Appaloosa

John Parker Compton, a vocalist, tunesmith, and guitarist, joined forces with violinist Robin Batteau to establish the acoustic outfit Appaloosa toward the close of the 1960s. Their shared immersion in the Cambridge, Massachusetts, folk milieu had left a deep mark on both players. Compton first lifted his voice in a local church choir, after which he and Batteau took to the area’s coffeehouse stages. A 1972 promotional note for Compton’s lone effort, To Luna, recounted how the eighteen-year-old arrived unannounced at Columbia Records in late 1968, seeking an audience with producer Al Kooper. Dismissed at first and told to return another day, Compton later caught Kooper’s ear when he and Batteau performed for the label’s secretaries. Impressed, Kooper cut a demo that secured the pair a contract, and within twelve months Appaloosa issued its self-titled debut. Bassist David Reiser and cellist Eugene Rosov completed the lineup, while guests from Blood, Sweat & Tears plus Kooper himself augmented the sessions. The group soon yielded to a Compton-Batteau duo, after which the two artists parted company. Compton issued a solo record and resurfaced in the 1990s with fresh material; Batteau, meanwhile, formed a partnership with his sibling David Batteau, entered the late-1970s ensemble Pierce Arrow, and subsequently built a career as a session player.