On Keeping My Head To The Sky

I have avoided the mention of the group and the actual title because, in my experience, this is the sort of thing that draws post deleting attention when dealing with a big name. Join me in a little trip in the way-back machine.......... It is fall 1973, I think? (the fog obscures my vision) I am a white boy from a mixed family with hair down to his elbows, who acts and sounds more black than white and I am attending a liberal southern Ohio college that is , well, painfully WHITE. By today's standards it was almost a movie parody. Our black population on campus was like 5% and they were by far the largest minority on campus!

Through a series of machinations involving liberal white guilt and such, an unknown band billed as being 'Spiritual Soul and Funk' was booked to play, but the 'powers that be' would only allow us the use of the cafeteria as they didn't expect there to be much interest. (I guess they were right) This large group of exceptionally hip looking young black men and one ethereally beautiful girl show up in a large van with a second one following with a mountain of gear. When I see the horns and all the percussion I'm gassed! The album you are looking at was only a few months away from being released.

I still recall the pained expressions on the faces of the faculty advisers as we piled all the furniture into one side of the cafeteria and shut the partition - some guys from the theater department brought over lights and before long we had our 'venue'. The roadies laid down this nice carpet for a stage and they lit up some joss sticks which made the advisers look positively constipated. They soon vanished and the joints began to magically appear.

Of course every black kid on campus showed up and a few of my friends and we had.....around 100 people. No Prob! They came out and played every song on this record and the one that preceded it. The music was, as described, 'very spiritual'; a description that a modern fan would find curious if they had never reached back to this early wonder. Obviously I have strong personal connections to this one -- it comes from that time in your life -- I usually end up with a tear or two before it is over.