Review: The Chad Mitchell Trio

Subject: Chad Mitchell Trio in DC area 3/31
From: vlmagee
Date: 02 Mar 09 - 09:52 AM

For those of you in the Washington, DC area, the World Folk Music Association (WFMA) is presenting a special 50th Anniversary Celebration with The Chad Mitchell Trio on March 31st in Bethesda, MD. Here are the details:

A Celebration of the 50th Anniversary of
The Chad Mitchell Trio
and the 25th Anniversary of
Side by Side
Tuesday, March 31, 2009 - 7:30 PM
Doors Open at 6:30 PM
Cedar Lane Unitarian Universalist Church
Bethesda, MD

This is a smaller venue (maybe 350 seats), so it is likely to sell out. Tickets are general admission, so the last one to sell is as good as the first.

Buy tickets.

More info here: CMT concert at WFMA site

Subject: RE: Review: The Chad Mitchell Trio
From: 30button
Date: 10 Mar 07 - 05:40 PM

THey were favorites of mine when I was a high school kid in Chicago. I remember the night we attended a big folk show at the Chicago convention center and they announced that Chad had left the band, and introduced his scrawny, unknown replacement. You know the rest.

Subject: RE: Review: The Chad Mitchell Trio
From: GUEST,mbewley
Date: 10 Mar 07 - 01:07 PM

What everyone forgets is that Milt Okun had tremendous talent to work with in Chad Mitchell, Joe Frasier and Mike Kobluk who formed the trio. He helped them interpret the songs, but their vocal harmonies made the songs. So thanks to Chad's tremendous tenor, Joe's great baritone and Mike's great bass

Subject: RE: Review: The Chad Mitchell Trio
From: breezy
Date: 19 Jan 05 - 05:46 PM

its rather coincidental that last week in the U K they showed the 'John Denver Story ' Film. Pathetically acted but still factually based.

The Chad M Trio and Milton Okun characters played prominant roles in explaining his early days.

Really awful guitar acting,, even acting! but I guess you've all seen the film.

Was John Denver really like that as portrayed in the film.

Subject: RE: Review: The Chad Mitchell Trio
From: GUEST,Mark Clark
Date: 19 Jan 05 - 05:45 PM

If you're giving credit to the Chad Mitchell Trio, don't forget that it was Bob Gibson who wrote and first recorded Super Skier.

Subject: RE: Review: The Chad Mitchell Trio
From: Once Famous
Date: 19 Jan 05 - 04:52 PM

I really liked the Chad Mitchell Trio, saw them in a reunion concert with the original 3 some years back and understand that they still, with Chad, have recently done some concerts.

I didn't care much about the politics they sung about, but did like their harmonies and most of their song selection.

I give them a lot of credit. Three original artists spanning the decades like Peter, Paul, and Mary. Even though I was a big Kingston Trio fan, the group today has no one in it that made those great records and to me, is a nostalgia act impersonating a nostalgia act. And don't give me that crap that the Mormon Tabernacle Choir has no original members either.

Subject: RE: Review: The Chad Mitchell Trio
From: Peace
Date: 18 Jan 05 - 07:58 PM

Mr Okun did work with many other vocal groups. I had the pleasure of meeting him once with Joe when he and I were looking at becoming a duo. Mr Okun (I feel funny calling him Milt, because he was Mr Okun to me--I always had the feeling my grandma would reach from the beyond and smack my head if I ever called someone twice my age by his/her first name, even if that person gave me permission) had an ear for what worked in harmonies and when the purpose of songs were best served by unison singing or just one voice alone. He was a brilliant musical director, BRILLIANT.

Subject: RE: Review: The Chad Mitchell Trio
From: PoppaGator
Date: 18 Jan 05 - 06:48 PM

Milt Okun is a very familiar name from those old days -- didn't he do similar work for other groups as well?

Subject: RE: Review: The Chad Mitchell Trio
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 18 Jan 05 - 03:18 PM

If you're giving credit to the Chad Mitchell Trio, don't forget to include Milt Okun, who was reponsible for their often-brilliant arrangements.

