David Sancious & Tone, Bryn Mawr (1978)

01-Celestial Dance 00:18
02-DS Intros and Guardian Angel 12:46
03-Nine and Seven 20:05
04-Move On 28:20
05-DS Speaks and Ever The Same 38:17
06-The Forest of Feelings 46:09
07-Dance of the Age of Enlightenment 2nd Movement-Dance of the Purification 52:05
08-Escape From the Forest of Feelings 58:33
09-Ooh Child 1:20:49
David Sancious and Tone
The Main PointBryn Mawr, Pennsylvania
1978-xx-xx
David Sancious-keyboards, guitar and vocals
Gerald Carboy-bass
Ernest Carter=drums
Patty Scialfa-vocals
Kyle Hicks-percussion
Chris McCarrick-synth
Original comments: "2024 note-(..) As an addendum to what was written below in 2022, Dance of the Age of Enlightenment was very recently released on the Iconoclassic label with David Sancious's approval and participation. (...). It seems that Dance was delivered to Sancious's then new label, Arista, as his first release for them after moving over from CBS Epic. For some reason, Arista sped the entire set of songs up significantly before pressing a few promo copies of the album. That move came at about the same time that Sancious headed out on tour. The pressings in that fashion happened without his knowledge. He was appalled to hear the album sounding like it was playing at about 36 RPM, when the turntable was revolving at the standard 33 and a 1/3. Any copy of Dance that was out there prior to the end of 2023 (promo LP or cd boot) suffered from this. When he complained about this to Arista at the time, they didn't budge on "doing it right", and the album was shelved in favor of what became the excellent True Stories album.Being a Sancious fan, I got the Iconoclassic version of Dance, and it's a revelation. I can't believe, but also, regrettably, have seen and heard too many times, how shoddily and carelessly record labels might treat their artists and their work. The story surrounding this period of the band and album is a sad case in point. The good news is that it was finally rectified about 45 years after the fact.2022 notes:Here is a relatively uncirculated show from David Sancious and Tone. He refers to this on stage as being one of at least 2 nights at this particular venue with a very friendly and receptive audience. He also refers to about a year of inactivity for Tone, while various legal issues were being worked out. In the case of Ooh Child, he mentions the band learning this very unique version of the Five Stairsteps song only 2 days prior to the performance. My guess is that the legal issues related to the bands transition from CBS/Epic records to Arista and the fact that there seem to have been a couple of albums prepped at that time which never got released. One of them was Dance of the Age of Enlightenment. That did come out for brief availability on a Japanese label about 10-15 years ago. One track here is from that. Another lost project was an album called Tone Poems, and track 8 is mentioned as being slated for that. Finally, there was supposed to be a live recording of Tone as it existed around this time.The first 3 tracks here are not actually played by Tone. They are pieces played by Sancious, Carter, Hicks, and McCarrick (whose surname I may be mishearing). The remainder are by the Tone group as it typically was known, plus Patty Scialfa (aka Mrs. Bruce Springsteen). I can't honestly say that Hicks and McCarrick are on tracks 4-9, but someone is playing keys while Sancious plays guitar at one point. There are also a few male voices on the vocal tracks which may involve some of those people. Move On and Ever the Same both eventually appeared on the wonderful True Stories album, which gets my vote for being one of the best albums of the late 70's. True Stories was a perfect fusion of Fusion and Prog (produced by Eddie Offord of Yes fame and featuring the voice of Alex Ligertwood of Brian Auger/Santana fame). Sancious, of course was with Bruce and the E Streeters on their first few albums, and then fused mightily with the likes of Stanley Clarke, Lenny White, and Narada Michael Walden. He then forged associations with people like Jack Bruce, Jon Anderson, Santana, Peter Gabriel, Seal, and Sting. (...) Just As I Thought on Arista, but that was no longer a Tone record, although it did include Ernest Carter. The final recording at this point was a great solo record on Elektra Musician called The Bridge. (...) this recording (...) sounds really good, and the band is ON. (..) This is an excellent recording, that seems to be audience sourced. If it is, I don't know how such good audience sound was captured in a live venue at this point in time. If anyone has any info to share about Tone at this time, or this particular gig, please share what you know in the comments section. Huge thanks to the trader who made this available, and to whoever it was that shared this. (...) Please support the players by paying to see them live, and by purchasing their commercially released material."
Thanks to goody and jswetch.
Footage and production by bigfootoegrande.

[@charlesnolan7602]

I have been a huge fan of David Sancious and Tone since 1975.
I saw the orifinal 3 piece 3 times.
The first was at Houston Hall, U PENN campus, Philadelphia, Pa. That was an extroadinary show- mostly Forest of Feelings songs, and including music that would be Transformation released that fall.
Next was December 3, 1975 at Montgomery county college opening for Hall and Oates.
Dave and Tone played mostly Transformation, and I believe Crystal Image as an encore.
The next time was May, 1976, Tower theater opening for Hot Tuna.
In February, 1976, I saw David ( solo piano ) and Ernest ( drums, perxussion ) play the Main Point, in Bryn Mawr. This first track was very reminiscent of several pieces played that night.
Nobody really showed for a second show, so they let us stay. Dave and Ernest left the stage and returned for a second show, playing the same set again!
At one point David said, " That's all we know, somebody give me a key!"
" E" one of our friends said!
"Major or minor?!"
" Minor" was the reply, so Dave improvised a long piece.
It was a cold night in Bryn Mawr that night, but not at the Main Point! 15:31

[@bigfootpegrande]

Impressive multi-instrumentalist!