Song Of A Gypsy

Song Of A Gypsy is a singular blend of psychedelic rock, Eastern influence and mystical songwriting. Floating Arabic melodies, finger cymbals, hand percussion, shimmering fuzz guitar and Damon The Gypsy’s haunting vocals give the record a deeply spiritual feel, with songs that explore love, loss and the search for meaning.

Behind it all was David del Conte, better known as Damon The Gypsy. After playing around Southern California in the early 1960s, he left the club circuit and settled in Big Sur. There, an impromptu jam with George Harrison and Ravi Shankar helped inspire the five-string tuning and Eastern-leaning sound at the heart of Song Of A Gypsy.

Recorded with guitarist Charlie Carey and friends, it was privately issued on Damon’s Ankh label in a few hundred copies across two sleeve variations: a single white cover and a black gatefold leather-textured edition. Rediscovered decades later by collectors Veronica Breth and Paul Major, it later saw reissues from Shadoks, Guerssen Records and Now-Again. Damon passed away in 2016.