Many artists, musical or otherwise, fall out of the public eye and their work remains submerged. One of the benefits of the Internet is that as attention returns to deserving performers, blogs can act as a kind of periscope, providing a snapshot of the ocean as they surface. In 1968 and 69, Sanpaku was a seven-piece jazz rock band from Sacramento with a two-piece horn section, well regarded by their peers but largely unknown today. Some members of the band have recently gotten in touch with each other, so I am presenting this list of their known concert performances--surely just a fraction of their total number of gigs--as a starting point for the band's look backwards.
Background
Sanpaku was a Sacramento based band that formed from a group called The Working Class. They spent the Summer of 1968 in Lake Tahoe, playing at the Kings Beach Bowl on North Shore and The Sanctuary on the South Shore. Later in the Summer and Fall of 1968 they played a number of gigs at Sacramento's Sound Factory. The proprietor of The Sound Factory, Whitey Davis (worthy of a whole book, not just a blog post) wanted to manage the group, but Sanpaku were booked at a Tuesday night audition show at the Fillmore West where they were spotted by Bill Graham's organization.
In the late 1960s, Graham was trying to expand his concert business into a more vertical model, with band management. a talent agency and two record labels. Only parts of these business enterprises were successful, but Graham's Millard Talent Agency gave a lot of opportunity to rising bands. Talent Agencies provide acts to promoters, since no promoter could know every act, nor could an act know every promoter. Sanpaku was a client of the Millard Agency, along with The Grateful Dead, Santana, Its A Beautiful Day, Elvin Bishop, Aum, Cold Blood and others. As a result, Sanpaku played on some very high profile shows in the late 60s where they apparently acquitted themselves quite well. The band never made a formal recording, however, and seems to have broken up in late 1969.
Sanpaku featured guitarist Mark Pearson, later in Sacramento's Nielsen-Pearson Band, Gary Larkey and Stan Bagdazian on horns, Bob Powell on keyboards, bassist Kootch Trochim and drummer Duane (Motor) Temme, joined in mid-1969 by singer/conguero Rico Reyes. This list only has the gigs that I have been able to uncover (with the gracious help of road manager Hewitt Jackson), and that mostly means high-profile shows, shows where they played with an interesting act who had a history of their own, or shows with a surviving poster. Anyone who recalls seeing the group, or additional gigs or has other relevant information is encouraged to Comment or email me. When I get enough new information, I will update and later re-publish the post.
List of Known Performances
October 22, 1968 Fillmore West Crystal Syphon/Sanpaku/Crazy Horse
There is a flyer, but the date is difficult to discern, yet I am assuming this was the show that brought Sanpaku to the attention of the Bill Graham organization. This was a Tuesday night audition (the poster says “1.00 Jam”). Crystal Syphon was a Merced band, and Crazy Horse was probably a Merced band also. There is a chance that this show is October 21, 1969 and that San Paku's audition was on another date altogether in the late 68-early 69 time frame (although I should add that if the show is from 1969, it is still unlikely that Crazy Horse was Neil Young's backing band, though not entirely impossible).
It is a very little known fact of Fillmore West history is that from September 1968 until it closed in July 1971, the Fillmore West had a concert almost every Tuesday night. Almost none of these were on the famous poster series, and as a result these shows have been ignored by Fillmore historians. They generally featured a popular local band and two new bands, or at least newly-arrived-in-town bands. Admission was $1.50, and it was a popular stop for record company reps and managers to see what might be happening.
Sanpaku played one of these gigs, at any rate, and I believe this to be the date. They were good enough to be snapped up by the Graham management operation. Their shows were booked by the Millard Agency, providing them access to many great Northern California gigs. Sanpaku may have played more than one Tuesday night show, as was common practice. A successful audition band often got another shot as the Tuesday headliner.
October 26, 1968 Freeborn Hall, UC Davis Glass Thunder/Sanpaku
Freeborn Hall was the biggest auditorium at UC Davis.
