King Curtis Live At Fillmore West CD

Recorded live at The Fillmore West, San Francisco, California. Originally released on Atco (359) in 1971. Includes liner notes by David Nathan.

In March 1971, Aretha Franklin and King Curtis played a three-night stand at San Francisco's legendary venue, the Fillmore West. An LP of selections from tenor sax legend Curtis's opening sets was released in August of that year. Tragically, less than a week later Curtis was murdered in New York City. In 2004, the specialist collectors' label Rhino Handmade released a four-disc box set containing full sets of all three nights; this expanded edition of King Curtis's LIVE AT FILLMORE WEST is taken from those remasters, adding five tracks to the LP's original nine songs including a version of George Harrison's "My Sweet Lord," featuring the organ and vocals of Billy Preston. The set list consists almost entirely of torrid soul-jazz workouts of pop and rock tunes from the era, from Bobbie Gentry's "Ode To Billie Joe" to Led Zeppelin's "Whole Lotta Love."

After the issue of the four-disc complete Aretha Franklin/King Curtis Live at Fillmore West concerts on the limited-edition Internet-only Rhino Handmade, the label has seen fit to release the original albums by Curtis and Franklin separately, with bonus cuts on each set for the masses. The original Live at Fillmore West was a double LP, so this double set is rounded out and expanded with cuts not used on the original. First, the band: the Memphis Horns, Billy Preston, Cornell Dupree, and Bernard Purdie are in the ranks for this set, already making it a must-hear. Given that this recording was a classic in its own right, this treatment by Rhino is not only proper and fitting but delightful. Disc one features a completely remastered version of the original disc. Listeners familiar will be delighted with the sound and immediacy of the performance on this CD. The somewhat throwaway "Memphis Soul Stew" was designed to tease -- at least for the first six minutes. From then on, this is a burning, gritty, freewheeling performance of the highest order. The band was clearly excited and it shows. Whether they are ripping through "Whole Lotta Love," "Them Changes," and "Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours," simmering up to the boiling point on "A Whiter Shade of Pale" and "Mr. Bojangles," or getting downright spooky on "Ode to Billie Joe," the effect is the same: deep, funky soul that turns these tunes inside out and reflects an emotional core not revealed in the originals. And if you thought Curtis was a lightweight, this is an opportunity to change your mind. He was a formidable saxophonist with a sweet, high tone who could dig the very guts out of the horn when he want

All tracks have been digitally remastered.

Deluxe Edition

Producer: King Curtis, Arif Mardin.

Reissue producer: Dave Nives.

Personnel: King Curtis (soprano saxophone, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone); King Curtis (saxophone); Lou Collins, Andrew Love (tenor saxophone); Jimmy Mitchell (baritone saxophone); Roger Hopps, Wayne Jackson (trumpet); Jack Hale (trombone); The Memphis Horns (horns); Truman Thomas (electric piano); Jerry Jemmott (electric bass); Pancho Morales (congas); Cornell Dupree (guitar); Billy Preston (organ); Bernard "Pretty" Purdie (drums).

Audio Mixers: Cheryl Pawelski; Brian Kehew.

Audio Remasterer: Dan Hersch.

Audio Remixers: Gene Paul; Jimmy Douglass.

Liner Note Author: David Nathan.

Recording information: Fillmore West, San Francisco, CA (03/05/1971-03/07/1971).

Editors: Cheryl Pawelski; Dan Hersch; Brian Kehew.

Photographer: Jim Marshall .

Arranger: King Curtis.

Personnel: King Curtis (soprano, alto & tenor saxophones); Cornell Dupree (guitar); Lou Collins (tenor saxophone); Jimmy Mitchell (baritone saxophone); Roger Hopps (trumpet); Jack Hale (trombone); Truman Thomas (electric piano); Billy Preston (organ); Jerry Jemmott (electric bass); Bernard Purdie (drums); Pancho Morales (congas).

The Memphis Horns: Andrew Love (tenor saxophone); Wayne JaRolling Stone (p.100) - 4 stars out of 5 -- "[A] hard-grooving live disc from 1971. It features Texas hornman Curtis stretching out on Led Zeppelin's 'Whole Lotta Love' and Stevie Wonder's 'Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I'm Yours)'..."