Live From A & R Studios, New York, August 26, 1971

Reviewed: 2018-03-28
Genre: General
FCCs: none
Review: Smoking set from the original line-up! This disc made the rounds as a bootleg for years and was recently released commercially. The recording is stellar. Interestingly, Gregg plays piano instead of organ on 4 & 5
If You Like: no one compares to this band, but ifyou kike Lynard Skynard, Elvin Bishop, Derek & the Dominoes, or Butterfield Blues Band, you’ll love this.
Track Review (favorites denoted by*):
*1/ Statesboro Blues (4:30) – spoken intro> guitar starts> loping midtempo blues romp> twin guitarists trade solos> crescendo end
*2/ Trouble No More> spoken count down> uptempo strutting take on Muddy Waters gem> guitarists whip out some tasty solos> crescendo end
3/ Don’t Keep Me Wondering (3:39) – long slide note starts> funky midtempo song> long slow fade
*4/ Done Somebody Wrong (3:44) – spoken intro> guitar starts> hesitating midtempo jam & song on Elmore James> piano/guitar vamp> song> full tilt boogie jam> song> slide solo> crescendo end
*5/ One Way Out (4:48) – guitar starts> uptempo jam & song on Elmore James> blistering dual guitar solo> song> crescendo end
*6/ In Memory of Elizabeth Reed (11:23) – guitars start slow with Spanish vibe and slowly build to uptempo instrumental jam> guitar solo> organ solo> gorgeous slide solo swings into sizzling twin guitar duet> all band jam> quick stop
*7/ Stormy Monday (8:48) – guitar starts> slow blues song on T Bone Walker classic> beautiful slow slide solo slowly builds to midtempo> organ tempo swings uptempo> guitar solo slides back to midtempo & romps> song rings out in volume & conviction> crescendo end
8/ You Don’t Love Me/Soul Serenade (19:32) – long spoken intro> guitar starts> uptempo jam & song> sizzling guitar duet> guitarist trade solos> organ solo> song> stunning slide solo slows to slow tempo then leads into a tribute to King Curtis’ Soul Serenade> midtempo full band jam> raucous slow guitar solo swings into uptempo jam> guitarists trade solos> midtempo jam slides into rocking uptempo full tilt boogie> crescendo end
9/ Hot ‘Lanta (6:46) – spoken word intro> organ starts> uptempo instrumental jam> blistering dual guitar attack> guitarists trade soaring solos> uptempo jam> percussion/drums duet> uptempo jam> slow fade