In memoriam: Howard Duane "Skydog" Allman November 20, 1946-October 29, 1971

With today marking 40 years since the death of Duane Allman, I thought it would be fitting to pay tribute to “Skydog’s” legacy, by highlighting arguably the greatest album the Allman Brothers put out.  “Live At Fillmore East” is probably the greatest live rock record in history, recorded at the Fillmore East in New York on March 12th and 13th 1971.  The record features the classic Allman Brothers lineup of Duane Allman and Dickey Betts on guitar, Gregg Allman on B3, Berry Oakley on bass, Butch Trucks and Jaimoe on drums, and special guests on some of the tracks including Thom Doucette on harmonica, Steve Miller on piano, and Elvin Bishop on guitar.

Where do I begin?  I have to admit this is probably my favorite record of all time.  There are some amazing musical things that happen on it.  The band needed freedom of a live record, so they decided (along with their legendary producer Tom Dowd) to make this record a reality and make it work. Here is the track listing in its entirety on the album (but in the updated version, some recordings come from a second date played at the Fillmore East on June 29th, 1971).

Allman Brothers Live @ Fillmore East Disc 1

1. Statesboro Blues              Blind Willie McTell

2. Trouble No More             McKinley Morganfield (Muddy Waters)

3. Don’t Keep Me Wonderin’ (feat. Thom Doucette: harp)                Gregg Allman

4. Done Somebody Wrong     (feat. Thom Doucette: harp)                 Elmore James

5. Stormy Monday                 (feat. Thom Doucette: harp)                  T Bone Walker

6. One Way Out                     Marshall Sehorn, Elmore James & Sonny Boy Williamson II.

7. In Memory Of Elizabeth Reed    Dickey Betts

8. You Don’t Love Me           (feat. Thom Doucette: harp)                  Willie Cobbs

9. Midnight Rider                   Gregg Allman

Allman Brothers Live @ Fillmore East Disc 2

1.       Hot ‘Lanta                   Gregg Allman, Duane Allman, Dickey Betts, Butch Trucks, Berry Oakley,

                                             Jai Johanny Johansson (Jaimoe)

2.       Whipping Post             Gregg Allman

3.       Mountain Jam (Theme from “There Is A Mountain”)

                                             Donovan Leitch, Gregg Allman, Duane Allman, Dickey Betts, Jai Johanny

                                             Johansson (Jaimoe), Butch Trucks 

 4.       Drunken Hearted Boy Elvin Bishop 

                                             (feat. Elvin Bishop: guitar, Steve Miller: piano, & Bobby Caldwell: percussion)

The guitar work on this album IS it’s hallmark and what put the Allman Brothers on the map.  The mastery of six string theory as it relates to the blues with Dickey Betts bluesy leads and the soaring, searing slide work that Duane Allman was known for, highlight the record entirely, alongside Gregg’s soulful vocals and B3 chops.  Admittedly, Doucette blowing harp on the three numbers he is featured on is another definite highlight, showing a nod to past legendary blues harmonica players.

Each song is a masterful display of the Allman Brothers ability to singularly interpret blues classics and, more importantly, to jam.  Betts’ “In Memory of Elizabeth Reed” in my estimation is a supercharged version of what jazz fusion artists like Miles Davis and later, Return to Forever, Weather Report and their ilk were trying to do, from a rock band.  The Allmans, along with Cream, Pink Floyd and other psychedelic bands, definitely can be counted in the fusion of freeform jazz and rock.  It’s just that the Allmans are also a pure blues band, whereas true fusion bands are in another realm altogether as I’ve explained in other record reviews. 

This record became the blueprint for the Allman’s sound.  Even though their lineup has undergone much change, they still rely on formulas founded on this recording.  They’d done two studio recordings before Duane determined that a live record was definitely a necessity, and Fillmore East delivered.  It may not have sold a tremendous amount of copies.  But the music really stands up.  It showcases another hallmark of the Allman Brothers, still found in their music today.  Like any jazz influenced improvisational band, they are able (particularly on “You Don’t Love Me”) to start on one song and let it morph into other songs or musical pieces

On “You Don’t Love Me”, Duane teases lines from King Curtis’ “Soul Serenade” and from “Joy To The World.”  “Midnight Rider” is in it’s expected format of a three minute radio number and was recorded during the band’s June date at the Fillmore East.

Disc two begins with “Hot ‘Lanta”, a jazzy instrumental, giving Gregg’s organ and the guitars plenty of room to jam and explore territory.  This song has also been a highlight of shows featuring the current ABB lineup with Derek Trucks and Warren Haynes on guitar.  The ending of the song is a rave up with guitar, organ and drums.

