The Allman Brothers Band "In Memory of Elizabeth Reed"

This song took me to another world.  I have been a fan of the Allman Brothers Band for many years, having had the good fortune of being able to see them in concert, twice, locally at the Minnesota State Fair in both 2004 and 2007.  But, there is one particular number they do that changed how I look at music completely.  "In Memory of Elizabeth Reed" is a track that takes improvisation and that sense of technical virtuosity to new heights.  Only Cream and Pink Floyd probably had this extraordinary level of mastery in improvisation when it came to rock bands.  These players were trying to link the elements that made jazz great into modern rock and roll and did a darn good job of it.

Here is an example of how "Elizabeth Reed" in it's own way did such a thing.  The song was incidentally named for a headstone that original ABB guitarist Dickey Betts saw in a cemetery that simply said, "In Memory of Elizabeth Reed" on it and then he set out to write a tune that had all the elements of a classic jazz track by a master such as Miles Davis or John Coltrane. Betts said he wanted to name the tune for a girlfriend of his, but he could not bring himself to divulge the secrecy of his relationship to that woman.  So, he ended up using the name on the headstone.

This version is from the 40th anniversary New York residency the Allman Brothers played in 2009 at the Beacon Theatre, with special guest, Eric Clapton, adding his own fantastic flair to the tune.  This track is timeless.  ...And, for this version on their 40th anniversary run two years ago, having Clapton sit in was truly icing on the cake!

Check it out. 

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