Johnny Rocco Band - Rocco
 

 

 

No-one in this band is named Johnny Rocco - presumably they named themselves after Edward G. Robinson's bad guy in the 1948 film "Key Largo". This Sydney-based group of jazz and funk musicians were joined on this, their only LP, by the New Zealand-born Maori soul vocalist Leo De Castro.

Original guitarist Mark Punch had just run off to join Renée Geyer's band, but was seemingly here to record on at least two of the tracks he'd co-written : "Heading In the Right Direction", soon to be a hit single for Geyer on "Ready To Deal", and "Sweet Kisses", that she would later record on "Winner".

There are some tight instrumental funk workouts with jazz touches, the flute and talkbox stormer "Number 43"  and great percussion throughout from Sunil De Silva - it's a pretty solid album and worth checking out.

While only independently released in Australia, the album was picked up internationally by 20th Century Records, with the band re-named simply 'Rocco', and a publishing deal seemed to have been signed with the Reizner Music Corporation.

The line-up for this album was:

Leo De Castro - vocals
Harris Campbell - guitar, vocals
Mark Punch - guitar
Tui Richards - guitar
Tim Partridge - bass
Ralph White - horns
Tony Ansell - keyboards
Spoons Buchanan - saxophone
Mick Kenny - Roland synthesizer
Sunil De Silva - percussion
Russell Dunlop - drums, vibraphone, producer

 

1. We're Gonna Have a Good Time
2. Heading in the Right Direction
3. Who's This Guy?
4. Sweet Kisses
5. Funky Max
6. Rocco
7. Baby's Gonna Make It
8. She's Knocking on My Door
9. What Are You Gonna Do for the Rest of Your Life?
10. Number Forty Three