“Whipping Post” is next.  A fan calls out the song title and Duane is like “you guessed it.  Berry starts ‘er up.”  Then, bang!  The Allman Brothers rip into their signature bluesy lament with Gregg singing his heart out.  Four decades later, this song is still a showstopper whenever it is played.  It, like Liz Reed is very jazz oriented but also has a Led Zeppelin, Cream, or early Pink Floyd, psychedelic vibe to it.   It’s pure blues about a man being betrayed, lied to, cheated on and stolen from, by a supposed or ex lover.  Gregg sings:

Sometimes I feel

Like I’ve been tied to the whipping post

Tied to the whipping post

Tied to the whipping post

Good Lord I feel like I’m dying

Their track “Mountain Jam” based upon the theme from a movie called “There Is A Mountain” written by songwriter Donovan Leitch, follows a similar pattern to “Whipping Post”.  It ebbs and flows and has peaks and valleys varying in tempo and dynamics.  That’s a unique quality the Allman Brothers possess.  It’s an understanding of how dynamics affects the musical flow.  Tracks like "Whipping Post" and "Mountain Jam" just have to be heard to be believed.

The last cut on the album is the Elvin Bishop penned “Drunken Hearted                 Boy” whixh tells a story of someone who drinks whiskey to drown out their sorrows, but knows the habit might get them in trouble and make them pay the price with their life.  Some verses are:

I am a poor drunken hearted boy

I am a poor drunken hearted boy

I have a whole ocean of trouble

And just a little half a pint of joy

I drink ‘cause I’m worried

I don’t drink ‘cause I’m dry

I know if I keep on drinkin’

I’m liable to drink away my life

…And, the last verse,

Lord, if I keep on drinkin’

You know I can’t last too long

Lord, if I keep on drinkin’

You know I can’t last too 

When I’m dead and buried, please think about me when you hear this song

On “Drunken Hearted Boy”, Duane plays some of his best, most searing slide licks of all.  They, really cut through to the listener’s ears and their soul.  If you know blues music and blues guitar playing, something like that (the sound of a wailing electrified slide guitar or a skilled blues harmonica player), those sounds can cut right through to your soul. 

                 

Definitely check out this record.  Today, 40 years ago, Duane was killed in a motorcycle wreck when swerved to miss a truck on the highway, ditching his bike and hitting his head after his helmet flew off.  He was taken to the hospital, but couldn’t be revived.  Ironically and tragically, a year or so later, Allman Brothers bassist Berry Oakley died in a motorcycle wreck not far from where Duane’s occurred.  He ran into the side of a bus on his bike on November 11th, 1972. 

He felt fine after the wreck.  But, after experiencing bad headaches, it was discovered that the head trauma he suffered was serious and he passed away a couple days later.  These musicians were very influential and still are a huge part of the legacy of who the Allman Brothers are.  Rest in Peace, Duane Allman and Berry Oakley.

Record collection revisited: Herbie Mann "Push, Push"

Flautist Herbie Mann's 1971 record "Push Push" is an interesting amalgamation of R&B and jazz.  One would think that an instrument like the saxophone would fit into this equation.  Well, Mann thought differently and was an accomplished jazz flautist.  Several notable studio musicians played on this album and each song featured different band lineups but with most of the same players.  Guitarists Duane Allman (just profiled in the last entry), Cornell Dupree and David Spinoza, were joined by keyboardist Richard Tee (playing piano and organ), bassists Jerry Jemmott, Chuck Rainey and Donald "Duck" Dunn (from Booker T & the MG's), and drummers Bernard Purdie and Al Jackson Jr.

The record has a great groove on a lot of the songs especially on the first, and title track, "Push Push" where Tee, Allman, Rainey and Purdie all lock in on a great groove.  The same can be said for the last track called "Funky Nassau".  A lot of the other cuts are a bit mellower.  But, the musicians really play to serve the tunes.  The album cover is quite suggestive, however.  Mann was someone who wasn't afraid to deal with his sexuality through his music.  He was an open, free spirited individual.  The album cover shows a picture of Mann, bare chested and holding his flute over one shoulder.  There was some controversy with the picture of Mann on the album when it was first released because it seemed sexually explicit. 

Mann felt that the groove was the most important part of his music and that's the hallmark of the title cut of this record, "Push Push" as Chuck Rainey and Bernard Purdie really lock in with each other and at the same time, Herbie Mann and Duane Allman and Richard Tee contribute their own soulfulness to the song.  Allman's guitar solo is searing and is very representative of how he played in the Allman Brothers, albeit, this time, sans slide.

Mann had his own record label (Embryo Records) for which he record.  But, the label also featured other musicians such as legendary jazz bassist Ron Carter and original Weather Report bassist Miroslav Vitous (whose first solo record was released by Embryo).  Additionally, Mann is well known to have played with legendary Latin jazz musicians Antonio Carlos Jobim and Joao Gilberto.

