Ambrosia -

Ambrosia is an American rock band that released the 1975–76 20th Century albums Ambrosia and Somewhere I’ve Never Travelled, followed by the 1978–82 Warner albums Life Beyond L.A., One Eighty, and Road Island.

Their style evolved from symphonic art-rock to West Coast blue-eyed soul. Ambrosia’s chart hits include “Holdin’ on to Yesterday,” and the soft-rock evergreens “How Much I Feel,” “Biggest Part of Me” and “You’re the Only Woman.”

Members: Joe Puerta (vocals, bass, guitar), Burleigh Drummond (drums, vocals), David Pack (vocals, guitar, keyboards, 1970-82), Christopher North (keyboards, vocals), Royce Jones (vocals, percussion, 1978-82), David Lewis (keyboards, 1978-82), Cliff Woolley (guitar, harmonica, vocals, 1980), Bruce Hornsby (keyboards, 1982)

Background

Ambrosia formed in 1970 in the South Bay area of Los Angeles County, Calif. The call was initiated by drummer/percussionist Burleigh Drummond (b. 1951, Fort Leavenworth, Kan.), who joined a $5 musician’s contact service that, within a week, summoned singer/guitarist David Pack (b. 1952, Huntington Park, Calif.), bassist Joe Puerta (b. 1951, Lomita, Calif.), and keyboardist Christopher North (b. 1951, San Francisco).

Drummond’s interest in percussion stemmed from an early childhood experience at his father’s military base in Ankara, Turkey, where young Burleigh absorbed the sight and sound of manual copper-plate production, a process he’d later describe as “spinning and hammering in sublime synchronicity.” (Hernandez) As a teenager, he filtered through several garage bands before joining the contact service.

North’s background traces to the 1960s San Pedro garage-rock scene, where he played in The Proones, The Livin End, Thee Exceptions, and the more psych-tinged Blue Toad Flax with musician Tom Trefethen, who’d later play a technical role in Ambrosia’s recordings.

They initially wanted to name their band Ambergris Might, but soon learned about the brass-rock ensemble named Ambergris. Searching adjacent words in the dictionary, they picked Ambrosia because its meaning (the food or drink of the Greek) suited their musical vision.

The four members had mutual roots in California harmony pop (The Beach Boys) and British Invasion rock (namely The Beatles). During their later teens, the spectrum harmonies of Crosby Stills & Nash and the lavish epicism of King Crimson advanced their concepts of vocal and musical arrangements.

After a year in rehearsals, a soundman friend of Ambrosia picked them to test the newly installed sound system at the Hollywood Bowl. Their test performance floored the head engineer, who introduced them to Los Angeles Philharmonic conductor Zubin Mehta, who featured Ambrosia in the All-American Dream Concert.

After a no-go audition for Herb Alpert of A&M Records, Ambrosia signed to 20th Century Records, which released their first two albums.

Ambrosia

Ambrosia released their self-titled debut album in February 1975 on 20th Century. The albums spawned two singles: “Holdin’ On to Yesterday” and “Nice, Nice, Very Nice,” the latter with verses from author Kurt Vonnegut.

Guitarist David Pack wrote “World Leave Me Alone,” “Lover Arrive,” and co-wrote “Holdin’ On to Yesterday” with bassist Joe Puerta. The remaining tracks are group-compositions. Pack also sings lead on “Make Us All Aware” and harmonizes elsewhere with Puerta.

Ambrosia features dual instrumentation by Pack (keyboards) and drummer Burleigh Drummond (bassoon). They joint-arranged the album’s orchestral parts with Puerta and keyboardist Christopher North. “Holdin’ On to Yesterday” features violin virtuoso Daniel Kobialka, an ongoing associate.

A1. “Nice, Nice, Very Nice” (5:55) takes its verses from “53rd Calypso,” a poem in Vonnegut’s 1963 sci-fi satire novel Cat’s Cradle.
A2. “Time Waits for No One” (4:53)
A3. “Holdin’ On to Yesterday” (4:19)
A4. “World Leave Me Alone” (3:18)

B1. “Make Us All Aware” (4:29)
B2. “Lover Arrive” (3:11)
B3. “Mama Frog” (6:05)
B4. “Drink of Water” (6:29)

Sessions occurred in late 1974 at Mama Jo’s, a North Hollywood studio used for recent albums by Mama Lion, Chi Coltrane, Fanny, and John Klemmer. Studio founder Freddie Piro produced and engineered Ambrosia, which credits three Mama Jo engineers: Billy Taylor, Chuck Johnson, and Tom Trefethen — the sound team behind the 1975 Light Records release Take Me Back, the fourth studio album by Andrae Crouch & The Disciples.

