Mason

American psychedelic hard rock band active from 1968 to 1974.   In retrospect, something about the power-trio format lent itself to the late-sixties, early-seventies era in rock, particularly hard-rock, music. Perhaps three people making such a noisy roar was indicative of a time when young people felt they could sound their individual voices separate from any identity within a larger group. The music of bands such as Cream, Jimi Hendrix Experience, Grand Funk Railroad and Mountain were essential templates for younger bands of the Richmond-Norfolk-Virginia Beach region of Virginia. One of the first recorded bands from that region was the trio Mason, a lean unit put together by Steve Arcese (organ, bass, vocals), Jim Galyon (guitars, flute, saxophone, vocals), and powerhouse drummer Morgan Hampton. They culled British hard-rock influences with more immediately accessible musical models such as beach music and American R&B and began playing local stages Peabody's Warehouse and the Dome, as well as ubiquitous weekend gigs in the proliferative Fan district of Richmond, which on any given night would be host to the bands of Bruce Springsteen (Steel Mill) and Bruce Hornsby as well as acts such as Short Cross and Lynard Skynard. Mason, however, was the only one of these groups that had recorded an album, Harbour, released in 1971. By that point, three years into the band's existence, they would routinely draw five to six hundred fans to a performance, and that fan base only progressed over the next couple years to the point that Mason was performing concerts to audiences upward of 15,000 by 1973. By 1974, though, Mason broke up without ever having gained the commercial success of some of their regional contemporaries. -- by Stanton Swihart   * * *   The years 1968-1974 brought about the awakening and evolution of the Tidewater-Chesapeake Bay music scene The ocean front and tidal inlets with their military influences of Norfolk and the commercialism of Virginia Beach tourism brought the money to support a thriving hot bed of live music.   British infusion brought Cream, Hendnx, Traffic, Mountain, and Blind Faith influences and began an evolution from the beach music of the R&B roots. Mason was formed to combine these roots and resulted in a trio of multi talented musicians playing the stages of Peabody's Warehouse and The Dome to Alex Cooley's in Atlanta's Electric Ballroom Especially memorable was the Fan district of Richmond where on any given weekend night.   Mason would be playing across the street from other clubs that were featuring bands headed up by Bruce Hornsby. Bruce Springsteen (Steel Mill), and Lynard Skynard. However. Mason was the only band at this time (1971) to actually have recorded and released an LP. Morgan Hampton played both piano and sang; but his impeccable beat and drive on drums set Mason apart from most of the R&B drummers of this time. Steve Arcese had the vocal uniqueness which drew from his deep roots in classic R&B His virtuosity on the B3 Hammond organ drove walls of sound up and down the East coast.   As Mason's music expanded. Steve branched out to guitar and bass, setting the group apart as a multi faceted presentation of music styles James Galyon's musically diverse skills accented Morgan's and Steve's virtuosities James played flute, saxophone, Lyricon, bass, keyboards, and acoustic and electric guitar.   The combined sounds initially drew five to six hundred listeners each performance in 1969, but by 1973 Mason was performing in concerts to audiences of over 15.000.