1. Push Push
2. What's Going On
3. Spirit In The Dark
4. Man's Hope
5. If
6. Never Can Say Goodbye
7. What'd I Say
8. Funky Nassau

Despite the sheer repulsiveness (by some tastes) of the album cover, this record in terms of the musical material is definitely worth a listen, especially because of the grooves that do exist on most of the songs.  This record could be considered jazz fusion.  But it definitely has more of an R&B flavor if Mann's flute work is not taken into account and a listener just purely hears the interplay of the rhythm section, and Duane Allman's guitar work.

Record collection revisited: Al di Meola "Elegant Gypsy"

Since discovering Return To Forever in 2008, I have been enamored with the virtuosic guitar work of Al di Meola, whether it was during his stints with RTF or, in solo recordings.  The album "Elegant Gypsy" recorded in 1977 shows di Meola's dexterous virtuosity and ability to go places on a guitar that so many of us dream about.  Sure, there are contemporaries in the jazz fusion world now who have certainly drawn on di Meola's style.  But, his is still very much, unique.  A listener hears that on "Elegant Gypsy", being transferred to an instrumental landscape for a good 37 minutes.

He played with some accomplished artists on this album and that's another reason why it seems to have the sound it does.  RTF band mate Lenny White is on drums, along with the well known and great drummer Steve Gadd who has played on several artist's recordings (including with Eric Clapton, Paul McCartney, Steely Dan, Jim Croce, Paul Simon, Richard Tee, Stuff, James Taylor, Al Jarreau and others.  Jan Hammer plays keyboards and he's worked not only with di Meola, but also with Jeff Beck, Carlos Santana, Mahvishnu Orchestra, Stanley Clarke, Elvin Jones and Mick Jagger.

Bassist Anthony Jackson plays on this recording and he too, is a well traveled session musician.  Notable musicians he's worked with include di Meola, Steely Dan, Chick Corea, Roberta Flack, Billy Cobham, Chaka Khan, Dave Grusin, Wayne Krantz, Dave Grusin, Pat Metheny, The O'Jays, Buddy Rich, Dizzy Gillespie and Hiromi (to name a few).  The other most notable musician on "Elegant Gypsy" is flamenco guitar vituoso Paco de Lucia.  He has worked with di Meola and was in a trio with both he and John McLaughlin for a period of time.

de Lucia and di Meola play tandem classic guitar on the beautiful "Mediterranean Sundance" as well as on the suite "Lady of Rome"/"Sister of Brazil".  di Meola produced, directed and arranged the entire record.  It is a treat for the ears whether you are a fan of the flamenco influenced numbers or the full on, in-your-face virtuosic electric tracks played by di Meola on his black Gibson Les Paul Custom for most of the album.  di Meola has been known to play Les Paul's and Paul Reed Smith guitars for his electric work.  Every cut on this disc is a sonic adventure and some of it intermixes classical and electrified fusion styles.

An intriguing story came up about this very album.  My mother worked at an old department store called Donaldson's in the Twin Cities back in the '70s.  She had a friend who was in their audio department selling record consoles and the like.  Well, one of the records that happened to be demoed on those machines was a copy of "Elegant Gypsy" probably right when it was released in 1977.  That's pretty interesting.  The record still sounds fantastic 34 years later in CD form.  If you are an Al di Meola fan or a fan of Return To Forever (or even if you're not), check this one out.

It's a musical odyssey.  The track listing:

1. Flight Over Rio
2. Midnight Tango
3. Mediterranean Sundance
4. Race with the devil on the Spanish Highway
5. Lady of Rome/Sister of Brazil
6. Elegant Gypsy Suite

Record Collection Revisited: Steely Dan "The Royal Scam"

When I saw Steely Dan at the Minnesota State Fair back in August, they played maybe one song from "The Royal Scam".  Nonetheless, this 1976 recording is one of their best and is probably their most guitar driven record, with six string contributions from Larry Carlton, Elliott Randall, Dean Parks and Denny Dias in addition to Walter Becker.  The record has a darkness and ambiguity to the songs and their lyrics.  But, it also really brings guitar playing to the forefront which is why I have a fondness for it.  Some of the parts are very well played and not recommended to be touched by amateur pickers like myself unless they are REALLY confident in what their doing!  The most scintillating guitar work on the record has to be in the intro to "Don't Take Me Alive".  Larry Carlton starts by strumming out a chord on his distorted Gibson ES335 and letting it feed back with the amplifier absolutely cranked before absolutely flying across the fretboard and doing some insane bends, probably right on the top three strings.  It is something that has to be heard to be believed.

