2891 - THOMAS JEFFERSON KAYE - Not Alone (1996)

THOMAS JEFFERSON KAYE
''NOT ALONE''
1996
49:29

1/Dixie Flyer
Thomas Jefferson Kaye/2:37
2/C'Est la Bonne Rue
Thomas Jefferson Kaye / Tom Slocum/4:13
3/Vanessa
Thomas Jefferson Kaye / Alex Taylor/2:51
4/Shades of Blue
Thomas Jefferson Kaye/2:48
5/Shoot Out in the Desert
Thomas Jefferson Kaye/4:20
6/Façada Mirada (Façade Mirage)
Thomas Jefferson Kaye/3:18
7/Fantasy Seeker
Thomas Jefferson Kaye / Richard Perry/3:14
8/Crazy Ladies
Thomas Jefferson Kaye/3:54
9/Forgive Me Girl
Thomas Jefferson Kaye/5:47
10/Loop Garou
Dr. John/4:44
11/Up to Your Old Tricks Again
Thomas Jefferson Kaye/2:25
12/Livin' on Rock & Roll
Thomas Jefferson Kaye / Stephen Stills / Dallas Taylor/2:53
13/Tough Enough
Thomas Jefferson Kaye/3:26
14/Stone Ball
Thomas Jefferson Kaye/3:42

Thomas Jefferson Kaye/Rhythm Guitar, Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Keyboards, Lead Vocal, Backing Vocals
Eric Clapton, Robbie Kreiger, Danny Chauncy, Joe Walsh/Lead Guitar
Jeff "Skunk" Baxter, Jerry McGee/Lead Guitar, Rhythm Guitar, Bass Guitar
Greg Douglass/Lead Guitar, Rhythm Guitar
Dr.John/Lead Guitar, Keyboards, Piano
Steve Bruton/Rhythm Guitar, Guitar
Rick Vito, John Bialin/Rhythm Guitar
Rick Danko, Michael Detempo, Charlie Harrison/Bass Guitar
Mike Utley/Keyboards, Organ
Greg Thomas/Drums, Backing Vocals
Andy Kaye/Drums
Chicago Horn Section/Horns
Steve Miller, Mary Clayton Thomas, Rick Clark, Bob Carpenter, Timothy B.Schmidt, Charlie Williams/Backing Vocals

REVIEW
By Jason Ankeny
The third and final offering from Kaye features an eye-popping guest line-up that includes Eric Clapton, Dr. John, Steve Miller, Rick Danko, Timothy B. Schmidt, Jeff "Skunk" Baxter, Joe Walsh, Don Henley and Robby Krieger.

BIOGRAPHY
The late Thomas Jefferson Kaye was a producer, a songwriter and a musician. Born Thomas Jefferson Kontos, he decided to change his last name to Kaye in 1958 when he became the head of A&R at Scepter Records at the young age of 18. Everyone simply called him Tommy. He produced hits by such recording stars as Three Dog Night, Jay and the Americans, Bobby Neuwirth, ? and the Mysterians,The Shirelles and Link Wray. Working in New York, Tommy was considered a genius in R&B, blues, pop, and Top Forty, Tommy had never worked with folk music until working with Loudon Wainwright on the album Loudon Wainwright III. The record climbed to # 1 in the LP charts with the single "Dead Skunk" topping the singles chart. At the same time Tommy had a band "White Cloud" which he used with everyone he produced. In 1972 they released an album, in a beautiful snakeskin textured gatefold cover, on the obscure Good Medicine label. As well as their own solo projects the band played all over the Village, and back in those days the likes of Bobby Neuwirth and Bob Dylan would come around to see them play. Tommy's next career move took him to San Francisco to produce an album by Link Wray and he fell in love with Wally Heider's studio, the climate, the cable cars and Jerry Garcia. After completeing the Link Wray album, Tommy flew down to LA to meet up with his by now good friend Bobby Neuwirth. They spent a month hanging out and fueling their 24 hour days with cocaine, speed, pills, and alcohol before starting to work on Neuwirth's album. Kaye remembered "The hours are crazy, the alcohol thing is crazy, the pills are crazy, the people are crazy." Tommy also found time to record his own albums and in 1973 his self-titled first album was released. On the second album, First Grade, the idiosyncrasies of Kaye's voice become an asset and the record reached a small-scale perfection rarely found in pop. Kaye's third and final record, "Not Alone" was an all-star affair including among others Eric Clapton, Dr. John, Steve Miller, Rick Danko, Walsh, Don Henley and Robby Krieger. Twenty years later and diabetic, Tommy was a member of AA but couldn't completely quit drinking and smoking. Even though he underwent numerous surgeries, a result of the combination of diabetes and constricting capillaries, Tommy never lost his boyish look or his glibness. His final days were spent at the home of Marty Kupersmith. Suffering from pain due to toxemia, Tommy asked Marty for some Tylenol and the next day the bottle was found empty. Tommy died in St. Anthony's Hospital in Warwick, N.Y., September of 1994.

