Artist: JEFFERSON AIRPLANE
Album: JEFFERSON AIRPLANE TAKES OFF REMASTERED (CD)

Year: 1966/ 2003
Media type: CD

There is a reason why the Jefferson Airplane was the first nationally renowned proponent of San Francisco rock. As much as they bucked establishment values, the sextet offered a musical mixture of California folk-rock and white blues that was nevertheless easier to digest than the sounds of their contemporaries. TAKES OFF, their debut recording, made before Grace Slick joined the band, goes to great lengths to establish them as the obvious next step on a pop staircase of the Beatles, Byrds, and Rolling Stones.

Signe Anderson and Marty Balin's distinctive, folky harmonies give TAKES OFF a lived-in warmth and a loved-in counterculture vibe that defined the times. Covers of John D. Loudermilk's infamous "Tobacco Road" and The Youngbloods' '60s anthem "Let's Get Together" may have symbolized their community's alienation from their parents' values, but the Airplane versions were less calls to arms than sympathetic pats on the back. However, Jorma Kaukonen's boppy R&B guitar leads and Jack Casady's free but steady bass lend the Airplane's debut some heavy rock muscle.

The debut Jefferson Airplane album was dominated by singer Marty Balin, who wrote or co-wrote all the original material and sang most of the lead vocals in his heartbreaking tenor with Paul Kantner and Signe Anderson providing harmonies and backup. (Anderson's lead vocal on "Chauffeur Blues" indicated she was at least the equal of her successor, Grace Slick, as a belter.) The music consisted mostly of folk-rock love songs, the most memorable of which were "It's No Secret" and "Come Up the Years." (There was also a striking version of Dino Valente's

Originally released in 1966, this RCA/BMG Heritage remastered reissue adds 8 bonus tracks, 'Runnin' 'Round This World', 'High Flyin' Bird', 'It's Alright', 'Go To Her' (early version), 'Let Me In' (original uncensored version), 'Run Around' (original uncensored version), 'Chauffer Blues' (alternate version-previously unissued) & 'And I Like It' (alternate version-previously unissued). Includes 12-page booklet with extensive liner notes, detailed track listing & rare photos. 2003.

TRACKLIST:

1. Blues from an Airplane
2. Let Me In
3. Bringing Me Down
4. It's No Secret
5. Tobacco Road
6. Come Up the Years
7. Run Around
8. Let's Get Together
9. Don't Slip Away
10. Chauffeur Blues
11. And I Like It

12. Runnin' 'Round This World - (mono, uncensored single version)
13. High Flyin' Bird
14. It's Alright
15. Go to Her - (version 1)
16. Let Me In - (original uncensored version)
17. Run Around - (mono, original uncensored version)
18. Chauffeur Blues - (previously unreleased, alternate version)
19. And I Like It - (previously unreleased, alternate version)

LINE-UP:

Marty Balin, Signe Toly Anderson (vocals)
Paul Kantner (guitar, vocals)
Jorma Ludwik Kaukonen (guitar)
Jack Casady (bass)
Alex "Skip" Spence (drums)