The Carol K. of Carol K. & the Hitmen is actually Carol Kaye, the leading Los Angeles rock and pop session bassist of the 1960s. Carol K. & the Hitmen were a studio group, also featuring session stalwarts like drummer Earl Palmer and bassist Rene Hall. In 1965 they recorded an instrumental guitar-oriented album which put Kaye's guitar (rather than bass) skills to the forefront. The record has catchy, innocuous instrumental dance rock, surf, Latin beat, and easy listening tunes, impeccably executed of course, but rather generic as far as the songs go. These tracks, together with some demos and a spoken oral history by Kaye covering her life and work, came out on the CD California Creamin'. ~ Richie Unterberger, All Music Guide
