Robert Callender, best known as Bobby Callender, was a quite enigmatic African American artist about whom little information is available. It is known that he was a poet, lyricist, composer, and singer from Boston, USA. He was a highly mysterious and mystical figure within the late 1960s psychedelic scene—a musician deeply influenced by spirituality. His spiritual quest led him to develop a close relationship with Hindu culture, a journey that was reflected in his music and the themes he explored. Conceptually, his musical universe showcases the originality born from his artistic freedom. The first two albums he released exemplify this strong conceptual approach, blending diverse styles and motifs. 'Rainbow,' released in 1968, was his debut album—an elaborate work driven by Callender himself, who served as the primary arranger, lyricist, and conceptualist of the project, as well as the vocalist. Each track was shaped to reflect his image. To bring his vision to life, he assembled an extensive ensemble of musicians, including a pianist, two musicians trained in Hindustani music, three bassists, two guitarists, two drummers, and others playing instruments like cellos, trumpets, oboe, among others, with violins added in some passages, notably in the track ‘Autumn.’ its the most 1968 album, ever, sitar, mellotron, hammond and even 17th century clavecin presence is absolute
DONT BE CONFUSED WITH ''Rainbow after the storm'' also from 1968. This authentic orchestra crafted a captivating and unique psychedelic project that fuses pop and folk with Middle Eastern influences, sitar sounds, traditional melodies, pastoral and sunshine pop elements, folk touches, and symphonic string arrangements. At times, it ventures into rhythm & blues and baroque pop, all woven together with a subtle complexity—if one appreciates it, the result can be quite mesmerizing. Several tracks on the album stand out for their complexity, often presented with delicate finesse—a blend of genres that seamlessly marries East and West, pop and sitar, rhythm and jazz, all within an atmosphere of poetic softness. The fusion of styles is highly refined; whether it sounds entirely harmonious or simply engaging, it’s undeniable that this is an exquisite, high-level psychedelic work—delicate, nuanced, and imbued with a profound lysergic potential. It hints at a rainbow (‘rainbow’ being the album’s title), yet simultaneously harbors a certain darkness. This is a well-crafted piece of psychedelic pop, akin to the psychedelic side of The Beatles, notably influenced by Indian music (George Harrison’s contribution) but interpreted with a more poetic vision. It’s quite psychedelic for pop, too fused to be just short songs. The sound is unhurried, carefree about time, constantly evolving—generally slow and melodic. All tracks are nearly handcrafted in their elaboration. For example, ‘Symphonic Pictures’ is as exquisite as it is complex—shifting through psychedelia, rhythm & blues, tribal percussion, symphonic strings, and even somewhat baroque pop within a single piece. An advanced composition for 1968. The track ‘Purple,’ the fourth on the album, runs eleven minutes and exemplifies the strong Hindu influence. It slightly breaks the album’s overall flow, emphasizing the mystical or magical aura of the sound toward a distinctly Hindu direction. The fusion of genres is striking, yet the album never gained recognition as a ‘forgotten classic’—at least not among genre aficionados—so I consider it a true hidden psychedelic gem. After this debut, he released a second album titled ‘The Way (First Book Of Experiences),’ which also explores a diverse mix of genres, completing two high-quality works by the same artist. I’ve come across another album called ‘Le Musee de l’Impressionnisme,’ also bearing his name, but I have no idea if it’s by the same person. Beyond that, I don’t have much information about Callender—his current whereabouts, if he’s still alive, remains a mystery. I’ll close this review with a quote he included on the back cover of his first album: "My rainbow of colors reflects the past and present. Each change has been indicated by the spectrum of my life, and only it knows the hidden colors of my future
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