He returns to that form throughout the tune.  There are some other great guitar parts in several of the cuts on the record, but that's the most noteworthy in terms of sonic enjoyment.  Here is a list of the tracks and the list of solos on them.

1. Kid Charlemagne (guitar solo: Larry Carlton)
2. The Caves of Altimira (alto saxophone solo: John Klemmer)
3. Don't Take Me Alive (guitar solo: Larry Carlton)
4. Sign In Stranger" (guitar solo: Elliot Randall, piano solo: Paul Griffin)
5. The Fez (guitar solo: Walter Becker)
6. Green Earring (guitar solos: #1 Denny Dias, #2 Elliot Randall)
7. Haitian Divorce (guitar solo w/talkbox: Dean Parks, altered by Walter Becker)
8. Everything You Did (guitar solo: Larry Carlton)
9. The Royal Scam (guitar solo: Larry Carlton)


I won't give anything away about the song lyrics.  But, if you have a chance to listen to this record, also listen to the latter tracks on the record.  The writing is dark, but the songs are very well crafted instrumentally and lyrically.  Donald Fagan and Walter Becker are great writers and they were able to record with many well honed studio players and today, have a live band that can replicate the studio records to a T.  More of Steely Dan's work will likely be highlighted here in the future.  Stay tuned.

In memoriam: Lynyrd Skynyrd plane crash October 20th 1977

Today marks 34 years since the tragic plane crash in McComb, Mississippi that took the lives of three members of the southern boogie rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd and transformed it forever.  The plane leased by the band, an old Convair 240 twin piston prop passenger aircraft was in disrepair.  The motors were not working correctly and members of the band noticed this, but the pilots disregarded their concern and said, "we'll get to Greenville, South Carolina just fine."  Well, unfortunately, the plane never made it and ended up running out of fuel, crashing into a forest in McComb, Mississippi.  Survivors were hauled from the wreckage and treated for their injuries, but three members of the band (backup singer Cassie Gaines, her brother, guitarist Steve Gaines, and lead singer/bandleader Ronnie Van Zant), were all killed.  Other band members suffered several injuries.  The band did not perform again for a decade.

In 1987, they got back together with Ronnie's younger brother Johnny Van Zant leading the band which he still does to this day.  Their music is a raucous mix of guitar screaming rock and roll with healthy doses of country twang and blues thrown in.  Johnny Van Zant said years ago that it's pretty much country music, but played on the 10 setting of the amplifier dial.  I had the chance to see Skynyrd in concert in 2007 at the Target Center and everything about the performance was perfect.  They played all their hit songs and it was a stellar performance.  Unfortunately, after the plane crash, they were never quite the same.  Many of their other band members have also passed on including guitarist/songwriter Alan Collins, keyboardist and piano master Billy Powell (who could also wail on a Hammond B3), and their bassists Leon Wilkeson and Ean Evans.  The band is still together with newer members Johnny Van Zant, Ricky Medlocke (originally a member of another bluesy boogie band called Blackfoot and an original Skynyrd member), original guitarist Gary Rossington (the only surviving original member), and drummer Michael Cartellone.

The band has gone through several changes.  But, their style and countless records and songs still hold up.  They are staples of rock and roll radio and some of their numbers, frankly, are overplayed.  But that is not something that concerns diehard fans.  The songwriting genius was Ronnie Van Zant.  He could have been put down to being a typical redneck type guy.  But, the songwriting capability he had and the way he could put a listener into a song with a lyric, has a lot to do with the positive side of southern culture and really represents the landscapes where the band came from in Jacksonville, Florida.  No matter the criticism, Lynyrd Skynyrd (who has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame after years of trying to get in), they have secured their place in history.  They are and always will be a significant band in the history of rock and roll. 

Jaco Pastorius & John Scofield: "The Chicken" (their version & the original James Brown instrumental track)

John Scofield (a great jazz fusion guitarist) and the late, great, Weather Report bassist Jaco Pastorius, thrown down on a jam called "The Chicken".  Ironically, their version is a cover of the same cut originally done as an instrumental by James Brown's band.  Compare Scofield above, to Brown, below.

Record collection revisited: Gregg Allman "Low Country Blues"

The blues as a form of music (as I have explained briefly in this blog) is a very widespread form of music in terms of where it comes from, whether it's the delta in Mississippi, the hill country of Tennessee or throughout Texas, as well as the boom of Chicago urban blues in the '50s and '60s.  These ideas pertain to the album I am reviewing in this entry.  Gregg Allman (earlier this year) recorded a solo album (a rarity from him these days because of having a heavy touring schedule with the Allman Brothers which has lightened over the past couple years).  Allman was apparently given a list of thousands of songs in a hard drive to listen to by the record's producer (the well known T Bone Burnett) and chose twelve numbers to record.

