The Talismen - Folk Swingers Extraordinaire [Prestige Folk]

The Talismen - Folk Swingers Extraordinaire - Prestige PR 7406 - Prestige Original Pressing, Blue Trident Label, Mono

Ivan Mann - Guitar & Vocals
Rick Levin - Guitar & Vocals
Jimmy Dwan - Guitar & Vocals
Mike Hayward - Guitar & Vocals

Recorded - [not listed on sleeve, July 1965, Rudy Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, NJ?]

Produced by Cal Lampley
Recording - Rudy Van Gelder
Cover Design/Photo - Don Schlitten

Released - October 30, 1965

One of my favorite parts of my vinyl obsession/crate digging compulsion/blogging odyssey hobby is the historical archival/discovery process. You become very familiar and obsesses about the tiny minutiae of label discographies, and are gradually drawn to the discographical oddities; the rarities, the obscurities, the vinyl only releases lost in time and destined to never be reissued ever... The Prestige label is perfect for this as Bob Weinstock & company were not shy about releasing just about anything; folk, blues, R&B, pop vocals, world, even spoken word on an ostensibly jazz label.

This is one of these Prestige non-jazz 'ugly ducklings', a side by the long forgotten folk group, The Talismen. It's pleasant for what it is, but it was already a bit passé and anachronistic when it was first released in 1965. Imagine a folk music if Bob Dylan never existed...

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