GORDON HASKELL
THE ROAD TO HARRYS BAR...

Gordon Haskell was born 27 April 1946, in Bournemouth, Hampshire, England. He was a member of the 60’s cult band Les Fleur de Lys - the Atlantic records session band who backed Aretha Franklin on her first European tour as well as making many records of their own. The group were managed by Frank Fenter who arranged the first British Stax tour that featured Otis Redding and Sam & Dave. In 1966 Haskell became friends with his new housemate who was staying for a few months at his rented flat in London, a young American guitarist in the UK for the first time called James Marshall Hendrix. Today Metal Mind Productions release the audio material taken from the "The Road To Harry's Bar" DVD. Relaxed, self-assured, and smooth as silk, Haskell sings like a perfectly modulated blend of Marvin Gaye, Kenny Rogers and (somehow) Nina Simone…all without the slightest hint of affection. The ex-King Crimson vocalist delivers a phenomenally smooth performance with a group of Polish musicians Gordon Haskell says he wishes he met a long time ago. Haskell: “They are perfect for what I do and their expertise is extra special as they bring with that expertise a rare passion. (…) After this concert in Katowice I returned to England inspired again and haven’t stopped writing songs since, something I was beginning to believe that I would or could never do again due to reasons I cannot disclose here.” The track “Nature Boy”, sounds like a male counterpart to the music of Sade, eloquent and soothing, as is this entire concert. The fusion of the tenor saxophone (played by Marek Podkowa) and keyboards (Jacek Piskorz), all perfectly played, give the singer an elegant platform to deliver the eighteen songs with no flaws, just a sparkling and continuous display of mellow tones. The melancholy "Al Capone" is a nice change while the cover of Bill Withers' classic &"Ain't No Sunshine" well suited to Haskell's new musical world.