The players on this album do their best to resurrect a sound that these songs could easily have had when they were originally recorded, relying heavily on guitar (obviously) (played by T Bone Burnett and Eric Clapton band/Arc Angels alum Doyle Bramhall II.), as well as Allman's signature Hammond B3 licks.  But, what is interesting is the use of upright bass (played by Dennis Crouch) and the drum arrangements by Jay Bellerose.  Bellerose plays with expert timing and right in the right spots, but his sound is so ancient and earthy almost.  Apparently, the secret of sorts is that he plays these vintage drum kits that have a certain sound because of being played and worn, that newer, more modern drum sets don't deliver.

Plus, Allman recruits the one and only Mac Rebennack (a.k.a. "Dr. John"), of "Right Place, Wrong Time" fame, to play piano on a lot of the songs if not the entire record.  He and Allman are good friends.  So, naturally, it had to work out.  There is one original song on the album in addition to all the blues covers.  It is a tune entitled "Just Another Rider" which Allman co-wrote with his band mate, guitarist Warren Haynes (who's newest record has also been featured here). 

This is a record that people who are not just Allman Brothers fans, but also, blues purists should truly check out, because it covers a lot of different eras and celebrates many artists, not to mention, truly showing Allman's capability as a singer which has been revived in the last decade or so since the Allman Brothers came back to life and toured heavily throughout the decade.  People argue that Allman is one of the greatest white blues singers of his generation, and (not to be biased, but I know I might be), I would agree with that claim.

This is a record definitely worth checking out.  Here's the track listing with the writing credits.

1. Floating Bridge (John Adam Estes)
2. Little By Little   (Melvin London)
3. Devil Got My Woman (Nehemiah "Skip" James)
4. I Can't Be Satisfied (McKinley Morganfield a.k.a. Muddy Waters)
5. Blind Man (Don D. Robey & Joseph Wade Scott)
6. Just Another Rider (Gregg Allman & Warren Haynes)
7. Please Accept My Love (B.B. King & Sam Ling)
8. I Believe I'll Go Back Home (Public Domain)
9. Tears, Tears, Tears (Amos Milburn)
10. My Love Is Your Love (Samuel Maghett)
11. Checking On My Baby (Otis Rush)
12. Rolling Stone (traditional)

In memoriam: William Joel "Taz" DiGregorio (keyboardist for the Charlie Daniels Band)

Here is an album profile I surely wanted to write, but not for the reasons that it turned out for.

I read some shocking news just today.  A favorite keyboard player of mine and a core of the Charlie Daniels Band has passed away, William Joel "Taz" DiGregorio.  He played with Charlie in two different bands (The Jaguars, and, The Charlie Daniels Band).  DiGregorio's deft skill at playing piano and Hammond B3 was a HUGE component of the CDB sound.  Nowhere was this more evident for me than when I saw the band in person in a free show at the Minnesota State Fair in 2003.  That show inspired me to pick up the electric guitar and also, introduced me (thanks to Taz's playing) to the glorious sound of the Hammond B3.  Taz was a gifted keyboardist, singer and songwriter.

I not only have a lot of the award winning and legendary CDB albums he appeared on, but also, a great solo album he recorded five years ago called "Shake Rag".  While the CDB has a definite country/blues boogie rock sound, Taz's keys and vocals brought the flavor of classic R&B and soul into the fold.  His chops on the B3 were incredible and in my opinion, he should be ranked right up there with some of the great B3 players of all time (Gregg Allman, Booker T. Jones and the late Billy Preston come to mind).  DiGregorio contributed definite writing credits to many of the CDB's hit songs in their catalog and Charlie considered him a real friend obviously.  It's hard to put into words what the band must be feeling, having lost a core member.  But, that can happen.  You are out on the road, looking to get to the next gig, and something completely unexpected comes up.

Taz will surely be missed by the CDB and their legions of fans.  He will be a hard one to replace.  In the spirit of remembering his talent, it is worthwhile mentioning the track listing from the "Shake Rag" album.  Here is the listing of very soulful and well written cuts off the album.

1. Shake Rag
2. Rampart Street
3. Living For The Moment
4. Sylvia
5. Lonely Hearted Man
6. Nothing Left But The Blues
7. Go On And Dream
8. Midnight At The Crossroads
9. When The Rain Comes Down

It is worth noting (and I still remember this), that "Rampart Street" was played as part of the CDB's set list at their show I witnessed at the Minnesota State Fair in 2003.  Refer to the official CDB website at www.charliedaniels.com for more information.  For the band, I cannot imagine what they have been through, because Charlie's other long serving bandmate (for 14 years between 1975 and 1989 and for many years after as a guest), guitarist Tommy Crain, also passed away earlier this year.  This CDB fan will always remember Tommy and Taz and their contributions to a great band.

