Download or Listen to Gabor Szabo & the California Dreamers – San Franciscan Nights from the Impulse! Lp Wind, Sky, and Diamonds.

Here’s a midweek piece of dusty goodness for you over at Flea Market Funk. It’s been a song that I had always dug due to the use of it by Thes One of People Under the Stairs for their song “San Francisco Knights”. When it showed up at the spot, I couldn’t really pass it up at all. As a matter of fact, at first I didn’t realize it it was the record because the track isn’t even listed on the back of the record. The very psychy font style and photo on the front made it hard to resist. Here’s Gabor Szabo & the California Dreamers and “San Franciscan Nights” from the Impulse! Lp Wind, Sky, and Diamonds.

Gabor Szabo was born in 1936 in Budapest, Hungary. Mostly a self taught guitar player, he burst onto the scene as early as 14 in Hungary, playing out at bars and dinner clubs before eventually escaping at age 20 to the United States. Before joining Chico Hamilton’s band, he studied at Berklee College for two years. His experience with Hamilton (who helped shape his free flowing sound) paved the way for him for stints with Charles Lloyd and Gary McFarland. Breaking out and going solo in 1966, he would release Spellbinder, that produced the tune Gypsy Queen (later made popular by Santana). Moving forward Szabo experimented with feedback (although not always successful) and even released a few commercial records in the 1970’s, but of course was known for his unique sound and also as a band leader of his Quintet. At times, his many influences which would include that of his homeland, plus Indian and Asian sounds would occasionally rear it’s head. Szabo played throughout the 1970’s, but unfortunately would die in 1982 after one of his visits back to Hungary at age 46.

This particular record, a cover of the Eric Burden original, is a bit dreamy, but has always kept my attention as a beautiful song none the less. It may not be all together funky, but it’s definitely a great side. On the whole, Szabo had assembled a great cast of players including Tom Scott on sax, Louis Morell and Dennis Budimer on guitars, Carol Kaye on Bass, Mike Melvoin on piano and harpischord, Emil Richards playing percussion, John Guerin on drums, and Bill Plummer on sitar. Another gem produced by Bob Theile, the Lp on the whole, is chock full of interpretations of Beatles, Jefferson Airplane, Movie Themes, classic Samba and other West Coast artist songs. Like I said, it’s dreamy, and Gabor’s unique guitar style shines through on every track. See you Friday where we will have another installment of the 45 Sessions in Asbury Park. Keep Diggin’!