The Committee, the Bay Area's groundbreaking improvisational comedy troupe, had opened a new Theatre at 836 Montgomery. The venue also put on rock shows as well as the regular improv fare.
January 4, 1969 Sound Factory, Sacramento Glad/Country Fog/Sanpaku/Rush/Big Foot
This was a benefit for the FM station that became KZAP. The Sound Factory, at 1817 Alhambra, was run by former Crystal Ballroom (Portland) proprietor and Avalon Ballroom manager Whitey Davis. It featured great groups, but was always on shaky financial footing. Sanpaku apparently opened quite a number of shows at the venue (and attended most of the rest of them) while the venue operated between June 1968 and March 1969.
February ?, 1969 Fillmore West Sanpaku
As alluded to in Ralph Gleason's column below (see March 13-16, 1969, below), Sanpaku had played a great set on a Tuesday night audition. My assumption is that their October audition put them in Bill Graham's orbit, and a February (more or less) Tuesday night appearance was like a coming out party. The next step up was to open the Creedence/Jethro Tull show on March 13-16 (below).
February 28-March 1 Dream Bowl, Vallejo, CA Santana/Sanpaku
The Dream Bowl was on Highway 29, between Vallejo and Napa, in the general vicinity of Sears Point Raceway (now Infineon Raceway). The venue dated back to at least the 1940s. During World War 2, so many transplanted Southerners were in California working in the defense industry that the West Coast became a key entertainment center (Bob Wills even moved to California). There was substantial shipbuilding in Vallejo, so there were many country music fans. The Dream Bowl was an important stop on a local country music circuit around the Bay Area.
After World War 2, Vallejo returned to being a sleepy suburb, but the Dream Bowl continued to present country style music, at least into the early 1960s. There seems to have been a brief effort to make it into a suburban rock venue, but it seems to have been some years before Sonoma and Solano Counties had enough population to support their own venue.
Note that almost all the groups on the poster were booked by the Millard Agency.
Bands who did well at a Tuesday audition were given a chance to open a show, and if they succeeded they were given a chance to be 'on the poster.' Sanpaku's presence at this high profile gig indicates that they must have been signed up by the Millard Agency by this time.
Influential San Francisco Chronicle columnist Ralph Gleason gave a favorable notice to the band in his march 17, 1969 column. He wrote
Sanpaku, which is a young band from Sacramento, was also on the bill. They appeared at one of the Tuesday night Fillmore sessions a few weeks back and blew everybody's mind. They are one of those marvelous mixtures of free form jazz and blues and rock. They opened with "Parchman Farm" and went on to do an exciting set with good solos from the two horn players. The lead singer is very good, too.
March 26-30, 1969 Whisky A Go Go, West Hollywood Aum/Sanpaku
The Whisky A Go Go was a high profile club in West Hollywood. Bands actually played for Union Scale, but so many record company and industry professionals saw the bands that it was worth it to play the gig. Both Aum and Sanpaku were Millard Agency bands, and this was the organization's way of showcasing the groups outside of San Francisco. Aum was a power trio led by guitarist Wayne Ceballos.
John Mayall would have had his acoustic Turning Point lineup (with Jon Mark and John Almond) and Deep Purple's first American tour would have featured the "Hush" lineup (with Rod Evans on vocals and Nick Simper on bass).
April 22-23, 1969 New Orleans House, Berkeley Its A Beautiful Day/Sanpaku
The New Orleans House was a popular rock club in Berkeley. Bands played gigs like this on weeknights (this was a Tuesday and Wednesday) in between opening for larger shows. Its A Beautiful Day was a very popular local group, but they did not yet have an album. They too were booked by the Millard Agency.
May 10, 1969 Pacific Memorial Stadium, U of Pacific, Stockton, CA Santana/Cold Blood/Sons of Champlin/Elvin Bishop/Counry Weather/Sanpaku/
“Pacific Pop Festival” (noon to 7 pm)
Pacific Memorial Stadium was a modest sized football stadium. Every one of these bands was a Millard Agency client. Santana had not yet released their first album, although they had probably signed to Columbia by this time and may have begun recording it already.
