Cleveland, 1967-73
In the late 1960s, many musicians, often ones who were in college and/or studying music, decided to embrace pre-rock influences like jazz, acoustic blues, and jug bands and mix them with contemporary rock. These bands were common in places like New York City and San Francisco, but not so much in Cleveland. Tiny Alice was Cleveland's principal representative of this 'eclectic' style, performing for a more 'underground' audience removed from the teen clubs and college bars, along with political and social movement events.
The band was founded by George Woideck as the Tiny Alice Jug Band and over the next couple years evolved from straight acoustic jug band into the mix of styles that was the Tiny Alice sound. The band found a receptive audience in Cleveland's folk clubs and over time established a large following. In addition to George Woideck (guitar) the bands' 'classic' lineup included Peggy Cella (vocals, guitar), Norman Tischler (wind instruments), Tom Marotta (bass), David Krauss (washboard, autoharp) and Danny Mazza (drums). In 1971 the band recorded an LP for Kama Sutra records. The LP was recorded at Agency. The record, so we're told, is a pretty fair representation, at least in material, of what the band sounded like. This was the only recordings the band ever released. The cover is an interesting package made to look and open like a matchbook.
The LP enabled the band to play some shows in New York City in 1972. The band was well received, but the transition from a local act to a national recording one was too much and they disbanded in late 1972 or early 1973. By this time Alan Echler (from Pittsburgh) had replaced Woideck. Tiny Alice got back together to perform at Cleveland's Hessler Street Fair (the most prominent vestige of Cleveland's original hippie community) in 2006. Many of the members of Tiny Alice, including Norman Tischler, David Krauss, and Tom Marotta, have been prominent members of Cleveland's music scene since their Tiny Alice days. Randy Benson joined Glass Harp shortly after the demise of Tiny Alice.
Discography:
Tiny Alice - S/T (Kama Sutra) 1971