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Sweet Smoke was a psychedelic jazz-rock band formed in Brooklyn, New York in 1967. The group moved to Europe in 1969, living in Germany, and performing in Germany, Holland and France until 1974 when the band split up. Initially, some members stayed in Europe, some went to India, but most of the band returned to the United States. Although originating in the U.S., Sweet Smoke is often listed as a Krautrock band.^[1] In interviews, the group says their music was most influenced by Eric Clapton, Frank Zappa, John Coltrane and The Beatles.^[2]The group has a fan presence on the internet,^[3]^[4] and their CDs are sold worldwide by EMI International.

History

After their first performances in the U.S. and the Caribbean, the group moved to Germany and formed a commune in a farm house outside the city of Emmerich, less than a kilometer from the border with Holland. The group became well known in the region on and off the stage for their mixture of spirited musical improvisation combined with their interests in Eastern and Psychedelic philosophies.^[5] The original members when they arrived in Germany were Andy Dershin (bass guitar), Michael Paris (tenor saxophone, alto recorder, vocals, percussion), Jay Dorfman (percussion and drums), Marvin Kaminowitz (lead guitar, vocals) and Victor Sacco (guitar). Victor would soon be replaced by Steve Rosenstein (rhythm guitar, vocals). In 1970 the group was approached by EMI, and they recorded their first LP, Just a Poke with German record producer Konrad "Conny” Plank.

Sweet Smoke in 1974 with their Ford Transit van

After recording Just a Poke,’’ Sweet Smoke broke up temporarily, and most of the group drove the band’s Ford Transit van overland to India for a spiritual journey in connection with the socio-spiritual group Ananda Marga. For the next several months the band volunteered in refuge camps helping survivors of the devastating 1970 cyclone in Bangladesh. The group first learned of the success of Just a Poke,’’ after meeting German tourists in Nepal. They returned to Europe, signed a new recording contract with EMI, and added Jeffrey Dershin (piano, percussion, vocals) as a full-time member. The group recorded their second LP '’From Darkness to Light’’ at EMI studios in Holland in 1973. Later in 1973, Steve Rosenstein was replaced by Rick Greenberg, aka Rick Rasa (rhythm guitar, sitar, vocals), and Michael Paris left the group to pursue musical studies in India.^[2]

Near the end of 1974 the group broke up for the final time. They played their last performance in the concert hall of the music conservatory Hochschule für Musik in Berlin. The concert was recorded by EMI and became the group’s last LP, '’Sweet Smoke Live’’.

Personnel

Line-up 1970 (Just A Poke)

Andy Dershin – bass guitar
Michael Paris – tenor saxophone, alto recorder, vocals, percussion
Jay Dorfman – percussion and drums
Marvin Kaminovitz – lead guitar, vocals
Steve Rosenstein – rhythm guitar, vocals

Line-up 1973 (From Darkness to Light)

Andy Dershin – bass guitar
Jay Dorfman – percussion and drums
Marvin Kaminovitz – lead guitar, vocals
Michael Paris – tenor saxophone, alto recorder, vocals, percussion
Jeffrey Dershin - piano, percussion, vocals
Steve Rosenstein - Guitar, Violin, Vocals

Rochus Kuhn - violin, cello

Line-up 1974 (Live)

Andy Dershin – bass guitar
Jay Dorfman – percussion and drums
Marvin Kaminovitz – lead guitar, vocals
Rick Greenberg (aka Rick Rasa) - rhythm guitar, sitar
John Classi - percussion, sound effects
Martin Rosenberg - tambourra, percussion

