If - JazzRockSoul.com

If was an English sax-rock band from London that released two albums on Island in 1970, followed by a second pair of titles on U.A.–Metromedia in 1972–73 and a further pair on Gull during the mid-1970s. Saxophonist Dick Morrissey later formed a prolific partnership with ex-Piblokto!–Oblivion guitarist Jim Mullen in the duo Morrissey Mullen.

Members: Dick Morrissey (saxophone, flute), Lionel Grigson (keyboards, vocals, 1969), Tony Allen [J. W. Hodkinson] (lead vocals, 1969-73), Dave Quincy (saxophone, 1969-73), Daryl Runswick (bass, 1969), Terry Smith (guitar, 1969-73), Spike Wells (drums, 1969), Dennis Elliott (drums, 1969-72), John Mealing (keyboards, 1969-72), Jim Richardson (bass, 1969-73), Cliff Davies (drums, 1972-75), Dave Greenslade (keyboards, 1972-73), Dave Wintour (guitar, acoustic guitar, bass, vocals, 1972-73), Peter Arnesen (keyboards, 1973-74), Kurt Palomacki (bass, 1973-74), Steve Rosenthal (guitar, lead vocals, 1973-74), Fiachra Trench (keyboards, 1973-74), Gabriel Magno (keyboards, clarinet, 1974-75), Walt Monaghan (bass, vocals, 1974-75), Mike Tomich (bass, 1974-75), Geoff Whitehorn (guitar, vocals, 1974-75)

Background

If inaugurated the UK branch of brass-rock along with Galliard, Heaven, Brainchild, and The Greatest Show on Earth. The main difference is that If featured two saxophonists but no actual brass (trumpet, trombone). Guitarist Terry Smith formed If in 1969 with saxophonists Dick Morrissey and Dave Quincy.

Terry Smith (b. 1943) played as a backing musician for Georgie Fame, the Walker Brothers, and jazz pianist Tony Lee. In 1969, Smith issued the Philips big band album Fall Out with an ensemble that included Australian saxophonist Ray Warleigh and Canadian trumpeter Kenny Wheeler. That same year, he interacted with Morrissey on The Greatest Little Soul Band In the Land by American soul singer J. J. Jackson. The two joined Jackson’s soul-psych backing band Dilemma for a 1970 self-titled release on RCA/Perception, which also features Quincy.

Dick Morrissey (1940–2000) released four albums between 1961 and 1967 with his namesake hard-bop quartet. Intermittently, he played on albums by Johnny Dankworth, Jimmy Witherspoon, and Georgie Fame. In 1965, Morrissey partook (alongside Wheeler and Ian Carr) in a big band version of The Animals for an appearance at the 5th Annual British Jazz & Blues Festival in Richmond upon Thames.

Dave Quincy (b. 1939) backed ex-Shadows bassist Jet Harris in the early ’60s and served two years (1965–67) in Chris Farlowe and the Thunderbirds, where he interacted with keyboardist Dave Greenslade, who briefly joined If in 1972 (between his time in Colosseum and Greenslade). Just prior to Dilemma and If, Quincy played on the 1969 debut album by Manfred Mann Chapter Three. Concurrently, he backed the soul-rock duo Babylon (featuring Carol Grimes of Delivery) on their one-off Polydor single. Quincy wrote the a-side, “Into the Promised Land,” which If rerecorded as “The Promised Land.”

Smith, Morrissey, and Quincy formed If with guidance by American music mogul Lew Futterman, who became their manager–producer and secured them a deal with Island Records. They enlisted vocalist J.W. Hodkinson (1942–2013), who once performed as “teen idol” Johnny Goode under the auspices of ’50s pop Svengali Larry Parnes. In 1966, Hodkinson sang the theme song to the spy thriller Triple Cross starring Christopher Plummer and Yul Brynner.