May 30, 1969 Merced County Fairgrounds, Merced Memorial Day Rock Festival
Santana/Elvin Bishop Band/Sanpaku/Crystal Syphon/Crazy Horse/2 others
Santana, Elvin Bishop and Sanpaku were all Millard clients, and Crystal Syphon (and probably Crazy Horse) were Merced-area bands.
Beryessa Bowl was a amphitheatre at man-made Lake Berryessa. This relatively local gig, in the Bay Area but many miles from San Francisco, was probably typical of a lot of Sanpaku gigs
June 13, 1969 Convention Center, Fresno, CA Grateful Dead/Aum/Sanpaku
The Grateful Dead were booked by the Millard Agency in 1968-69, mainly as a way to pay back money they had borrowed from Bill Graham. During this period, many of the opening acts at Grateful Dead shows were Millard clients. At this show, Sanpaku flautist Gary Larkey, Aum guitarist Wayne Ceballos and legendary singer Ronnie Hawkins all joined in with the Dead to play "Turn On Your Lovelight."
June 20-21, 1969 The Barn, Rio Nido Country Weather/Sanpaku/Jaybyrd
The Barn in Rio Nido was probably another name for the Rio Nido Dance Hall, but I'm not certain of that.
June 24-26, 1969 Fillmore West Iron Butterfly/Cold Blood/Sanpaku
July 19, 1969 Gym, Monterey Peninsula College, Monterey Santana/Sanpaku/Fritz
Once again, San Paku opened for a Millard client. I'm not certain if the opening act was the Menlo Park band called Fritz, featuring bassist Lindsay Buckingham and singer Stephanie (Stevie) Nicks.
The Monterey Peninsula College gym was a modest sized venue, which probably held about 2000 in a festival seating type arrangement.
Around this time, some band members recall a meeting in which Bill Graham explained to them that Santana rather than Sanpaku would be going to a large rock festival in upstate New York called Woodstock.
August 5, 1969 The Matrix, San Francisco Sanpaku/Bigfoot
The Matrix, at 3138 Fillmore, was still a musicians' hangout. While not a big gig, it was an important place to be heard. Chronicle critic Ralph Gleason regularly mentioned the bands scheduled to play The Matrix (to the delight of all Rock Prosopographers). The clip below is from Monday August 4, 1969.
August 8-9, 1969 The Poppycock, Palo Alto Sanpaku/Terry Dolan
The Poppycock, at 135 University Avenue in downtown Palo Alto, was that city's venue for the original rock club circuit. Second-tier bands played clubs like The Poppycock, New Orleans House and Matrix regularly between higher profile gigs.
August 14, 1969 Coliseum Arena, Oakland Blind Faith/Delaney & Bonnie & Friends/Free/Sanpaku
The band played unbilled at the Bay Area stop of the biggest rock tour to date.
August 20, 1969 El Roach, Ballard, WA Grateful Dead/NRPS/Sanpaku
The Dead, New Riders of The Purple Sage and Sanpaku were supposed to play Seattle's outdoor Aqua Theatre, but they got rained out. Instead, they went to the nearby El Roach Tavern (at 5419 Ballard Avenue in suburban Seattle) and put on a surprise show. I'm not certain exactly who played, but Sanpaku members were definitely there.
August 21, 1969 Aqua Theatre, Seattle, WA Grateful Dead/NRPS/Sanpaku
The bands finally got to play their show the next day. The interesting venue was not in good repair, and this was the last concert at the facility. However, flautist Gary Larkey joined the Dead for a few songs. For many decades it was arbitrarily assumed that the guest performer was Charles Lloyd, but in fact it was Larkey.
The Grateful Dead and probably the New Riders played a rock festival in Oregon on Saturday, August 23 (The Bullfrog 3 Festival at the Pelletier Farm in Helens, OR), so I would not be surprised to find out that Sanpaku played it as well.
