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What Have You

by The Chester Keele Heptet

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1.
Brookside Heights 04:15
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2.
Kaleidoscope 03:10
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3.
Under The Wing Of The Falcon 03:11
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4.
San Luis Obispo at 3AM 03:56
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5.
Weigh You Down 03:28
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6.
Carnival Of Brevity 01:23
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7.
Seaside Quayside 08:07
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8.
Canoe Brunswick 02:37
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9.
My Grandmother & Her Secrets 01:41
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10.
Obtuse Vertigo #33 03:25
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about

ALBUM NOTES/BIO

Chester Keele was a drop-out jazz guitarist living in Montreal in the 1960s when he met six like-minded musicians: Ilse von Islington (keyboards), Karem Moss Bessarion (bass), Phoebe Lawrence (flute), Glen Cairn (drums), "Old" Mills Burdemeyer (euphonium), Graydon James (2nd euphonium). Despite the disparate age range of the musicians -- "Old" Mills Burdemeyer was 58 when the group formed; Graydon James was 12 -- they managed to release two albums before they broke up in late 1971. Leader Chester Keele went on to release one more solo album in 1981, although he still used the band name "The Chester Keele Heptet".

Their musical style was an infusion of Serge Gainsbourg through a wry Montrealer's lens and a jazz-rock fusion sound that featured a semi-steady rhythm section and a bunch of noodling lead players piling arrangements on top. Chester Keele's final, solo, album was largely acoustic featuring some finger-style guitar work and delicate piano songs that meandered through a half-dozen key changes for no particular reason.

Still they received some critical attention and were moderately influential in the Montreal music scene, even though they recorded all their albums in San Luis Obispo, CA for some reason. Leonard Cohen, when asked about The Chester Keele Heptet, once remarked, "Well, I guess they're a band of...what? Seven people or something?"

Discography:
What Have You (1969)
Done For (1971)
Me, Lately (1981)

credits

released November 5, 1969

Produced by Lucky Lewiston and The Chester Keele Heptet
Production Supervisor Zelda Mastroianna
Engineered by Lucky Lewiston and Constance Mayweather
Additional Engineering by Glen Cairn, Su Majumdar, Phillip Clermegan, and Dolores Wynn
Engineered at Shae's Lounge in San Luis Obispo CA

BAND
Chester Keele - guitar
Ilse von Islington - keyboards
Karem Moss Bessarion - bass
Phoebe Lawrence - flute
Glen Cairn - drums
"Old" Mills Burdemeyer - 1st euphonium
Graydon James - 2nd euphonium

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The Chester Keele Heptet image

The Chester Keele Heptet Toronto, Ontario

A combination of a whimsical Serge Gainsbourg-esque Montreal jazz guitarist songwriter, a rhythm section that just loves to groove, and lead players who can't hear enough of themselves.

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