L.A. Express -

L.A. Express was an American jazz-funk band that released four albums between 1974 and 1976, the first two with featured saxophonist Tom Scott. Their first album features keyboardist Joe Sample and guitarist Larry Carlton, who cleared out respectively for Larry Nash and Robben Ford.

Members: David Luell, Joe Sample, John Guerin, Larry Carlton, Larry Nash, Max Bennett, Peter Maunu, Robben Ford, Tom Scott, Victor Feldman

Background

L.A. Express formed in 1973 when session bassist Max Bennett and drummer John Guerin teamed with two Crusaders: guitarist Larry Carlton, and keyboardist Joe Sample.

Bennett (b. 1928; Des Moines) was a post-bop bandleader in the 1950s with multiple albums on Bethlehem Records. After a lengthy spell as Peggy Lee’s bassist, he joined Lalo Schifrin‘s band and played on Frank Zappa‘s 1969–70 albums Hot Rats and Chunga’s Revenge. His recent credits included albums by the 5th Dimension, Barbara Keith, Bobby Bland, George Harrison, Lori Lieberman, Lulu, and Michael Franks.

Guerin (b. 1939; Hawaii) emerged in the early 1960s as the drummer for clarinetist Buddy DeFranco, who made multiple albums for Verve, Norgran, and Mercury. As a sessionist, Guerin played on the 1969–70 Beach Boys albums 20/20 and Sunflower and interacted with Bennett on the concurrent Peggy Lee and Zappa titles. He then joined the 1972–73 Byrds lineup and played on albums by David Axelrod, Graham Parsons, Phil Everly, Roger McGuinn, and Seals & Croft.

Sample (b. 1939; Houston) was a co-founding member of the Jazz Crusaders, a perennial post-bop combo that made fifteen albums between 1961 and 1969 for the Pacific Jazz label. In 1972, they reconfigured as the Crusaders, a jazz-funk act with Carlton (b. 1948; Torrance, Calif.), a rising guitar virtuoso.

The new band linked with saxophonist Tom Scott (b. 1948; LA), who emerged as a Don Ellis sideman and went solo at nineteen with the 1967 Impulse! release The Honeysuckle Breeze. He wrote the theme tunes for The Streets of San Francisco (1972), Starsky and Hutch and The Nine Lives of Fritz the Cat (both 1974). Concurrently, he played on albums by the Carpenters, Carole King, Donovan, Tim Buckley, and Victor Feldman.

As sessions commenced on their debut album, L.A. Express linked with singer–songwriter Joni Mitchell, who employed them as her ongoing backing band, starting with her 1974 album Court and Spark.

Tom Scott and the L.A. Express

Tom Scott and the L.A. Express released their self-titled album in February 1974 on Ode Records.

The album frames horn-led instrumentals in tightly arranged jazz-funk settings with harmonic input from electric keys and restrained guitar voicings. Tom Scott alternates between tenor and soprano saxophone, flute, lyricon, and additional woodwinds. Joe Sample plays electric and acoustic keyboards; anchored by bassist Max Bennett and drummer John Guerin. Larry Carlton shapes the guitar tracks with rhythm fills and clean melodic lines. The group moves between bright mid-tempo syncopation, modal vamps, and lightly orchestrated funk frameworks.

Scott composed four tracks and co-wrote the first two with the band. Bennett contributed three titles. The album also includes a group-arranged version of “Dahomey Dance” by John Coltrane.

A1. “Bless My Soul” (4:09)
A2. “Sneakin’ in the Back” (4:33)
A3. “King Cobra” (4:23) — minor-key vamp with soprano sax phrasing and cyclical keyboard ornamentation
A4. “Dahomey Dance” (3:43) — Coltrane
A5. “Nunya” (3:40) — Bennett

B1. “Easy Life” (3:01) — Scott
B2. “Spindrift” (5:44) — lyrical soprano lines over layered electric piano textures
B3. “Strut Your Stuff” (3:37) — Scott
B4. “L.A. Expression” (6:23) — Bennett
B5. “Vertigo” (2:30) — Bennett

Sessions took place between August and September 1973 with Tom Scott producing and Hank Cicalo handling recording and mixing.

The cover features photography by Jim McCrary, with art direction by Chuck Beeson and design by Joe Garnett.

Tom Cat

Tom Scott and the L.A. Express released their second album, Tom Cat, in 1975 on Ode.

