Re: 'Valdez in the Country'

Ashwin Tumne (ashwin@visgen.com)
Thu, 10 Apr 1997 17:31:36 -0400 (EDT)

>
>
> Can someone on the list tell me who did the original version of
> Valdez in the Country ?
>
> I have 3 versions:
> Donny Hathaway (Extensions of a Man)
> Black Sugar (Black Sugar II)
> George Benson (In flight, i think)
>
> I like Donny's best. Are there any more versions ?
>
> Thanx in advance.
>
>

The original was by a group called COLD BLOOD on their first album
"First Taste of Sin" produced by Donny Hathaway in 1972. The song was written
by Donny Hathaway but his solo recording of it didn't appear until the
year after. COLD BLOOD was one of those Tower of Power kinda bands (that
San Francisco rock-jazz-soul fusion thing). Their rendition of Valdez...
has the full horn section throughout the song with sax, flute, organ solos.
It's kind of like the Donny Hathaway version, minus his sweet organ touch -
but a very funky tune nonetheless. Donny's influence is very apparent
in the song and throughout the group's first album.

shanti,

ashwin

ashwin@visgen.com