Dark Side of the Moon engineer Alan Parsons mixed Ambrosia between the first two albums by Pilot (Pilot, Second Flight) and the second and third by Cockney Rebel (The Psychomodo, The Best Years of Our Lives). Ambrosia features synth programming by James Newton Howard.

Ambrosia features a psychedelic vanishing-point illustration by Eddie Douglas, who designed 1974/75 20th Century covers for Ahmad Jamal, Barry White, Harriet Schock, Leon Haywood, Love Unlimited, and Smoked Sugar.

In May 1975, 20th Century lifted “Holdin’ On to Yesterday” as the first Ambrosia single (b/w “Make Us All Aware”). It reached No. 17 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and No. 18 on the Cashbox Top 100. In October, “Nice, Nice, Very Nice” became their second single (b/w “Lover Arrive”). The album reached No. 22 on the Billboard 200.

Ambrosia embarked on a late-summer tour as openers for Fleetwood Mac, then-promoting their self-titled tenth album, the first with Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks. For encores, Ambrosia covered “Duke of Earl,” a 1962 doo-wop No. 1 by R&B singer Gene Chandler.

Somewhere I’ve Never Travelled

Ambrosia released their second album, Somewhere I’ve Never Travelled, on September 11, 1976, on 20th Century.

David Pack composed “Runnin’ Away” and “Can’t Let a Woman.” He collaborated with “Harvey” writer Joe Puerta on “I Wanna Know,” “We Need You Too,” and the title track. They teamed with Burleigh Drummond and Christopher North on three group-written epics: “Cowboy Star,” “The Brunt,” and “Danse With Me George (Chopin’s Plea).”

Drummond again doubles on bassoon while Puerta counters North with Moog synth. Daniel Kobialka makes a return visit on “Danse With Me George,” a frenzied neo-classical opus with Pack on Fender Rhodes. Former Zappa saxophonist Ian Underwood appears along with his then-wife, xylophonist Ruth Komanoff Underwood, whose dotted runs across “The Brunt” lend a proto-zolo edge.

A1. “And…” (0:47)
A2. “Somewhere I’ve Never Travelled” (4:09)
A3. “Cowboy Star” (6:20)
A4. “Runnin’ Away” (3:27)
A5. “Harvey” (1:27)
A6. “I Wanna Know” (5:58)

B1. “The Brunt” (5:26)
B2. “Danse With Me George (Chopin’s Plea)” (7:47)
B3. “Can’t Let a Woman” (4:18)
B4. “We Need You Too” (5:31)

Sessions occurred earlier in 1976 in North Hollywood (Mama Jo’s) and London (Abbey Road), where Alan Parsons produced Somewhere I’ve Never Travelled in sequence with albums by Al Stewart (Year of the Cat), John Miles (Rebel), and the debut Parsons Project release, Tales of Mystery and Imagination, a large-scale effort that features Ambrosia on one track, “The Raven,” based on the 1845 poem by Edgar Allan Poe.

All four albums feature orchestration by Andrew Powell, who did likewise for I’m Nearly Famous, the 1976 comeback album by Cliff Richard. Powell arranged the symphonic parts on “Cowboy Star” “Danse With Me George,” and “We Need You Too.” Travelled also has input by the Cal Arts African Ensemble with Alfred and Kobla Ladzekpo.

Somewhere I’ve Never Travelled features group portraits by veteran rock photographer Ed Caraeff (Incense and Peppermint, Uncle Meat, Trout Mask Replica) within a pyramid scheme designed by medical illustrator Hogin McMurtrie. Original copies feature three triangular fold-out panels that transform the cover into a pyramid. Caraeff’s photography also graces 1976 sleeves for the Bee Gees, Lady Flash, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, and Weather Report.

20th Century lifted “Can’t Let a Woman” as a single (b/w “The Brunt”). In January 1977, the label placed “Cowboy Star” on the backside of “Magical Mystery Tour,” Ambrosia’s contribution to All This and World War II, a two-record soundtrack of Beatles covers to a film comprised of vintage WW2 newsreels. The soundtrack also includes Beatles interpretations by the Bee Gees (four Abbey Road numbers), Bryan Ferry (“She’s Leaving Home”), David Essex (“Yesterday”), Leo Sayer (“Let It Be”), Tina Turner (“Come Together”), Roy Wood (“Polythene Pam”), ELO frontman Jeff Lynne (“With a Little Help from My Friends”), and (in his first post-Genesis solo appearance) Peter Gabriel (“Strawberry Fields Forever”). “Magical Mystery Tour” peaked inside the Billboard Top 40.

