Baron von Tollbooth & the Chrome Nun

Baron von Tollbooth & the Chrome Nun is a collaborative studio album by Jefferson Airplane members Paul Kantner, Grace Slick, and David Freiberg, released in May 1973.

Baron von Tollbooth & the Chrome Nun
Studio album by Paul Kantner, Grace Slick and David Freiberg
Released	May 1973
Recorded	November–December 1972 at Wally Heider Studios, San Francisco
Genre	Progressive rock, psychedelic rock, art rock
Length	40:22
Label	Grunt/RCA Records
Producer	Paul Kantner Grace Slick David Freiberg
Paul Kantner chronology
Sunfighter (1971) Baron von Tollbooth & the Chrome Nun (1973) Dragon Fly (1974)
Grace Slick chronology
Sunfighter (1971) Baron von Tollbooth & the Chrome Nun (1973) Manhole (1974)

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[1]
Rolling Stone	[2]

All of the trio's then-fellow Jefferson Airplane members, John Barbata, Jack Casady, Papa John Creach, and Jorma Kaukonen, are featured on the album. Also appearing are David Crosby, Jerry Garcia, Mickey Hart, The Pointer Sisters, and Craig Chaquico (the future lead guitarist of Jefferson Starship).

Background

The record was issued at the same time as Thirty Seconds Over Winterland.

However, on most of the tracks, Jerry Garcia of the Grateful Dead performs lead guitar and Chris Ethridge of the Flying Burrito Brothers performs bass.

"Your Mind Has Left Your Body" was the final studio track to feature Paul Kantner, Grace Slick, Jorma Kaukonen and Jack Casady until the 1989 Jefferson Airplane reunion album.

The album cover was illustrated by Drew Struzan under the direction of Ernie Cefalu.

Track listing

Side A

No.	Title	Lyrics	Music	Length
1.	"Ballad of the Chrome Nun"	Grace Slick	David Freiberg	3:59
2.	"Fat"	Slick	Slick	3:13
3.	"Flowers of the Night"	Jack Traylor	Traylor	4:13
4.	"Walkin'"	Kantner, Slick	Kantner	2:31
5.	"Your Mind Has Left Your Body"	Kantner	Kantner	5:45

Side B

No.	Title	Lyrics	Music	Length
1.	"Across the Board"	Slick	Slick	4:34
2.	"Harp Tree Lament"	Robert Hunter	Freiberg	3:34
3.	"White Boy (Transcaucasian Airmachine Blues)"	Kantner	Kantner	4:13
4.	"Fishman"	Slick	Slick	2:40
5.	"Sketches of China"	Kantner, Slick	Kantner	5:13

Personnel

• Paul Kantner – vocals on all tracks except "Across the Board" and "Fishman", rhythm guitar on all tracks except "Across the Board" and "Fishman", glass harmonica on "Harp Tree Lament" and "White Boy"
• Grace Slick – vocals, piano on all tracks except "Ballad of the Chrome Nun", "Flowers of the Night", and "Harp Tree Lament"
• David Freiberg – vocals on all tracks except "Across the Board" and "Fishman", piano on "Ballad of the Chrome Nun", "Harp Tree Lament", keyboards on all other tracks except "Walkin'" and "Fishman"
• John Barbata – drums, percussion
• Chris Ethridge – bass on all tracks except "Your Mind Has Left Your Body", "White Boy", "Across The Board" and "Fishman"
• Jerry Garcia – guitar on all tracks except "Flowers of the Night", "Your Mind Has Left Your Body", and "Harp Tree Lament", steel guitar on "Ballad of the Chrome Nun" and "Your Mind Has Left Your Body", banjo on "Walkin'"
• Craig Chaquico – lead guitar on "Ballad of the Chrome Nun", "Flowers of the Night", and "Fishman"
• David Crosby – vocals on "The Ballad of the Chrome Nun"
• Jack Traylor – acoustic guitar on "Flowers of the Night", vocals on "Flowers of the Night", "White Boy", and "Sketches of China"
• Jack Casady – bass on "Your Mind Has Left Your Body", "White Boy", "Across The Board" and "Fishman"
• The Pointer Sisters – vocals on "Fat"
• Papa John Creach – electric violin on "Walkin'"
• Mickey Hart – gongs on "Your Mind Has Left Your Body" and "Sketches of China", water phones on "Your Mind Has Left Your Body"
• Jorma Kaukonen – lead guitar on "Your Mind Has Left Your Body"

Production

• Paul Kantner – producer
• Grace Slick – producer
• David Freiberg – producer
• Bob Matthews – recording engineer, mixdown engineer
• Betty Cantor – recording engineer, mixdown engineer
• Jim Gaines – recording engineer
• Al Schmitt – mixdown engineer
• Daggett – equipment head
• Drew Struzan, Bill Garland – illustrations
• Jim Marshall – eye photography
• Pacific Eye & Ear – album design
• Bill Thompson – management

References

1. Ruhlmann, William. "Baron Von Tollbooth & the Chrome Nun - Paul Kantner | AllMusic". allmusic.com. Archived from the original on 31 July 2013. Retrieved 9 August 2011.
2. Gerson, Ben. "Baron Von Tollbooth And The Chrome Nun : Paul Kantner : Review : Rolling Stone". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on February 22, 2008. Retrieved 9 August 2011.