The Birth and Re-birth of Orleans

If you have an interest in the history and origins of things Orleans, you have just hit the Motherlode! These recently rediscovered recordings represent the very beginnings of several of Orleans' career milestones. Captured originally on reel-to-reel tape, they were well past their sonic prime but have been lovingly restored to as-good-as-possible condition and digitized for permanent safekeeping. We trust you will enjoy turning back the clock with us ... to see and hear where it all began. NOTE: To download, Windows users right click and "Save Target As..." Mac people, do whatever it is you do. :-)

Dancing in the Moonlight - Boffalongo, 1969        This cut is LIVE Boffalongo … the Ithaca, NY-based pre-Orleans band which included Larry, Wells, Bob Leinbach and the song’s writer, Sherman Kelly (keys & lead vocal), who is also Wells’ brother. At the time, the song was virtually brand new and getting played at least twice at every "Boff" gig due to chronic requests ;-) We all knew it would be a hit by SOMEBODY some day!      A couple of years later, Sherman and some other Ithaca friends formed King Harvest, who recorded the 1973 Top 40 hit version while living in France. Meanwhile, Orleans also included Dancin’ in the Moonlight in its live gigs from the very beginning, although we waited until 2005 to record our own version.                        Download the Audio ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Half Moon – Orleans Trio demo, 1972       For the first 9 months that Orleans existed, we were a trio. Somewhere around April or May of 1972, we … John, Wells and Larry … went to NY City to use John’s publishers’ TEAC 4-track to make a first demo, so we could solicit gigs and a record deal.      This was the Orleans trio’s version of the song that turbocharged John’s songwriting career. John’s	Boffalongo 1971 Wells Kelly
very first collaboration with his then-girlfriend Johanna, and requested by the artist herself, Janis Joplin cut it for her Pearl LP and it became the “B-side” of Me and Bobby McGee.      A song of our own that many already knew, Half Moon not only set Orleans apart but was also an excellent vehicle for our instrumental skills. Our arrangement would go through many permutations over the years as Orleans changed and grew, but this is where it all started for this Woodstock, NY-based band.                        Download the Audio -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------	John Hall
The Breakdown – Orleans Trio demo, 1972        Cut at the same time and place as Half Moon. Breakdown, a Rufus Thomas classic, was a staple of our live shows starting right at the beginning, so we chose it to help represent what the band was all about. Here, drummer Wells Kelly also plays the organ and bassist Larry also adds his trumpet.      Later, the Orleans quartet (with Lance added) would re-cut this tune for our second album (sometimes called Dance With Me, other times Orleans 2).                        Download the Audio -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------	Larry Hoppen