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RATINGS: A = must own B = buy it C= average
D = yawn F = puke |
The Allman Brothers – S.U.N.Y. at Stoneybrook,
NY
9/19/71
The Allman Brothers Band Recording Company
Rating: B+
This is the second time the Allman Brothers have
dared to dip into their archives and release past
concerts. The tunes contained on this double disc
are every bit reminiscent of the legendary
Fillmore gigs the band performed and released
the same year.
In
September of 1971, the band was riding high
as both fans and critics were gloating over the
band. The Allman Brothers could
do no wrong. The concerts they
were performing were magical, mixing the blues with
the twin harmony licks, and an amazing rhythm
section. Gregg Allman was
singing like there was no tomorrow and the band were
balancing the fine line between impromptu jamming
and musical chaos, all the while being blasted out
of their minds on stage. It was
a glorious time for rock n’ roll and thank the Rock
Gods that the tapes were rolling on this night.
The concert recorded here was the fifth time the
Brothers has graced the State University of
New
York. They were loved by
the students and the concert was a true celebration
of the musical climate of the day.
Highlights of disc one include a twenty-five
minute version of “You Don’t Love Me” which sees
guitarists Dickie Betts and Duane Allman bashing out
licks back and forth before they jump into an
instrumental phrase from “Joy to the World” that
leads to the end of the song.
Elsewhere on disc one is a killer version of Bett’s
classic “Blue Sky.” This was
introduced as “a new song that some of you probably
haven’t heard.” By the end of
the tune the crowd is cheering like it was one of
the bands biggest hits, something that it would end
up being.
Not all of the glory belongs to the first disc as
the real treat of this treasure are the two massive
jam songs “Dreams” and “In Memory of Elizabeth
Reed.” Each of these two
classics are elongated to over 19 minutes each.
What results is unbelievable musicianship
between the guitarists on “Dreams” and the entire
band on “Elizabeth Reed.”
The Allman Brothers were perhaps the best live rock
band on the planet in 1971.
Sadly, it would only be a short time before Duane
was killed in a traffic accident.
Hearing Duane yell out “Dickie Betts…WHOO” at
the end of “Blue Sky” is eerily sad.
The world lost one of the greats when Duane
died and it is with mixed emotions one hears his
voice on this unearthed gem of a recording.
Bottom line: Buy it and play it loud and often.
By Jeb Wright
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