Albums

External links

References

http://www.myspace.com/sweetsmoke1970

[1] Encyclopedia of Krautrock, Kosmische Musik

[retrophobic-2] Retrophobic interview with Michael Paris and Rick Rasa

[3] Brian Currin’s Sweet Smoke Fan Page

[4] Thibault Ducray’s Sweet Smoke Fan Page

[5] From Now to Now, the Autobiography of Marlis Jermutus

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

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+[[File:Sweet Smoke 1970 Postcard.jpg|framed|right|Promotional Postcard for Sweet Smoke]]
-'''Sweet Smoke''' were a 1960s and 1970s [[psychedelic rock|psychedelic]] [[jazz-rock]] band. They incorporated many different influences, such as jazz, funk and island rhythms. They were originally formed in Brooklyn, New York in 1967, although the band moved to live as a [[commune (intentional community)|commune]] in Germany before the decade was out.  They have a fan presence on the internet to this day.<ref>[http://thibault.ducray.free.fr/sweetsmoke/ Sweet Smoke]</ref> Within a year of their arrival they recorded their first L.P. "Just a Poke" which almost immediately turned them into a sort of cult icon of the underground scene which was beginning to emerge as Europe's response to the American [[hippy]] scene.
+Sweet Smoke was a [[psychedelic rock|psychedelic]] [[jazz-rock]] band formed in Brooklyn, New York in 1967. The group moved to Europe in 1969, living in Germany, and performing in Germany, Holland and France until 1974 when the band split up. Initially, some members stayed in Europe, some went to India, but most of the band returned to the United States. Although originating in the U.S., Sweet Smoke is often listed as a [[Krautrock]] band.<ref>[http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/ultimathule/krautrockers.html#s Encyclopedia of Krautrock, Kosmische Musik]</ref> In interviews, the group says their music was most influenced by Eric Clapton, Frank Zappa, John Coltrane and The Beatles.<ref name="retrophobic">[http://www.retrophobic.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=443&Itemid=1 Retrophobic interview with Michael Paris and Rick Rasa]</ref>The group has a fan presence on the internet,<ref>[http://www.rock.co.za/files/sweetsmoke.html Brian Currin’s Sweet Smoke Fan Page]</ref><ref>[http://thibault.ducray.free.fr/sweetsmoke/ Thibault Ducray’s Sweet Smoke Fan Page]</ref>  and their CDs are sold worldwide by EMI International.
+==History==
-On Sweet Smoke's official website, reflections from some of the members' memories from being in band are featured. Jay Dorfman's (founder, percussionist, and drummer) reflection is below:
-"'''Jay Dorfman'''
-Jay Dorfman
-Playing an outdoor concert in Holland c. 1971
-LIKE THE OTHERS IN SWEET SMOKE, I WAS BORN IN BROOKLYN AND GREW UP DURING THE HIPPIE ERA. It was a very exciting time to be alive, especially in New York where you could hear all kinds of music, see all kinds of people and experience just about anything. I’ve always had a strong creative streak and around 1965 it was music, and percussion in particular, that caught my attention. While in High School I met Marvin with whom I started my first band, the Madabouts. Before too long Andy and Mike left the bands they were playing in at the time and Sweet Smoke was born. My earliest influence was Ringo Starr. There were other drummers who were technically better but for me there was no one more creative. Much of the signature sound on early Beatles recordings came from the unique way that Ringo played simple drum beats.
-'''All You Need is Love – and a Little Ice Cream'''
-During the summer of 1967, aka “The Summer of Love”, to supplement our income from gigging,   Marvin and I peddled ice cream in a Carvel store in Manhattan’s trendy Greenwich Village. I remember many hot summer nights, day glo painted hippies standing six deep, eyes glassy, giggling non-stop, nervously waiting to satisfy an uncontrollable craving for ice cream. It wasn’t uncommon to look up and see Bob Dylan or Frank Zappa or John Sebastian along with other members of the Lovin’ Spoonful in the crowd. They all had regular gigs in nearby Greenwich Village coffee houses. During our shift we would keep the radio on non-stop. Whenever a Beatles song came on, “All You Need is Love” in particular, we would simply stop working, bow our heads in reverence and just listen. After a while the regular customers got it and they would put their craving on hold and join us. Crazy times!
