Brian Auger & The Trinity

Biography

Brian Auger and the Trinity was a British jazz-rock fusion band formed in November 1964, led by keyboardist and Hammond B-3 organist Brian Auger. The band emerged from London's vibrant soul-jazz scene during the mid-1960s, initially operating as a traditional jazz outfit before evolving into a pioneering fusion ensemble. Auger's early exposure came through his work on the London jazz club circuit, but his career trajectory shifted dramatically in 1965 when he was recruited by Long John Baldry to form Steampacket, a self-contained touring revue that also featured a young Rod Stewart. This experience exposed Auger to diverse musical influences ranging from Chicago blues to Motown, fundamentally shaping his artistic direction. After Steampacket disbanded in 1966, Auger reformed the Trinity with a new vision, eventually recruiting vocalist Julie Driscoll, whose powerful voice and emotional delivery became central to the band's identity.

The Brian Auger Trinity achieved international recognition following their 1967 debut album 'Open,' which showcased an innovative blend of swamp blues, hard-jamming jazz, and psychedelic rock elements. Their breakthrough came with the 1968 hit single 'This Wheel's on Fire,' a duet between Auger and Driscoll that reached number 5 on the UK Singles Chart and number 13 in Canada. The band made history by becoming the first rock-jazz ensemble to headline the Montreux Jazz Festival in 1968. Their ambitious double album 'Streetnoise' (1969) demonstrated their artistic range, featuring everything from art rock to interpretations of contemporary songs by Laura Nyro and material from the musical 'Hair.' The Trinity's success on both sides of the Atlantic led to appearances on American television, including a Monkees TV special that introduced the band to American audiences. After the band's dissolution in the early 1970s, Auger continued his career with Oblivion Express, a jazz fusion project that achieved the rare distinction of charting simultaneously on jazz, rock, and soul charts, cementing his legacy as a pioneering figure in jazz fusion.

Fun Facts

• Brian Auger stunned the English jazz community by abandoning his pure jazz roots to form an R&B group, despite being recognized as a leading figure in Melody Maker's readers' poll.
• The Trinity made history as the first rock-jazz band ever to headline the Montreux Jazz Festival in 1968, breaking the tradition of pure jazz festivals.
• Julie Driscoll and Brian Auger recorded their breakthrough hit 'This Wheel's on Fire' with just two weeks of preparation while simultaneously rehearsing covers for their first American tour in 1969.
• Brian Auger was voted the Number One Jazz organist in the world in 1976 and 1977 by Contemporary Keyboard magazine, largely due to his live performances with Oblivion Express.

Members

• Brian Auger - eponymous, original

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• Long John Baldry - Recruited Auger to form Steampacket after seeing him perform in a Manchester club; exposed him to Chicago blues and gospel influences (Steampacket) [1965-1966]

Key Collaborators

• Julie Driscoll - Lead vocalist of Brian Auger and the Trinity; provided powerful vocal performances ranging from Nina Simone to Motown influences (Open (1967), Streetnoise (1969), Encore (1977), This Wheel's on Fire) [1965-1970, 1977-1978]
• Vic Briggs - Guitarist in the original Trinity lineup and Steampacket (Steampacket, Brian Auger Trinity) [1965-1967]
• Rod Stewart - Singer in Steampacket alongside Auger and Driscoll (Steampacket) [1965-1966]
• John McLaughlin - Guitarist who performed with Brian Auger Trinity during their evolution toward R&B and blues (Brian Auger Trinity) [mid-1960s]
• Clive Thacker - Drummer in the original reformed Trinity (Brian Auger Trinity) [1967]
• Roger Sutton - Bassist in the original reformed Trinity (Brian Auger Trinity) [1967]
• Gary Boyle - Guitarist who replaced Vic Briggs in the Trinity (Brian Auger Trinity) [1967]
• Eric Burdon - Vocalist from The Animals who recruited Auger to form a band; collaborated for four years (Eric Burdon & Brian Auger project) [1989-1993]
• Sonny Boy Williamson - Blues harmonica player featured on Auger's 1968 album (Don't Send Me No Flowers (1968)) [1968]
• Jimmy Page - Guitarist featured on Auger's 1968 album with Sonny Boy Williamson (Don't Send Me No Flowers (1968)) [1968]

Artists Influenced

• Jazz fusion artists - Pioneered the fusion of jazz, rock, and soul that influenced subsequent jazz fusion movements (Open, Streetnoise, Oblivion Express albums) [1967 onwards]

Discography

Albums

Top Tracks

1. Flesh Failures (Let the Sunshine In) (Streetnoise)
2. Walking (Auger Incorporated)
3. Indian Rope Man (Streetnoise)
4. I See a Man Downstairs (Don't Send Me No Flowers)
5. Bumpin' on Sunset (Definitely What)
6. Light My Fire (Streetnoise)
7. Season of the Witch (Open)
8. Why (Am I Treated So Bad) (Open)
9. Tropic of Capricorn (Streetnoise)
10. In And Out (Open)

External Links

• Spotify
• Wikipedia
• MusicBrainz

Tags: #jazz-rock, #progressive-rock