First saw the CDB on an old rerun of Austin City Limits in 1981 which aired on CMT when they were more dedicated to music than they are now.  ...And all I have to say is, wow!  It was an inspiring performance in more ways than one.  Rest In Peace, Taz and Tommy.   

Record collection revisited: Allman Brothers Band "Hittin' The Note"

Ah, my favorite band of all time, the Allman Brothers.  I have been fortunate enough to see them in concert twice and have followed some of their concerts via a website they have called Moogis (www.moogis.com) which allows people to view some of their concerts from a spring marathon of shows they do in New York City each year.  Go check it out, but, it is subscription based.  Not trying to endorse anything per se.  That's the disclaimer.  Anyhow, their 2003 record "Hittin' The Note" (which is the latest album they've done as a band while individual members have put out more recent projects) is still a record that holds up to this day.  Once the band parted ways with their now retired from touring former guitarist, Dickey Betts (after some major disagreements), they were able to spread their wings and fly freely on Hittin' The Note.  This is when the guitar tandem of Warren Haynes and Derek Trucks REALLY began to take off.

Both of them contribute some stunning playing on this album and this is an album that influenced me in many ways to pick up a guitar and play.  It also showcases the Allman's trademark dual drummer setup as well as bandleader, Gregg Allman's deft keyboard work as he makes his Hammond B3 sing on most of the tracks, coupled with his gruff, but still very soulful vocal delivery.  Warren Haynes also takes lead vocals on a couple of the songs and like Allman, his voice is rough, but sweet.  He really showed his affinity for soul music beginning on this record and that carried over to his latest solo album ("Man In Motion") which was highlighted here some time ago.

A lot of the songs here paint vivid pictures, especially the ballad, "Desdemona" which is the third cut on the record and has become a staple of the Allman Brothers catalog.  Their vibrant cover of Freddie King's "Woman Across The River" (also a concert favorite), is a scorcher.  "Old Before My Time" is an autobiographical number in a way.  One has to wonder, because in reading about this album, I read someplace that Gregg Allman had said it took only two weeks or so to cut the entire record and that the band would cut at least one track a day!

That's pretty amazing.  Other highlights on the album include songs like "Who To Believe", the Warren Haynes (co-written with keyboardist/harmonica player/songwriter, Johnny Neel), number, "Maydell", "Rocking Horse" (a real live jam type number), and some other songs at the back end of the album, cement this record as one of the best the Allman Brothers has done.  Pardon me if I am showing bias towards this band.  But, I am also reiterating that point Allman made about it not only being cut quickly, but it was probably one of the best records the Allmans have done since Gregg's brother (legendary slide guitarist Duane Allman), was alive.

Casual and diehard ABB fans are encouraged to listen to this one.  It's a modern statement of the music of a band that has survived relatively intact for 42 years and is still going strong.  Hopefully they can make it a few more years in terms of touring and maybe, just maybe, put out one more new record in the not-too-distant future, that will be just as rewarding to listen to as "Hittin' The Note".

Track listing: Allman Brothers Band, "Hittin' The Note"

1. Firing Line
2. High Cost of Low Living
3. Desdemona
4. Woman Across The River (Freddie King cover)
5. Old Before My Time
6. Who To Believe
7. Maydell
8. Rocking Horse
9. Heart of Stone (a Rolling Stones cover)
10. Instrumental Illness
11. Old Friend

*Note.  I have recently graduated from college.  But, I have to say, during my early years as a confused, struggling and stressed out college student, the Allman Brothers' music was a definite stress buster and comfort to me, negotiating tasks that had to be done.

Widespread Panic

I saw a concert on TV in the wee wee hours of this morning (don't ask why TV stations broadcast shows at that time of the day, I have no idea).  But, HDNet broadcasted Widespread Panic's Tunes for Tots benefit concert and wow, what a show to behold, even on TV!  This band has been around for 25 years and they follow in the footsteps of their fellow Georgians, the Allman Brothers.  But, they are totally different.  They jam just as hard as the Allmans do and improvising is the big part of their sound, but, they have an incredible groove in some of their songs, too.  Since adding new band members a few years ago (Jimmy Herring on guitar and Jojo Herman on keyboards), they've really taken off.

I have a single compilation CD of their material from their earlier career.  It's a good one.  But this new lineup is amazing.  Herring's guitar playing is truly original.  He plays mostly Fender guitars (Stratocaster's and Telecaster's), through high powered amps and has the ability to make them really sing and have a sustaining quality that the tones of those guitars aren't always known for.  Just proves that sometimes it's the player, not the gear they use that makes things effective.  Herring's vibrato is almost violin like and is something that has to be heard to be believed.  Hermann is a solid keyboardist as well.  The rhythm section is Dave Schools on bass (who has mastered the art of groovy, funky bass in his own way), Todd Nance on drums and Sonny Ortiz on percussion/drums. 

