Week of April 29, 2007
Personnel:
Gary Compton - Harmonica
Liz Hann - Lead Vocals
Pete Hozzell - Vocals
Ron Needs - Mandolin
Dennis Parker - Lead Vocals
Brian Strachan
Anne Matthews - Vocals
Albums:
Panama Ltd. Jug Band (Harvest SHVL 753) 1969
CD: Retro Disc International S.L., Spain, 3305, 2006
Indian Summer (Harvest SHVL 779) 1970
CD: Fingerprint IS6369-2
45s:
Lady Of Shallott/Future Blues (Harvest HAR 5010) 1969
Round And Round/Rotting Wooden In A White Collar's Grave (Harvest HAR 5022) 1970
A progressive outfit whose first album was produced by John Peel. They'd
earlier had two cuts on the Matchbox sampler, “Blues Like Showers Of
Rain”. One of the finest moments on their first album, “Round And Round”,
later appeared on Harvest's “Picnic” 2LP sampler.
They shortened their name to Panama Ltd. for a second album by which time
Liz Hann, their vocalist, had left and been replaced by Anne Matthews. On this
better second album their early jugband sound was replaced by a brand of
Captain Beefheart - influenced rock.
None of the band's members seem to have resurfaced in the music business since
but Hozzell had been in Screw.
Taken from The Tapestry of Delights Revisited -
The Comprehensive Guide to British Music of the Beat, R&B, Psychedelic and
Progressive Eras 1963-1976, Vernon Joynson
ISBN 1 899855 15 7
I would never use the term “progressive” when describing this band, although
so many publications do these days! On their first album, they sounded exactly
like Mungo Jerry,
good-time jug’n’washboard blues, kazoos, harps ‘n all, except with a female lead
vocalist!
Alex Gitlin
May 2007