Episode Details

In the late ’60s, Robert Callender — then recording as Bobby Callender — was a young singer-songwriter with a vision that defied his era. On Rainbow (1968, MGM), he fused Eastern raga textures with Western psychedelic rock, crafting a concept-driven song cycle long before such albums became common. The sessions brought together some of New York’s finest: bassist Richard Davis (Astral Weeks), guitarists Eric Gale and Hugh McCracken, and sitarist Colin Walcott of Oregon. 50 years later, Callender finally performed and recorded the album live for the first time. Rainbow Live will be released on November 14, 2025. Rainbow: The Anniversary Concert is more than a rediscovery — it’s a long-overdue validation of Robert Callender’s role in the psychedelic movement. Once whispered about only in collector circles, his music now takes center stage.