Remastered 50th Anniversary Edition of 'Love Cycle' coming soon! 
Pre-order is on the way.

Love Cycle

Woman Woman

Never Come Down

Crystals

You Made A Change In Me

Take It Like a Man

1969
Written by Ted Shreffler

A/Elevator Operator B/Lord In Black
https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/elevator-operator/id298784499?i=298784535

The History of Northwest Rock, Vol 3: Psychedelic Seattle

Elevator Operator

1968
Written by Lee Graham

A/ "White Korte Feather (In My Life)" B/ "Blue Morning"
Merrilin #5303
https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/in-my-life/id392175146?i=392175227

Seattle (Volume 2)

White Korte Feather (In My Life)

#256 Seattle West Recording Corp. 
Marinwood Music

Long Hard Road

Issued in 1968 with "Long Hard Road," and again with "Elevator Operator" in 1969.

Filling The Gap

Lord In Black

The Crome Syrcus was formed in Seattle, September 1966, involving members John Gaborit, James Plano and Dick Powell of the Mystics. Gaborit and Powell had recorded on a 45 in 1963 for NOLTA, a sister label of the Northwest's Seafair Records, while Plano was away in the military. Gaborit, Plano and Powell all attended Renton High School together outside Seattle, graduating in varied years.

The other piece of the Crome Syrcus puzzle locked in with the 1966 connection of Ted Shreffler (keys) as he left his jazz trio. He met up with Lee Graham (bass, vocals), formerly of the Seattle Jazz Quintet, and also found Rod Pilloud, who became the band's first drummer. And as Plano arrived back from the military by early 1968, he was playing shows opening for the Doors at Fillmore East.

When they met Robert Joffrey, of New York City Center Ballet fame, the band was ready to convince him to let the Crome Syrcus adapt the 26-piece score from "Opus '65," which the ballet was planning to perform at Eagles Auditorium. After a successful performance, Joffrey offered the chance to write an original score to his new ballet, 'Astarte,' which the group premiered in New York in the Fall of 1967.

Boyd Grafmire, Richard Ward and Bill Graham were the Syrcus' managers. Soon enough, Graham had found the band opening slots for acts such as Jefferson Airplane, Iron Butterfly, the Byrds, and Lou Reed. The band was also constantly working with some of the most vibrant, iconic artists in all of the world. Artists of the area such as John Moehring, Don Paulson, and Jacques Moitoret.   

The Crome Syrcus released music most actively in 1968, along with the long player, Love Cycle, issued in January 1968 by New York City's Command/ABC, and completed in NYC with assistance in production provided by Seattle's Peter Katims, working for Command.

The music on this album is naturally based on the 1960's early psychedelic pop/rock sound, but there are elements which stretch artistic expression beyond the boundaries of conventional popular music, with wild atavistic guitar solos, confusing arrangements, references to classical choral music, orchestrations, and pastoral flute sequences. They also created a title track lasting over 17 minutes, which feature some of the largest melody.

With this approach, this obscure band might please both the fans of the late 1960's west coast rock, and also the listeners of more challenging adventurous art rock.

Discography

LP
For Command, 1968: 'Love Cycle'

Singles
1968: "Take It Like a Man" / "Crystals" (ABC-Command)
1968: "Long Hard Road" / "Lord In Black" (Piccadilly)
1968: "White Korte Feather (In My Life)" / "Blue Morning" (Merrilin)
1969: "Elevator Operator" / "Lord In Black" (Jerden)

Line-up:
John Gaborit ~ Guitar 
Jim Plano ~ Drums
Dick Powell ~ Keyboards, Trumpet, Harmonica
Mikel Rollins ~ Vocals, Bass

Lee Graham ~ Vocals, Bass, Flute 
Ted Shreffler ~ Keyboards 
Rod Pilloud ~ Drums

In Memory of 
Ted Shreffler
d:  22 August 2009 

Lee Graham
d:  13 May 2009

The CROME SYRCUS

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