Katmandu (band)
Encyclopedia
Katmandu were a shortlived British blues
band, formed in 1983, featuring Peter Green
, Ray Dorset
and Vincent Crane
. After releasing one album, the group split the following year.
leader Peter Green became dissatisfied with his solo career and his band Kolors, and looked to form a new band with new musicians. Retaining Kolors percussionist Jeff Whittaker, he made contact with former Mungo Jerry
frontman Ray Dorset through a mutual acquaintance, and they met up at Dorset's Satellite Studio, where he was running a video and commercials production company. During a jam session
, one of Dorset's clients from a Swiss company made an offer to fund recording sessions and an album, providing £120,000 for this purpose.
keyboardist Vincent Crane, along with bassist Len Surtees (ex-The Nashville Teens
) and drummer Greg Terry-Short (ex-Ozzy Osbourne
), and recorded an album during December 1983 and January 1984. A Case for the Blues
was not released until 1985, but by then the group had already split up. According to Whittaker, Green had enjoyed recording the album but became disillusioned over Dorset's handling of the group's finances and refused to work with him again. Green reformed his band Kolors in the summer of 1984, retaining Whittaker and Terry-Short, but by the end of the year the band had disintegrated, and Green began a period of 12 years of musical inactivity. Thus the Katmandu project represents Green's last recorded work before the Peter Green Splinter Group
's first album in 1997, apart from one track recorded with Mick Green
in 1986.
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
band, formed in 1983, featuring Peter Green
Peter Green (musician)
Peter Green is a British blues-rock guitarist and the founder of the band Fleetwood Mac...
, Ray Dorset
Ray Dorset
Ray Dorset is an English guitarist, singer, songwriter, and founder of Mungo Jerry...
and Vincent Crane
Vincent Crane
Vincent Crane was a self-taught pianist, who studied theory and composition at Trinity College of Music, and graduated in 1964...
. After releasing one album, the group split the following year.
Formation
Katmandu were formed when ex-Fleetwood MacFleetwood Mac
Fleetwood Mac are a British–American rock band formed in 1967 in London.The only original member present in the band is its eponymous drummer, Mick Fleetwood...
leader Peter Green became dissatisfied with his solo career and his band Kolors, and looked to form a new band with new musicians. Retaining Kolors percussionist Jeff Whittaker, he made contact with former Mungo Jerry
Mungo Jerry
Mungo Jerry is an English rock group whose greatest success was in the early 1970s, though they have continued throughout the years with an ever-changing line-up, always fronted by Ray Dorset. They are remembered above all for their hit "In the Summertime". It remains their most successful and most...
frontman Ray Dorset through a mutual acquaintance, and they met up at Dorset's Satellite Studio, where he was running a video and commercials production company. During a jam session
Jam session
Jam sessions are often used by musicians to develop new material, find suitable arrangements, or simply as a social gathering and communal practice session. Jam sessions may be based upon existing songs or forms, may be loosely based on an agreed chord progression or chart suggested by one...
, one of Dorset's clients from a Swiss company made an offer to fund recording sessions and an album, providing £120,000 for this purpose.
Recording and split
Green, Dorset and Whittaker were joined by former Atomic RoosterAtomic Rooster
Atomic Rooster were an English progressive rock band, composed of former members of the The Crazy World of Arthur Brown. Throughout their history, keyboardist Vincent Crane was the only constant member, and wrote the majority of their material. Their history is defined by two periods, in the early...
keyboardist Vincent Crane, along with bassist Len Surtees (ex-The Nashville Teens
The Nashville Teens
The Nashville Teens are a British pop band formed in Weybridge, Surrey in Summer 1962.-History:Arthur Sharp began his career in music as the manager of Aerco Records in Woking, Surrey...
) and drummer Greg Terry-Short (ex-Ozzy Osbourne
Ozzy Osbourne
John Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne is an English vocalist, whose musical career has spanned over 40 years. Osbourne rose to prominence as lead singer of the pioneering English heavy metal band Black Sabbath, whose radically different, intentionally dark, harder sound helped spawn the heavy metal...
), and recorded an album during December 1983 and January 1984. A Case for the Blues
A Case for the Blues
-Credits:*Peter Green – vocals, guitar, harmonica, drums*Ray Dorset – vocals, guitar, bass guitar, harmonica*Vincent Crane – keyboards*Len Surtees – bass guitar*Greg Terry-Short – drums*Jeff Whittaker – vocals, percussion, drums...
was not released until 1985, but by then the group had already split up. According to Whittaker, Green had enjoyed recording the album but became disillusioned over Dorset's handling of the group's finances and refused to work with him again. Green reformed his band Kolors in the summer of 1984, retaining Whittaker and Terry-Short, but by the end of the year the band had disintegrated, and Green began a period of 12 years of musical inactivity. Thus the Katmandu project represents Green's last recorded work before the Peter Green Splinter Group
Peter Green Splinter Group
The Peter Green Splinter Group were a band led by the blues guitarist and singer, Peter Green.Green was the leader of Fleetwood Mac until he suffered a mental breakdown during the 1970s. He was rehabilitated with the aid of Nigel Watson, the late Cozy Powell and other friends, and then began...
's first album in 1997, apart from one track recorded with Mick Green
Mick Green
Michael Robert "Mick" Green was an English rock and roll guitarist who played with Johnny Kidd & The Pirates and Billy J. Kramer and the Dakotas.-Biography:He was born Michael Robert Green, in Matlock, Derbyshire...
in 1986.
Later releases
A Case for the Blues has been re-released several times, sometimes as a Peter Green solo album, such as the 1987 release on the Original Masters label. Other releases credit the album to Peter Green and Friends.Personnel
- Peter GreenPeter Green (musician)Peter Green is a British blues-rock guitarist and the founder of the band Fleetwood Mac...
– vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
, guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, harmonicaHarmonicaThe harmonica, also called harp, French harp, blues harp, and mouth organ, is a free reed wind instrument used primarily in blues and American folk music, jazz, country, and rock and roll. It is played by blowing air into it or drawing air out by placing lips over individual holes or multiple holes...
, drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person .... - Ray DorsetRay DorsetRay Dorset is an English guitarist, singer, songwriter, and founder of Mungo Jerry...
– vocals, guitar, bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, harmonica - Vincent CraneVincent CraneVincent Crane was a self-taught pianist, who studied theory and composition at Trinity College of Music, and graduated in 1964...
– keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments... - Len Surtees – bass guitar
- Greg Terry-Short – drums
- Jeff Whittaker – vocals, percussionPercussion instrumentA percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration...
, drums