Rock Workshop’s debut album features legendary singer Alex Harvey as one’s of the band’s two lead vocalists alongside Alan Greed. Harvey sings lead on ‘Wade In The Water’ and ‘Hole In Her Stocking’ and also on alternate takes of album tracks ‘You To Lose’ and ‘Ice Cold’, single B side ‘Born In The City’ and originally unreleased track ‘Let My Bluebird Sing’.

This 3CD box-set includes several previously unreleased tracks including the instrumentals ‘People That’s Why’ and ‘Tokyo Drift’ and the excellent pre- first album demo taken from Ray Russell’s archive – ‘When Life Was Simple’ that along with ‘Soul Sisters’ and ‘Watch Your Step’ got the group signed to CBS.

Rock Workshop were formed by guitarist Ray Russell who’d replaced Vic Flick in The John Barry Seven, toured with Georgie Fame and the Blue Flames and led his own jazz group The Ray Russell Quartet. Bringing jazz style improvisation to rock music, Rock Workshop pioneered an innovative and exciting jazz / funk / rock fusion.

Band members include celebrated British Jazz musicians Harry Beckett (trumpet / flugelhorn), Bob Downes (tenor sax / flute), Tony Roberts (tenor sax / flute), Derek Wadsworth (trombone), Daryl Runswick (bass), Alan Rushton (drums) and Robin Jones (congas).

Notes by MOJO magazine’s Lois Wilson include a new interview with band leader and guitarist Ray Russell.

Disc One: Rock Workshop (1971)
A product of the early 70’s, Rock Workshop were formed in 1970 by Russell and Harvey and became an expansive band of 13 musicians who created an innovative and technically articulate form of experimental rhythm and blues.

Rock Workshop was released in 1971 to great critical acclaim but due to their then record company wanting to market them as an English Blood Sweat And Tears they never achieved great commercial success. A second album was recorded before the band folded and Harvey went on to great commercial and critical success with his own band.

Rock Workshop comes from that vein of Rockers who want to be Jazzer’s or Jazzer’s who want to be Rockers and fall between those two stools. I can’t say I hate it because, like the curate’s egg, parts of it are quite excellent. It’s definitely an album that deserves to be collected and held onto.

Crank up loud and enjoy this album now it is restored here with some lovely bonus tracks.

1. You To Lose 2. Wade In The Water 3. Primrose Hill (Theme for Jake) 4. Theme For Freedom 5. Spine Cop 6. Ice Cold 7. Hole In Her Stocking 8. He Looks At Me / Mooncross Grove 9. Born In The City (Single Version) [Bonus Track] 10. You To Lose (Single Version) [Bonus Track] 11. Let My Bluebird Sing [Bonus Track] 12. You To Lose (Alternate Take - Alex Harvey vocal) [Bonus Track] 13. Ice Cold (Alternate Take – Alex Harvey vocal) [Bonus Track] 14. Wade In The Water (Alternate version) [Bonus Track] 15. Born In The City (Alternate Version) [Bonus Track] 16. People That’s Why (Take 8) [Bonus Track]

Disc Two: The Very Last Time (1971)
In England you could find other bands in this style of music that Rock Workshop brought forth, like Heaven and Brainchild. The difference was that led by Russe the band definitely had the pedigree to go far. Musically, the band played both sides of the horn rock spectrum - from blues to jazz. The music never really goes off the rails here, rather opting to clearly try to grind out a hit, as Russell grouses his way through.

All the same, there are plenty of super tracks found on this album, that is for damn sure. Good fuzz bass, acid guitar and advanced horn charts. Personally, I like a good horn rock album and no doubt Rock Workshop are in the top half of the genre. While I wouldn’t call this top tier like the aforementioned Brainchild or Heaven albums, Rock Workshop is still a fine example of the UK brass rock style.

1. Living Reason 2. Street War Parts 1 & 2 3. Going Home 4. What’s Mine Is Mine 5. Weeping Wood Mandalas 6. Forgotten How To Live 7. Light Is Light 8. I Think It’s… 9. Ella Banta Dum Bundy 10. Very Last Time (includes Is This The End… Baby?) 11. Heavy Weather [Bonus Track] 12. Ashen Besher [Bonus Track] 13. Tokyo Drift [Bonus Track] 14. Street War (Live) [Bonus Track]

Disc Three: The Hustler: Alternate Versions, Demos and Outtakes First Demos
1. When Life Was Simple 2. Soul Sisters a.k.a. Patterns 3. Watch Your Step // Live In The Studio 4. Spine Cop (Live Studio Version) 5. Hole In Her Stocking (Live Studio Version) 6. Born In The City (Live Studio Version) 7. You To Lose (Live Studio Version) 8. Primrose Hill (Live Studio Version) 9. Return To Goddess 10. The Hustler a.k.a. Watch Your Step 11. Wade In The Water (Live Studio Version) 12. Ice Cold (Live Studio Version) 13. Spine Cop (Live Studio Version #2) 14. Theme For Freedom (Live Studio Version) // Outtakes 15. People That’s Why (Take 1) 16. Don’t Go Short a.k.a. Hole In Her Stocking (instrumental version) 17. Studio Jam

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