George Harrison Concert For Bangladesh CD

Personnel: George Harrison (vocals, guitar); Eric Clapton, Bob Dylan (vocals, guitar); Billy Preston (vocals, organ); Leon Russell (vocals, keyboards); Ringo Starr (vocals, drums); Jesse Ed Davis , Joey Molland (guitar); Pete Ham (acoustic guitar); Ravi Shankar (sitar); Jim Horn (saxophone); Klaus Voormann, Tom Evans , Carl Radle (bass instrument); Jim Keltner, Mike Gibbins (drums); Don Preston (background vocals).
Hands down, this epochal concert at New York's Madison Square Garden -- first issued on three LPs in a handsome orange-colored box -- was the crowning event of George Harrison's public life, a gesture of great goodwill that captured the moment in history and, not incidentally, produced some rousing music as a permanent legacy. Having been moved by his friend Ravi Shankar's appeal to help the homeless Bengali refugees of the 1971 India-Pakistan war, Harrison leaped into action, organizing on short notice what became a bellwether for the spectacular rock & roll benefits of the 1980s and beyond. The large, almost unwieldy band was loaded with rock luminaries -- including Beatles alumnus Ringo Starr, Eric Clapton, Badfinger, and two who became stars as a result of their electric performances here, Leon Russell ("Jumpin' Jack Flash"/"Youngblood") and Billy Preston ("That's the Way God Planned It"). Yet Harrison is in confident command, running through highlights from his recent triumphant All Things Must Pass album in fine voice, secure enough to revisit his Beatles legacy from Abbey Road ...