September 8, 1969 Quad, Irvington High School, Fremont, CA Aum/Sanpaku
A September 11, 1969 Fremont Argus "Teen" section article reported (above) that a Monday night dance in the School Quad was a huge success, with over 1000 students attending. Gigs like this, besides being a nice payday on an otherwise non-working night, helped build a band's audience as well.
September 10, 1969 The Matrix, San Francisco Sanpaku/Ice
September 16-18, 1969 The Matrix, San Francisco Sanpaku/Mendelbaum
Mendelbaum had arrived from Wisconsin in the Summer, and had become almost the house band at the Matrix. Bands played weeknight gigs at tiny clubs like The Matrix (this was Tues-Wed-Thurs) because it gave them a chance to have fun and work on stuff for the bigger gigs on the weekends.
Bay Area Drug Committee Presents At Bill Graham’s Fillmore West A Benefit Show Save The Children
It’s A Beautiful Day/Sanpaku/Sons of Champlin/Ace of Cups/The Outlaws (Dino Valenti and Garry Duncan)/Terry Dolan
Benefit for MidPeninsula Free University
Photos exist of Sanpaku performing at this Sunday afternoon event (the clip above is from Ralph J Gleason's Chronicle column of October 3, 1969). By this time, New Jersey born trumpeter David Ginsberg had replaced Stan Bagdazian on trumpet. Ginsberg had been at the University of Wisconsin, and had recently moved to San Francisco.
October 9, 1969 Pauley Ballroom, UC Berkeley, Berkeley, CA Sons of Champlin/Sanpaku
October 11, 1969 Cal Expo, State Fairgrounds, Sacramento, CA Janis Joplin and Her Kozmic Blues Band/Blues Image/Sanpaku
Sanpaku opened for Janis on their home turf, at the fairly new State Fairgrounds.
Sanpaku had formed a basketball team to challenge Bill Graham's Fillmore Fingers on Tuesday nights. They named their team the Paku Jets, and had t-shirts made up. They lost, big time. But they won in a way, since their friend Carlos Santana wore one of the shirts when Santana appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show on CBS-TV on October 24, 1969. On the video (Youtube), the "K" in Paku is visible on Carlos's t-shirt as the band launches into "Persuasion."
October 28-30, 1969 The Matrix Sanpaku/Mendelbaum
October 31, 1969 M.V. Gym, [city?] Country Weather/Sanpaku/First Time Around
“Barefoot Dance”
I have seen a flyer for this, but I don't know where the school was. Many flyers for school dances had very little such information, since the only audience was students who knew the location of the gym.
November 6, 1969 Gym, College Park High School, Pleasant Hill Mike Bloomfield and Friends/Country Weather/Bronze Hog/Sanpaku/Orion/Daybreak
This concert was mentioned in Ralph Gleason's column on November 5. I'm not sure why six bands would play a High School gym on a Thursday night--I assume this wasn't a school event. The High School was across from a Junior College (Diablo Valley) so perhaps it was associated with that institution.
November 7, 1969 Gym, Contra Costa College, Richmond Cold Blood/Sanpaku/Little Johns
There were actually quite a few rock concerts at the Contra Costa College gym in the 1960s.
November 8, 1969 [venue], Hayward State College, Hayward Sanpaku/Dry Creek
I assume this was a student event at Cal State Hayward, but it was on a Saturday night and presumably open to the public, as it was mentioned in Gleason's column. I'm not certain of the exact venue. Hayward State (now known as Cal State University, East Bay) was opened in 1957. At the time, there was only the main campus above Mission Boulevard,
Dry Creek featured drummer Sammy Piazza, who ended up joining Hot Tuna.
A series of shows were put on at the original Fillmore Auditorium (at 1805 Geary) in 1969, but the venue had gotten too small for the booming rock market(h/t Colin for the long-lost poster).
Floating Bridge were from Seattle.
