This name refers to three groups, a Brooklyn jazz/noise band, a reggae/jam band, and to a Broadway musical.
1.
Brooklyn quartet Little Women formed two years ago to create music that blurs the line between structure and spontaneity. The group’s sound distilled from a broad range of influences that stretch from classic Chicago free jazz thru pop music, punk rock, math metal, and harsh noise. Little Women never stop pushing into new sonic territory: splitting overtones to create ghost notes, violently disassembling their instruments onstage, and attacking written and improvised material with equal ferocity. During performances band members often experience side-effects more commonly associated with prescription drugs such as nausea, dizziness, and internal bleeding.
2.
Little Women was a reggae / rock jamband that ruled the Rocky
Mountain club circuit between
the mid-1980s and 1993. The band was formed in June of 1982 by Jerry Joseph (singer /
songwriter / guitarist), Bradley Keith Rosen (drums), Stephen Derby (bass and vocals), and Eric
Hellberg (keyboards and vocals) in the Salt Lake City, Utah, area. Jerry and Brad had
previously met in Arcata, California. In the early years, the band’s membership changed
frequently (Eric Hellberg left in the fall of 1983). Meanwhile, their touring region spread into
Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho. By early 1985, Little Women’s line-up had become
fairly stable, including Louis Butts (bass), Geoff George (keyboards), Greg Williams
(percussion), Brad Rosen (drums), Joseph James (sound), and often Greg Malar or others on
second guitar. Also, by this time the band had re-located to Boulder, CO. In 1986, Little
Women added drummer Greg Freeman, originally of Pennsylvania, which led the band to begin
touring in the Northeastern USA as well.
Little Women began to build up a repertoire of original songs (mostly written by Jerry Joseph) in
addition to their frequent reggae and Grateful Dead covers. In early 1987, they recorded an EP
titled “Life’s Just Bitchin’”. In addition to the title track [an energetic reggae song inspired by a
suicide], the record featured: Breakfast at Lucile’s, Lick the Tears, Dead & Gone, and Freezin’
to Death. At about this time, the band was joined by guitarist Steven James Wright, whom
they’d met in Missoula, MT. On July 4, 1987, Little Women was playing at a party for the
Montana Band at Flathead Lake, MT, which ended tragically when the Montana Band’s airplane
crashed into a mountain after flying over the crowd. This event was later commemorated in
Little Women’s song “Montana”.
The band began working on their first full length studio album in Colorado in the spring of 1988
(which was to be titled “Buzzard Gods from the Promised Land”); however, the master tapes
were lost by the producer. Later in 1988, Little Women began opening for Zero. As a result,
Steve Kimock regularly played guitar with the band between July and November of that year,
and Jerry Joseph occasionally sat in with Zero as well. Late in 1989, Little Women began work
on a new full-length album, titled “Pretty Wiped Out”. The record was produced by Ray
Woodbury of El Rayo X, and featured guest appearances by David Lindley and Steve Kimock.
Songs included: Montana, Chainsaw City, Big Lagoon, She Belongs to Me, Fishin’, God Guts &
Guns, Daddy Bruce, and Eat My Soul.
During the late 1980s, Little Women had met the Athens, GA, band Widespread Panic while on
tour. This led to Widespread Panic opening for Little Women for a run of shows in March of
1990. Later, in September Little Women opened for Widespread Panic for several shows in
their home base of Georgia and the Carolinas. When touring in the same area, Jerry began
sitting in with Widespread Panic and performing songs such as Chainsaw City with them.
Late in 1990, the band re-located from Boulder, CO, to Portland, OR. Brad Rosen temporarily
left the band about this time. Co-incident with the move to Portland, the band developed a
harder edged sound and played fewer reggae numbers. In December, Capricorn Records
encouraged Jerry Joseph to travel to Georgia to write songs with Danny Hutchens of Bloodkin.
This collaboration resulted in the songs Dixie Mattress, Way Too Loud, and the anti-Gulf War
anthem Yellow Ribbons. During 1991, the band added songs such as Ray of Heaven, North,
and Savage Garden.
In April of 1992, Little Women recorded their first live CD in Portland and Eugene, OR, featuring
Breakfast at Lucile’s, Lick the Tears, Milk, Screamin’ Annie, Ray of Heaven, American Standard,
The World Will Turn, The Most Beautiful Day, Drive, and Hearts GoneBlind. Released later that
summer, the record was titled “Live Radish Head” and promised a rise to much greater fame for
the band. However, as the band seemed perched on the edge of widespread recognition,
internal friction resulting from constant touring and the inevitable drug and alcohol abuse
associated with being on tour began to tear the band apart. In late August of 1992, Louis Butts
and Geoff George left the band, along with soundman Joseph James.
Little Women quickly re-formed as a four piece rock band with Glen Esparza on bass joining
Jerry, Steve, and drummer Greg Williams. Within days of the shake-up, Little Women were
back on the road, and recorded another live CD [Live at New Georges, September 11, 1992] in
San Raphael, CA. This release featured Breakfast at Lucile’s, Criminals in My Closet, North,
Hearts Gone Blind, Wichita Lineman, and Way Too Loud. The band added the new song
“Climb to Safety”, and also began putting in some time in the studio in preparation for the
release of a new record. The new direction was not enough to save the band, however. Jerry
Joseph had developed an addiction to heroin and things were falling apart rapidly. In early
February, guitarist Steven James Wright left the band. Pete Droge, a guitarist from Seattle who
had previously played with Little Women as a guest, then began playing regularly with the band.
Keyboardist Robert O’Hearn also joined the band at this time. By early May, long time drummer
Greg Williams also left the group, to be replaced by Danny Karbo. Pete Droge also ceased
touring with the band at this time. There were a few Little Women shows during May 1993,
during which time they debuted new songs including Road to Damascus. After late May there
were no performances until late July, at which time the band played a show in Portland under
the name “Jerry Joseph Electric Band”. During the latter half of 1993, Jerry began a two year
struggle to get clean that involved several changes in residence and visits to rehab centers.
The band, by now without Glen Esparza, made a few appearances in late 1993 and January
1994 under the name “Welcome Hunters”. The Little Women studio recordings from the fall of
1992 were released under this name in October 1993. In March of 1994, Jerry completed
another studio project titled “Love and Happiness”, featuring Robert O’Hearn on keys, Dave
Schools on bass, and numerous guests. In August 1994, he performed with Woody Harrelson
under the band name Urban Messiah. Jerry performed infrequently during 1994 and 1995.
In early 1996, he formed a new band, the Jackmormons, in Salt Lake City. The band initially
included Junior Ruppel (bass), Dave Pellicciaro (keyboards), and Jim Bone (drums). Brad
Rosen and Steve James, both long term Little Women members, later joined the Jackmormons.
Little Women have re-united once, in July 2000, for the Oregon Country Fair and two other local
performances.
Many fans of Little Women were also Deadheads, and many were tapers; consequently,
hundreds of shows were recorded and are still in circulation.
3.
In January 23, 2005, a Broadway musical adapted from the book “Little women” by Louisa May Alcott opened at the August Wilson Theatre in New York City with book by Allan Knee, score by Jason Howland and lyrics by Mindi Dickstein. The musical starred pop singer Maureen McGovern (Marmee), of “The Morning After” fame and Sutton Foster (Jo March). The show closed on May 22, 2005. A national tour, again starring Maureen McGovern, began August 30 of that year.
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