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2890 - THOMAS JEFFERSON KAYE - First Grade (1974)

THOMAS JEFFERSON KAYE
''FIRST GRADE''
1974
32:15

1/Northern California
Thomas Jefferson Kaye
2/Sho-Bout
3/Shine the Light
Link Wray
4/Jones
Walter Becker / Donald Fagen
5/American Lovers
Walter Becker / Donald Fagen
6/One Man Band
Thomas Jefferson Kaye
7/Easy Kind of Feeling
Thomas Jefferson Kaye
8/All Cried Out
Buddy Kaye / Philip Springer
9/L.A.
Thomas Jefferson Kaye
10/Say That You Love Me
Loudon Wainwright III

Jeff Baxter /Guitar
Walter Becker /Bass
Rick Derringer /Guitar
Donald Fagen /Keyboards
Victor Feldman /Percussion
Richie Furay /Vocals
Jim Gordon /Drums
Jimmie Haskell /Horn
Thomas Jefferson Kaye /Guitar, Vocals
Clydie King /Vocals
Jim Mason /Vocals
Sherlie Matthews /Vocals
Michael Omartian /Keyboards
Joe Osborn /Bass
Dean Parks /Guitar
Timothy B. Schmit /Vocals
Dusty Springfield /Vocals

REVIEW
by Brett Hartenbach
Thomas Jefferson Kaye steps out of his usual spot in the producer's chair for his second record, 1974's First Grade, handing the reins over to Gary Katz (Steely Dan). Together, Kaye and Katz create what appears at first to be a fairly typical bit of M.O.R., L.A. rock -- caught somewhere between tepid country-rock, Southern boogie, and the pointed sophistication of Steely Dan (he covers a couple of Becker and Fagen and rarities). The record kicks off with the brief, overtly autobiographical "Northern California" (it actually begins, "My name is Thomas Jefferson Kaye, I was born in North Dakota"), which on its own has a certain sweet poignancy, but paired with the lightweight "Easy Kind of Feeling" which follows, sets you up for a California yawn-fest. A nice treatment of Dr. John's funky "Sho-bout to Drive Me Mad" picks things up a bit before Kaye makes a pleasant, yet unexpected turn with two terrific covers to close Side One. Loudon Wainwright's sly and aching "Say That You Love Me," and the disillusionment of Becker and Fagen's "American Lovers" are both delivered with the same intelligence you would expect of their respective authors, yet are as palatable as anything the Eagles or Todd Rundgren may have turned out in the early part of the decade. The second side opens with "Jones," another previously unreleased Becker and Fagen and gem, and closes with a trio of self-penned tunes. Of the three originals, the soulful boogie of "L.A.," with it's sardonic refrain of "everything's gonna be all right" sung by Dusty Springfield, Clydie King, and Shirley Matthews, and the dark resignation of "All Cried Out" work just fine, but the limp rocker, "One Man Band" is a disappointing closer. First Grade may start a little slowly and stumble to the finish line, but there's plenty of substance in the middle to make it worthwhile. Becker and Fagen, and former Poco bandmates Richie Furay and Timothy B. Schmit, and guitarist Rick Derringer are among the guests. Reissued on CD as a two-fer with Kaye's debut by Edsel in 1995.

BIOGRAPHY
The late Thomas Jefferson Kaye was a producer, a songwriter and a musician. Born Thomas Jefferson Kontos, he decided to change his last name to Kaye in 1958 when he became the head of A&R at Scepter Records at the young age of 18. Everyone simply called him Tommy. He produced hits by such recording stars as Three Dog Night, Jay and the Americans, Bobby Neuwirth, ? and the Mysterians,The Shirelles and Link Wray. Working in New York, Tommy was considered a genius in R&B, blues, pop, and Top Forty, Tommy had never worked with folk music until working with Loudon Wainwright on the album Loudon Wainwright III. The record climbed to # 1 in the LP charts with the single "Dead Skunk" topping the singles chart. At the same time Tommy had a band "White Cloud" which he used with everyone he produced. In 1972 they released an album, in a beautiful snakeskin textured gatefold cover, on the obscure Good Medicine label. As well as their own solo projects the band played all over the Village, and back in those days the likes of Bobby Neuwirth and Bob Dylan would come around to see them play. Tommy's next career move took him to San Francisco to produce an album by Link Wray and he fell in love with Wally Heider's studio, the climate, the cable cars and Jerry Garcia. After completeing the Link Wray album, Tommy flew down to LA to meet up with his by now good friend Bobby Neuwirth. They spent a month hanging out and fueling their 24 hour days with cocaine, speed, pills, and alcohol before starting to work on Neuwirth's album. Kaye remembered "The hours are crazy, the alcohol thing is crazy, the pills are crazy, the people are crazy." Tommy also found time to record his own albums and in 1973 his self-titled first album was released. On the second album, First Grade, the idiosyncrasies of Kaye's voice become an asset and the record reached a small-scale perfection rarely found in pop. Kaye's third and final record, "Not Alone" was an all-star affair including among others Eric Clapton, Dr. John, Steve Miller, Rick Danko, Walsh, Don Henley and Robby Krieger. Twenty years later and diabetic, Tommy was a member of AA but couldn't completely quit drinking and smoking. Even though he underwent numerous surgeries, a result of the combination of diabetes and constricting capillaries, Tommy never lost his boyish look or his glibness. His final days were spent at the home of Marty Kupersmith. Suffering from pain due to toxemia, Tommy asked Marty for some Tylenol and the next day the bottle was found empty. Tommy died in St. Anthony's Hospital in Warwick, N.Y., September of 1994.

