01	Just Like Stone						06:34
	02	Don't Make Me Cry						08:50
	03	Flying South In Winter						06:29
	04	Dreams						04:01
	05	You Make Me Jelly Roll						08:01
	06	Natural High Part I.						06:58
	07	Natural High Part Ii.						03:52

1971 Neon Records
1994 Repertoire / by DUP

Chris Gavin - bass guitar, electric and acoustic guitar
Dave Knowles - alto and tenor sax, flute, clarinet, vocals (electric sax on "Natural High, part 1")
Paul French - organ, electric piano, piano, vibes, vocals
Nigel Reveler - percussion

Tonton Macoute have been for the past nine months living in the Berkshire countryside where Paul and Nigel have lived most of their lives. Dave and Gavin, exiles from the North, spent many years wandering until the group was formed. The music in this album is an amalgamation of the group's experiences over past years from early influences to the moment of recording, hence an original combination of musical forms.
This album, although an end-product in itself, is at the same time a beginning.


Tonton Macoute

Personnel:
PAUL FRENCH keyb'ds, vcls A
CHRIS GAVIN gtr, bs A
DAVE KNOWLES woodwind, vcls A
NIGEL REVELER drms A

ALBUM:
1(A) TONTON MACOUTE (RCA Neon NE 4) 1971 R2

NB: (1) Reissued on Repertoire (REP 4467-WP) 1994.

45:
1 Summer Of Our Love/Greyhound Lady (RCA RCA 2190) 1972

NB: (1) As Tonton.

A little-known band. Musically in the progressive-jazz genre, the album was released on RCA's now collectable Neon label. It's quite unusual and includes a number of woodwind solos. Despite being recorded under the supervision of Howard and Blaikley it's musically miles away from that duo's sixties pop format. Paul French went on to play in Voyager in the late seventies and early eighties.





Tonton Macoute - "Tonton Macoute" (1971)


Tonton Macoute's self-titled album was yet another fine progressive album released on the Neon-label. The band played progressive rock where the main influences clearly were jazz and blues. Most of the songs on the record are lengthy and complex, and none of them sounds similar to each other. The opener "Just Like a Stone" is dominated by flute and el-piano and has a quite relaxed and laidback feel. "Don't Make Me Cry" is jazzy, early 70's prog as good as it gets. Lots of cool organ riffs with extended flute/sax/vibe solos. "Flying South in Winter" is an excellent and atmospheric flute-driven instrumental and one of the best tracks on the album. Side 2 opens with the simple but utterly beautiful melodic "Dreams". It features a tasty arrangement, and the melody is simply just wonderful. "You Make My Jelly Roll" is a piano-driven, bluesy jazz-tune (or jazzy blues?). The two-part closing number "Natural High" is cleverly composed track with several good melodies, riffs and solos. Good stuff overall.