Al Kooper & Friends
Dave Mason, Stephen Stills, Gene Clark, David Crosby, and Jackson Browne
The Roxy
Hollywood, CA
4 July 87

Early & Late shows

Audience Tape > Trade > Goldwave Volume Boost and Track Splitting > Media Monkey cda to flac conversion

This concert is quite the happening as you'll read below. A unique, once-in-a-lifetime event for all these stars to be assembled like this. I think this is a "must-have" show. That said, there are quite a few anomolies on the tape -- some drops, some cut interludes, some repeating fragments (especially on the talking parts), some sound incongruities, odd volume fluctuations and even spices from different sources - and while these don't detract from the show at all, they are present. And if you're looking for the perfect show with no flaws, please keep looking!

Al Kooper was quite the star - then and now. He's a rock icon and probably a legend.  He wrote many songs including the 1960 number 1 smash hit for Gary Lewis & the Playboys, This Diamond Ring. His most famous performance oddly enough was a short organ intro on Bob Dylan's Like A Rolling Stone. Some people believe that he joined Bob Dylan's band and played many gigs with him but I'm pretty sure that Kooper never toured with Dylan.

In 1965 he founded The Blues Project in 1965 with Steve Katz and then Blood Sweat and Tears also with Steve Katz, produced by Chicago's producer, James William Guercio. Kooper left the band (or was kicked out?) to be a producer for Columbia Records. It was at this time, he cut the famous record Super Session with Mike Bloomfield and Stephen Stills. He continued his session work for major artists until the 80's and now teaches music at the Berklee College of Music in Boston, and plays weekend concerts with his bands The ReKooperators and The Funky Faculty.

This particular concert catches Al Kooper doing a benefit for an unknown charity. That in itself is a little odd don't you think - several hours of music and not one person mentions the charity? Regardless, it must have been a big deal because the line up is incredible and the guests are all stars in their own right. Bill Payne never gets mentioned but he's a founding force of Little Feat, one of the best bands ever.

I do want to call your attention to D2T8, A Fool for Your Stockings, because it's an especially bone-crushing song. It's actually a ZZ Top song penned by Frank Beard. What is normally a fairly benign concert takes an incredible turn for the fantastic. The session guitarist, Howard "Buzzy" Feiten steps out and wails on this cut. The other band members, David Crosby and Jackson Browne are in utter amazement, and both the band and the crowd can be heard pushing Buzzy on. This particular cut draws the biggest applause of the night. So while Buzzy isn't a household name, it's not too surprising. He was the guitarist for Paul Butterfield, Stevie Wonder, his own group Full Moon and more recently with drummer Dave Weckl. Quite the pedigree to wail away!!

Early Show   1. Goin' Down to Louisiana   2. I Feel Good - glitch at start   3. You Don't Love Me   4. Red House   5. When a Man Loves a Woman   6. The Great Pretender   7. The Harder They Come   8. Feeelin' Allright   9. Stormy Monday 10. All Along the Watchtower 11. Dear Mr. Fantasy Late Show 12. Talk

1. I Wish You Would   2. All Along the Watchtower   3. Dear Mr. Fantasy   4. Love the One You're With   5. Hot Burrito   6. Why Did You Leave Me Today   7. Set You Free This Time   8. A Fool For Your Stockings   9. Goin' Down to Louisiana 10. Long Time Gone 11. Band Introductions 12. I Got You

1.  Talk 2. The Stealer 3. You Don't Love Me Bill Payne - Keyboards Bob Glaub - Bass Buzzy Feiten - Guitar Ian Wallace - Drums Darrell Leonard - Trumpet Ron Viola - Saxophone Benmont Tench - Organ Al Kooper - Keyboards

 

return