Sanpaku played again with Jethro Tull, this time on Tull's triumphant return to Fillmore West as headliners. The ad above is Bill Graham Presents regular display ad in the Sunday Chronicle. Each ad had the same format, listing the bands and with a picture of a prominent member of the headline group (in this case Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull). For weeks on end, the ad said "illmore West."
Sanpaku were advertised for a Friday night (Nov 21) show at the Santa Rosa County Fairgrounds in Sonoma, supporting Its A Beautiful Day and Cold Blood, but they were replaced by Joy of Cooking, as a Fillmore West show always took precedence over one in the hinterlands.
In his November 30 column, Gleason tantalizingly mentioned a Wednesday night Fillmore West concert, headlined by Creedence and featuring numerous popular local club acts. The show was a benefit for KPFA-fm in Berkeley, as Wednesday was the usual night for such things (this show is outside the known list of BGP events). Yet by the next week, Sanpaku was off the bill (replaced by Commander Cody), and it appears they broke up shortly after this.
Anyone with additional information (band members and road managers, I'm lookin' at ya), please post them in the comments and I will update as needed (thanks to Sanpaku road manager Hewitt Jackson for carrying the flag, sending some great scans and letting me know that Sanpaku was just one word--see the band blog here).
Posts
I have updated the post with a few more gigs, thanks to Sanpaku road manager Hewitt Jackson:
ReplyDeleteDec 6-7, 1968 New Committee Theatre
Aug 14, 1969 Oakland Coliseum opening for Blind Faith
October 11, 1969 Sacramento opening for Janis Joplin
see the main post for more details
Hello,
DeleteI wanted to help you clarify Sanpaku's Tuesday performance at Fillmore West in 1969. I am a member of Crystal Syphon who shared the bill with them on Tuesday, January 21st 1969, and later in 1969 in Merced at the Fairgrounds in May. Being from Merced, the Poster Art for the Tuesday January 21st audition night included a Merced band, Crazy Horse, which was NOT the Neil Young band that arrived on the scene in 1968. Crystal Syphon played again at the Fillmore West audition nights in October of 1969 and in December 1969. As a tidbit, Crystal Syphon, minus its drummer, Marvin Greenlee, who passed away in 1999, has reunited, released a vinyl album on roaratorio records of Minneapolis, and will be hitting the road soon for some live performing. Thanks for the great blog of one of the groups that helped weave the musical tapestry that we know as the Bay Area music scene of the 1960's. San Paku was a credible band that I enjoyed.
Sanders, thanks for the eyewitness account of the Fillmore West show. I figured the Crazy Horse was the Merced band, but I couldn't be certain until you confirmed it.
DeleteI have an updated version of this post with the correct FW date at http://rockprosopography101.blogspot.com/2010/07/sanpaku-performance-list-1968-69.html
thanks to Hewitt, I have added another gig, a weekend show at Pasadena's Rose Palace on April 18-19, 1969 with John Mayall and Deep Purple.
ReplyDeleteI have added some more gigs:
ReplyDeleteSummer 1969 Frost Amphitheatre, Stanford--I think this one was a September Sunday, but I am still looking into it
August 5, 1969 The Matrix
I found the Frost gig--it was October 5, 1969. I also added some Matrix gigs, and some clips from the SF Chronicle.
ReplyDeleteI added a few more shows in November and December 1969--
ReplyDeleteNovember 6-College Park High School, Pleasant Hill
November 8-Hayward State College
December 3-Fillmore West
Hey Corry
ReplyDeleteHow the heck do you access Ralph Gleason's old columns?? - Awesome!! Gary Larkey just unearthed his column with his review of the Creedence/Jethro Tull/Sanpaku Fillmore concert, May 1969. Scan of column and poster are coming your way. Thanks!!
Hewitt
I'm looking forward to them!
ReplyDeleteThe only way I know to access old Chronicles is through Microfiche--I am sitting at the library grinding through old microfilm of the Chronicle, trying not to get caught up in reading ancient newpapers (it seems that both the Vietnam War and the San Francisco Giants were doing really well at the time, although it turns out that neither were winners).
