The Ace of Cups was founded in 1966 in an apartment on Waller Street in San Francisco. During the late ’60s, the all-female quintet played with everyone from Quicksilver Messenger Service to the Grateful Dead, and Jimi Hendrix singled them out as a band to watch in a 1967 interview in Melody Maker magazine.
Alas, the Ace of Cups never scored a record contract, and their debut album almost never happened. Recently, though, the band went into Laughing Tiger Studios in San Rafael and cut a double LP. Produced by Dan Shea and released by High Moon Records, the album features more than two-dozen tunes, with guest performances by Jorma Kaukonen and Jack Casady, Taj Mahal, Buffy Sainte-Marie, Peter Coyote, and Bob Weir, whose collaboration with the band can be heard below. Order a copy here!
On November 9, the official release date of their eponymous album, four of the band’s original members will join author Dennis McNally and special guests (including Mountain Girl, Wavy Gravy, Sunshine Powers, and Barry Melton) for an evening of music, videos, and conversation at the Mill Valley Community Center. You can get more information about this Commonwealth Club event here.
So glad TRPS brought Ace of Cups to my attention. Saw their name on the posters, but never heard them. Thanks TRPS! I just saw the music video they did with Wavy Gravy last year, Basic Human Needs. Check it out on Youtube. Inspiring!