Week of January 6, 2008
Personnel:
Tommy Hoy - Guitar, Vocals
Krysia Kocjan - Vocals
Robin Thyne - Guitar, Vocals
Joanna Carlin - Vocals
Albums:
Learning To Live (RCA SF 8272) 1972
Branching In (RCA SF 8314) 1972
CD: Progressive Line PL 543 (both albums above)
45:
Echoes/Is It True Blue (RCA RCA 2324) 1973
Formed as a folk duo in Milngavie, Glasgow, Scotland, in 1969. Tom Hoy was a
Glaswegian by birth and Robin Thyne a Geordie. Krysia Kocjan who had a Flemish
mum and a Polish dad, joined early in 1971. She was a talented vocalist who
brought them a good degree of publicity - they were often billed as The
Natural Acoustic Band featuring Krysia Kocjan.
"Learning To Live" was a good progressive folk effort notable for
Kocjan's vocals and similar to Dando Shaft. It came in a lovely gatefold
sleeve. The follow-up was similar musically. Both albums were produced by Milt
Okun, who had worked extensively with Peter Paul and Mary.
In September Amin Mohammed was recruited as bassist, but Krysia left the band
the following January to pursue a solo career. She was replaced briefly by
Joanna Carlin, though this didn't work out due to 'musical differences' and the
band soon was reduced to a duo again with Thyne and Hoy.
The pair continued on as a duo until 1975 when Hoy joined
Magna Carta. Thyne
followed him into Magna
Carta a couple of years later, though in 1979 they both left to form
Nova Carta, but that's another story. Kocjan released a solo album in 1974
and has worked for Ray Davies, Mike Heron and Robin Williamson among others. She
now lives in the USA.
Taken from The Tapestry of Delights - The
Comprehensive Guide to British Music of the Beat, R&B, Psychedelic and
Progressive Eras 1963-1976, Vernon Joynson
ISBN 1 899855 15 7