Old Enough to Forget

Al Kooper is like a rock and roll Swiss Army Knife. I can't actually recall hearing anything by him as an artist, but I would read his name on a lot of my favourite albums. I mean, if all he was ever known for was discovering Lynyrd Skynyrd and producing their first three classic albums, that would be a crowning feather in anyone's cap. As a teen he co-wrote "This Diamond Ring," which was recorded by Gary Lewis and the Playboys, and then in his early twenties he'd play the Hammond organ on a number of Bob Dylan recordings, notably "Like a Rolling Stone." He'd also be present at Dylan's infamous Newport Folk Festival appearance when Bob decided it was time to go electric. Al Kooper was more than an occasional sidesman. He was a gifted multi-instrumentalist, playing piano, organ (yeah, there is a difference), guitar, vibes, sitar (echoes of the '60s, baby), and something called an Ondioline (an analog synth that was first built in the '40s,...