Tommy Bolin: Teaser si Private Eyes

Soarta cruda a lui Tommy Bolin are similitudini mari cu cea a lui Paul ”Kos” Kossoff, chitaristul ex-Free, ambii disparuti prematur la doar 25 ani, ambii cu cate 2 albume de studio, ambii foarte influenti lasand si prin grupurile/formulele din care-au facut parte ecouri memorabile pana aproape de perfectiune in scurtele lor cariere.

Deja cunoscut din Zephyr (3 albume), americanul Thomas Richard "Tommy" Bolin incearca sa pastreze standardele trupei atinse cu Joe Walsh pe cele 2 LPuri trase cu The James Gang -”Bang! (1973) si ”Miami” (1974), de unde pleaca totusi nemultumit la Deep Purple, pentru a avea rolul componistic determinant in succesul lui ”Come Taste the Band”. Albumul “Teaser” a fost lansat in octombrie 1975 la o luna distanta de primul sau album solo la care lucrase intens si pe care se regasesc experientele acumulate in cateva colaborari mai putin cunoscute: cu Energy, cu bateristul Billy Cobham pe albumul acestuia considerat primordial  ”Spectrum” (1973), cu somitati din zonele Rhythm & Blues, Blues, Rock si Fusion Jazz ca Dr. John, Albert King, Alphonse Mouzon si Carmine Appice sau cu trupele Moxy si The Good Rats.

Teaser (Nemperor Records, 1975)
”Teaser” inseamna atat ”reclama (anonima), anunt” dar si ”problema spinoasa”...poate ca la ambele sensuri s-a gandit autorul cand cu o sumedenie de invitati -mare parte cunoscuti ”session musicians”- a etalat o paleta complexa de stiluri: Hard Rock, Jazz, Reggae & Latin music, uneori cum ne zice Wikipedia ”impreuna intrunul si acelasi cantec”...."People, People" si "Wild Dogs" se potrivesc poate cel mai bine acestui profil.

 Track listing:
"The Grind" (Bolin/Cook/Sheldon/Tesar) – 3:29
"Homeward Strut" (Bolin) – 3:57
"Dreamer" (Cook) – 5:09
"Savannah Woman" (Bolin/Cook) – 2:47
"Teaser" (Bolin/Cook) – 4:26
"People, People" (Bolin) – 4:56
"Marching Powder" (Bolin) – 4:14
"Wild Dogs" (Bolin/Tesar) – 4:40
"Lotus" (Bolin/Tesar) – 3:57

Personnel:
Tommy Bolin - Guitar, Lead Vocals
Stanley Sheldon - Bass (1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7)
Paul Stallworth - Bass (4, 8, 9)
Dave Foster - Piano/Synthesizer (1, 2, 3)
Jan Hammer - Synthesizer (6, 7), drums (6)
Ron Fransen - Piano (9)
David Sanborn - Saxophone (6, 7)
Jeff Porcaro - Drums (1, 2, 3, 5)
Prairie Prince - Drums (4, 8)
Michael Walden - Drums (7)
Bobbie Berge - Drums (9)
Phil Collins - Percussion (4)
Sammy Figueroa - Percussion (6, 7)
Rafael Cruz - Percussion (6, 7)
Dave Brown - Background vocals (1)
Lee Kiefer - Background vocals (1)

In plus, sub acoperirea anonimatului din motive contractuale, mai apar pe album Glenn Hughes din Deep Purple si fratele mai mic a lui Tommy, Johnnie la tobe, care cu trupele prin care-a cantat - cea mai cunoscuta fiind Black Oak Arkansas - a reluat in concerte albumul ”Teaser”.

Apropiat valoric e si ”Private Eyes” scos la majora casa Columbia in 1976 cu un grup mai restrans, "Post Toastee" fiind piesa ”soft-rock” centrala:

Track listing:
"Bustin' Out for Rosey" (Bolin) – 4:24
"Sweet Burgundy" (Bolin, Cook) – 4:13
"Post Toastee" (Bolin) – 9:03
"Shake the Devil" (Bolin, Cook) – 3:47
"Gypsy Soul" (Bolin, Cook) – 4:05
"Someday Will Bring Our Love Home" (Bolin, John Tesar) – 3:05
"Hello, Again" (Bolin, Cook, Ocasek) – 3:39
"You Told Me That You Loved Me" (Bolin) – 5:15

Tommy Bolin – Guitars, Keyboards, Vocals, Piano
Reggie McBride – Bass, Vocals
Mark Stein – Keyboards, Vocals
Carmine Appice – Drums on "Someday Will Bring Our Love Home"
Bobby Berge – Percussion, Drums
Bobbye Hall – Percussion
Norma Jean Bell – Percussion, Vocals, Saxophone
Del Newman – string arrangements

In turneul de promovare al albumului cand deschidea concertul lui Jeff Beck, o supradoza de drog i-a fost fatala lui Tommy Bolin care a lasat in urma mult material ”live”, oficial, pe bootlegs-uri si compilatii...si caruia i-au fost aduse si cateva albume-tribut.