Mixed Bag | ||||
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Studio album by Richie Havens | ||||
Released | very late 1966 | |||
Recorded | July7, September 12 & 20, 1966 | |||
Genre | folk, jazz, singer-songwriter | |||
Length | 37:54 | |||
Label | Verve | |||
Producer | John Court | |||
Richie Havens chronology | ||||
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Professional ratings | |
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Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
Allmusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Music Hound | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Rolling Stone | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Great Rock Discography | (8/10) |
Virgin | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Mixed Bag is the 1966 debut album by Richie Havens. Although it was Havens' first album release, Douglas Records later issued two unauthorized albums of material that had been recorded prior to the Mixed Bag recording sessions—Electric Havens (1968) and Richie Havens' Record (1969). Mixed Bag was released after Havens signed on with manager Albert Grossman and was released on Verve Folkways, a new folk music imprint of Verve Records.
Mixed Bag is frequently cited as the singer's best work, and was his first album to appear on Billboard's charts (appearing on both the jazz and pop charts). The recording was the first to introduce a wider audience to Havens's rich baritone vocals and the full-sound of Havens's distinct guitar style (thumb-chorded and played in open D tuning).
The album was initially released on vinyl in 1966 on Verve Folkways, a newly formed folk section at the Verve division of MGM Records. It was re-released as a CD in 1993 on Polygram. In 2004, Mixed Bag was combined with two other Havens albums on a double CD titled, Flyin' Bird: The Verve Forecast Years, a limited edition release of 3000 individually numbered copies.