I saw Sanpaku play at the Rose Palace. They blew away both Headline band, John Mayall & the Blues Breakers and Deep Purple. The audience went absolutly wild over their music & perfomance. Best Drum & Lead Guitar Solos I've ever seen or heard in my life! I do hope they get back together. What a waste of some of the most talented musicians of the 60's, to have never been recorded! A huge loss for music! My best friend Joey Richards was the best Guitarist I've ever heard and never got recorded either, another waste of talent. I heard that Dunhill signed Santana and dumped Sanpaku as they were too small of a record company to record & promote twop bands at the same time. Too bad as Sanpaku was a much better band and their Guitarist REALY KNEW HOW to Play a Lead Guitar, sorry Carlos you never were very good, so-called legend or not! That nigt Sanpaku played the BEST Drum & Lead Guitar Solo's I've ever seen & heard in my life! It's too bad they never were recorded so I could back up that calim, it would ahve been "The Greatest Live In Concert" recording of all time!
ReplyDeleteOctober 31, 1969 M.V. Gym, [city?] Country Weather/Sanpaku/First Time Around
ReplyDelete“Barefoot Dance”
I surmise this is Monte Vista High School in Danville, CA.
Just down the road from Walnut Creek, so a "local" gig for Country Weather.
>>November 20-23, 1969 Fillmore West Jethro Tull/MC5/Sanpaku
ReplyDelete>>For weeks on end, the ad said "illmore West."
The black area in the ad is a stylized "F".
San Paku May 30, 1969 at the Merced Fairgrounds with Santana, Elvin Bishop, Crystal Syphon, Crazy Horse and Aum. Poster here: http://mercedmusic.wordpress.com/2010/06/01/santana-elvin-bishop-san-paku-memorial-day-1969/
ReplyDeleteBoth Crystal Syphon and Crazy Horse were Merced bands that had quite a bit of success in SF.
That is a great poster. I am converting it to JPEG and forwarding to Corry asap. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteThe Working Class played at my high school (Mira Loma in Sacramento) prior to the band moving to Tahoe and Mark Pearson was an outstanding guitar player even then. I later took a couple of lessons from him and he really knew his stuff. A fine, dedicated musician. If I remember correctly the house they all lived in up in the Tahoe area got burned down by local rednecks and they lost everything. He lost his beautiful Gibson ES 335 in the fire, found only the melted pickups in the ashes. He replaced it with an ES 295 from a pawnshop in downtown Sacramento and really played well on that guitar, too.
ReplyDeleteThe whole band was way ahead of their time and it's too bad there aren't some good recordings available (that I can find, anyway).
I am proud to say that I was a friend & roadie to one of the best bands I knew. The fire was at a big log house in Piolet Hill(Sierra Foothills),between Auburn & Placerville. After "The Manson Family" did the deed on Saron Tate et.al. Every long-hair became a drug crazed murdurer. Fire seemed to follow Mark around. The Neilon Peirson Band was playing a the original Shier Road Pub in Old Town Fair Oaks when it burned to the ground in '77. Thank God none of his axes burned.
DeleteGreetings Tim,
DeleteWow. I'm assuming you are the Tim I know from King's Beach. I'd LOVE to communicate off blog. I am
jttiweh AT gmail
Thanks!
I was in a band called Trakstod in Sac. from 1968 to 1971 and we did a few shows with Sanpaku. One was at a ball room downtown on J st. somewhere.
ReplyDeleteRobert Carson Trakstod Station
I seem to remember that when Hendrix was in Sac around 1968 he went to a local party after his concert and some sanpaku members were there. Does any one else remember that? I have more information about that night but don't want to post it due to it's sensitive nature.
ReplyDeleteI will get in touch with the Sanpaku members. Very prudent not to put certain things on blogs.
