Best Of Edgar Winter CD

Recorded between 1970 and 1981. Includes liner notes by Edgar Winter and Lawrence Cohn.

While some might argue that one reasonably well-compiled Edgar Winter best-of is enough, Sony Legacy follows Rhino's 1986 Collection with this 2002 edition, which only shares six tracks with its predecessor. With liner notes and involvement from Winter, this might be a little closer to what he would like to be remembered by, and since all of his best work was recorded for Epic, there are no cross-licensing issues complicating matters. But that doesn't mean it's better. There are some major differences; Rhino chose the 17-minute live "Tobacco Road" from Roadwork, while this sticks with the shorter studio version from the Entrance album. The Best of Edgar Winter also nabs two other tunes from that debut, which Winter is clearly proud of according to his album notes. But neither the title track nor the jazzy seven-minute "Fire and Ice" gels with the rockin' gospel of White Trash or the pop/rock of They Only Come out at Night, making the sequencing rough going. The cheesy disco of "It's Your Life to Live" has not aged well and its inclusion here is puzzling, especially when nothing from the relatively well-received Shock Treatment album is included. "Rock and Roll Revival" seems forced and stiff, yet picking "Harlem Shuffle" from Edgar and Johnny Winter's only joint album, Together, is a smart addition. Oddly neither disc selected Edgar Winter's live version of "Rock and Roll, Hootchie Koo," a perplexing omission. Since this new compilation doesn't improve on Rhino's, its appearance is difficult to understand. While the sound quality might be slightly crisper due to technological improvements over the years, there's no other reason to choose this over the previous version, which, as of its appearance in 2002, was still in print and track for track is a more enjoyable listen. ~ Hal Horowitz

All tracks have been digitally remastered.

Compilation producer: Lawrence Cohn.

Personnel: Edgar Winter (vocals, saxophone, alto saxophone, piano, celesta, Clavinet, organ, keyboards, ARP synthesizer, timbales, background vocals); Dan Hartman (vocals, electric guitar, keyboards, background vocals); Jerry Lacroix (vocals, tenor saxophone); Mike McLellan (vocals, trumpet); Ronnie Lawson (vocals, keyboards); Monique Winter (vocals); Floyd Radford, Randal Dolanon, Craig Snyder, Al Ferrante, Johnny Winter, Rick Derringer, Ronnie Montrose (guitar); Gene Cahn, Selwart Richard Clark, Arnold Eidus, Ralph Oxman, Alfred Brown , Max Pollikoff, George Ricci, Gene Orloff, Paul Gershman, Emanuel Green (strings); Jon Smith (saxophone, tenor saxophone, background vocals); Marshall Cyr (trumpet); Brooks Tillotson, Earl Chapin, Ray Alonge (French horn); George Sheck (bass guitar); Greg Carter (drums, percussion); Keith Benson, Jimmy Gillen, Bobby Ramirez , "Uncle" John Turner , Richard Hughes, Chuck Ruff (drums); Larry Washington (percussion); Albertine Robinson, Carl Hull, Maretha Stewart, Janice Bell, Tasha Thomas, Eileen Gilbert (background vocals).

Liner Note Authors: Edgar Winter; Lawrence Cohn.

Photographers: Baron Wolman; David Gahr; Sandy Speiser.

Personnel includes: Edgar Winter (vocals, alto saxophone, piano, celeste, Clavinet, organ, keyboards, ARP synthesizer, timbales); Dan Hartman (vocals, electric guitar, keyboards, bass); Jerry La Croix (vocals, tenor saxophone); Rick Derringer (guitar, slide guitar); Johnny Winter (guitar, background vocals); Ronnie Montrose, Floyd Radford (guitar); Gene Orloff, Emanuel Green, Alfred V. Brown (strings); Jon Smith (tenor saxophone); Mike McLellan (trumpet); Ray Alonge (French horn); James "D Train" Williams, Randy Jo Hobbs, George Sheck (bass); Chuck Ruff (drums, congas, background vocals); John Turner (drums); Tasha Thomas, Janice Bell, Carl Hull (background vocals).

Producers include: Rick Derringer, Edgar Winter, Johnny Winter, Tom Moulton.