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Size: 70.0 MB
Bitrate: 256
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Ripped by: ChrisGoesRock
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Source: Japan 24-Bit Remaster

Formed by Junior Hanson (real name: Donald Hanson Marvin Kerr Richards Jr.; was a member of Bob Marley & The Wailers, Steve Winwood, Keef Hartley Band), it's simply criminal that this outfit was overlooked by the British press and record buying public alike (note "Magic Dragon" being possibly a US-only release!); the only way I've personally found out about it is the same way most of today's "heavy rock archaeologists" are finding out about it: via the inclusion of bassist Neil Murray.

Both albums featured a star-studded cast. On "Magic Dragon" - Glen Le Fleur (Murray Head, Gonzalez, Ronnie Lane & Slim Chance, Olympic Runners, Gerry Rafferty), Neil Murray (Whitesnake, Gilgamesh, Colosseum II, Black Sabbath, Gary Moore, National Health). On "Now Hear This" - Rebop Kwaku Baah (Can, Eric Clapton, Joe Cocker, Free, Traffic, Steve Winwood), Clive Chaman (Jeff Beck, Hummingbird), Delisle Harper (Graham Bond Organisation, Crazy World Of Arthur Brown, Ginger Baker, David Coverdale, Freddie King, Olympic Runners), Conrad Isadore (Olympic Runners, Joe Cocker, Hummingbird, Paul Kossoff, Manfred Mann, Terry Reid, Stephen Stills, Vinegar Joe), Jean Roussel (Joan Armatrading, Elkie Brooks, Atlantis, Joe Cocker, Donovan, Roger Glover, Keef Hartley, Alan Hull, Tim Hardin, Juicy Lucy, Paul Kossoff, Linda Lewis, Osibisa, Robert Palmer, Wilson Pickett, Police, Cat Stevens, Mick Taylor, 10CC, Thin Lizzy, Ron Wood), Bob Tench (Jeff Beck Group, Roger Chapman & Shortlist, Boxer, Peter Green, Humble Pie, Hummingbird, Freddie King, Van Morrison, Linda Lewis, Streetwalkers).

For an album released on the Manticore label (home to the always over-bearing Emerson, Lake and Palmer), this 1974 release came as a pleasant surprise.

The fact that it features one of rock's true chameleons in the form of Donald Hanson Marvin Kerr Richards, Jr.(aka Junior Hanson, aka Junior Kerr, aka Junior Marvin) was simply an added bonus.

The guy's discography is a hornet's nest and I'm not going to try to untangle it here, but Hanson was apparently a post Keef Hartley band project, as well as serving as the debut of his new stage name - Junior Hanson.

Prior to recording a sophomore album, the band underwent a wholesale personnel shake up that saw namesake Hanson the only carryover. The revised line up featured percussionist Brother James, drummer Glen LeFleur and bassist Neil Murray.

Overlooking the butt ugly cover art (nice job there Bob Defrin), "Magic Dragon" is surprisingly good Hendrix inspired guitar rock with enough psych touches to make it interesting to folks collecting that genre.

Hendrix wannabes are usually about as interesting as toenail clippings, but co-produced be namesake Junior Hanson and Mario Medious, the album gets off to a kick-ass start with the blazing 'Rocking Horseman' and seldom lets up.

Virtually the entire album's worth hearing, but stand out tracks include 'Love Yer, Need You', 'Looking At Tin Soldiers' and the awesome title track. Okay, I'll add the funky 'Boy Meets Girl' to my list of favorites. While this one's a little more pop oriented than the rest of the album, it'll appeal to all you substance abusers in the crowd.

You simply have to wonder how this one got lost. Hanson had everything needed to be a major star - great vocals, first rate chops and you have to wonder why he was criminally overlooked. I'm sure it had nothing to do with the fact he was a black Jamaican living in the UK.

Junior Hanson (guitar and vocals)
Glen LeFleur (drums)
Neil Murray (bass)
Brother James (percussion)
Marlo Henderson (guitar)
Andre Lewis (keyboards)

01.Rocking Horseman 3:34
02.Morning Day Religion 3:10
03.Down Into The Dragon 5:28
04.Rock Me Baby 3:57
05.Love Yer, Need You 4:59
06.Boy Meets Girl 3:06
07.American Beauty Rose 3:06
08.Looking At Tin Soldiers 3:46
09.Magic Dragon 2:59