The album makes expanded use of synthesizers and greater emphasis on deep backbeats and riff-based structures. Tom Scott alternates between lyricon, woodwinds, Moog, and saxophone in melodic and atmospheric roles. Robben Ford plays electric and acoustic guitars with fluid phrasing and solo stretches. Max Bennett supplies electric bass; John Guerin provides drums and auxiliary percussion. Larry Nash occupies the keyboard role vacated by Joe Sample, adding ARP synthesizer and electric piano textures to the ensemble framework.

Bennett contributed three compositions and co-wrote one with Scott, who also penned two titles. Additional pieces were written by Ford, Guerin, and Nash. Joni Mitchell sings a wordless refrain on one track.

A1. “Rock Island Rocket” (5:00) — Bennett
A2. “Tom Cat” (3:40) — Bennett
A3. “Day Way” (4:16) — Ford
A4. “Keep On Doin’ It” (3:04) — Bennett
A5. “Love Poem” (4:15) — Scott; features Joni Mitchell (wordless vocals)

B1. “Good Evening Mr. & Mrs. America & All the Ships at Sea” (4:42) — Guerin
B2. “Backfence Cattin’” (4:04) — Nash
B3. “Mondo” (8:31) — Bennett, Scott
B4. “Refried” (4:11) — Scott

Sessions occurred in late 1974 with Tom Scott producing and Hank Cicalo engineering. Chuck Tremmel and Milt Calice served as assistants.

L.A. Express

L.A. Express released their sovereign self-titled album on February 6, 1976, on Caribou Records.

The album builds layered instrumental textures around electric keyboards, interlocking sax parts, and rhythm-centered guitar figures. Feldman shapes most ensemble voicings with alternating keyboard and mallet tones. Ford plays clipped rhythmic themes and inserts compact solo lines on select passages. Luell rotates between register roles in ensemble harmonies. The group maintains fixed meters and sectional interplay across concise track structures.

Bennett composed three tracks and co-wrote one with Feldman, who also supplied two solo contributions. Ford and Guerin each contributed one piece. The album was self-produced by the band.

A1. “Midnite Flite” (4:40) — Bennett
A2. “The Shrug” (3:10) — Feldman
A3. “Suavemente (Gently)” (4:20) — Bennett
A4. “Cry of the Eagle” (4:10) — Bennett
A5. “Stairs” (5:20) — Ford

B1. “Down the Middle” (3:50) — Guerin
B2. “It’s Happening Right Now” (5:00) — M. Feldman, V. Feldman
B3. “Transylvania Choo Choo” (4:21) — Ford
B4. “Western Horizon” (5:47) — Feldman

Sessions took place at A&M Studios with Hank Cicalo as recording and mix engineer, assisted by Chuck “Thumbs” Trammel. The L.A. Express co-mixed the album.

The sleeve design is by John Berg with hand-lettered calligraphy by Virginia Team.

Shadow Play

L.A. Express released their second sovereign album, Shadow Play, on October 15, 1976, on Caribou.

The album explores layered ensemble textures shaped by electric keyboards, multi-sax voicings, and controlled percussion interlock. Victor Feldman expands his role with electric piano, ARP Odyssey, Hammond organ, and congas, while David Luell contributes saxophone parts in four registers. Max Bennett provides electric bass and additional percussion; John Guerin plays drums and organ. Guitarist Peter Maunn appears on all tracks. The set alternates between instrumental vignettes and vocal-led pieces sung by Paulette McWilliams and Joni Mitchell, the latter returning on the opening track. Strings are arranged by Al Capps on select passages.

The group self-produced the album. Mitchell also supplied the cover painting.

A1. “Nordic Winds” (6:04) — features vocals by Joni Mitchell
A2. “Double Your Pleasure” (2:50) — features vocals by Paulette McWilliams
A3. “Shadow Play” (5:30)
A4. “Chariot Race” (2:47)

B1. “Dance the Night Away” (3:03) — features vocals by Paulette McWilliams
B2. “Velvet Lady” (4:15)
B3. “Vortex” (3:50)
B4. “Mad Drums and Englishman / Mavro” (5:26)
B5. “Silhouette” (1:20)

Sessions took place at Caribou Ranch with Norm Kinney as engineer and Mark Guercio and Tom Likes assisting. Bernie Grundman mastered the album at A&M Studios.

The sleeve features cover art by Joni Mitchell.

Discography: