The Trials of Jayson Hoover had
three
incarnations with different players:
One - The original group from
September
of 1968 thru September of 1969.
Steve Cartmell, Jim Harmata, Ian
Hood,
Jayson Hoover, Bob Kidd
The Trials of Jayson Hoover ( TJH )
were
originally formed in late August of 1968, shortly after Jayson Hoover
and
The Epics disbanded. The Epics were one of the successful R&B
groups in the Vancouver area, playing regularly from late 1965 through
the summer of '68. Inseparable friends Jimmy Harmata on guitar and Bob
kidd on bass met Jayson at the Shanghai junk on Main Street for the
first
time in the spring of 1965, shortly after he arrived in Vancouver from
Alberta.
The Epics disbanded in the summer of
1968
when Hoover, Harmata and Kidd decided to do music full time. Steve
Cartmell
and Randy Busby on drums, both who had been playing with Kentish Steele
previously, were recruited by Harmata, Hoover and Kidd to form the new
group. Busby, who was in the original press photo, went back to rejoin
Kentish almost immediately, and after auditioning a dozen or so
drummers
at Diamond Jim's Night Club in September 68, Ian Hood was chosen.
Trials of Jayson Hoover
- Cartmell & Harmata - February 1969
Jack Herschorn, who did some bookings
for
the Epics and the new group, coined the name "The Trials of Jayson
Hoover"
around October of '68, and this was the name applied to the first
record
release. "Kingsize" written by Harmata and Hoover, was released in
November,
although the song was recorded originally by The Epics months
previously.
By May of 1969 the R&B songs were
reduced
to about a third of the material with most of the songs coming
from
the current music of psychedelic and classic rock. Prime
influences
on the band were Sly & The Family Stone, Stax, Motown, Booker T,
and
Traffic. Uriah Heep, Mandala, Vanilla Fudge and Led
Zeppelin
were a big influence from sharing Vancouver concerts in '68 & '69.
The Trials of Jayson Hoover were
contracted
by promoters as the opening act at the Pacific Coliseum for a concert
on
December 28, 1968 with Vanilla Fudge headlining. We had a single
on the local chart at the time and were well known on the local
scene.
The main reason though for getting the gig was we had to let both
groups
use my Hammond B3 and leslies.
So The Trials of Jayson Hoover
opened,
Led Zeppelin played next & Vanilla Fudge played last. AM
radio
widely advertised the concert mentioning Vanilla Fudge with heavy
airplay.
As strange as it may seem today, no one at the time knew who Led
Zeppelin
was. The problem was that at the time they had been in N. America
for less than a week and the FM stations didn't receive the advance
promotional
copies of their debut album until 20 days later on January 17,
1969.
It was interesting then that only Vanilla Fudge were billed and heavily
promoted,The Trials had airplay on AM of their single "Kingsize" and
that
Led Zeppelin received only limited mention on air with no airplay by
the
local DJs in the week just before the concert. "
From October of 68 thru February of
69,
TJH played several local clubs, Diamond Jim's, Lasseter's Den and as
the
house band at Phaoroh's Retreat. March and April 1969 TJH played six
nights
a week at The Palm Gardens in Portland, OR. In late spring and the
summer
0f '69 many one time shows were played throughout BC and Alberta.
Other noteable events were with Uriah Heep at The Garden Auditorium in
Vancouver, The Aldergrove Rock Festival, and in Edmonton with The Guess
Who.
Two - The second incarnation
was
September 1969 thru September of 1970.
Jim Harmata, Ian Hood, Jayson Hoover,
Bob
Kidd, Ken Wain, George Chapelas, Keith Kemp.
Cartmell left to join The Mojo C.O.
with
The Collins Brothers in late August 0f 1969. Ken Wain, formerly
of
The Painted Ship, came in on hammond organ was recruited for his
playing
and writing skills. Shortly after Ken Wain left the group in
March
of 1970, so did Bob kidd on bass.
They were replaced on organ and bass
by
Keith Kemp & George Chapelis in April.
TJH changed their name to Anvil
Chorus in January of 1970 to reflect the heavier sound they had
developed
during 1969 as Trials of Jayson Hoover. When Keith Kemp left in
the
Autumn of 1970 they played afterward for a while without an organ
player.
In late 1969, except for Kingsize,
all
subsequent 45 releases were recorded by Harmata, Hood, Hoover, Kidd
&
Wain as TJH. These were done at Tom Northcott's studio in
Vancouver,
on the New Syndrome label, before they changed their name. For
release
dates see discography below.
Most were written by Ken Wain or by
Jimmy
Harmata & J. Henderson (Hoover)
Their biggest hit "Rhythm is the Way"
by
Harmata/Henderson was months later released in Europe on at least three
different labels in Germany, France & Spain.
Three - The third incarnation
was
November 1970 thru May of '71.
Al Foreman, Jim Harmata, Donny
Gerrard,
Ian Hood, Lou Hoover, Jayson Hoover, Flag McGee.
In November of '70 Harmata and Hoover
decided
to restructure the group, bringing in Al Foreman & Donny Gerard on
organ and bass. With Jayson, this made the group's vocals the strongest
it had ever been as both Al & Donny were also top notch singers.
Rehearsals
began in Vancouver with the new members at this time. Early in '71,
Donny
Gerard was offered a prestigious club gig in Honolulu. The club owner
wanted
The Night Train Revue. Donny then included Flag McGee who was also a
previous
Night Train member, as were Al, Lou & Donny.
So the new TJH five member lineup,
along
with three horn players, fulfilled the club gig in Hawaii as The Night
Train Revue, which lasted two months, from late February '71 thru the
middle
of April '71.
Shortly after returning to Vancouver
the
new TJH lineup - Foreman, Gerrard, Harmata, McGee, Lou & Jayson
Hoover,
went to the Cirque Electrique night club, in Quebec City, during April
& May. During that gig Lou Hoover & Flag McGee left early on.
Ian
Hood was brought back to replace Lou Hoover. It was all over by early
June
of 1971 when Jayson went solo. Donny Gerrard went to L.A. joining
Skylark.
Harmata and Foreman carried on eventually becoming Scrubbaloe Caine.
Trials
of Jayson Hoover at the Free Store 1049 West 7th Avenue, Vancouver -
1971
Jim
Harmata, Donny Gerrard, Al Foreman, Lou Hoover, Jayson Hoover, roadie
KM
seated, unknown Free Store freak in sailor garb and the late Lorne
(Flag)
McGee.
