Abe "Voco" Kesh
brianlux
Posts: 42,067
While spinning some old records by west coast blues guitarist extraordinaire Harvey Mandel this evening I came across this nice little bio on Abe "Voco" Kesh. I'm disappointed to find so little info out there on Kesh- if I'd taken notes those late nights staying up to listen to Kesh's midnight radio program on San Francisco's KSAN I could have written more than the everything found on the internet in it's entirety. Kesh produced records by Blue Cheer and Harvey Mandell among other and, along with Dust Street and a few others, was one of the finest DJ's on the west coast. A fascinating man who died too young.
http://www.vickibrennerent.com/bluecheer/abekesh.htm
Abe Kesh was armenian and a pioneer disk jockey in San Francisco and way into the Blues. He was responsible for opening the ears of an entire generation to the Blues and other forms of music. Harvey Mandel from San Francisco was one of his finds.
As far as Blue Cheer, he became friends with someone at Mercury Records and was able to get us a contract with Philips, because his radio station played a tape of Blue Cheer (before any record deals) which was paid for by Nancy Winarick, who was Gut's girlfriend. This tape was kick ass and done in late 1967 - Three songs and great - This would be a find if someone could find this tape, because it would represent Blue Cheer's first recording as a trio.
KSAN radio station was the first in the country to play hippy music and we would call about three times a day and request the tape which they played in full and thus generated a huge following prior to any record deal. So it was very easy for Abe Kesh to get us a contract, because of the already existing interest.
As producer he was very laid back and really let us produce the records ourselves except, as i told you, took over a minute out of the original Summertime Blues, so that the radio stations would not think it was too long for their format.
Abe had a stroke which left him unable to care for himself and he was walking the streets and eventually into a home for physically impaired people and died young because of the complications of lifestyle.
He taught me a great deal of the manners of the music business and pointed me to record production and was a generally nice and shy individual but a true pioneer in the music industry in San Francisco.
The tape i mentioned is out there somewhere and i know Bill Graham recorded all of the concerts but as yet has not released any. I am sure some of the promoters around the country have them but i know not where
. . . . Ciro d'Elbaran
http://www.vickibrennerent.com/bluecheer/abekesh.htm
Abe Kesh was armenian and a pioneer disk jockey in San Francisco and way into the Blues. He was responsible for opening the ears of an entire generation to the Blues and other forms of music. Harvey Mandel from San Francisco was one of his finds.
As far as Blue Cheer, he became friends with someone at Mercury Records and was able to get us a contract with Philips, because his radio station played a tape of Blue Cheer (before any record deals) which was paid for by Nancy Winarick, who was Gut's girlfriend. This tape was kick ass and done in late 1967 - Three songs and great - This would be a find if someone could find this tape, because it would represent Blue Cheer's first recording as a trio.
KSAN radio station was the first in the country to play hippy music and we would call about three times a day and request the tape which they played in full and thus generated a huge following prior to any record deal. So it was very easy for Abe Kesh to get us a contract, because of the already existing interest.
As producer he was very laid back and really let us produce the records ourselves except, as i told you, took over a minute out of the original Summertime Blues, so that the radio stations would not think it was too long for their format.
Abe had a stroke which left him unable to care for himself and he was walking the streets and eventually into a home for physically impaired people and died young because of the complications of lifestyle.
He taught me a great deal of the manners of the music business and pointed me to record production and was a generally nice and shy individual but a true pioneer in the music industry in San Francisco.
The tape i mentioned is out there somewhere and i know Bill Graham recorded all of the concerts but as yet has not released any. I am sure some of the promoters around the country have them but i know not where
. . . . Ciro d'Elbaran
“The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man [or woman] who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.”
Variously credited to Mark Twain or Edward Abbey.
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