Kasenetz Katz Singing Orchestral Circus

Original cast recording

For the first album, the fictitious concept was to take eight Kasenetz-Katz produced groups and bring them together for a "live" performance at Carnegie Hall on 7 June 1968. The roster included:

According to the inner gatefold cover's liner notes, the "supergroup" consisted of 46 members. However, the album cover itself only shows 33 members (plus Kasenetz and Katz in tuxedos) while the individual inner cover photos total 37 (excluding the non-existent St. Louis Invisible Marching Band, whose photo is represented by a white block).

Of the 10 studio tracks used for this LP (not including the dialogue tracks), live audiences were dubbed into two: "Little Bit Of Soul" and "Simon Says".

Members

To add to the confusion of the actual number of participants, the LP package came with a page of stamps with each member of the "supergroup", including their names and the individual group he or she represents. The members of The Teri Nelson Group (except Teri Nelson herself) are shown as INVISIBLE BAND on the stamps.

Side 2 opens up with Music Explosion leader Jamie Lyons announcing the individual members of the newer or lesser-known groups. Some of the names mentioned do not coincide with the members shown on the stamps.

Second album

For Super K's second effort (renamed "Kasenetz-Katz Super Circus"), the roster was reduced to five groups. Remaining were The 1910 Fruitgum Company, Ohio Express and Music Explosion, with the other groups replaced by Shadows Of Knight (who had just been acquired by Super K and signed to Buddah's Team label) and White Whale label group Professor Morrison's Lollipop (formerly the Coachmen of Nebraska). Despite these representations, the tracks were actually recorded by studio musicians with lead vocals by Ohio Express lead vocalist Joey Levine.

Unlike the first album, this was more of a straightforward studio album without the "concept" theme. It yielded the Top 25 hit "Quick Joey Small (Run Joey Run)". Also included were the Shadows Of Knight's minor hit "Shake", but with Levine's vocals replacing Jim Sohns' original vocal track.

1969 and beyond

After a failed attempt to combine bubblegum music with the likes of composers Beethoven, Mozart and others with the album Classical Smoke (as "Kasenetz-Katz Orchestral Circus"), the K-K concept popped up occasionally in the 1970s but came to an end with a final single in 1977.

2009

Kasenetz and Katz are releasing their brand new album in 2009, calling themselves Kasenetz and Katz Allstarz Band, featuring Jaymee Lynn Frankel, Lianne Frankel, Lisa Ganz, Kiirstin Marilyn, Donna & Laura Macaluso, Don Chaffin and more.

Albums