The initial septet featured keyboardist Lionel Grigson, bassist Daryl Runswick, and drummer Spike Wells, all journeymen of the UK jazz scene. Before If entered the studio, the three musicians were replaced, respectively, by John Mealing, Jim Richardson, and Dennis Elliott. Mealing played piano in the Don Rendell-Ian Carr Quintet. Elliott drummed for soul-rockers Ferris Wheel (the starting vehicle for singer Linda Lewis.)

If

If released their self-titled debut album in July 1970 on Island Records.

Tenor/alto saxophonist Dave Quincy wrote “What Can a Friend Say?” and co-wrote “I’m Reaching Out on All Sides” with American songwriter Jay Fisherman, who submitted “Raise the Level of Your Conscious Mind,” co-written with US reedist Andy Marsala.

The album contains one song each by tenor/soprano saxist Dick Morrissey (“What Did I Say About the Box, Jack?”), singer J. W. Hodkinson (“Woman Can You See”), and pre-record If bassist Daryl Runswick (“Dockland”). Side B climaxes with Quincy’s “The Promised Land,” a rearrangement of the Babylon single.

A1. “I’m Reaching Out on All Sides” (5:14)
A2. “What Did I Say About the Box, Jack?” (8:20)
A3. “What Can a Friend Say?” (6:28)

B1. “Woman Can You See (What This Big Thing Is All About)” (4:01)
B2. “Raise the Level of Your Conscious Mind” (3:11)
B3. “Dockland” (5:21)
B4. “The Promised Land” (4:31)

Sessions spanned February through April 1970 at Island Studios in London with Dilemma producer Lew Futterman, a late-Sixties soundman for Brother Jack McDuff, Jimmy Witherspoon, and Hello People. If was recorded by Frank Owen, and engineer on Elton John‘s first album and the 1970 self-titled classic by Affinity.

On May 29, 1970, “Raise the Level of Your Conscious Mind” first appeared as a single backed with “I’m Reaching Out on All Sides.”

If appeared in a silver metallic single sleeve with the name in riveted metal block letters, designed by CCS Advertising Associates, the graphics firm behind 1970 covers for Audience (Friend’s Friend’s Friend), Free (Highway), King Crimson (Lizard), Procol Harum (Home), and Van der Graaf Generator (The Least We Can Do Is Wave to Each Other). The metallic theme resembles the metal-engraved imagery of the 1970 second album by American brass-rockers Chicago.

If 2

If released their second album, If 2, on December 11, 1970, on Island Records. In the US, If 2 appeared in January 1971 on Capitol.

If 2 contains one song each by tenor/soprano saxophonist Dick Morrissey (“Sunday Sad”) and singer J. W. Hodkinson (“Song for Elsa”). Tenor/alto saxist Dave Quincy composed the two epic side-openers, “Your City Is Falling” and “I Couldn’t Write and Tell You.”

Organist John Mealing co-wrote “Tarmac T. Pirate and the Lonesome Nymphomaniac” with outsider Trevor Preston. Prior keyboardist Lionel Grigson gave the band “Shadows and Echoes,” co-written by Ghanaian-British publisher Margaret Busby.

A1. “Your City Is Falling” (5:04)
A2. “Sunday Sad” (8:18)
A3. “Tarmac T. Pirate and the Lonesome Nymphomaniac” (5:12)

B1. “I Couldn’t Write and Tell You” (8:23)
B2. “Shadows and Echoes” (4:24)
B3. “Song for Elsa, Three Days Before Her 25th Birthday” (5:11)

Sessions occurred at the Hit Factory in New York City with Lew Futterman, who produced If 2 and their five subsequent albums amid ongoing work with McDuff and JJ Jackson. Frank Owen engineered the album at Island Studios in London.

If 2 uses the prior album’s riveted metal letter blocks, presented her on an airbound platform. The “i” opens to a stairway/hallway of undetermined depth. The backside shows a gray photo-negative of the band looking down at the viewer in a head-to-head circle.

Capitol lifted “Your City Is Falling” as a US single backed with the earlier “Woman Can You See (What This Big Thing Is All About)?”

If 3

If released their third album, If 3, in August 1971 on United Artists (UK) and Capitol (US).

Dave Quincy composed the opener, “Fibonacci’s Number,” and co-wrote the remainder of Side A with J.W. Hodkinson (“Child of Storm”) and band associate Trevor Preston (“Forgotten Roads,” “Sweet January”).

Side B contains Preston co-writes with organist John Mealing (“Far Beyond,” “Here Comes Mr. Time”) and guitarist Terry Smith, who earned his first writing credit on “Seldom Seen Sam.” Dick Morrissey co-wrote “Upstairs” with personal partner Brigitta.

A1. “Fibonacci’s Number” (7:38)
A2. “Forgotten Roads” (4:23)
A3. “Sweet January” (4:30)
A4. “Child of Storm” (3:39)

B1. “Far Beyond” (4:57)
B2. “Seldom Seen Sam” (4:50)
B3. “Upstairs” (4:52)
B4. “Here Comes Mr. Time” (4:43)

Sessions occurred in London during the spring of 1971 at Island Studios, where If self-produced “Sweet January” and “Here Comes Mr. Time” and recorded the rest with American Jon Child, a soundman for Karen Dalton and folksters Farquahr.

If 3 appeared in a laminated gatefold with an illustration of the band on an open field next to a carved limestone monolith of their name, engraved with the number 3. The inner-gate shows them live on a soundstage with a sun-face backdrop.

UA lifted “Far Beyond” as a UK/European single (b/w “Forgotten Roads”).

If 4

If released their fourth studio album, If 4, in May 1972 on United Artists. The was the final album by the original septet of singer J.W. Hodgkinson, tenor/alto saxophonist Dave Quincy, tenor/soprano saxophonist Dick Morrissey, guitarist Terry Smith, bassist Jim Richardson, drummer Dennis Elliot, and keyboardist John Mealing.

Quincy composed “Sector 17” and co-wrote Side A’s balance with outsider Ted Humphrey. Morrissey co-wrote the first two Side B songs with Brigitta. If 4 closes with “Svenska Soma,” a song by Inger Jonsson-Smith of the Sixties Swedish all-girl group Nursery Rhymes.

A1. “Sector 17” (10:34)
A2. “The Light Still Shines” (5:06)
A3. “You in Your Small Corner” (3:49)

B1. “Waterfall” (5:27)
B2. “Throw Myself to the Wind” (4:51)
B3. “Svenska Soma” (7:09)

Sessions occurred in Memphis, Atlanta, and London with producer Lew Futterman. “You In Your Small Corner” first appeared in mid-April as a UK/European single (b/w “Waterfall”).

If 4 was housed in a metallic embossed cover with the letters I F embedded with the letter 4. The inner-gates repeat the theme in color with image overlays of each member. The cover was credited to ART DIRECTION, a design firm also named on 1972 albums by Cochise and Groundhogs (Hogwash).

If performed at the 12th National Jazz, Blues and Rock Festival, an August 11–13 event at Little John’s Farm on Richfield Avenue in Reading. The summer ’72 event features sets by Curved Air, Edgar Broughton Band, Electric Light Orchestra, Faces, Genesis, Gillian McPherson, Jericho, Jonathan Kelly, Magma, Man, Matching Moles, Nazareth, Quintessence, Shuggie Otis, Stackridge, Steamhammer, Stray, String Driven Thing, Sutherland Brothers & Quiver, Ten Years After, Vinegar Joe, and Wizzard.

If 4 went unreleased in North America, where four tracks (“Waterfall,” “Sector 17,” “The Light Still Shines,” “Throw Myself to the Wind”) appeared on the September 1972 Metromedia release Waterfall, which featured two new songs: “Cast No Shadows” and the Dick/Brigitta co-write “Paint Your Pictures.”

If recorded both songs with new drummer Cliff Davies and temp bassist Dave Wintour. Davies wrote “Cast No Shadows.”

