The Flock | The Flock (1969) • Dinosaur Swamps (1970)

The Flock was an American, Chicago-based jazz rock band, that released two albums on Columbia Records in 1969 (The Flock) and 1970 (Dinosaur Swamps). The Flock did not achieve the commercial success of other Columbia jazz-rock groups of the era such as Chicago and Blood Sweat & Tears, but were recognized for featuring a violin prominently in their recordings. The violinist, Jerry Goodman, went on to become a member of Mahavishnu Orchestra and a solo artist.

The Flock had three early singles on Destination Records and one on USA Records, local Chicago labels, recorded between 1966 and 1968. Goodman, the violinist, was not in this line-up but worked as a roadie with the band. The members at the time of their 1969 album recording were Fred Glickstein (guitar, lead vocals), Jerry Goodman (violin), Jerry Smith (bass), Ron Karpman (drums), Rick Canoff (saxophone), Tom (T.S. Henry) Webb (saxophone) and Frank Posa (trumpet).

The promising first album was further into jazz fusion than either Chicago or Blood Sweat & Tears, influenced by the Miles Davis' Bitches Brew album in which Webb participated, but whose performance was not recorded. The first album was produced by John McClure, better known for his work with classical and jazz artists, with liner notes written from the audience at Whisky a Go Go by John Mayall, on July 9, 1969. The band went back into the studio and recorded a second album entitled Dinosaur Swamps, (with Jon Gerber replacing Tom Webb) featuring the hit, "Big Bird." They began work on a third studio album, provisionally titled Flock Rock, but rumours at the time had Columbia Records' Clive Davis raiding The Flock and recruiting Goodman for the Mahavishnu Orchestra project. Glickstein's remembrance of the event was, according to the sleevenotes with The Flock compilation CD Truth, slightly more matter-of-fact: "In reality the band members started going in different musical directions. You know. That old song."