Marty Balin at the Bitter End

In the late 1960s, rock music took a turn to what was then called psychedelic music, and Jefferson Airplane was among the originators of this genre. Marty Balin (born Martyn Jerel Buchwald in Cincinnati, Ohio, on January 30, 1942) was a founder of the maverick San Francisco-based band. He shared lead vocals at first with Signe Anderson but then famously with Grace Slick from 1965 until the band’s breakup in 1971. In 1974, fellow Airplane alumnus Paul Kantner asked Marty to write a song for his new offshoot group, Jefferson Starship, and together they wrote "Caroline" for the Dragon Fly album. Balin formally joined Jefferson Starship in 1975, and contributed to several hit songs ("Miracles", "With Your Love", "Count on Me" and "Runaway"). In 1978, Balin left the Starship and in 1981 released his first solo album, Balin, featuring "Hearts" and "Atlanta Lady." Balin sporadically rejoined the Starship from 1995 to 2008, but continued recording solo albums as well, all of which are available on his website, www.martybalinmusic.com.

In a rare concert appearance the Bitter End tonight, the pony-tailed Balin looked great for his age and sounded very well as well. For his faithful fans, he sang many of his best-known songs and some little-heard songs, and presented them all in a new fresh way. Accompanied only by two amplified acoustic guitars and two percussionists, the songs took on a softer, more personal delivery and highlighted Balin’s distinctive vocals more than any other instrument. Starting with the Airplane’s "3/5 of a Mile in 10 Seconds" and running through his history (including “Today”, “Volunteers”, “Miracles” and “Count on Me”), his iconic tenor remained smooth and even romantic. Nevertheless, the bulk of the two-hour show consisted of lesser known songs. Perhaps because the approximately 65 people in the storefront-sized venue sat less than 15 feet from him, Balin captivated his audience, both with hits and bombs. Most satisfying of all was that the showcase demonstrated that after 48 years in music, Balin is a legendary rock pioneer that still proves his worth. Balin will return to New York for a show at the Cutting Room on November 8.