- Kenny Altman - vocals, bass

- Jerry Burnham - vocals, guitar

- Peter Gallway - vocals, guitar

- Pete Heywood - drums

- Joe Lind - vocals

- Murray Weinstock - keyboards

- Peter Gallway (solo efforts)

- Ohio Knox (Peter Gallway)

- The Strangers (Peter Gallway, Jerry Burnham and

  Kenny Altman)

Genre: rock

Rating: *** (3 stars)

Title:  The Fifth Avenue Band

Company: Reprise

Catalog: RS 6369

Year: 1969

Country/State: New York, NY

Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+

Comments: --

Available: 1

GEMM catalog ID: 2478

Price: $35.00

Cost: $66.00

Kenny Altman, Jerry Burnham and Peter Gallway started their musical partnership while attending high school in New York City.  As The Strangers, they recorded a little heard 1965 single 'Land of Music' b/w 'I Need Your Love Inside Me'.

By the late-'60s the trio were members of The Fifth Avenue Band (the line up rounded out by drummer Pete Heywood, vocalist Joe Lind and keyboard player Murray Weinstock).  Signed by Reprise, the band's self-titled 1969 debut was interesting for a number of reasons, including the fact it teamed them with Lovin Spoonful alumis Jerry Yester and Zal Yanvosky (Lovin' Spoonful producer Erik Jacobsen handling five tracks).  Certainly a result of the Lovin' Spoonful connection, numerous reviews and references have compared  "The Fifth Avenue Band" to the Lovin' Spoonful catalog.  To our ears, with the exception of 'Nice Folks', the comparison isn't really there. With Altman and Gallway responsible for the majority of material, the set was actually quite diverse.  The opener 'Fast Freight' recalled The Band-styled of rural rock; 'One Way or The Other' 'could haven been mistaken for The Fifth Dimension (not kidding) and 'Good Lady of Toronto' sported a pretty country-rock melody.  Elsewhere, 'Eden Rock' sounded like something you would have heard at a Sade concert.  Sure, this LP won't change your life in any form or fashion, but it's surprisingly engaging.

"The Fifth Avenue Band" track listing:

(side 1)

1.) Fast Freight   (Peter Gallway) - 

2.) One Way or The Other   (Kenny Altman) - 

3.) Good Lady of Toronto   (Peter Gallway) - 

4.) Eden Rock   (Kenny Altman - Peter Gallway) - 

5.) Country Time Rhymes   (Peter Gallway) - 

(side 1)

1.) Calamity Jane   (Peter Gallway) - 

2.) Nice Folks   (Kenny Altman) - 

3.) Cockeyed Shame   (Peter Gallway) - 

4.) Faithful Be Fair   (Kenny Altman) - 

5.) In Hollywood   (Peter Gallway) - 

6.) Angel    (Jon Lind) - 

Gallway reappeared as a member of Ohio Knox and then embarked on a sporadic solo career (see separate entries).  There's also a second Fifth Avenue Band album.  Recorded in 1990 for the Japanese Pony Canyon label, we've never heard the collection.  Anyone know anything about it?