August 24
Brian Auger’s Oblivion Express
$25 at 7:00, $15 at 9:30
One of the great keyboard players in rock music, Brian Auger brought the Hammond B-3 organ sound to British rock in the 1960s, adding jazz chops and R&B attitude. He had a hand in creating what is known today as jazz rock/fusion, taking the lessons he learned from Jimmy Smith and applying them to rock music. Now in his fifth decade of performing, Auger is every bit as energetic as he was in the 1960s.
“Brian Auger is one of the best B-3 artists I have ever heard in my life. His technique is awesome and the amount of energy he generates is unparalleled and relentless. He is a tremendous talent with a wonderfully warm and compassionate personality, a combination that is hard to beat. He deserves all the accolades.”
-Herbie Hancock
get the whole story at brianauger.com
“Those who remain oblivious to the obvious delights of Brian Auger’s Oblivion Express do so at their own risk.”
-The Beastie Boys
Already an in-demand jazz pianist by 18, Auger heard early American recordings of Hammond B-3 organs and decided it was a sound he wanted to be involved with. As such organs were virtually nonexistent at the time in England, his services became more in demand. (The organ shortage was occasionally an issue. Check out the harpsichord part he played at the top of The Yardbirds’ classic “For Your Love” ). Soon Auger’s bands were opening up shows all over England, for the likes of Led Zeppelin and Cream, and headlining the Montreux Jazz Festival (in 1968).
“Brian, Brian Man, You’re Crazy!” -Jimmy Smith
Throughout the 1970s, Oblivion Express toured and recorded constantly, working alongside Herbie Hancock’s Headhunters, ZZ Top, and many others. Auger put the band to rest for a while, living in California and spending time with his family. In 1989 Eric Burdon called him to help assemble a new band to revamp Burdon’s Animals tunes. After four years, Auger decided it was time to do his own thing again, and started a new version of Oblivion Express, with son Karma on drums and daughter Savannah on vocals.