-'''Post Europe'''
-MTV Networks
-I was one of a handful of early staffers at MTV
-After returning from Europe in the late 1970′s [read the Sweet Smoke story], I continued my studies and earned a masters degree in fine art. By the early 80′s I was enticed by the world of the moving image and landed a job with a start up company that was planning to launch a video network. The network was MTV and I became one of a handful of early staffers who designed and orchestrated the early marketing and launch of the MTV Networks. Over the next several decades I refined my skills in TV production, directing and writing and eventually started my own production company.
-'''Around the World'''
-Kumbh Mela
-Kumbh Mela, the largest religious gathering in the world
-Since those early years, I have traveled around the world and have had so many amazing and life changing experiences. I shot a documentary for the Salvation Army in Zimbabwe, shot in Cuba, Israel, China, and returned last year from 2 weeks in India filming and photographing the Kumbh Mela, the largest religious gathering in the world. My demo reel has projects for such diverse clients as Martha Stewart, Tiffany & Co., Johnson & Johnson, Sports Illustrated, MTV, ESPN, The list goes on and on.
-In the last decade I’ve picked up a still camera and at the moment it is my greatest passion. I believe the photo and canvas are there to be interpreted so I explore approaches that may be viewed as a mix between photojournalism and photo impressionism. I attempt to bring the paper, canvas and surface to a place that reflects the emotional presence of the moment as I originally came upon it."
+After their first performances in the U.S. and the Caribbean, the group moved to Germany and formed a [[commune (intentional community)|commune]] in a farm house outside the city of Emmerich, less than a kilometer from the border with Holland. The group became well known in the region on and off the stage for their mixture of spirited musical improvisation combined with their interests in Eastern and Psychedelic philosophies.<ref>[http://www.amazon.com/Now-Marlis-Jermutus/dp/0615448933 ''From Now to Now'', the Autobiography of Marlis Jermutus]</ref> The original members when they arrived in Germany were Andy Dershin (bass guitar), Michael Paris (tenor saxophone, alto recorder, vocals, percussion), Jay Dorfman (percussion and drums), Marvin Kaminowitz (lead guitar, vocals) and Victor Sacco (guitar). Victor would soon be replaced by Steve Rosenstein (rhythm guitar, vocals). In 1970 the group was approached by EMI, and they recorded their first LP, ''[[Just a Poke]]'' with German record producer [[Conny_Plank|Konrad "Conny” Plank]].
+[[File:Sweet Smoke with their van.jpg|framed|right|Sweet Smoke in 1974 with their Ford Transit van]]
+After recording ''Just a Poke,’’ Sweet Smoke broke up temporarily, and most of the group drove the band’s Ford Transit van overland to India for a spiritual journey in connection with the socio-spiritual group [[Ananda_marga|Ananda Marga]]. For the next several months the band volunteered in refuge camps helping survivors of the devastating [[1970_Bhola_cyclone|1970 cyclone in Bangladesh]]. The group first learned of the success of ''Just a Poke,’’ after meeting German tourists in Nepal. They returned to Europe, signed a new recording contract with EMI, and added Jeffrey Dershin (piano, percussion, vocals) as a full-time member. The group recorded their second LP '’[[From_Darkness_to_Light|From Darkness to Light]]’’ at EMI studios in Holland in 1973. Later in 1973, Steve Rosenstein was replaced by Rick Greenberg, aka Rick Rasa (rhythm guitar, sitar, vocals), and Michael Paris left the group to pursue musical studies in India.<ref name="retrophobic" />
+Near the end of 1974 the group broke up for the final time. They played their last performance in the concert hall of the music conservatory [[Hochschule_für_Musik_%22Hanns_Eisler%22|Hochschule für Musik]] in Berlin. The concert was recorded by EMI and became the group’s last LP, '’[[Sweet_Smoke_Live|Sweet Smoke Live]]’’.
 ==Personnel==