Jim King (saxophonist)
Encyclopedia
Jim King was an original member of the British
rock band
, Family
. He played saxophone
and harmonica
, and sang occasional lead vocals
on the band's first two album
s, Music in a Doll's House
and Family Entertainment
. King also sang the entire lead vocal on "Observations From a Hill", a song on the latter album.
Jim, as he became known, formed James King and the Farinas (later just The Farinas), a blues
based rock and roll
group, with guitarist
Charlie Whitney in Leicester
in 1962. He was the group's lead singer until Roger Chapman
joined in 1966, at which point the group had begun to perform under the name The Roaring Sixties. The name Family was decided upon later. King's influence on the group's first two albums can be heard clearly with his freewheeling saxophone solos and his blues-based harmonica passages. Because he fulfilled the same role in Family that Chris Wood
did in Traffic
, comparisons between the two were inevitable.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
rock band
Rock Band
Rock Band is a music video game developed by Harmonix Music Systems, published by MTV Games and Electronic Arts. It is the first title in the Rock Band series. The PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions were released in the United States on November 20, 2007, while the PlayStation 2 version was...
, Family
Family (band)
Family were an English rock band that formed in late 1966 and disbanded in October 1973. Their style has been characterised as progressive rock, although their sound often explored other genres, incorporating elements of styles like as folk, psychedelia, acid, jazz fusion and rock and roll...
. He played saxophone
Saxophone
The saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
and harmonica
Harmonica
The harmonica, also called harp, French harp, blues harp, and mouth organ, is a free reed wind instrument used primarily in blues and American folk music, jazz, country, and rock and roll. It is played by blowing air into it or drawing air out by placing lips over individual holes or multiple holes...
, and sang occasional lead vocals
Human voice
The human voice consists of sound made by a human being using the vocal folds for talking, singing, laughing, crying, screaming, etc. Its frequency ranges from about 60 to 7000 Hz. The human voice is specifically that part of human sound production in which the vocal folds are the primary...
on the band's first two album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
s, Music in a Doll's House
Music in a Doll's House
-Side two:- Personnel :* Roger Chapman – lead vocals, harmonica, tenor saxophone* John "Charlie" Whitney – lead guitar, steel guitar* Jim King – tenor and soprano saxophone, harmonica, vocals* Ric Grech – bass guitar, violin, cello, vocals...
and Family Entertainment
Family Entertainment (Family album)
-Side two:- Personnel :*Roger Chapman: vocals and percussion*John "Charlie" Whitney: guitars, organ*Jim King: vocals, saxophone, piano*Ric Grech: bass, vocals, violin*Rob Townsend: drums and percussion*Nicky Hopkins: piano-Chart positions:...
. King also sang the entire lead vocal on "Observations From a Hill", a song on the latter album.
Jim, as he became known, formed James King and the Farinas (later just The Farinas), a blues
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
based rock and roll
Rock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
group, with guitarist
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
Charlie Whitney in Leicester
Leicester
Leicester is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England, and the county town of Leicestershire. The city lies on the River Soar and at the edge of the National Forest...
in 1962. He was the group's lead singer until Roger Chapman
Roger Chapman
Roger Chapman , also known as Roger "Chappo" Chapman and Chappo, is an English rock vocalist. He is best known as a member of the Progressive rock band Family, which he joined along with Charlie Whitney, in 1967 and also the rock, R&B band Streetwalkers formed in 1974...
joined in 1966, at which point the group had begun to perform under the name The Roaring Sixties. The name Family was decided upon later. King's influence on the group's first two albums can be heard clearly with his freewheeling saxophone solos and his blues-based harmonica passages. Because he fulfilled the same role in Family that Chris Wood
Chris Wood (rock musician)
Christopher Gordon Blandford 'Chris' Wood was a founding member of the English rock band Traffic, along with Steve Winwood, Jim Capaldi, and Dave Mason....
did in Traffic
Traffic (band)
Traffic were an English rock band whose members came from the West Midlands. The group formed in April 1967 by Steve Winwood, Jim Capaldi, Chris Wood and Dave Mason...
, comparisons between the two were inevitable.