Pair Extraordinaire
All My Loving (1966)Run For Your Life (1966)
These guys were wild. The cover pictured here features Carl Craig and Marcus Hemphill. Those gentlemen make of The Pair Extraordinaire. Carl (on the left) sang and Marcus (on the right) played bass. That's it! No other people on stage when they performed. Occasionally, drummer Earl Palmer would join the boys on stage, but it didn't matter--these boys could bring it.
The Pair is kind of a lounge act, but a good one. Carl tells cocktail jokes during and in between songs, while Marcus does a fantastic job of plucking the bass. All four of their albums appear on Liberty records, and all were recorded and released between 1964 and 1966. Bill Cosby did a number of shows with the duo, and even wrote the liner notes on the back of the pictured album. There isn't all that much information available about them on the Internet, so you'll just have to check out the tracks and see one of the first true two-man bands. Both songs are Beatles covers, showing off Carl's voice as well as Marcus's quality bass playing. Enjoy the Pair Extraordinaire.
posted by Anonymous at 1:55 PM
11 Comments:
Great sounds, great post.
Haven't even listened to this stuff yet, but it all looks great. Thanks for mixing in a little "classic rock" vibe with the Duane Allman. Keep it up!
I keep hoping that this music will show up again on CDs. I think I still have the album somewhere. These guys should have had a larger following.
I love these guys! Grew up listening to them. Their sound and lyrics are awesome. I hope (and pray) someday their music will be available on CD to entertain future generation of music lovers.
These guys were two very cool cats. My favorite album was "It's A Wonderful World". It contained songs..."(What About) All These Changes, Canadian Sunset, The Bramble Bush, and a great version of Hello Young Lovers. I was probably just a tot when they were performing but I dug their music in my 20s. I've looked for their music on cd to no avail. I hope they are re-released on cd someday.
My Grandfather loved them. I have the above album now and love it. Carl's voice is breathtaking. They are amazing and it is just the 2 of them. That voice and that bass - still soothes my soul.
I listened to "The pair Extraordinaire", when I was a young girl of 10-15 years of age. The album we listened to was "The Pair Live at the Ice House". If I close my eyes I can still hear Craig singing and Marcus playing his smooth melow bass on "The Work Song", "That's My Gal", "Chain Gang" and "Watermelon Man". As kids my brother and I would pantamime to the songs as my mother watched in admiration (at times she would even join us). I am now in my mid forties and I wish I could hear the dynamic duo again. I know that Marcus Hemphill died back in the eighties and I wonder when there will be a tribute to "The Pair Extraordinaire" on CD?
Signed
Bet Your Boots
Lost my albums in a divorce, but the memories of the Pair will live forever! Saw them live at the Ice House in Glendale CA several times and they always brought down the house. As they said, "The Pair Extraordinaire is not one lady". I'd love go have a CD of their music.
Oh my goodness! I've been looking for this album for AGES! Is there any possible chance of a re-up on this or does anybody want to share? Please contact me at: evilmiscreant(at)aol(dot)com
Many many thanks in advance!
Tb
I've looked for this pair on records and/or CD for years. I saw them at a Cosby concert many years ago, they were fantastic. I'm a Gram now but their music could really set my feet tappin' again. An extraordinary pair indeed!
Anybody with suggestions?
Thanks...
joyjet
I saw them when I was going to Glendale High School in the mid-60s. I loved them and bought their album but somehow lost it over the years. Now I want a CD of them including In With the In Crowd and Watermelon Man, etc.
Post a Comment
<< Home