KooperKast

Al talks again about how he brings Bobby Colomby, who kicked his ass out of Blood Sweat and Tears, to play drums…. because Bobby is a really good drummer. Al also explains how a bit of Eleanor Rigby ends up in the 12 minute blues, Baby Please Don’t Go.

Episode 1 about Al's 1970 solo DOUBLE album, Easy Does It.  Al talks about how Easy Does It became a double album, how Columbia Records let Al do his thing, and how weed contributed to the amazing piano intro to I Got a Woman.

Al talks about making his first solo album, including wrangling a 14 piece string section, horns, and much more.

Al talks about some of the specific songs on his first solo album and how this album might have gotten lost among all the other big selling albums he brought out, from Blood Sweat and Tears first album through the various SuperSessions albums.

Al talks about his great affection for Harry Nilsson and his sadness over Harry's decline into alcohol and drug abuse. We also talk a bit about the tribute album, For the Love of Harry, which Al co-produced.

Al talks about how he got into the Royal Teens, the Bob Gaudio Royal Teens connection to the Four Seasons, the Charlie Collelo connection, and getting into the 1650 Broadway music scene.

Al talks about the three great New York music buildings and his connections with two of them.

Al talks about how Dick Clark had to sell his music publishing businesses and how Al went to work for the people that bought them.

In this episode, Al talks about writing with Brass and Levine, This Diamond Ring, and being in the Northeast Blackout while on Mescaline.

Al talks about making demos with Jimmy Radcliffe, who had the best weed, and running recording sessions with studio pros while still a teenager.

Al talks about being at the first demo that Gene Pitney did for Alan Schroeder, Pitney’s unique talent, and his surprising overseas career.

On his first day at work, Al Kooper argued with  his new boss to release the Zombie's Odessey and Oracle   album in the United States. Hear Al tell the story live, years later, at a Zombies celebration concert in England. 

Al talks about his admiration for the bass playing of Herbie Flowers, whose most famous playing is  Walk on the Wild Side , but who played on countless hits.

Al tells how he came to produce the first album by The Tubes, and bringing Dominic Frontiere to add arrangements.

Al tells about the recording process and the Tube's theatrical stage shows.

Al tells some amazing stories about connecting with Simon and Garfunkel in New York and LA.

Al talks about running into Simon and Garfunkle since they were teens – in Queens.

In this episode, Al talks about the transition from NY to Nashville, barely getting there, and how Bob Johnston set the stage.

In this episode, Al talks about how the sessions worked and how he brought the songs from Dylan to the Nashville cats.

In this episode, Al talks about some of the songs and how they came to sound the way they do.

 In this episode, Al tells the Elvis’ bodyguard story and looks back at that great Nashville experience.

Al tells how Mick Jagger called him up to play keyboards on a new song and he flew to England for the session. Then he suggested adding a French horn intro, which the Stones loved and put his credit on the single. Articles have been written about that intro.

Al talks about his friendly relationship with Jimi Hendrix and how he still has a meal he calls "A Jimi Hendrix". Plus the famous Hendrix gift guitar that he had to sell.

Al talks about getting Mike Bloomfield to work on Super Session, then replacing him with Steve Stills on the 2nd day.

Al talks about his great friendship with Mike Bloomfield over the years and how Bloomfield's periodic no-shows was just never an issue for Al.  This episode also includes a few stories about Supersession Live concerts.