Tuesday, 19 March 2024

Paul Kossoff - September 14, 1950 - March 19, 1976

With Koss and Andy Fraser's dates being so closely linked now, with both of them dying in March, the month is a real ballbuster for Free fans. Koss of course died some decades previously, and is now hurtling at an alarming rate towards a 50 year marker. It makes me feel rather old.

Koss is still my favourite player, and is sadly missed. Rather than stick up an obvious choice, and there are many, I considered things for a while, and thought something from early on in his recording career would be good for a change. So I picked up on 'Swamp Man'. Mike Vernon's stomping production from the Martha Velez a LP 'Fiends And Angels'. Curiously if you slow this riff right down it's got more than a little 'Mr Big' going on, but this recording pre-dates that and isn't quite as refined. Great tune tho', and from a great LP too. The album seems largely forgotten now, but Kossoff makes three great contributions there, and if you don't have a copy it's well worth checking out. Shame Paul isn't here to tell us about the session, but his perfomance is very fine. Play some of your own favourites today too, and enjoy the recorded music he left us to ponder. It's a fantastic legacy.

 


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