OSCAR BENTON

1972 The three bells/The long and winding road Imperial 5C 006-24621
1973 Bensonhurst blues/Took me a long time Imperial 5C 006-24693
1974 Roll on sweet Mississippi/Come back Imperial 5C 006-25048
1975 Come back/Roll on sweet Mississippi Imperial 5C 006-25090
Today is yesterday's tomorrow/ ?
1976 Never never leave me/Baby help me Imperial 5C 006-25359
Wooly bully boogie/Stop what you're doing Negram NG 788
1980 Spanish lady/Everybody... dance Gip 4369
1981 Bensonhurst blues/Took me a long time [re] EMI 5C 006-24693
LP Bensonhurst blues EMI 5C 064-26742

This blues band from Haarlem was around between 1967 and 1975 and left an impression at the Loosdrecht jazz festival in 1968. The first line-up was: Oscar Benton (v,g = Ferdinand van Eif), Tanny Lant (dr = Herman Soeverein), Hank Hawkins (b = Peter van Kouten) and Hans van Dam (p).

In 1970: Oscar, Hans, Gus Laporte (b), John Laporte (g), Jan-Willem Sligtig (g) and Art Bausch (dr, ex-Blue Planet). This group left Oscar in its entirety in 1974 to form Barrelhouse. Oscar chose an all new backing band in: Henno van Donselaar (piano, ex-Karin Kent and Tony Sherman, to Rubber Band), Rob van Donselaar (bass, ex-Bintangs), Rob ten Bokum (g, ex-Bintangs) and Aad Hooft (dr, ex-Bintangs). When the group broke up in 1975, the three ex-Bintangs members stayed together: first joining Limonaya, and after that the Blue Eyed Bluesband, in which Oscar Benton sang (under the monicker of Billyboy Bishop). Not only did Oscar make solo records, he also recorded a number of singles with Monica (Verschoor).

1968 I feel so good/Gotta move [ooit verschenen?]
LP Feel so good Decca XBY 846510
1969 Nobody's business/Heartaching blues Decca AT 10381
Have you seen my wife/I ain't got the feeling Decca AT 10404
LP The blues is gonna wreck my life Decca XBY 846521
1970 Baby gonna leave you right now/Can't love nobody else Decca AT 10424
1971 Somebody's stolen your heart/Hurt my feelings Decca 6100020
LP Benton '71 Decca 6419005
1972 LP The best of the Oscar Benton Blues Band Decca 6454421
LP Draggin' around Imperial 5C 054-24550
1982 LP The best [re] Philips 6423507

BARRELHOUSE

Blues band from Haarlem, stemming from Oscar Benton's group. The line-up (at that time known as The Barrelhouse Blues Band) in 1974 was: Hans van Dam (p, ex-Benton), Tineke Schoemaker (v, since 1975, ex-Flat Country), John Laporte (g, ex-Benton), Jan-Willem Sligting (b, ex-Benton, in 1982 replaced by Hans Oldenburg, ex-Peewee & Specials and Crackerjack), Art Bausch (dr, ex-Benton, after a few months to Smyle and replaced by Bob Dros, ex-Head Over Heels), Shaky Sam (v, g, h, went solo), Paul Vielvoye (h). In 1975 Paul left the group. Since 1977, Barrelhouse has a second guitarist: Guus Laporte (ex-Benton and Snake).

N.B. The band's name is derived from Hans van Dam's nickname, Barrelhouse Bailey.

1975 LP Barrelhouse        Munich BM 150205
1976 LP Who's missing Pink Elephant PE 877092
LP Who's missing [re]        Munich BM 150213
1977 LP Hard to cover        Munich BM 150214
1978 LP Live in Alkmaar with Albert Collins        Munich BM 150225
1979 LP Beware   Ariola 200895
1980 Beware/Callin' out your name   Ariola 101084
1981 It's only a fool/Let me love you   Ariola 103282
LP Got to get together   Ariola 203461

BENTON'S BOOBYTRAP

MONICA

Singer-pianist Monica Verschoor; worked with Oscar Benton and the Voices Of Freedom from Zeeland.

1971 Empty words/Crying for love [met Voices Of Freedom] Imperial 5C 006-24447
All I ever need is you/Sing along sing along [met Oscar Benton] Imperial 5C 006-24476
Was ich brauche das bist du/Danke schön bitte schön Imperial 5C 006-24484
1972 Paula/Hey man Imperial 5C 006-24605
Everybody is telling me/Were you there [met Oscar Benton] Imperial 5C 006-24627
1973 Mama don't you worry/Never trust a woman Imperial 5C 006-24809
What I wanna do/Stay another night [met Oscar Benton] Imperial 5C 006-24876
1974 My children, my wife, my first band/ Imperial 5C 006-25005

OSCAR & MONICA

1971 All I ever need is you/Sing along sing along Imperial 5C 006-24476
Was ich brauche das bist du/Danke schön bitte schön Imperial 5C 006-24484
1972 Everybody is telling me/Were you there Imperial 5C 006-24627
1973 What I wanna do/Stay another night Imperial 5C 006-24876
1974 My children, my wife, my first band/ Imperial 5C 006-25005

BLUE EYED BLUES BAND

An outfit from Haarlem, formed in 1975. Members included Oscar Benton (v, g, left soon), Rob ten Bokum (g, ex-Benton, to Vitesse), Aad Hooft (dr, ex-Benton), Rob van Donselaar (v, g, p, ex-Benton, to Vitesse), Tom Huissen (b, ex-John the Revelator and Hellhound). By the end of 1975, Oscar and Tom were succeeded by Terry Lee (v) and Andy de Jong (b) respectively, both ex-Big Rock Revival. Soon thereafter, Oscar Benton replaced Terry Lee, after which the band split up (in 1975).

LIMONAYA

Group from Haarlem with Ronald Krom (b, ex-Bintangs), Rob ten Bokum (g), Rob van Donselaar (p) and Aad Hooft (dr). The last three were ex-Oscar Benton and later in the Blue Eyed Bluesband.

1980 Red lights on/Reggae time Gip 4091
1981 Hey you get ready/Red lights on Dureco 4405
Funky grandpa/Stop the party Dureco 4442
Funky grandpa/Stop the party [12"] Dureco MS 24
Here's to you/ Dureco 4486
Here's to you/ [12"] Dureco MS 26
1982 Have you seen her/ Dureco 4517

MONICA & VOICES OF FREEDOM
20-11-71 SINGLE 24 5 EMPTY WORDS
29-4-72 SINGLE tip PAULA
MONICA & OSCAR BENTON 8-1-72 SINGLE 15 5 ALL I EVER NEED IS YOU 30-9-72 SINGLE 17 7 EVERYBODY'S TELLING ME Oscar Benton 21-12-74 SINGLE tip ROLL ON SWEET MISSISSIPPI 26-12-81 SINGLE 21 5 BENSONHURST BLUES