Guitarist John Parker Compton and violinist Robin Batteau were playing the coffeehouse circuit together in Cambridge during the late '60s before forming the band Appaloosa. Also including bassist David Reiser and cellist Eugene Rosov, Appaloosa was signed to Columbia Records in 1969, and had an LP on the shelves before the year was out. After the album proved commercially stillborn the company effectively lost interests in the band. The Cambridge folk-influenced founding duo followed up their band's self-titled album with the 1970 recording, Compton & Batteau In California, before going their separate ways; In California wasn’t a major change in direction from the Appaloosa album – perhaps a touch more country-rock oriented (thanks in part to support from several members of Poco who happened to be recording an album in the same studio), but featuring the same general sound – eclectic, but with some commercial touches.Perhaps the biggest change was the emergence of Batteau. Appaloosa had pretty much been a showcase for Compton, but this time around Batteau contributed a couple of tracks to the mix (two of the best performances in my humble opinion) and handled a couple of vocals. As it turned out, his voice was far more commercial than Compton’s. Line-up / Musicians John London/Bass Randy Meisner/Bass King Errison/Congas John Ware/Drums Pat Shanahan/Drums Jim Messina/Guitar Bill Elliot/Keyboards Rusty Young/Guitar Robin Lane/Vocals John Compton/Vocals,Guitar Robin Batteau/Vocals,Guitar,Violin Discography In California 1970
1.Laughter Turns To Blue 2.Silk On Steel 3.Honeysuckle 4.Elevator 5.Homesick Kid 6.Proposition 7.Grotto Farm 8.Essa Vanessa 9.Zephys 10.California