Life Beyond L.A.

Ambrosia released their third album, Life Beyond L.A., on August 12, 1978, on Warner Bros.

The album contains two songs each by David Pack (“How Much I Feel,” “Dancin’ by Myself”) and Joe Puerta (“Art Beware,” “Ready for Camarillo”). They co-wrote “Apothecary,” “Angola,” and “Heart to Heart.”

Burleigh Drummond contributed “If Heaven Could Find Me” and collaborated with Pack on the title track. The penultimate track, “Not as You Were,” is group-credited to the three, who functioned as a trio minus Christopher North, who left Ambrosia in the album’s early stages.

Life Beyond L.A. has Puerta on bass and guitar and Pack on guitar, piano, and multiple keyboards. Daniel Kobialka guests this time on “Heart to Heart.” Crusaders pianist Joe Sample appears on “Apothecary.” Jimmie Haskell arranged the strings on “How Much I Feel,” Ambrosia’s first Top 10 hit.

Before his departure, North completed the organ parts for “If Heaven Could Find Me” and “Ready for Camarillo.” His replacement, David Cutler Lewis, contributes piano (“Art Beware”), synth (“Not as You Were”), and Fender Rhodes and clavinet on “Dancin’ by Myself, which also features free-jazz saxophonist Marty Krystall.

A1. “Life Beyond L.A.” (4:47)
A2. “Art Beware” (2:15)
A3. “Apothecary” (4:53)
A4. “If Heaven Could Find Me” (4:29)
A5. “How Much I Feel” (4:44)

B1. “Dancin’ by Myself” (4:42)
B2. “Angola” (3:52)
B3. “Heart to Heart” (2:49)
B4. “Not as You Were” (3:52)
B5. “Ready for Camarillo” (4:55)

Sessions spanned late 1977 through early 1978 at Mama Jo’s, where Ambrosia co-produced the album with owner Freddie Piro, who now worked exclusively with the band. Prior engineer Tom Trefethen handled the mix-down with Stewart Whitmore, a recent soundman for the Cate Bros. and Ned Doheny.

Life Beyond L.A. shows Pack, Puerta, and Drummond on different levels of a dime nightclub during off-hours, photographed by Ed Caraeff, whose images also appear on 1978 albums by the Brecker Brothers and Chick Corea.

Warner lifted “How Much I Feel” as the first single (b/w “Ready for Camarillo”). It reached No. 2 in Canada and No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100. Abroad, the song went Top 30 in Australia and the Netherlands. In November, “Life Beyond L.A.” became the second single (b/w “Angola”), followed in April 1979 by “If Heaven Could Find Me” (b/w “Apothecary”).

Life Beyond L.A. reached No. 14 on the Canadian RPM chart and No. 19 on the US Billboard 200. Ambrosia promoted the album with an autumn North American tour that included dates with Foreigner and the Doobie Brothers. North returned to Ambrosia’s touring lineup, which became a six-piece with Lewis and singer/percussionist Royce Jones, an early Steely Dan sideman who cut a 1972 album as part of the MoWest one-off Odyssey (not the RCA sibling trio).

One Eighty

Ambrosia released their fourth album, One Eighty, on April 12, 1980, on Warner Bros.

David Pack wrote “Ready,” “No Big Deal,” and the album’s two hit ballads, “You’re the Only Woman” and “Biggest Part of Me.” He collaborated with Joe Puerta on “Shape I’m In,” “Kamikaze,” and “Rock n’ a Hard Place,” a song third-credited to Hollywood script-writer Jeremy Joe Kronsberg (Every Which Way But Loose, Any Which Way You Can). Burleigh Drummond contributed “Cryin’ In the Rain” and teamed with the pair on “Livin’ On My Own.”

One Eighty (oft-interpreted as a veiled reference to the band’s musical change) presents Ambrosia as a trio (front) but acknowledges the live sextet (back) with third singer Royce Jones and recent keyboardist David Cutler Lewis, who plays electric piano and splits Minimoog parts with returning member Christopher North, who plays organ, clavinet, and Chamberlin. Veteran jazz saxophonist Ernie Watts guests on the two ballads.

