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The Ace of Cups

This article is about the band. For the tarot card, seeAce of Cups.

Ace of Cupsis an Americanrockband formed inSan Franciscoin 1967 during theSummer of Loveera.[2]It has been described as one of the firstall-femalerock bands.[3][4][5][6]

Ace of Cups
The band performing onstage
Denise Kaufman and Mary Ellen Simpson
Background information
OriginSan Francisco,California,United States
GenresRock,R&B,folk rock
Years active1967–1972, 2017–present
LabelsHigh Moon
Members
  • Mary Gannon
  • Mary Ellen Simpson
  • Diane Vitalich
  • Denise Kaufman (Jewkes 1968-1971)[1]
  • Dallis Craft
Past members
  • Marla Hunt
  • —
  • Joe Allegra
  • Jerry Granelli
  • Noel Jewkes
  • Lolly Lewis
WebsiteOfficial websiteEdit this at Wikidata

The members of Ace of Cups were Mary Gannon (bass), Marla Hunt (organ,piano), Denise Kaufman (guitar,harmonica), Mary Ellen Simpson (lead guitar), and Diane Vitalich (drums).Lead vocalswere sung by all members of the band except Vitalich, and all five sangbackup.The songwriting, too, was divided among the band members.[7]

Background

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Gannon was born inNew Yorkand moved to San Francisco in the early 1960s. She played bass for a short while in a band called Daemon Lover. Hunt, who had grown up inLos Angeles,had been playing the piano since she was three. Like Gannon, she also moved to San Francisco in the early 1960s. Hunt was introduced to Gannon through a mutual friend, and Gannon suggested that they form an all-female rock band.[8]

Simpson was fromIndio, California.She began playing the guitar when she was 12. Like Gannon and Hunt, she moved to San Francisco in the early 1960s. Vitalich, a San Francisco native, was a veteran of several bands. She once played drums withBill Haley and the Comets.Simpson and Vitalich joined Gannon and Hunt's band around the same time.[9]

The last woman to join Ace of Cups was Kaufman. She also had the most colorful background of the group. Kaufman had been arrested during theFree Speech MovementatBerkeley,[10]and she was involved withKen Keseyand theMerry Pranksters(who dubbed her "Mary Microgram" ).[7]She had been engaged to Jann Wenner when they were 20 years old, before he started Rolling Stone magazine. In a 1995 interview, Hunt remembered her first impression of Kaufman:

I'll never forget when she walked in. She's wearing cowboy boots, averyshort skirt, a wild fur coat and a fireman's hat. Her hair's stickin' straight out on the side. She's got these big glasses and this big guitar case—she's like 5'3 "and it's almost as big as she is. Even in San Francisco she stood out.[11]

Ace of Cups was named after the tarot card, shown here.

The band was named Ace of Cups by their manager, astrologerAmbrose Hollingworth,after theAce of Cupstarotcard, which shows a cup with five streams of water. He told the women that the streams represented the five of them, and that they should "go with the flow" to see where the music would take them.[12]

Management

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Hollingworth, who also managedQuicksilver Messenger Servicebecame a paraplegic as a result of an automobile crash nearMuir Beach, Californiain 1967. Hollingworth's stewardship transferred toRon Polte.Polte was known for going to great lengths to accommodate the welfare of his musicians. When perennial studio musicianNicky Hopkinsjoined Quicksilver in 1969, it was the first and only band that included him in its performing and recording revenues.[13]Hollingworth died in 1996, and Polte in 2016.[13]

Late 1960s

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Ace of Cups made their debut in the early spring of 1967. In late June,Jimi Hendrixinvited the band toopenfor him at a free concert inGolden Gate Park.[14]In London that December, Hendrix toldMelody Maker:

"I heard some groovy sounds last time in the States, like this girl group, Ace of Cups, who write their own songs and the lead guitarist is hell, really great."[15]

In San Francisco, Polte had the Ace of Cups and Quicksilver playing regularly, the Cups headlining at smaller clubs such asThe Matrixand performing as the opening act at larger venues such asthe Avalon Ballroomandthe Fillmore.[16]In mid-1968, the band appeared on a local television program,West Pole,along with San Francisco legendsJefferson Airplaneand theGrateful Dead.[17]In 1969, they opened forThe Band's first concert as The Band along withThe Sons of Champlin.[18]