“Paint Your Pictures” (5:18)
“Cast No Shadows” (7:30)

In Germany, UA issued the album as If 4: On Tour in Germany – April 72. This version features the same studio tracklist as the UK release with the title suffixed to promote their spring German tour.

Double Diamond

If released their fifth album, Double Diamond, in July 1973 on Brain and Metromedia.

1. “Play, Play, Play” (D. Morrissey, K. Palomaki) – 3:45
2. “Pebbles on the Beach” (D. Morrissey, B. Morrissey) – 4:34
3. “Pick Me Up (And Put Me Back on the Road)” (Davies) – 5:03
4. “Another Time Around (Is Not for Me)” (Davies) – 6:57

5. “Groupie Blue (Every Day She’s Got the Blues)” (D. Morrissey, T. Preston) – 4:09
6. “Fly, Fly, The Route, Shoot” (Palomaki) – 4:27
7. “Feel Thing Part 1” (Arnesen) – 4:18
8. “Feel Thing Part 2” (Arnesen) – 4:54
9. “Feel Thing Part 3” (Arnesen) – 3:18

Recorded The Manor Studios
Producer Lew Futterman

Dick Morrissey – tenor and alto saxophones, lead and backing vocals, flute
Steve Rosenthal – guitar, lead and backing vocals
Pete Arnesen – piano, backing vocals, organ, synthesizer
Fi Trench – piano, backing vocals
Kurt Palomaki – bass, backing vocals
Cliff Davies – drums, backing vocals, percussion

Not Just Another Bunch of Pretty Faces

If released their sixth album, Not Just Another Bunch of Pretty Faces, in October 1974 on Capitol (US), Gull (UK), and Brain Records (Germany).

1. “In the Winter of Your Life” – 4:59
2. “Stormy Every Weekday Blues” – 6:07
3. “Follow That with Your Performing Seals” – 5:51

4. “Still Alive” – 4:29
5. “Borrowed Time” – 4:30
6. “Chiswick High Road Blues” – 5:17
7. “I Believe in Rock & Roll” – 4:53

Recorded between October 1973 – February 1974 at:
Sleepy Hollow Recording, Ithaca, N.Y.
Majestic Sound, London, England.
The Sound Pit, Atlanta, GA.
Allen-Martin Studios, Louisville, KY.
Producer Lew Futterman, assisted by Jon Child and Cliff Davies

Dick Morrissey – saxes and flute, lead vocals (4)
Geoff Whitehorn – electric and acoustic guitars, lead (1, 7) and backing vocals
Gabriel Magno – Hammond organ, electric and acoustic pianos, electric harpsichord
Walt Monaghan – bass (all but 1), lead (5, 7) and backing vocals
Cliff Davies – drums, lead vocals (2, 6), congas, vibes
Mike Tomich – bass (1)

A: I Believe In Rock ‘N’ Roll
B: Still Alive

Tea-break Over – Back on Your ‘Eads

If released their seventh and final studio album, Tea-break Over – Back on Your ‘Eads, on March 7, 1975, on Capitol, Gull, and Brain Records.

1. “Merlin the Magic Man” (Davies) – 5:05
2. “I Had a Friend” (Davies) – 4:30
3. “Tea Break Over, Back on Your ‘Eads” (Whitehorn, Davies, Monaghan) – 6:05

4. “Ballad of the Yessirrom Kid” (Davies) – 5:20
5. “Raw Sewage” (Davies) – 6:13
6. “Song for Alison” (Morrissey) – 3:55
7. “Don Quixote’s Masquerade” (Davies) – 7:50)

Recorded July & August 1974 at Pyramid Sounds. Mixed at The Hit Factory.
Producer Jon Child, Cliff Davies, Lew Futterman

Geoff Whitehorn – electric and acoustic guitars, lead vocals
Dick Morrissey – electric & acoustic tenor, alto & soprano saxes; flute
Gabriel Magno – keyboards, organ, piano, synthesiser
Walt Monaghan – bass, backing vocals
Cliff Davies – drums, vibraphone, backing vocals

Carlos Martinez – percussion

Discography: