Joy Of Cooking - Back To Your Heart

Californian folk-rockers’ live cuts and studio rarities

Joy Of Cooking were one of the earliest female-led rock’n’roll bands. Formed in Berkeley, California in 1967 by pianist and main songwriter Toni Brown, along with folk-singing guitarist Terry Garthwaite, their music was a ear catching polyrhythmic amalgam of folk, rock, jazz, blues and gospel elements driven by the duo’s interweaving vocal verve atop a freewheeling, innovative three man rhythm section.

This double-disc package collects 17 previously unreleased studio recordings on one disc, with the second devoted to seven songs from a live 1972 Berkeley concert (possibly at Mandrakes) and highlighted by the two extended closing cuts: an invigorating Brownsville/ Mockingbird medley and the congas-led hand-clapper Laugh, Don’t Laugh. Studio picks encompass an intimate, barebones version of Dylan’s Love Is Just A Four Letter Word, the contemplative Look Back, a shouting-out recasting of Ma Rainey’s classic Dream Blues, the country-tinged weeper I’ve Made Up My Mind and the Donovan-inspired, organ and tambourine enhanced Yatata. For whatever reasons, Joy never had much commercial success, but their pioneering role as serious musicians is undeniable and sonically indelible on this lovingly assembled project. The live CD, in particular, is outstanding and the sound throughout is exceptional.

Njoy | 2006 (2-CD)

Reviewed by Gary von Tersch
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