Joy of Cooking (band)

American music ensemble
the album

Joy of Cooking was an American music ensemble formed in 1967, in Berkeley, California. Identified with the hippie culture, the band's music melded rock & roll with folk, blues, and jazz.

Joy of Cooking was led by pianist Toni Brown (1938–2022) and guitarist Terry Garthwaite. The rest of the band comprised bass guitarist David Garthwaite (Terry's brother), drummer Fritz Kasten, and percussion player Ron Wilson. Keyboard player Stevie Roseman replaced Toni Brown for a time. Bass players Happy Smith and eventually Jeff Neighbor replaced David Garthwaite on bass guitar and Glen Frendel was added on lead guitar. The band's music was a mix of hippie sensibilities with rock, blues, folk, and jazz, and the lyrics often reflected feminist themes.

Capitol Records issued three albums by Joy of Cooking in the early 1970s and an anthology disc in 1993. that is unavailable elsewhere. Capitol also issued a 7 inch single of the song "Brownsville" (with B side "Only Time Will Tell Me") in 1971. The single release was a 2:25 edit of the 5:50 album cut that altered the title from "Brownsville/Mockingbird" to "Brownsville" and did not contain the "Mockingbird" segment that closes the song. "Brownsville" reached #66 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, becoming Joy Of Cooking's only hit single. A compilation of previously unreleased tracks, Back to Your Heart, was issued on the independent NJOY label in 2007. The double CD album includes a set of live music, the first such release by the band.

Garthwaite refocused herself on jazz music and in 1975, released her first solo album, Terry. The album was produced by David Rubinson and engineered by Fred Catero for Arista Records, and features accompaniment by numerous jazz artists of contemporaneous or future fame: Howard Roberts and Wah Wah Watson on guitar; Chuck Domanico and Willie Weeks on bass; Sonny Burke, Roger Kellaway, and Patrice Rushen on keyboards; and Philip Smith on saxophone. Drums and percussion were played by Harvey Mason, Sr., John Guerin, Scott Mathews, James Gadson, and Bill Summers, and special guest vocals were contributed by The Valentinos and Bobby Womack. In 1976 Garthwaite was featured on a 45 rpm direct to disc audiophile jazz recording titled San Francisco Ltd. that received a limited release. In later years, Garthwaite recorded several more albums for independent labels including Hand in Glove (1979), Moving Day (1985), and Sacred Circles (2000). Garthwaite recorded Live at the Great American Music Hall in 1980 (released 1981 by Flying Fish Records) with Rosalie Sorrels and monologuist Bobbie Louise Hawkins. The three artists sat on stage together and took turns performing, selecting material responsive to the prior performance. Garthwaite contributed 4 of the 13 tracks.