Ignored           Obscured            Restored

Back in the ‘60s, there was a group of LA session musicians known as The Wrecking Crew.  That group played on so many hits that you know and love that it is almost incomprehensible.  But this post isn’t about the Wrecking Crew, so I’ll stop here and let you do your own research if you don’t already know who they were.

In the ‘70s there was a different group of LA session musicians that also played on many albums that you know and love.  But they were never given a nickname – until now.

Guitarists Danny “Kootch” Kortchmar and Waddy Wachtel, bassist Leland Sklar, and drummer Russ Kunkel have been joined by Steve Postell to record as The Immediate Family.  Their first release is a funky number called “Cruel Twist.”

Here is a shortlist of the classic albums these guys supported:

Sweet Baby James      James Taylor               (Kortchmar, Kunkel)

Blue                             Joni Mitchell                (Kunkel)

Tapestry                       Carole King                 (Kortchmar, Kunkel)

Yellow Brick Road       Elton John                   (Wachtel)

Heart Like a Wheel       Linda Ronstadt             (Kunkel)

Running on Empty       Jackson Browne          (Kortchmar, Sklar, Kunkel)

Excitable Boy              Warren Zevon              (Kortchmar, Wachtel, Sklar, Kunkel)

… and many, many more.

Discussing the band’s recording sessions, American Songwriter published the following quote from Kootch:

“Me, Waddy, Russ, and Leland have been playing together forever,” Kortchmar suggests. “So it came together very easily. We recorded 17 track in three days. Two or three takes and it was done. There’s a telepathy that happens when you’ve been playing with guys for a long time. You gotta know what they’re going to do and when they’re going to do it, So you’re starting on a high level.”

“Cruel Twist” is a fine example of what these guys are capable of producing, and I like it!

Enjoy… until next week.