The Left Banke

The Left Banke was a highly creative and distinctive 1960s pop-rock group that was formed in New York City in 1965. The original band members were Michael Brown (keyboards), George F Cameron (drums), Tom Finn (bass), Jeff Winfield (guitar) and Steve Martin (vocals). The group's unique sound was distinguished by Martin's expressive soaring vocals (he had a rare example of an upper male registry that could reach heights without breaking into falsetto) and Brown's extremely elegant and melodic orchestral arrangements (complete with lush strings). The Left Banke's music was dubbed "baroque pop" by the press. The band had a big hit with the touching and beautiful ballad "Walk Away Renee," which reached #5 on the Billboard pop charts in late 1966. The equally gorgeous follow-up song "Pretty Ballerina" likewise did well; it went all the way to #15 on the Billboard pop charts in 1967. Alas, the sumptuous tune "Desiree" barely cracked the Hot 100 in late 1967. The Left Banke eventually broke up in 1969 due to poor management, financial problems and internal conflicts between the band members. However, the band briefly reunited in the early 70's to record two songs for the soundtrack of the movie Hot Pants Holiday (1971). The single "Love Songs in the Night / Two by Two" was released by Buddah Records, but unfortunately flopped. The group once again split up. Martin, Cameron, and Finn got together one more time in the late 1970s to record the album "Strangers on a Train." This album wound up being shelved for eight years before finally being released in 1986. A new incarnation of The Left Banke surfaced in 2010 and has played several live shows in New York City with positive responses from critics and audiences alike.