The Allman Brothers: The Colossal Mess Of “The Allman Brothers Band At Fillmore East” (1971)

From allaboutjazz.com

While the recent release of Eat a Peach, Deluxe Edition is a most welcome addition to the Allman Brothers Band discography, it incandescently illuminates the pornographically haphazard release history of this important material. The original two-LP release was largely culled from a series of four shows performed on March 12 and 13, 1971 at New York City’s Fillmore East Auditorium. Since that time At Fillmore East has seen multiple releases on compact disc, each with differing levels of sonic cleansing and digital alchemy.

While a superior musical document in itself, At Fillmore East existed as a robust torso, not fully complete and, ultimately realized. Retrospectively, several songs recorded from the March 1971 Fillmore concerts not included on At Fillmore East are found strewn across Eat A Peach (“Trouble No More” and “Mountain Jam”), Duane Allman: An Anthology (“Don’t Keep Me Wondering”), Duane Allman: An Anthology, Volume 2 (“Midnight Rider”), and The Allman Brothers Band: Dreams (“Drunken-Hearted Boy”). “One Way Out” which appeared first on Eat a Peach was the only song not actually recorded March 1971. It was recorded on June 27, 1971 at the final Fillmore concert before the hall closed. “One Way Out” had been performed during the March shows, but producer Tom Dowd felt that the June performance was definitive. Prior to the release of The Fillmore Concerts in 1992, this discography accounted for all of the music in release from the famous March 1971 shows.

The Fillmore Concerts (1992) contained the first unreleased material from the Allman’s famous stand at the Fillmore. Perhaps the greatest difference between At Fillmore East and The Fillmore Concerts outside of the additional material added is the digital editing on “In Memory of Elizabeth Reed” and “You Don’t Love Me,” combining the superior pieces of the multiple takes of each performed during the four shows. Needless to say, this was controversial. This bit of Tom Dowd wizardry also magnifies an additional issue to be considered: the amount of material drawn upon for the extant releases.

History documents that two shows each were performed on not only Friday, March 12th and Saturday, March 13th, the dates from which the bulk of the material was drawn but also Thursday, March 11th. If we consider the 13 songs making up At Fillmore East Deluxe Edition (the most complete document yet released) as an typical performance during this period, then there exists ostensibly 52 tracks of performances for March 12th and 13th, and 78 tracks if the March 11th shows are included. Tom Dowd would have undoubtedly recorded all of this material for the live album release, not to mention the entire show performed on June 27, 1971 that captured the released “One Way Out from the closing of the Fillmore East. This suggests a huge amount of unreleased material from a historically important period in American musical history.

The release of Eat a Peach, Deluxe Edition indeed provides some of this unreleased material. However, all of this newly released material is oddly derived from the June 27, 1971 closing show, making the entire At The Fillmore picture frustrating. In light of the 2005 release of Joe Cocker Mad Dogs and Englishmen The Complete Fillmore East Concerts documenting all of Joe Cocker’s four Fillmore East shows from Friday, March 27th and Saturday, March 28th, 1970, an equally valuable and important series of concerts, one must believe the Allman Brother’s handlers at Universal Music Group could provide the public a similar, all-inclusive product.

Certainly by 1970s standards this material should have been edited and only the best material (as deemed at the time) released. For example, the Allman Brothers Band Website, in that site’s Set List section notes that on Thursday, March 11, the Allman Brothers used a horn section in the show. Legend has it that Tom Dowd played the tapes back for the band and they were so bad that Dowd and the band felt none of the material should be released. This anecdotal story is supported in Randy Poe’s recently published Skydog: The Duane Allman Story (Backbeat Books, 2006) while being completely ignored (as was the entire Thursday, March 11, 1971 show) in Scott Freeman’s Midnight Riders: The Story of the Allman Brothers Band (Little, Brown & Co., 1995). AT the very least a mixed picture emerges as to which material was archived and which was not. It would be historically interesting at the very least to hear these tapes.

However, these performances are historical documents. At Fillmore East is considered by this and other writers as one of the greatest, if not the greatest Rock Live recording ever made. In listening to the previously unreleased material included on Eat a Peach, Deluxe Edition, it becomes abundantly clear that all of this music is worthy of hearing and documenting, regardless of previous production prejudice. Universal, do the right thing and release all of the available tapes of these shows.