They have many songs.  But the highlight in the set for me was hearing a more recent number that was put on their latest album "Dirty Side Down".  A track entitled "North".  Wow!  Their lead singer John Bell also plays guitar.  His vocals are something to get used to.  He has a gruff edge to what could very well be a more tenor sounding voice.  I can't really describe his style.  At first I didn't care for it, but now I've grown to accept it.  The show was a masterful display of their ability to jam.

So, if you have not heard of Widespread Panic, I urge you to check them out.  They are monsters when it comes to being able to throw down the jams.  But they do it in a totally unique way that is entirely their own.

"Bitches Brew" by Miles Davis (revisited)

In listening to disc two of the Miles Davis "Bitches Brew" album, I realize that in the post I wrote about it in September, I had completely neglected the track listing.  Well, FYI, here it is.

"Bitches Brew" Disc 1:

1.Pharaoh's Dance
2. Bitches Brew

"Bitches Brew" Disc 2:

1. Spanish Key
2. John McLaughlin
3. Miles Runs The Voodoo Down
4. Sanctuary
5. Feio

*Note: "Feio" is a bonus cut that was recorded during the original sessions for the record, but only added to the reissue CD as part of the Columbia Records Legacy Series. 

Record collection revisited: Booker T. Jones "Potato Hole"

I have been listening today to a great record by Booker T. Jones called "Potato Hole" which he released last year.  He did this album with country rockers The Drive-By Truckers consisting of Patterson Hood on guitar, Mike Cooley on guitar, John Neff on guitar and pedal steel guitar, Shonna Tucker on bass and Brad Morgan on drums.  For this record, Booker T. and the DBT's are joined by Neil Young on guitar and Lenny Castro on percussion.  This record is full of great instrumentals which Booker T is famous for.  He still plays with his band, the MG's as well.  I had the pleasure of seeing them play The Dakota Jazz Club in Minneapolis in summer 2010.  Booker T has been playing the Hammond B3 for a long, long time and is also adept (as he proves on this record) as a guitarist.  The MG's with Booker T, Steve Cropper on guitar, Donald "Duck" Dunn on bass and Steve Potts on drums, were also joined by soul songwriter Eddie Floyd for that concert.  Floyd wrote a huge number of songs covered by soul singers on the Stax label including for artists such as Wilson Pickett and Sam & Dave, and he sang on all of those songs backed by Booker T and the MG's at that show.

This record with the Drive-By Truckers is very different from the MG's.  But it is still musically adventurous, including a wicked take by Booker T on Outkast's song "Hey Ya" which was a hit a few years ago where he plays the entire thing on B3 backed by the band!  That's something to listen to.  Wow!  Check out this record.  It's a good one, especially for fans of instrumentals.  Track listing:

1. Pound It Out
2. She Breaks
3. Hey Ya
4. Native New Yorker
5. Nan
6. Warped Sister
7. Get Behind The Mule (a Tom Waits cover)
8. Reunion Time
9. Potato Hole
10. Space City

The Black Crowes

Ah, another profile of one of my favorite bands.  The Black Crowes, from Atlanta, Georgia.  These guys are now on a hiatus of sorts after a 20+ year career.  But what they managed to accomplish in that two decades is astonishing.  Brothers Chris and Rich Robinson head the band (Chris on vocals, harmonica and occasional guitar) and Rich on guitar and occasional vocals.  Their debut record in 1990 ("Shake Your Moneymaker"), was relatively successful.  The title was taken from a song of the same name by Chicago blues legend and slide guitarist, Elmore James. 

The band blends blues and soul with a healthy dose of influence from British groups like the Rolling Stones and The Faces.  Rich Robinson picked up quickly on a guitar style resembling that of Keith Richards and put his own spin on it.  But, the band also easily falls into the jam band realm because of their improvisation skills, right up there with their fellow Georgia blues rock pioneers, the Allman Brothers Band.  Live, the band can really stretch out and does fall into that "jam band" niche.  Although the term "jam band" is kind of a curse or a dirty description in the music biz.  Why?  I do not know.  Anyhow, the Crowes can jam with the best.  Robinson has anchored the guitar duties while drummer Steve Gorman has also been in the band for the long run.

