A tribute to Aram Schefrin

Aram Schefrin of the group, Ten Wheel Drive, passed away this week. He was a Harvard Law School graduate who spent most of his life practicing law out of Rhode Island. However, before donning a suite and tie he was the guitarist and lyricist for the seminal horn/rock band Ten Wheel Drive. Schefrin formed the group with writing partner Michael Zager in 1968. The band was fronted by female rock & roll pioneer Genya Ravan. Ten Wheel Drive recorded 4 albums, three of which featured Ravan as the vocalist. The group survived and at times thrived despite an ever-changing line-up and relentless comparisons to Blood, Sweat, & Tears and Chicago, but eventually disbanded in 1974.

In recent years, Ten Wheel Drive has been heard in rap music samples such as Jay-Z’s, ‘1-900-Hustler’ and 50 Cent's, 'I Am A Rider'. After the collapse of Ten Wheel Drive, Schefrin worked extensively on solo projects for Ravan as well as producing albums for the bands, Sunshine & Egg Cream. He also produced disco classics from DC LaRue, such as Overture & Cathedrals. He left the music business sometime in the early 80’s to practice law. Schefrin is also the author of four novels. He was 68. -JP

Horn Rock Heaven Top 20 - #15. 1849 – Lighthouse

Lighthouse clearly lit the way for all Canadian bands in the horn/rock genre. Their output of 10 albums in five years was only half as impressive as the sheer girth of a group that included both a horn and string section along with a rhythm section and a boatload of singers to boot. After three albums of meager success their fourth, One Fine Morning, saw the group earn international success. One of the cuts that fully pronounced their musical abilities was the anthem-esque, 1849.

Most of the songs on One Fine Morning showcase the superb vocals of Bob McBride. On this tune, however, it’s a chorale of voices that tell the tale of wagon trains traversing the 19th century American landscape in search of riches. Even though the track is rich with harmonies from the voices, strings, and horns, it’s the lyrics that stand out as most impressive. The clever lyrical turn from hopeful expectation to reality almost gives you the sense that this group of Canadians singing about American pioneers from years gone by must be somewhat autobiographical. For just as those pioneers discovered the harsh realities of their material pursuits Lighthouse, too, must have experienced the harsh realities of emphasizing the word ‘music’ before the often-succeeding word ‘business’. Nonetheless, the musical achievement found here can stand on its own merits regardless of any harrowing back-story. And a live version from Live at Carnegie Hall the following year only adds to the group’s credibility.

Horn Rock Heaven Top 20 - #16. Was It I - Illustration

Was It I starts off like the musical equivalent of a Mack truck barreling down the highway, a thick rolling groove led by the Clayton-Thomas-like vocals of Billy Ledster. He growls and swaggers asking rhetorically Was It I that put a smile on your face knowing damn well that he did that and more while the horns stab from both sides blanketing the listener in a sonic warmth. Then all of a sudden as he asks again if it was he who made you fall in love, you can begin to hear the doubt creep in and the groove just falls apart. Then like a James Brown encore, the band tries to pick him up as Ledster, now losing his confidence wonders if it really was him after all. Blood, Sweat & Tears may have been more proficient musicians, but they never inflicted as much psychological torture on themselves than Illustration did on this song, from the highs of a roaring semi to the putter of a Volkwagon microbus all in 2 minutes and thirty seconds.

Horn Rock Heaven Top 20 - #17. Ease My Mind - Gotham

Debut albums in the horn-rock genre are deceiving because many members of said groups typically had some sort of prior recording experience. Thus was the case with Gotham. Nearly every member of this New York powerhouse had his share of stage and studio time before a single note of Gotham’s debut album, Pass The Butter, was recorded. And this may be one reason why it’s difficult to single out one great track from this record. Nevertheless the responsibility has befallen us and we think we’ve chosen wisely.

‘Ease My Mind’ is a matrix for the ideal horn-rock tune. The triple-threat of a powerful horn section, a dominating vocalist, and a tight rhythm section lead by a guitar virtuoso are all the tell-tale elements of what made the music of this genre so respectable. And Gotham hits the trifecta on this number. Within 10 seconds of the tune, the band is already riding the pedal to the floor. And for the next four minutes they seemingly find a way to drive harder and harder. After one listen you’d be hard-pressed not to agree. The only thing that won’t ‘easy your mind’ upon listening to this gem is the knowledge that there was never a follow-up record. The other 10 songs on Pass The Butter will have to suffice.

Horn Rock Heaven Top 20 - #18. Flower Pot – Loadstone [1969]

1969 offered a cornucopia of music but few songs provided such variety as Loadstone’s ‘Flower Pot’. Clocking in at over 15 minutes, this ambitious piece provides elements of psychedelic, jazz, and horn-rock for the patient listener. Most music from this era that passed the five-minute mark was built almost exclusively around soloing. And although ‘Flower Pot’ dishes out a fair share, its really only one aspect of what is expressed.

The pristine musicianship and compositional skills are apparent for this group of Las Vegas hired-gun musicians. But few would guess that prior to the Loadstone album, these guys were backing the likes of Andy Williams and Bobby Darin. And with jazz-pianist-turned-producer Dave Grusin at the controls musicianship, and not self-indulgence, was likely the emphasis. Regardless, few groups succeeded, let alone, rose to this level of ambition on their debut record. And it’s hard to not consider ‘Flower Pot’ a mark of achievement and greatness in the rock genre. But as the song suggests, “It’s not what you are, it’s what you got”. And the listener may best decide that.

Horn Rock Heaven Top 20 - #19. Puzzle-N.Y.C. [1974]

Here’s a case of a band that had the good fortune to get signed to major label in the early 70s. Unfortunately it was to Motown, who was probably thinking they had another “Chicago” on their hands. The fact is they were most likely pushed to sound like them. Having both formed in the same town was where the similarities ended. Puzzle had a more soulful vibe owing that fact to singer/drummer John Lavigni. They never had that one breakout song to get on them on the charts and by their second album (titled The Second Album – was the band losing interest already?) one can feel the despair creeping in and the feeling of being lost. No track captures that any better than the last track on the LP, N.Y.C. Lavigni sings about being kicked out of his apartment and having nowhere to go while the band plays shuffles to a funky latin beat. (Was he living in Spanish Harlem?) Even at their “lowest” point the band still feels like if there’s not hope at least we can have fun.

Motown had no idea what to do with the band and their 2 LPs nowhere as well as having been erased from Motown’s history. Even Lavigni changed his name to John Valenti and continued a solo career. Could they have ever had a better shot & a bigger career? That’s the real puzzle.

Horn Rock Heaven Top 20 - #20. I Had Him Down – Ten Wheel Drive [1971]

Nearly every horn/rock record featured at least one gratuitous ballad to showcase the more sensitive side of its writers and musicians. Chicago’s ‘Color My World’, and Janis Joplin’s ‘Maybe’ are two classic examples of the typical ballad fare. But in many instances, the ballad song-form became an additional vehicle for artistic expression within the genre. Such is the case with TWD’s ‘I Had Him Down’. Genya Ravan’s compelling vocal and TWD’s powerful horn section showcase both restraint and raw power all within 4 minutes. The usage of strings only further beautifies this masterpiece. But the importance of this piece should be noted for its usage of all the elements that made horn/rock unique and great by including complex meter, wide range of dynamics, well-crafted lyrics, outstanding arrangement, and great musicianship. TWD proved they could run on all eight cylinders even if the tempo was ‘down’.