This one came from a recommendation in the comments from Phillip Helbig. I knew the name Papa John Creach, mostly because of his connection with Jefferson Airplane and Hot Tuna, but I had never really sat down and listened to his solo work. I may have heard Papa John Creach’s name years ago without realizing it. He appeared at Charlie Daniels’ Volunteer Jams, which were a huge deal around Nashville when I was growing up.
That changed with this song. Papa John Creach was not your typical rock musician. He grew up in Pennsylvania in 1917; he started playing violin as a child and received formal training. After his family moved to Chicago, he studied classical violin and even did symphonic work. He eventually moved toward jazz and blues because that was where he could make a living.
By the time the psychedelic rock scene arrived in the sixties, Creach had already been a professional musician for decades. That is one of the things I like most about his story.
Drummer Joey Covington helped introduce Creach to Jefferson Airplane. In 1970, Creach joined the Airplane and also began playing with Hot Tuna, the group formed by Jorma Kaukonen and Jack Casady. Imagine being in your early fifties and suddenly finding yourself playing electric violin with one of the biggest psychedelic rock bands in San Francisco.
He fit right in. Creach played on Jefferson Airplane albums including Bark and Long John Silver, while also recording with Hot Tuna. When Jefferson Airplane evolved into Jefferson Starship, Creach went along for part of that ride as well and appeared on Dragon Fly and Red Octopus. His career connected jazz, blues, R&B, psychedelic rock, and funk in a way that not many musicians could manage.
This song came from Creach’s 1972 solo album Filthy!. The song was written by Miles Grayson, and the album featured Creach with his band Zulu. Creach’s electric violin is what grabbed me. It doesn’t sound like someone trying to force a violin into a rock song. It belongs there. He plays it almost like another lead instrument battling with the guitars and rhythm section.
The title tells you quite a bit about the song. It is filthy. It is funky. Sometimes a title does its job. What surprised me was how naturally Creach moved between styles. That probably came from spending decades playing almost anything that would get him a job. Classical music, jazz, blues, R&B and rock were not separate little boxes to him. They were all music.
That brings me to my bonus song. Bonus – Jump Up, Gimme Some Dancing
I also wanted to include the song Jump Up, Gimme Some Dancing that came a few years later on Creach’s 1976 album Rock Father. The song was written by Dick Monda, and Creach recorded the album with the band Midnight Sun.
This one is lighter and more immediately catchy than “Filthy Funky.” There is still plenty of Creach’s violin, but the song has a loose party feeling to it. By this point he had spent years around the Jefferson Airplane, Hot Tuna, and Jefferson Starship crowd, but he still sounded like Papa John Creach rather than simply a member of somebody else’s band.
That’s probably what impressed me most after finally listening to him. Here was a classically trained violinist who played jazz and blues, picked up an electric violin, joined Jefferson Airplane when he was already in his fifties, played with Hot Tuna and Jefferson Starship, and somehow made all of it sound perfectly natural.
I knew the name Papa John Creach. Now I know why I kept seeing it. Thanks to the Phillip who sent me down this particular rabbit hole. This is exactly why I love recommendations.
Here is a live cut with blues legends B.B. King and John Lee Hooker.
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So good!
Thanks Dana…I like it…it has a nice groove!
For sure!
Definitely new to me 🙂
Pappa John Preach that is
Creach that is
Me as well Glyn! I’ve heard of him but never listened to him.
Very nice stuff. I didn’t know any solo stuff either. There is nothing like the sound of a well-played violin. I’ve heard it said that it is the closest in tone to the human voice. The Midnight Special jam was cool. And James Earl Jones back in the day! I’ve been wondering, how is little Cosmo doing? And Martha, Rudy and Rocky too.
I had to include that live cut…it’s awesome. He was such a great musician and classically trained.
How is little Cosmo doing? Little Cosmo is over 60lbs now…and we are keeping the other one named Electric. When they are out of the kennel it’s like having two tornados whip through your house lol.
So you kept two of the pups? How nice. Sounds like they’re really growing!
Yes…we never found a really good home. One guy had to back out that was getting him…now we are attached to the fellow. The brothers are really close.
Papa John Creach did for the electric violin what Ian Anderson did for the flute. I never followed his solo career, but I did enjoy him in the Airplane.
I only heard of him before this…but I’m glad I’ve finally listened…yea he was great. I like his solo stuff as well… some great grooves and great playing by him.
Yet another name that seems to have eluded me. You just keep finding these amazing artists. Great stuff!
Thanks Randy! This guy was classically trained…and he was great. I’m also happy to actually…wait for it… SEE your comments!
Happy to be out of the Spam hopper!
wow, never heard of him and had obviously overlooked his name on the Jefferson Starship releases. Talented guy, that ‘Filthy Funky’ is pretty cool, I’d like to hear him let loose on an electric violin. Cool instrument, only guys I could think of who used it were Eddie Jobson and Nash the Slash.
I just looked up Nash The Slash…THAT name I would have remembered! Yea this guy played with so many people…and those blues legends…he was a great player. Charlie Daniels comes to mind on this instrument.
Jean-Luc Ponty was an electric violinist also and played on a couple of tracks on Elton John’s Honky Chateau album. It would have been cool to hear Charlie Daniels and Papa John jam.
I need to go back and try to find some of those jams…I wish I would have looked for them…
Im a sucker for violin and I love Creach’s work. Two great takes today Max.
I have heard of him but that is all…I love his playing now that I’ve actaully listened. Thanks CB…he was a fun as hell find.
Sugarcane is another one who you featured on that Mayall, Clapton cut you played a couple weeks ago.
I’ll have to look back at that…I love that sound they get.
Max, like you, I’d heard Papa’s name but had no music to connect to him. All 3 good tunes. Can’t say I think much of the video production on the last one, but the music is what counts. I can’t help but think if Scarlett Rivera hadn’t been around for Bob Dylan, Papa John Creach would have been perfect to do the job.
It WAS a weird looking video…but yea I love his playing…I’m going to look back when he was in Nashville at Daniel’s jams to see if I can find some more.
I’d heard the name in some musical context but that was all. He’s a real point of difference but doesn’t stick out like something that just doesn’t fit the rest of the band/sound. Good stuff, new to my ear, thumbs up to Phillip.
Thanks obbverse…you don’t see this everyday…and in some songs it can come in handy.