July 2006
Live at the Filmore West
Live at the Filmore West sees both Aretha Franklin and King Curtis successfully adapting to the changing tides of music around the time of its initial release in 1971. Atlantic Records executive Jerry Wexler arranged a series of live dates at the Filmore West in an effort to turn "the longhairs"(Wexler's words) onto soul music. The resulting live albums were chart toppers in their time, and their re-release this week in deluxe CD editions reveals why - years later these performances still ooze with the energy and emotion of two artists at their peak.
Curtis' opening set is all rhythm and anticipation. The band of veteran session musicians sounds deep in the pocket and funky throughout, featuring an expanded horn section and guest-organist Billy Preston, blatting and swirling 
deliciously behind Curtis' understated melodies. Things take a vaguely psychedelic turn about halfway through, where, if I'm not mistaken, Curtis starts running his sax through a wah-wah pedal. It's a juicy, thick sound, no doubt pleasing the hippy-heavy crowd. His arrangement and band leading skills are on full display, especially on the longer tracks "Memphis Soul Stew" and "Them Changes" where the band really stretches out. Other songs feel slightly truncated, cut-off just when a good groove is forming, specifically the covers of current pop songs of the time such as Led Zeppelin's "Whole Lotta Love" and Stevie Wonder's "Signed, Sealed, Delivered". However, this is forgivable considering that the band was warming up for the main event as Aretha's backing band, and the set as a whole is more than satisfactory. This expanded edition also features bonus tracks not included on the original album, including unreleased takes and a soulful rendition of George Harrison's "My Sweet Lord" sung by Billy Preston.
Where Curtis' set takes it's time to establish a mood, the Queen herself comes out full force with a blazing, nearly double-time "Respect" and hardly lets up for the next hour or so. The performance remains high energy, even when she slows things down, as on a gorgeous gospel-tinged reading of Simon and Garfunkel's "Bridge Over Troubled Water" and her own "Dr. Feelgood". The set reaches a peak with an emotional 19-minute reprise of "Spirit in the Dark", featuring an unscheduled duet and piano solo by Ray Charles. Aretha's deluxe edition contains a much-deserved full second disc of bonus material, mostly the same songs from different nights, but in equally energetic versions. Nearly every song here is a highlight, and the crowd is clearly in rapture… the longhairs were fully convinced, and so was I. Highly Recommended.
Reviewed for Coffeerooms by G.Mazz - Talk about it here
Posted July 14, 2006 Permalink