Subject: RE: Review: The Chad Mitchell Trio
From: GUEST,Tinker in Chicago
Date: 18 Jan 05 - 03:07 PM

Those lyrics are from "Super Skier" which appears on the trio's "Mighty Day on Campus" album on Kapp records. It's the one that shows four, not three, guys dressed alike. The fourth was their accompanist Jim (later more famous as Roger) McGuinn.

Subject: RE: Review: The Chad Mitchell Trio
From: Midchuck
Date: 18 Jan 05 - 11:39 AM

Can anyone remember the name of the song, some of the lyrics of which went;"He lined them parallel and shouted 'What the hell', As he dum de dum...curve, Well his clothes they were fast but the slopes they were faster, Thats the last of super skier we shall see"


Been there, done that.

Peter.

Subject: RE: Review: The Chad Mitchell Trio
From: GUEST,Ray Mulligan
Date: 18 Jan 05 - 01:51 AM

Can anyone remember the name of the song, some of the lyrics of which went;"He lined them parallel and shouted 'What the hell', As he dum de dum...curve, Well his clothes they were fast but the slopes they were faster, Thats the last of super skier we shall see"

Subject: RE: Review: The Chad Mitchell Trio
From: GUEST,van lingle
Date: 05 Jul 03 - 11:17 AM

I hear ya, Don but I was kind of pleasantly surprised at the passion and vitality in most of the performances and yeah, it was kind of a "best of" affair but if they hadn't done their "hits" they probably couldn't have gotten out of there without having had their comb-overs seriously mussed (g). vl

Subject: RE: Review: The Chad Mitchell Trio
From: DonMeixner
Date: 05 Jul 03 - 11:00 AM

Hi Van,

I did and I was disappointed with what was shown. Probably those bands did other more intersting stuff but what was shown was "the best of" that we all know. It was nice to see The Limeliters, new and old, and The Smothers Brothers. But the rest was not my cup.

Don

Subject: RE: Review: The Chad Mitchell Trio
From: GUEST,Van Lingle
Date: 05 Jul 03 - 10:52 AM

Thanks for the review, Don. The groups you mention along with the Burl Ives and Joan Baez records that my Dad brought into the house did cause me to fall in love with folk music at an early age. I wonder if you saw the program that PBS ran during their last "begging for dollars" episode which included performances by most or all of the groups you mention in their comtemporary line ups with many original members still hanging in there and singing great. Judy Collins, Roger McGuinn and The Smother Brothers also performed. Regards, vl.

Subject: RE: Review: The Chad Mitchell Trio
From: Rapparee
Date: 05 Jul 03 - 10:30 AM

I agree, Don, but you overlook the Kingston Trio's "Time To Think" album.

John Denver also worked with the Chad Mitchell Trio -- bailed them out of big money troubles, I understand, after Chad left and they were just the Mitchell Trio. In many ways he began his career there.

I saw the CMT once in concert, at college. They packed the gym and were tremendously well received. (Two others who I also saw during those days were The Highwaymen and Judy Collins.)

I've always liked their work and still sing some their stuff.

Subject: Review: The Chad Mitchell Trio
From: DonMeixner
Date: 05 Jul 03 - 10:18 AM

My son recently down loaded a mess of songs from the 60's trios well have a love/hate relationship with. I listened to them and I have to say that The Chad Mitchell Trio seems to have the edge on the others. More polish than the Kingston Trio. More politcally direct as well.
   The Limeliters seemed to be Flanders and Swan wannabees altho' vocally they may have been the best of the lot. And they were very funny. I have to admit I liked the Gottlieb Hasilev and Grammer configuration of some years ago best of all.
   The Kingston Trio had then and still have the Bad Frat image. I have seen them in concert only once and that was one of the very best shows I have ever seen.
   But The Chad Mitchell Trio seems to have had the very best of all the trios and I give them an edge. Good voices, great arrangements, satire at its finest. I still howl at the "I was Not A Nazi Polka"
   I don't for a momment confuse any of them with folksingers. They were no more folksingers than the original The Sons of the Pioneers were cowboy singers. (The Pioneers are my favorite harmony band of all time.) But they fit an entertainment niche back then that introduced many of us to folkmusic.

Don