bassists. Gordon contributed a funky undertow to one of Lennon’s most under-appreciated collections. 

 

A first call session cat, Gordon was a founding member of Stuff, a highly sought-after ensemble comprised of studio legends at the peak of their collective and individual powers: Richard Tee (keyboards), Eric Gale and Cornell Dupree (guitars), and drummers Chris Parker and Steve Gadd. Stuff and Edwards were everywhere in that halcyon era – in the clubs, touring, and recording under their own name and backing such artists as Paul Simon, Phoebe Snow, Daryl Hall & John Oates, Leon Thomas, Joe Cocker, Carla Bley, Donny Hathaway, and Aretha Franklin, among many others.

 

 

Gordon was the bassist on the infamous SNL episode wherein John Belushi spoofed Joe Cocker! https://youtu.be/aZsOyO_lXD8

 

 

Gordon Edwards Sound & Vision…

 

 

Stuff live at Montreux in 1976: https://youtu.be/MZcTP3-ARFQ

 

Joe Cocker:

 

“The Jealous Kind” https://youtu.be/F-FaZTyLkq4

 

“I Broke Down” https://youtu.be/c7MMhIbrPB8

 

“The Man In Me” https://youtu.be/hHwK_RWrHcs

 

John Lennon:

 

“Mind Games” https://youtu.be/QLeObvcUii4

 

“Intuition” https://youtu.be/7KI0nVS2BtU

 

“Only People” https://youtu.be/-SVbqK01ImM

 

Paul Simon:

 

“Tenderness” https://youtu.be/WNcmOBVvuxs

 

“Gone At Last” https://youtu.be/wT_zVoA6mYE

 

“Stranded in a Limousine” https://youtu.be/xVvbxAIrT-Y

 

Daryl Hall & John Oates: “Las Vegas Turnaround” https://youtu.be/up0qIJlETO4

 

Aretha Franklin: “With Everything I Feel in Me” https://youtu.be/37_c2VzXsfI

 

Grover Washington: “No Tears in the End” https://youtu.be/ZApAWvaZoZw

 

Donny Hathaway: “Magdalena” https://youtu.be/M-fPEiFxLt8

 

Carla Bley: “Song Sung Long” https://youtu.be/_VvfhAoaGC4

 

Phoebe Snow: “Sweet Disposition” https://youtu.be/PhxryBBwN4g

 

Leon Thomas: “Let’s Go  Down to Lucy” https://youtu.be/1BnHNeUauww

 

 

 

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He is among the most revered British sidemen – session cats ever. Every record Alan anchored is worthy of exploration.  Among his most noted recorded works include Jesus Christ Superstar (1970), Joe Cocker! (1969), Leon Russell (1970), Paul Kossoff Back Street Crawler (1973), Alvin Lee In Flight (1974), and Roxy Music Avalon (1982).  You’ve heard him on stage and on record with Joe Cocker’s Grease Band, Roxy Music, Jim Capaldi, Paul Kossoff, Spooky Tooth, Alvin Lee, Kokomo David Coverdale, Bryan Ferry, Peter Frampton, Donovan, Steve Winwood, Ted Nugent, and Leon Russell, among many, many others…

 

If it were only for his incomparable bass passages on Jesus Christ Superstar (1970), Alan Spenner is legend. Spenner spins lines that exuded a soulful, rhythm & blues disposition akin to Motown masters James Jamerson and Bob Babbitt. Alan’s first professional gigs were with the blues/jazz outfit Wynder K. Frog which featured an impressive line-up of keyboardist Mick “Blue” Weaver (Mott the Hoople, Keef Hartley, David Gilmour), guitarist Neil Hubbard (Bluesology), drummer Bruce Rowland (Ronnie Lane, Fairport Convention, Joe Cocker), percussionist Reebop Kwaku Baah (Traffic), and saxophonist Chris Mercer (Bryan Ferry, Chris Farlowe, John Mayall). All these musicians intersected on many of the record dates that Spenner helmed.  Sadly, Alan passed at a young age (43) from a sudden heart-attack. 

 

Among Alan’s primary weapons of choice are Fender Precision – fretted and fretless. In his later years Alan switched to Wal basses. 

 

Alan Spenner Sound & Vision: 

 

Roxy Music “Same Old Scene” https://youtu.be/vXOgQN1a7bE

 

Roxy Music live “Avalon,” “Love is the Drug” https://youtu.be/co9TRT4Dar0

 

From Jesus Christ Superstar: “What’s The Buzz” https://youtu.be/c3LM2iQ8p7A

 

Tom Jones & Joe Cocker: “Delta Lady” https://youtu.be/V1gxVOcLZcI

 

Tony Senatore’s renditions of Alan’s passages from Jesus Christ Superstar 

 

“Gethsemane” https://youtu.be/vbLvAyrB6cU

 

“Herod’s Song” https://youtu.be/jBVVKbmwQu8 

 

“Heaven On Their Minds” https://youtu.be/ttnashv77K4

 

Alan with Joe Cocker at Woodstock: “Something’s Going On” https://youtu.be/kGbK5y94LOE