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2889 - THOMAS JEFFERSON KAYE (1973)

THOMAS JEFFERSON KAYE
''THOMAS JEFFERSON KAYE''
1973
38:47

1/The Body Song/Thomas Jefferson Kaye/4:15
2/Collection Box/Thomas Jefferson Kaye, Joanne Vent/4:04
3/The Door Is Still Open/Thomas Jefferson Kaye/3:26
4/Learning How to Fly/Thomas Jefferson Kaye, Kenny Vance, Marty Joe
Kupersmith, Sandy Yaguda/3:34
5/I'll Be Leaving Her Tomorrow/Thomas Jefferson Kaye, B. Wagman/4:22
6/Hole in the Shoe Blues/Thomas Jefferson Kaye/5:20
7/Snake in the Grass/Thomas Jefferson Kaye/5:01
8/Thanks for Nothing/Thomas Jefferson Kaye/4:29
9/Hoe Bus/Thomas Jefferson Kaye/5:02

Thomas Jefferson Kaye - Acoustic Guitar, Vocals
Rick Derringer - Electric & Acoustic Guitar
Jeff 'Skunk' Baxter - Electric Guitar on 8
Bobby Black - Steel Guitar
Rick Slossen - Drums
Joe Frank Corrola - Bass, Backing Vocals
Randy Hobbs - Bass
Walter Becker - Bass on 5 and 6
Tom Salisbury - Piano
Victor Feldman - Percussion
Clydie King, Venetta Fields, Shirley Matthews, Dorothy Morrison, Diane Morrison, Micki St. Clair, Mark Springer, Chris Williamson - Background Vocals
Donald Fagen - Background Vocals on 3, 4, and 5
David Palmer - Background Vocals on 3, 4, and 5
Gary Katz - Background Vocals on 2

BIOGRAPHY
The late Thomas Jefferson Kaye was a producer, a songwriter and a musician. Born Thomas Jefferson Kontos, he decided to change his last name to Kaye in 1958 when he became the head of A&R at Scepter Records at the young age of 18. Everyone simply called him Tommy. He produced hits by such recording stars as Three Dog Night, Jay and the Americans, Bobby Neuwirth, ? and the Mysterians,The Shirelles and Link Wray. Working in New York, Tommy was considered a genius in R&B, blues, pop, and Top Forty, Tommy had never worked with folk music until working with Loudon Wainwright on the album Loudon Wainwright III. The record climbed to # 1 in the LP charts with the single "Dead Skunk" topping the singles chart. At the same time Tommy had a band "White Cloud" which he used with everyone he produced. In 1972 they released an album, in a beautiful snakeskin textured gatefold cover, on the obscure Good Medicine label. As well as their own solo projects the band played all over the Village, and back in those days the likes of Bobby Neuwirth and Bob Dylan would come around to see them play. Tommy's next career move took him to San Francisco to produce an album by Link Wray and he fell in love with Wally Heider's studio, the climate, the cable cars and Jerry Garcia. After completeing the Link Wray album, Tommy flew down to LA to meet up with his by now good friend Bobby Neuwirth. They spent a month hanging out and fueling their 24 hour days with cocaine, speed, pills, and alcohol before starting to work on Neuwirth's album. Kaye remembered "The hours are crazy, the alcohol thing is crazy, the pills are crazy, the people are crazy." Tommy also found time to record his own albums and in 1973 his self-titled first album was released. On the second album, First Grade, the idiosyncrasies of Kaye's voice become an asset and the record reached a small-scale perfection rarely found in pop. Kaye's third and final record, "Not Alone" was an all-star affair including among others Eric Clapton, Dr. John, Steve Miller, Rick Danko, Walsh, Don Henley and Robby Krieger. Twenty years later and diabetic, Tommy was a member of AA but couldn't completely quit drinking and smoking. Even though he underwent numerous surgeries, a result of the combination of diabetes and constricting capillaries, Tommy never lost his boyish look or his glibness. His final days were spent at the home of Marty Kupersmith. Suffering from pain due to toxemia, Tommy asked Marty for some Tylenol and the next day the bottle was found empty. Tommy died in St. Anthony's Hospital in Warwick, N.Y., September of 1994.

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