Mostly known for his spell with DEEP PURPLE, cherished for his contribution to JAMES GANG and revered for his work with Billy Cobham, there’s been quite a few releases over the last 15 years from the late Tommy Bolin archives. The guitarist who died in 1976 managed to record a lot during his quarter century on earth, and new gems of his seem to be uncovered rather often, the most recent one having seen Bolin’s tracks augmented by other six-stringers. The latest addition to Tommy’s legacy, “Whirlwind,” will see the light of day on August 13th.
Produced by the guitarist’s brother, drummer Johnnie Bolin, and Greg Hampton, who worked with the likes of Alice Cooper and had a hand in other Tommy’s rarities collection, “Whips And Roses,” it features cuts laid down at different times – with ENERGY and solo, including wordless take on GANG’s “Spanish Lover,” the elongated early version of “Marching Powder” that would go on 1975’s “Teaser” and songs that were readied to be released on the follow-up to 1976’s “Private Eyes”. There’ll be several formats to “Whirlwind”: a digital download, 2CD digipak, 2-LP gatefold vinyl set and a limited to 1,000 copies deluxe box which holds the same digipak as well as 4 postcards, a signature plectrum, a patch and a pin.
And here’s the review.
Disc 1:
1. Cucumber Jam
2. Heartlight
3. Hoka-Hay!
4. Don t Worry ‘Bout Cash (acoustic)
5. San Francisco River
6. Rock-A-Bye Dreamer
7. Dungeon
8. Alexis
9. Gotta Dance (take 2)
10. Spanish Lover (instrumental)
11. Sooner Or Later
Disc 2:
1. Red Skies (instrumental)
2. Way It’s Always Been
3. Sleepwalker (instrumental)
4. Leave Other People Alone
5. Marching Bag (26-minute original)
6. Wild Dogs (acoustic)
7. From Another Time