Several record companies were interested in signing Ace of Cups, but Hollingworth and then Polte felt the band was worth more than the record companies were offering. Also, some of the band members were concerned that a record contract might require the band totour,and they were worried that family pressures would interfere. Consequently, Ace of Cups never made any professional recordings of their own,[19]although in 1969 they contributed vocals to Jefferson Airplane'sVolunteers,Mike Bloomfield'sIt's Not Killing Me,andNick Gravenites'My Labors.[7]At theAltamont Speedway Free Festivalthat December, Kaufman (who had married saxophonist Noel Jewkes and was pregnant) was hit in the head by a full beer bottle. Nobody knew who threw the bottle, butRalph J. Gleasonwrote, "Hell's Angelsplayed catch with full beer cans all afternoon ".[20]She suffered a fractured skull and needed emergency surgery at San Francisco's Mt. Zion Hospital to remove a quarter-sized piece of bone above her eye.[21]

1970s

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Several factors led to the break-up of Ace of Cups. Some of the band members were frustrated at the group's lack of commercial success. Others were interested in other pursuits. Several members had children and found it difficult to balance motherhood and a musical career.[22]

In the early 1970s, several men joined the band to replace the women who had left. Kaufman was the last remaining member from the original line-up when the band folded in 1972.[23]

2000s

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In 2003,Ace RecordsreleasedIt's Bad for You But Buy It!,a CD of "rehearsals, demos, TV soundstage recordings, and in-concert tapes" of Ace of Cups. The CD was generally well received.[6][7][24]

The band's performances on the 1968 television programWest Polewere released on DVD in 2008 by Eagle Vision.[25]

2010s

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As the decades passed, band members pursued other personal and creative endeavors, occasionally playing music both individually and collectively when opportunities arose. On May 14, 2011, Ace of Cups playedWavy Gravy’s75th birthday party and SEVA Foundation benefit.George Baer Wallace, founder of High Moon Records, was there to talk to the band about releasing archival concert recordings. He was so moved by their spirit and spark that he offered the Ace Of Cups the opportunity to record their first studio album.[26]

In 2016, the band began work on their debut studio album.[2]Four of the band's original members participated: Mary Gannon (claps), Denise Kaufman (bass, harmonica), Mary Ellen Simpson (lead guitar), and Diane Vitalich (drums). The album was produced byDan Shea(Mariah Carey,Santana,Jennifer Lopez), and features contributions fromJorma KaukonenandJack Casady(Jefferson Airplane,Hot Tuna),David Freiberg(Quicksilver Messenger Service),Barry Melton(Country Joe & The Fish),Pete Sears(Jefferson Starship,Rod Stewart,Hot Tuna),David Grisman,Steve Kimock(Zero,RatDog), Terry Haggerty (Sons of Champlin), Norman Mayell (Sopwith Camel),Sid PageandCharlie Musselwhite,as well as lead vocal turns byBob Weir(Grateful Dead),Taj Mahal,Buffy Sainte-MarieandPeter Coyote.On November 9, 2018,Ace of Cupswas released on High Moon Records.[27]The reincarnated Ace of Cups is Mary Gannon, Denise Kaufman, Mary Ellen Simpson, Diane Vitalich, and Dallis Craft.

2020s

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The Ace of Cups released their sophomore albumSing Your Dreamson October 2, 2020 via High Moon Records.[28]The album is a collection of 12 songs and stories, produced by Dan Shea (Santana, Mariah Carey,Phil Collins,Bruce Hornsby), and features collaborations withJackson Browne(who duets on album closer ‘Slowest River’),Sheila E.and the Escovedo Family,Bakithi Kumalo(whose iconic bass-playing was integral to the sound ofPaul Simon’sGraceland), jam-band guitar luminarySteve Kimock(Jerry Garcianamed him his ‘favorite unknown guitarist’), peace activist and counterculture icon Wavy Gravy, Jack Casady (Jefferson Airplane, Hot Tuna), and David Freiberg (Quicksilver Messenger Service, Jefferson Airplane/Starship).

Discography

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Albums

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  • It's Bad For You But Buy It!(Big Beat/2003) compilation
  • Ace Of Cups2XLP/2XCD (High Moon/2018)
  • Sing Your Dreams(High Moon/2020)
  • Shouting Out Loud cassette (Noods Radio) - "Stones"

Compilation appearances

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  • Girls In The Garage Volume 5(Romulan/1988) - "Grass Is Always Greener"
  • Love Is The Song We Sing (San Francisco Nuggets 1968-1970)4XCD (Rhino/2007) - "Glue" [as The Ace Of Cups]
  • Cocktail Mo1618v2XCD (La Bande on De La Revolte) (Le Maquis/2001) - "Glue" [as The Ace Of Cups]
  • Girls With Guitars(Ace/2014) - "Stones" [as The Ace Of Cups]
  • The Rebel Kind: Girls With Guitars 3(Ace/2014) - "Stones"
  • Girls In The Garage-A Collection Of Girl Garage And Girl Groups From The 60s! Volumes 1-66XCD (Past & Present/2018)
  • Girls With Guitars Gonna Shake(Ace/2022) - "Circles" [as The Ace Of Cups]

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^Gleason, Ralph J.(5 July 2019)."Another Summer of Love".Tablet.Retrieved25 June2021.
  2. ^abWhalen, Kelly (2017-08-30)."Meet the Ace of Cups, the Haight's (Almost) Forgotten All-Girl Band".KQED Arts.Retrieved2017-09-01.
  3. ^Gleason, Toby (2008).Go Ride the Music / West Pole(DVD liner notes). Eagle Vision. EV 30181-9.
  4. ^Lindblad, Peter (September 23, 2008)."Psychedelic '60s bands on DVD".Goldmine.Archived fromthe originalon July 11, 2011.RetrievedMay 1,2009.
  5. ^Palao, Alec(2003). "Hear Every Sound: The Ace of Cups Story".It's Bad for You But Buy It!(CD liner notes). The Ace of Cups. Big Beat. p. 3. CDWIKD 236.
  6. ^abRobinson, Bruce (March 25, 2009)."Rock 'n' Role Models".Metro.RetrievedMay 1,2009.
  7. ^abcdLundborg, Patrick(2005)."Denise Kaufman & The Ace of Cups".Shindig!(5).RetrievedNovember 12,2016.
  8. ^Palao. "Hear Every Sound: The Ace of Cups Story".It's Bad for You But Buy It!(CD liner notes). pp. 4–5.
  9. ^Palao. "Hear Every Sound: The Ace of Cups Story".It's Bad for You But Buy It!(CD liner notes). pp. 6–7.
  10. ^Palao. "Hear Every Sound: The Ace of Cups Story".It's Bad for You But Buy It!(CD liner notes). p. 7.
  11. ^Frolik, Joe (August 6, 1995)."Always Live; Never on Wax".The Plain Dealer.RetrievedMay 1,2009.
  12. ^Palao. "Hear Every Sound: The Ace of Cups Story".It's Bad for You But Buy It!(CD liner notes). p. 10.
  13. ^abQuicksilver Messenger Service manager Ron Polte dies in Mill Valley at 84,Marin Independent Journal,Paul Liberatore, September 16, 2016. Retrieved March 1, 2021.
  14. ^Palao. "Hear Every Sound: The Ace of Cups Story".It's Bad for You But Buy It!(CD liner notes). pp. 10–11.
  15. ^Fallon, B. P.(December 23, 1967). "Jimi Hendrix: The Pop Sound of the Year".Melody Maker.p. 14.
  16. ^Palao. "Hear Every Sound: The Ace of Cups Story".It's Bad for You But Buy It!(CD liner notes). pp. 12–13.
  17. ^Swenson, John (2008).Go Ride the Music / West Pole(DVD liner notes). Eagle Vision. EV 30181-9.
  18. ^Gleason, Ralph J.(May 1969)."The Band at Winterland".Rolling Stone.Archived fromthe originalon March 15, 2012.RetrievedJanuary 31,2011.
  19. ^Palao. "Hear Every Sound: The Ace of Cups Story".It's Bad for You But Buy It!(CD liner notes). pp. 15–17.
  20. ^Gleason, Ralph J.(August 1970)."Aquarius Wept".Esquire.RetrievedNovember 13,2016.
  21. ^Bangs, Lester;Brown, Reny; Burks, John; Egan, Sammy; Goodwin, Michael; Link, Geoffrey;Marcus, Greil;Morthland, John;Schoenfeld, Eugene;Thomas, Patrick;Winner, Langdon(January 21, 1970)."The Rolling Stones Disaster at Altamont: Let It Bleed".Rolling Stone.RetrievedNovember 12,2016.
  22. ^Palao. "Hear Every Sound: The Ace of Cups Story".It's Bad for You But Buy It!(CD liner notes). pp. 17–18.
  23. ^Palao. "Hear Every Sound: The Ace of Cups Story".It's Bad for You But Buy It!(CD liner notes). p. 18.
  24. ^Unterberger, Richie."It's Bad for You But Buy It!".Allmusic.RetrievedMay 1,2009.
  25. ^Perry, Shawn."DVD Review: Go Ride the Music and West Pole".Vintage Rock. Archived fromthe originalon November 30, 2010.RetrievedNovember 14,2009.
  26. ^Harris, Liz (2018-10-16)."Reuniting Ace of Cups: S.F.'s Summer of Love girl band".J.Retrieved2019-01-23.
  27. ^Lefebvre, Sam (August 9, 2018)."Ace of Cups, the Long-Lost All-Woman Band, Release First Single Since 1967 | KQED".kqed.org.Archived fromthe originalon April 9, 2023.RetrievedMarch 14,2024.
  28. ^Fraunfelder, Mark (September 28, 2020)."New Album from Pioneering All-Woman 1960s Band, Ace of Cups".BoingBoing.RetrievedSeptember 28,2020.

Further reading

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