Reviews:

Recorded at Uberdub Lownge, San Francisco, California.
Personnel: Johannes Luley (guitar, keyboards); Allan Whitman (bass guitar); Vince Littleton (drums, djembe); Jennifer Burnes (drums).
Audio Mixers: Johannes Luley; Ari Rios.
Liner Note Author: Walt Whitman .
Recording information: Laughing Tiger Studios, San Raphael, CA; šberdub Lownge, San Fransisco, CA.
San Francisco band The Mermen began in the late 1980s as a surf-oriented band inspired by the likes of The Ventures and Dick Dale, but over the years they've expanded their sound in numerous directions. THE AMAZING CALIFORNIA HEALTH AND HAPPINESS ROAD SHOW is as eclectic as its title is cumbersome. While the band retains its all-instrumental guitar-trio format, there's a bit of everything from psychedelia to lambent, jazzy licks to the kind of feel jazzman Bill Frisell got into on his Americana-flavored albums, and guitarist Jim Thomas leads the charge all the while.

Personnel: Jim Thomas (chant vocals, various instruments, guitar, keyboards); Johannes Luley (guitar, autoharp, keyboards, bass); Randy Clark (guitar); Joe Goldmark (pedal steel guitar); Allen Whitman, Mike Silverman (bass); Vince Littleton (drums, djembe); Martyn Jones (drums); Paolo Baldi (congas).