A1. “Ready” (4:25)
A2. “Shape I’m In” (3:29)
A3. “Kamikaze” (4:01)
A4. “You’re the Only Woman” (4:20)
A5. “Rock n’ a Hard Place” (3:59)

B1. “Livin’ On My Own” (4:41)
B2. “Cryin’ In the Rain” (4:37)
B3. “No Big Deal” (4:25)
B4. “Biggest Part of Me” (5:26)

Sessions spanned the autumn/winter of 1979–80 at Mama Jo’s, where Ambrosia co-produced with Freddie Piro. Additional work occurred at studios in Burbank (Location Recording), Glendale (Monterey Sound), and Van Nuys (Sound City). Pages soundman Michael Verdick engineered One Eighty between Future Street and Terms and Conditions, the 1980 fourth solo album by Jay Ferguson.

One Eighty features band photographs by cover veteran Norman Seeff, whose head-to-head shots grace 1979/80 covers for Aviary, Blondie (Eat to the Beat), Narada Michael Walden, and The Police (Reggatta de Blanc).

In mid-March, Warner issued “Biggest Part of Me” as an advance single (b/w “Livin’ On My Own”). It reached No. 18 in Canada and became their second No. 3 hit on the Billboard Hot 100. In June, “You’re the Only Woman” became the second single (b/w “Shape I’m In”). It reached No. 15 in Canada, No. 13 on the Hot 100, and No. 5 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart. The radio exposure of these ballads prompted a satirical ad that touted One Eighty‘s rock content with the call-to-action: “Ignore the hit, buy the album.” In October, “No Big Deal” reappeared as the third and final single (b/w “Cryin’ In the Rain”).

1980–81 Soundtrack Contributions

Ambrosia contributed a new song, “Outside,” to the soundtrack of Inside Moves, a 1980 drama film with songs by Boz Scaggs, Pablo Cruise, and The Spinners. Pack collaborated with Michael McDonald on “Outside,” which Warner/Full Moon issued as a split-single with “I Can’t Tell You Why” by The Eagles.

Ambrosia also contributed a new Puerta/Kronsberg song, “Feels to Good to Win,” to the soundtrack of Coast to Coast, a 1980 romantic comedy starring Dyan Cannon and Baretta star Robert Blake.

Puerta and Pack collaborated with Burt Bacharach on “Poor Rich Boy,” Ambrosia’s soundtrack contribution to Arthur, a 1981 comedy starring Dudley Moore.

Road Island

Ambrosia released their fifth album, Road Island, on May 3, 1982, on Warner Bros.

The album contains one song by Joe Puerta (“Fool Like Me”), two by David Pack (“Feelin’ Alive Again,” “Endings”), and the co-written numbers “Kid No More” and “How Can You Love Me.” Burleigh Drummond collaborated with the pair on the album’s first two songs. David Cutter Lewis makes his lone writing contribution as a fourth-writer on “For Openers (Welcome Home).” On the lengthy “Ice Age,” the trio fourth-credit Jamie Bernstein, the daughter of conductor Leonard Bernstein.

Pack arranged the album’s strings with Jimmie Haskell and Andrew Powell. He shared unspecified keyboard parts with Cutter Lewis, who played synthesizer while Christoper North handled organ and clavinet. Royce Jones reappears as a backing vocalist. “Kid No More” features saxophone by Wrecking Crew vet Jim Horn and producer James Guthrie, a recent Heatwave soundman.

A1. “For Openers (Welcome Home)” (5:35)
A2. “Still Not Satisfied” (3:59)
A3. “Kid No More” (2:59)
A4. “Feelin’ Alive Again” (5:49)

B1. “How Can You Love Me” (4:05)
B2. “Fool Like Me” (4:35)
B3. “Ice Age” (7:07)
B4. “Endings” (5:13)

Sessions took place at studios in Los Angeles (Davlen Sound) and London, where Guthrie produced Rock Island at Audio International and Konk Studios, owned by Kinks frontman Ray Davies.

Rock Island features cover art by British caricaturist Ralph Steadman, a noted illustrator for novelist Hunter S. Thompson. His artwork graced prior sleeves for The Who (“Happy Jack”), Paul Brett (Phoenix Future), and Fischer-Z (“Remember Russia”). His visual trademarks (gaping mouths, bulging eyes, splatter details) resemble the art of cartoonist Gerald Scarfe, whose illustrations animate The Wall, Pink Floyd‘s 1979 double-album and subsequent movie.

Warner lifted “How Can You Love Me” as single (b/w “Still Not Satisfied”) followed in July by “Feelin’ Alive Again” (b/w “For Openers”). For the ensuing tour, Lewis stepped aside for pianist Bruce Hornsby, a prior Teri DeSario sessionist.

Discography: