Folky, jazzy, hard to pin-down originals featuring acoustic guitars and violin, plus an instrumental cover of the Gershwins’ “Summertime.”  A lost glimpse into the dawn of “the new acoustic movement.”

Recorded in a single weekend (after a cross-country drive to the recording studio outside Kansas City, from their home base in Connecticut) this LP was the first release from the trio that later became known as Laurasia.

Originally, the album was to be called “East River,” and the group was then known as “Noonan, Levi & Houshmand.” Between the recording and release of this first LP, vocalist Galen Brandt joined the group, which then adopted the group name “East River.” The old group name became the title of this LP.

From the Progressive Review blog: “A long lost classic from the dawn of New Age and World Music. Much more interesting music than most of what is called New Age. The record is best left without any musical label attached to it...It’s really quite beautiful and has that blissfully innocent sincerity that is/was a hallmark of the music of the seventies.  (Sigh)– we’re a long way away from that now, aren’t we?”

Performers:

• Patrick Noonan – 6-string acoustic guitar, pedal steel guitar
• Jonathan Levi – violin, vocals
• John Houshmand – 12-string acoustic guitar, vocals

Produced by Fred Putman
Recorded at Cavern Recording Studio, Independence MO (March 1975)
Sound engineer – John Pearson
Photos by Rod Alberts
Cover art by Evie Cohen