Aretha Franklin + King Curtis – Live At Fillmore
West (CDs)
Sound: B Music: B+/B
Aretha
Franklin was at the peak of her powers in what is one of the longest and most
enduring careers in music history when a few spectacular March 1971
performances were captured for the remarkable live album Aretha Franklin – Live At Fillmore West. Still a powerhouse at Atlantic Records, the
concert is so powerful that it is one of the greatest live albums ever cut,
though it has not always been in print as it should be. Rhino Records has issued a new 2-CD set with
the first being the original album and the second disc consisting of alternate
cuts. The songs are:
CD
1
1)
Respect
2)
Love
The One You're With
3)
Bridge
Over Troubled Water
4)
Eleanor
Rigby
5)
Make
It With You
6)
Don't
Play That Song
7)
Dr.
Feelgood
8)
Spirit
In The Dark
9)
Spirit
In The Dark (reprise)
10) Reach Our And Touch (Somebody's Hand)
CD
2
1) Respect
2) Call
Me
3) Mixed-Up
Girl
4) Love
The One You're With
5) Bridge
Over Troubled Water
6) Share
Your Love With Me
7) Eleanor
Rigby
8) Make
It With You
9) You're
All I Need To Get By
10) Don't
Play That Song
11) Dr.
Feelgood
12) Spirit
In The Dark
13) Spirit
In The Dark (reprise)
On
CD 1, Ray Charles joins Aretha on Spirit
In The Dark which was the first time they were issued together on
vinyl. Covers of Stephen Stills’ Love The One You’re With, Eleanor Rigby, Make It With You and Dr.
Feelgood are remarkably powerful and blow away most so-called female
vocalists today. This is REAL singing by
one of the great voices of all time.
Most live albums are a disappointment and never feel live, but Aretha Franklin – Live At Fillmore West is as LIVE as it gets. Her talent, way with the crowd, addressing
what people need and want to hear remind us that her talents even exceed
singing and musicianship, with every second truly a golden moment. It is one of the few must-have CD reissues of
the year.
From
the same nights, King Curtis not only joined her, but opened for her in a
concert strong enough to have its own album release. The King Curtis tracks include:
1) Memphis
Soul Stew
2) A
Whiter Shade of Pale
3) Whole
Lotta Love
4) I
Stand Accused
5) Them
Changes
6) Ode
To Billie Joe
7) Mr.
Bojangles
8) Signed,
Sealed, Delivered (I'm Yours)
9) Soul
Serenade
Bonus
Tracks
10) My
Sweet Lord (with guest vocalist Billy Preston)
11) Them
Changes
12) Ode
To Billie Joe
13) Soul
Serenade
14) Memphis
Soul Stew
All are
instrumental for the most part, but the recently deceased Billy Preston, often
thought of the as other “Fifth Beatle” when producer George Martin is not
around is stunning here in a powerful rendition of the controversial solo hit
from ex-Beatle George Martin. Martin had
only recently passed not that long ago and to hear this stunning effort now has
an added power and irony that makes relistening a must. Curtis holds his own with strong covers of
many classics and when you are finished listening to this, you realize why
Aretha chose him as her opening act for this tour of tours. It is a solid worthy companion to the Aretha
set and is also more than worth your time.
The PCM
2.0 16bit/44.1kHz Stereo sound on both are very good, though the Aretha set is
notoriously know for some humming and feedback issues. Many years ago, when Mobile Fidelity Sound
Labs issued the concert in an aluminum audiophile CD just before they started
producing their famous 24K Gold CDs, they did what they could to eliminate the
noise. It is not treated the same way
here, but is not as bad here the way it exists.
Furthermore, many years after that disc went out of print, this CD does
sound better by advantage of the new transfer technology. The Curtis disc is also sounding good for its
age, both of which were produced by the legendary Arif Mardin, who also sadly
just passed away. Curtis co-produced his
album with Mardin, while fellow legend Jerry Wexler co-produced Aretha’s set.
This is
serious music history back and better than ever. Until SACD or DVD-Audio editions arrive,
these will be definitive for a while to come.
Don’t miss them.
- Nicholas Sheffo
