Anna Rizzo - lead vocals; Vic Smith - guitar, vocals; Slim Chance - guitar, vocals; Richard Sussman - piano, vocals; Kelly Bryan - bass; Jack Bonus - saxophone; Dewey DeGrease - drums
Grootna was a short-lived San Francisco band who recorded one album for Columbia. Showcasing three capable vocalists, including bluesy ex-Stoneground singer Anna Rizzo, and featuring various lesser known veterans of the Bay area music scene, they are best remembered for their association with Jefferson Airplane singer Marty Balin, who produced their album and later formed his first post-Airplane band, Bodacious D.F.
This is possibly the only Grootna show recorded. While some of the repetoire seems comprised of pedestrian blues and boogie numbers, much of the material compares favorably to music by the Bay Area's more popular rock bands in 1971.
The recording begins with the first song already in progress. Highlights of the set include a rocking version of "I'm Funky" that far surpasses the energy of the studio recording and a tight take of their single "Full Time Woman," both featuring Rizzo on vocals. Also of particular note is the inclusion of the non-album track "You're Drivin Me Crazy," which would become a standout track on Bodacious DF's LP the following year.
Though confined to a distribution fo a single album, Grootna is, if nothing else, a good example of a typical, accomplished early 1970s Bay Area rock group. A listen to this show, if nothing else, is an undeniable component of a legendary run of shows and a distinctive era of American music.