It's a Beautiful Day

:"For the Queen song see Made in HeavenInfobox musical artist
Name = It's A Beautiful Day


Img_capt =
Img_size = 250
Landscape = Yes
Background = group_or_band
Alias =
Origin = San Francisco
Genre = Rock, Jazz, Folk, Classical
Years_active = 1967 - 1974, 1997 - present
Label = CBS, Columbia
Associated_acts =
URL =

It's a Beautiful Day was a band formed in San Francisco, California in 1967, the brainchild of violinist and vocalist David LaFlamme.

Biography

LaFlamme, a former soloist with the Utah Symphony Orchestra, had previously been in the band Orkustra, and unusually, played a five-string violin. The other members were his wife Linda (keyboards), Pattie Santos (vocals), Hal Wagenet (guitar), Mitchell Holman (bass) and Val Fuentes (drums). Although they were one of the earliest and most important San Francisco bands to emerge from the "Summer of Love", It’s a Beautiful Day never quite achieved the success of their contemporaries such as The Grateful Dead and Santana, with whom they had connections. It’s A Beautiful Day created a unique blend of rock, jazz, folk, classical and world beat styles during the seven years the band was officially together.

The band's debut album, "It's a Beautiful Day", released in 1969, featured the tracks "White Bird", "Hot Summer Day", "Time Is" and "Bombay Calling". The intro of the latter was used, at a slower tempo, by Deep Purple as the intro to "Child in Time" on its "In Rock" album. The vocals and violin playing of David LaFlamme plus Pattie Santos' singing attracted attention including FM radio play, and nationally, "White Bird" bubbled under Billboard's Hot 100 chart peaking at #118.

By 1970 the original lineup of the band had changed a little- the LaFlammes had split up and Linda left the band, replaced by Fred Webb. The following album, "Marrying Maiden", released in 1970, included memorable tracks and was also a chart hit. In that year, the group also performed at the Holland Pop Festival at the Kralingse Bos in Rotterdam, The Netherlands and at the UK Bath Festival.

The band continued to record "Choice Quality Stuff/Anytime" in 1971 and the live album "Live At Carnegie Hall" in 1972, touring until 1974, when they split up. In 1976, LaFlamme's solo version of "White Bird" finally cracked the HOT 100, peaking at #89. Pattie Santos was killed in a car crash on December 14, 1989.

It's a Beautiful Day reunited in 1997 under the name "David LaFlamme Band" for the recording labels. The band still features founder David LaFlamme and original drummer Val Fuentes. Other band members are LaFlamme's current wife, Linda Baker LaFlamme (vocals), Toby Gray (basses), Gary Thomas (keyboards), Rob Espinosa (guitars), Michael Prichard (percussion). They completed a string of shows in 2005 and 2006 and toured with Jefferson Starship in 2007, and LaFlamme contributed to Jefferson Starship's 2008 release, "Jefferson's Tree of Liberty".

A version of "White Bird" by violinist Vanessa-Mae was released in 2001 and reached number 66 in the UK Singles Chart. [UKChartHits|7297 Vanessa Mae UK charts]

Personnel

*David LaFlamme - violin
*Linda LaFlamme - keyboards, background vocals, tambourine
*Pattie Santos - vocals
*Hal Wagenet - guitar
*Mitchell Holman - bass
*Val Fuentes - drums
*Fred Webb - keyboards (1970 - 1974)
*Bill Gregory - guitar (1972 - 1974)

Discography

Albums

*"It's a Beautiful Day" (1969) US Album Chart No. 47/UK Album Chart No. 58, 1970
*"Marrying Maiden" (1970) US Album Chart No. 28/UK Album Chart No. 45, 1970
*"Choice Quality Stuff/Anytime" (1971) US Album Chart No. 130
*"Live At Carnegie Hall" (1972) US Album Chart No. 144
*"It's a Beautiful Day...Today" (1972) US Album Chart No. 114
*"1001 Nights" (Compilation) (1974)
*"White Bird" Amherst Records (1977)
*"Inside Out" Amherst Records (1978)
*"It's A Beautiful Day / Marrying Maiden" (Rerelease) (1998)
*"Beyond Dreams" (2003)
*"David LaFlamme - Live in Seattle" (2003)
*"David LaFlamme - Misery Loves Company" (2005)

ingles

*"Bulgaria" / "Aquarian Dream" (1968) Sound 7
*"White Bird" / "Wasted Union Blues" (1969) Columbia 44928
*"Soapstone Mountain" / "Good Lovin'" (1970) Columbia 45152
*"The Dolphins" / "Do You Remember The Sun" (1970) Columbia 45309
*"Anytime" / "Oranges and Apples" (1972) Columbia 45536
*"White Bird" (live) / "Wasted Union Blues" (live) (1973) Columbia 45788
*"Ain't That Lovin' You Baby" / "Time" (1973) Columbia 45853

References

*UKChartHits|11138 It's a Beautiful Day UK charts

External links

* Rare Album Review [http://rare-albums.com/albums.php?id=26]
* [http://www.itsaboutmusic.com/beautifulday.html Itsaboutmusic.com]
* [http://wc03.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:jifyxqe5ldae~T1 Allmusic.com]