The Jagged Edge / The Off-Set ‎– A Change Is Gonna Come 2008 (USA, Garage/Psychedelic Rock)

From Brooklyn, New York, this band evolved out of The Jaguars who formed in 1963 and included Art Steinman and Harley Wishner. Probably the first band to use the Jagged Edge moniker, their first 45 was promoted heavily at DJ hops in the tri-state area, resulting in a hit in Buffalo and a piece in the June 1966 edition of «16» magazine.

By the time their second 45 was released, another Jagged Edge had appeared on the scene with a 45. A threatened law suit resulted in the Brooklyn act changing their name to The Off-set, but their second 45 wasn’t as well promoted and subseqently didn’t sell as well. They broke-up soon after.

Art Steinman continued to play music professionally and was signed to Atlantic after Ahmet Ertegun saw him and Wilbert Harrison perform at The Filmore East on Feb 9th 1970. No releases were forthcoming, although tapes are known to exist — indeed as are rehearsal tapes of Jagged Edge and the pre-Jagged Edge, Jaguars.

Of the unreleased demos: Lies I Spoke is the most promising — dramatic but fragmented pop-punk with psychy effects and raga-esque break; Look In Her Eyes is a strong and moody folk-rocker; Reflection and Stop Feeling Sorry For Yourself present the band’s poppy side with the former winning out for the sweet harmonies which bring to mind Curt Boettcher confectionery.

Art Steinman: «One of the two managers of our group was Eric Van Lustbader (aka Eric Lustbader), who is the successful author of Ninja books and other thrillers. We played some WMCA Good Guy shows at tri-state high schools to promote our 45s and appeared with and backed up some of the leading bands of the mid-sixties — Question Mark and the Mysterians, Music Machine, Critters, Percy Sledge, Brian Hyland, The Association and The Left Banke to name a few.»

Currently Art works for Lucent Technologies; Drew is a consultant for a software company in New Jersey and continues to write music; Elliot has his own high-end audio/video installation company in Manhattan; Harley is a urologist living in Van Nuys, Ca. and Kenny Bennett works for the US post office in Brooklyn, New York.

As to one obvious factoid question — was Elliot Ingber the same guy who was with Frank Zappa and the Mothers Of Invention, then Fraternity Of Man, before becoming Winged Eel Fingerling in Captain Beefheart’s band? Art replies — «It is an amazing coincidence in names, but I am quite certain that he was not the famous musician who performed with Beefheart and Zappa. I don’t think our Elliot Ingber had a musical career beyond the Jagged Edge.»

Art also played in another Brooklyn act ‘Southern Socket’ with The Keepers’ member Barry Drimmer.