Joey Gregorash-North country funk-LP and 45-Down by the river-Neil Young Cover

Oh, I  really do like the country rock-pop vibe Joey comes through with on this LP. The cover, is very homey for me. It could have been taken in my backyard where i grew up in Ontario. His look is just so Canada in the truest sense (circa 1970 that is) . The title of the LP is one of my favorites too. Joey really does bring the funk. Great talent here. Kind of Creedence influenced and recorded at STAX in memphis 1971. It has been stated,  Joey's first group, the Mongrels, were the first White (skinned) group to record there. I guess this  is based on an ENTIRE white group (??) as the MG's were a inter-racial group. Yep..so this is pretty rare up here in Canada. Great sound all the way through, clean mix. This is a feel good album. Gets psychedelic on the Neil Young Cover of "down by the river" . The 45 version is punchier,as it's compressed a bit and channeled to MONO and Edited (shorter) but not much different in the mix. Both the LP and 45 are now up on my server. I like this LP more every time I hear it.

LISTEN to the single "Down by the river":

MEMBERS
of North Country Funk
Recording session:
Joey Gregorash
Ron Risko
Dick Bortolucci
Dick Hedlund
bob Sabellico
bobby Manuel
Marvelle Thomas
Produced by Ron Capone

As you may notice, a totally stacked session (excuse the pun..Lot's of STAX players here)

UPDATE-feb 2010-
Joey talks about this single on his website, and who plays that searing acid guitar line :

"It is interesting to note that radio stations in the Maritimes refused to play "Pride", instead, opting to play a track from Joey's North Country Funk album. The song, "Down by the River" was penned by former Winnipegger, Neil Young and almost never made the session. As Joey explains, "we were short one song for the album and I started cracking jokes to break up the tension. I said here's my impression of Jose Feliciano singing "Down by the River". Producer Ron Capone loved the rhythm and we laid the track down in pieces. I never heard the finished song till a month later. The lead guitarist on the session was Bobby Manuel, from Issac Hayes Band and to this day, everyone comments on how they love that closing guitar lick!"

Well, Bobby pretty much MAKES this single a spectacular artifact.
The whole vibe is great, but the searing guitar is what drew me in
and the comments I have gotten, have also alluded to this.
I have actually heard this version on 3WK internet radio from the USA, recently.

Here's the 2nd 45 from the LP:
(the first is the single for the massive hit "Jodie")

Pics from the lost Walrus Sessions (before North Country Funk, looks like the same band)

Walrus appearing in a trade ad for "festival express"

Some pics of the Mongrels, Gregorash's first group: