Blood, Sweat, and Tears (1968): A Snapshot of Jazz-Rock (and Other Styles)

 Album: Blood, Sweat & Tears 
Year Released: 1968
Composer/Artist(s): Blood, Sweat & Tears
Record Label: Columbia  
Genre: Jazz-Rock

It has been awhile since I last wrote on here. Rest assured, I did not forget about my record collection. Let us continue this exploration with Blood, Sweat & Tears: a rock group based in New York City that incorporates multiple musical elements-- primarily, jazz and (occasionally) classical music. This band must be understood as a supergroup, active since the late 1960s and continuing into the 2020s, with different members over the decades. The 1968 Grammy-winning self-titled album featured the following nine members in the band at that time, many of whom also helped to arrange the ten tracks on this album:

• James Thomas Fielder: Bass
• Steve Katz: Guitar, Vocals
• Chuck Winfield: Trumpet, Flugelhorn
• Lew Soloff: Trumpet
• Bobby Colomby: Drums
• Dick Halligan: Keyboards, Flute
• Fred Lipsius: Saxophone
• Jerry Hyman: Trombone
• David Clayton-Thomas: Lead Vocals

• Of the tracks that stand out to me, let me begin with “Variations on a Theme by Eric Satie (1st and 2nd Movements)"—This track opens the album with an arrangement of the Gymnopedie No. 1 by French composer  Eric Satie (1866-1925)-- who also more commonly went by the name Erik Satie. In this case, Blood, Sweat & Tears focuses on using a fragment of the opening melody and expanding it with flutes brass, drums, and what sounds like a “flange” effect. This piece also serves as a cyclical end to the album, because the first movement reappears as the the final track… with the sound of footsteps (The album credits a Lucy Angle for providing that effect.)

• “And When I Die”—The band experiments on this track with what sounds like a combination between Gospel/Spiritual and Country Western music. The lyrics and thematic material, on the other hand, appear to contradict this musical backdrop and can come off as blasphemous for some listeners: specifically, the overall approach to not fearing death.
• “God Bless the Child”—This is a cover of the Billie Holiday jazz standard—a song which Holiday had recorded several times. The version by Blood, Sweat & Tears is radically different in terms of tempo, vocal delivery, and instrumentation. The pacing is slower in the beginning and the end, with a slight tempo increase at the “bridge” and David Clayton-Thomas sings the lyrics in a soulful manner. The real surprise with this cover comes in the instrumental middle section that unexpectedly incorporates Latin Jazz at a faster tempo. While that inclusion seems rather random and out of place, it somehow works.
• “Spinning Wheel”—I find this track interesting not just because of the incorporation of brass and drums. Like “God Bless the Child,” “Spinning Wheel” also changes the musical mood: specifically, towards the end where the ensemble imitates a carousel, followed by random banter and laughter.
• “Blues—Part II” This track is more like a long series of improvisations with solos for organ, drums, and saxophone. David Clayton-Thomas also sings towards the end, belting out vocalization reminiscent of soul music

Given all those details, can the self-titled album appeal to more contemporary audiences? That depends. This record functions like a snapshot of late 1960s rock music. Those who are unfamiliar with Blood, Sweat & Tears should check out their hit song “You’ve Made Me So Very Happy” (also on this album). There is also a recent documentary that explores the musical career of Blood, Sweat & Tears: both the good and bad moments. The band also has their music available via streaming services. One the other hand,  not everyone has liked their music. Some listeners today might also feel uneasy about instances on the album that could come off as cultural appropriation. Again, the best way to interpret the work is as a product of its time.  

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