ReplyDeleteKaren,
ReplyDeleteI was one of the participants in the Hendrix Sacramento events you mentioned. It was 9/15/68. Let's compare notes off blog
jttiweh@gmail.com
Karen
ReplyDeleteCan you email me directly about the Sanpaku misadventures? corrarnold at gmail.com
thanks, Corry
Hi Robert,
ReplyDeleteThe Trakstod Station and Sanpaku gig you mentioned. We now recall (mostly) a gig at Native Son's Hall which was on 11th, near J right across the KZAP/Elk's Tower Building. The second floor ballroom had a spring-loaded floor. Sadly since replaced by an ugly cement block eyesore. Would love to compare notes.
jttiweh AT yahoo DOT com
Hey Karen,
ReplyDeleteAre you still out there. We (Sanpaku) would love to hear your story
HPaku
I saw Sanpaku at the Fillmore West (Carousel Ballroom), Led Zepplin was the opening act. Sanpaku blow the doors off the place. I'm looking for their recordings, can anyone out there help me. Thanks very much. Robert.
ReplyDeletegujer@sbcglobal.net
Robert, I know that Sanpaku opened for Jethro Tull more than once at Fillmore West, but I don't think they opened for Zep, much as they would have liked to. You were very lucky to see them--it's great to hear a memory from back in the day.
ReplyDeleteThe place on J Street where Sanpaku played was The Trip Room. They were such a great group, I'm sorry there are no recordings of just how good they were.
ReplyDeleteHi SacTownGal,
ReplyDeleteI don't remember Sanpaku at the Trip Room. We did play an infamous gig at Native Son's Hall (since demolished)in the Fall of 1968 on 11th Street near J. It was directly across from the Elks Tower (home of KZAP). I know The Working Class (precursor to Paku) played the Trip Room as did almost every Sacto band in those days. Love to hear any more memories of rock shows you have.
HPaku
Hey, I've been hard at work building an updated blog for the Sanpaku Band for Hewitt, check it out
ReplyDeletehttp://sanpakuband.blogspot.com/
Glass Thunder was a Berkeley based 5 piece, mainly U.C. students. They were together at least as late as spring/summer 1970.
ReplyDeleteI have the information from someone around at the time, (which means if it can be remembered well, they were probably not there), that Sanpaku were/was the real band that The Greatful Dead was referring to as Uncle John's Band. Anyone know if that's true?
ReplyDeleteSaw Sanpaku with Santana at Tahoe South Shore in 1969. I thought they were better than Santana and Santana was great
ReplyDeleteOctober 5, 1969 (ot 1959) - an update. Mike Bloomfield and Nick Gravenites pulled out on teh Friday as Nick's manager apparently changed his mind and wanted payment for the performance and SCORE could not afford it. Southern Comfort were no shows (and played Keystone Korner in San Francisco that night) - from a review of teh show in the Stanford Daily 19691010 pp5.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteAdditional show: December 5, 1969 - Fairgrounds, Reno: Sanpaku, Aum (Nevada State Journal 19691204)
ReplyDeleteJuly 10, 1969: Gym, College of Marin Kentfield, CA - Elvin Bishop, Sanpaku, Sweet Linda Divine, Country Weather Clover, Fruminous Bandersnatch, Transatlantic Rail Road, Kasta Kastahana, Throckmorton
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteAnother trip to Nevada on June 7, 1969: Rotunds, Convention Center, Las Vegas, NV - Sanpaku, Wuf Ticket, Summerfield, Charisma, Pump Light Show
ReplyDelete(Las Vegas Sun 19690606)
A second show for May 10, 1969 was planned at UAW Hall, 45201 Fremont Blvd, Fremont, CA - Linn County, Sanpaku, Nite Caps (Daily Review April 11) - however Linn County and Sanpaku were replaced by AB Skhy and People and then on May 17 (at the same venue), Sanpaku (replacing AB Skhy) appeared with Aum and Staton Bros. (Daily Review April 18)
ReplyDeleteJune 11, 1969: Sheraton Palace Hotel, Fremont, CA - AUM, Sanpaku (Senior Ball) (Daily Review 19690510)
ReplyDelete