Bassist Sven Pipien has been a part of the band through most of their formative years (as they started with another bassist, Johnny Colt).  They have had three main guitarists alongside Rich Robinson.  Jeff Cease, Marc Ford, and their latest axe slinger (concurrently a member of his own band, The North Mississippi Allstars), Luther Dickinson.  The Robinson/Dickinson tandem has probably been the most formidable.  Marc Ford also was a strong player during his tenure with the Crowes and interim guitarist Audley Freed (who came between Ford and Dickinson), also did well.

Dickinson's late father Jim was a keyboardist and well known southern roots musician and producer.  Dickinson produced the track "Wild Horses" for The Rolling Stones and played piano on it.  Luther's brother Cody Dickinson plays drums in the North Mississippi Allstars as well.  The Robinson's have also been involved in music for a long time.  Their early albums were very raucous, uptempo and yet bluesy affairs while some of their later work ("Warpaint" in 2008 and "Before The Frost"/"Until The Freeze") in 2009, took more song oriented turns.  "Warpaint" though is very energetic, especially in the guitar interplay between Robinson and Dickinson.

It should be noted that three keyboard players have also been a part of the band.  Early on, Chuck Leavell (legendary organ and piano player who has worked with the Allman Brothers, Eric Clapton, and, The Rolling Stones), anchored the keyboards before their longest serving keyboardist Ed Harsch joined the band in 1992.  In 2006, Harsch and Marc Ford were let go from the band for some reason.  But, new keyboardist Adam MacDougall (who joined in 2008 for "Warpaint" at the same time as Luther Dickinson), revitalized the band.

Their live shows were pretty incredible.  I have seen them in person twice and was impressed both times.  They are a true blues/rock band playing a lot of their own songs and covers that aren't too obvious, that they put their own stamp on.  They are now on hiatus and it remains to be seen when they'll get back together.  But, check out their material.  You won't be disappointed with what you hear.  Particularly recommended:

"Shake Your Moneymaker" (1990)
"The Southern Harmony & Musical Companion" (1992)
"Amorica" (1994)
"Greatest Hits: A Tribute to a Work In Progress (1990-1999) (2000)
"Warpaint" (2008)
"Before The Frost & Until The Freeze" (2009)
"Croweology" (2010) (a 2 disc record of reworked acoustic and semi electric performances of some of their best known and loved songs).

The Black Crowes will hopefully be a part of the lexicon of rock and roll as a great band, should their career continue after this undisclosed hiatus they are currently on.  Fans can only hope that things do continue for the band.  They are survivors and their music is testimony to that.

record collection revisited: Warren Haynes "Man In Motion"

Warren Haynes' latest record ("Man In Motion") is a departure for this great guitarist who is concurrently a member of the Allman Brothers Band, Gov't Mule, and, The Dead (with original Grateful Dead members Bob Weir and Phil Lesh).  On "Man In Motion" Haynes revisits his roots which were drawn from southern R&B and soul music he heard in his youth.  His phenomenal guitar playing chops are still well represented and strong.  Haynes is one of the most soulful guitarists of his generation, and his singing voice matches his guitar playing in a muscular, gritty way.

For "Man In Motion" Haynes assembled a band of A list musicians including Ivan Neville from Dumpstaphunk and the New Orleans Social Club on B3, Clavinet and Wurlitzer electric piano, George Porter (from The Meters) on bass, Ian McLagan (keyboardist from The Faces) on B3 and Wurlitzer, Raymond Weber on drums and Ruthie Foster on backing vocals.  Haynes' band also features tenor saxophonist Ron Holloway.  Holloway started out with R&B bands and eventually worked his way to playing stints with Gil Scott Heron, Dizzy Gillespie and sitting in with Derek Trucks, Little Feat, Susan Tedeschi and Devon Allman & Honeytribe, over the last decade.

The album is very strong and though at it's core lies soul and R&B music, a lot of the numbers are real rock tunes as well, that have good meat on them both lyrically and sonically.  "Man In Motion" is autobiographical for Haynes in a way to be sure.  "River's Gonna Rise" has a positive message, advocating change from struggles into triumphs.  "Everyday Will Be Like A Holiday" is a soul classic cover originally done by William Bell.

 Haynes is a great lyricist as well, writing songs for this album and with Gov't Mule and the Allman Brothers. Writing highlights on this album include the cuts "Man In Motion", "Sick of My Shadow", "On A Real Lonely Night", "Hattiesburg Hustle" and "A Friend To You".  For any fans of those bands and of soul music in general, though this album is supercharged, it's worth checking out.  The track listing is:

1. Man In Motion
2. River's Gonna Rise
3. Everyday Will Be Like a Holiday
4. Sick of My Shadow
5. Your Wildest Dreams
6. On A Real Lonely Night
7. Hattiesburg Hustle
8. A Friend To You
9. Take a Bullet
10. Save Me

Give the album a listen.  It's classic, bluesy soul music at it's best.