Essra Mohawk's "I Have Been Here Before" from PRIMORDIAL LOVERS

Enjoy Essra's beautiful compostion from PRIMORDIAL LOVERS that inspired David Crosby's "Deja Vu." He obviously loved the song as he'd have Essra perform "IHBHB" live whenever he saw her, which was often, as she shared the same manager as C,S&N. https://www.facebook.com/PrimordialLovers

Next, "Deja Vu" euphemistically spawned a hit Song, a #1 studio and live Album and even a concert Movie 38 years later. And yet no thank you has ever been given to Ms. Mohawk. (A YTer reports that Crosby's boat is named Deja Vu" too!) No justice here...

"I Have Been Here Before" was recorded with nearly a full orchestra in the Fall of 1969 and PRIMORDIAL LOVERS dropped in May of 1970. It was called in Rolling Stone "one of the 25 best albums ever made" and Rhino christened it the Mother Album of "grrrl power." Hear its opening cut "I Am the Breeze - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nYgCpwUn0Cc

Essra's first record SANDY'S ALBUM IS HERE AT LAST - her birth name is Sandy Hurvitz - was released on Frank Zappa's Bizarre/Verve Records as she was the first female in his band. Essra also toured with Jerry Garcia and Procul Harums's "Quite Righly So" was written about her.

Essra penned Cyndi Lauper's "Change of Heart" and Tina Turner's "Stronger Than The Wind" plus songs for Vanilla Fudge, The Shangri-Las, Bob Weir, Rita Coolidge, Lorrie Morgan, Lisa Fischer, Marty Balin, etc. Hear Essra and Bonnie Bramlett on their co-written "The Moment" from YOU'RE NOT ALONE @ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUNkWEEPEtw

Furthermore, Essra can be heard on Schoolhouse Rock's "Interjections," "Sufferin' Till Suffrage," "Mother Necessity" and Sesame Street's "Teeny Little Super Guy."

Organ: Michael Cohen
Guitar: Lee Underwood
Vibraphone & Finger Cymbal: Joe Keefe
Tenor Sax: Bert WIlson
French Horn: Gale Robinson
Trombone: Ken Shroyer
Bass Trombone: Phil Teele
Trumpets: Al Aarons & Warren Gale
Bass: Bruce Cale & Ken Jenkins
Drums: Zitro

http://www.facebook.com/essra.mohawk#/pages/Essra-Mohawk/259823235398
http://www.essramohawk.com/ http://www.myspace.com/Essr...
http://www.cdbaby.com/Artist/EssraMohawk

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Essra
• Mohawk
• Primordial
• Lovers
• Karma
• Have
• Been
• Here
• Before
• David
• Crosby
• Deja
• Vu
• Inspiration
• CSNY
• Bass
• Trombone
• Thunder
• Morning
• Breeze
• Grrrl
• Power
• Joni
• Mitchell
• Reincarnation

[EarlofSuave308]

David Crosby, you just STOLE this song. Ms. Mohawk truly soars on this song, and the horn arrangement really adds a knockout punch. Thanks for posting.

[fecinny]

@EarlofSuave308 Yes, we too agree Essra did a fabulous job & further, was in no doubt, the impetus for 2 great songs. So sad...

[jeffschack1]

this is a singer who was a secret prize for those who knew her

[fecinny]

@jeffschack1 Well said Jeff- and we are all the luckier for it!

[Bflatblues55]

My gosh, her voice .... in this song ... is sooo reminiscent of Esther Satterfield's in Chase the Clouds Away.... fabulous... simply crisp/clean/cool fabulous. Thanks for having this up here.

[fecinny]

@Bflatblues55 Hi Carol, Thnx for commenting & glad you appreciate good talent as well since you are one to know! Frank

[gherkamum]

Great vocals

great vid

5********

terry

[fecinny]

@Bob6stringer I know, I know, I know. Thank you & I'm trying to spread the Essra Mohawk word. Much appreciated!

[Bob6stringer]

fecinny, wow. As a music freak (& guitar hack) and a teenager of 51 years, I'm truly embarrassed I never heard her or even of her until you and youtube. I'm having a great time with her now, though. This is an amazing tune. More than psychedelic meanderings, Essra's got a sort of tone math in the way she modulates her voice. I can understand what FZ saw in her.

[catalinaumbert]

very good.sounds a bit like julie driscoll on season of the witch

[Finallybenunderstood]

wow... tweet style !!!!