Allman Brothers: At Fillmore East (1971)

From allaboutjazz.com

The Blues is atomic music in the respect that as a part of American Popular Music it is an indivisible element, one that cannot be deconstructed. The Blues is a part of every genre of popular music: Rock, R&B, Jazz, Country, Bluegrass, and Rap. How did the blues insinuate itself into every popular form of American Music? By being pulled through and interpreted by the experiential filter of those musicians talented enough to understand and perform it.

After the birth of the blues in the Mississippi Delta, it journeyed up Highway 61 to Chicago during the great migration of southern African Americans of the 1940s and became electrified. After further development in Chicago, the Blues hopped a cargo plane for Europe where it incubated with British working class youth. When it returned to the United States, the blues took the form of The Beatles, Rolling Stones, The Animals, John Mayall and the Blues Breakers, and Led Zeppelin, (after whom rock music was never the same). Upon arriving back in the United States, the music returned to the South and showed up in Macon Georgia at the home of Duane and Gregg Allman. The Allmans grew up in a culturally and musically rich period and region. While Gregg excelled on the guitar and keyboards and developed a distinctive, readily identifiable vocal style, it was Duane who was to be the true innovator. Duane Allman was to become the premier slide guitarist in the same way that Jimi Hendrix had become the premier electric guitarist before their early deaths.

After the demise of the brothers’ fledgling bands The Second Coming and Hourglass, Duane and Gregg Allman formed their now famous self-titled band. In March and June of 1971, the Allman Brother Band performed at the fabled Fillmore East auditorium in New York City, recording the concerts. The announcer’s, “Okay, The Allman Brothers Band…” followed by three hi-hat claps introduce the brother’s masterpiece, perhaps the most coherent and perfectly integrated rock/blues performance on record.

The original release was taken from a March 12 and 13, 1971 series of shows under the title, The Allman Brothers Band at Fillmore East. This recording was originally released on vinyl and has seen at multiple releases on compact disc with various stages of sonic cleansing. While a great musical document, The Allman Brothers Band at Fillmore East remains a robust torso, not fully complete. Songs from the Fillmore concerts not included on The Allman Brothers Band at Fillmore East are found strewn across Eat A Peach (“Trouble No More,” “One Way Out” and “Mountain Jam”), Duane Allman: An Anthology (“Don’t Keep Me Wondering”) and The Allman Brothers Band: Dreams (“Drunken-Hearted Boy”).

It was not until the release of The Allman Brothers Band: The Fillmore Concerts that all of the Fillmore performances were collected in one release. “One Way Out” was the only song not actually recorded on March 12^th or 13^th. It was recorded on June 27, 1971 at the last Fillmore concert before the hall closed. “One Way Out” had been performed during the March shows, but producer Tom Dowd felt that the June performance was the definitive one. This re-collection of all of the songs from the Fillmore shows is the first reason I chose to include The Allman Brothers Band: The Fillmore Concerts rather than the original The Allman Brothers Band at Fillmore East. A second reason was that this re-collection conveniently brought together the songs that completely define the Allman Brothers Band sound and illustrate the effect of that sound on the Blues and its offshoot, Southern Rock.

From the opening bars of Willie McTell’s “Statesboro Blues,” The Allman Brothers Band: The Fillmore Concerts is an electric blues/rock exhibition. The survey includes Texas Blues (“Stormy Monday”), Chicago Blues (“Trouble No More”), and Mississippi Delta Blues (“Done Somebody Wrong”). In addition to cover material, the Allmans include the originals “In Memory of Elizabeth Reed” and their definitive blues statement, “Whipping Post.” These songs are propelled by a dual lead guitar and drums format and the fat sound of a Hammond B3 organ. The effect is one of a “Wall of Sound.” It is a sound that is immediately identifiable with the Allman Brothers Band.

The true brilliance of this live recording is in the shorter pieces. The longer pieces (“Whipping Post,” “You Don’t Love Me,” and “Mountain Jam”) have their moments, but those moments are diluted in the self-indulgent noodling typical of many 1970’s live performances. If The Allman Brothers Band: The Fillmore Concerts contained only “Statesboro Blues,” “Stormy Monday” and “One Way Out,” it would still have a place as one of the finest live recordings ever released.

“Statesboro Blues” and “One Way Out” have Duane Allman’s dense and precise slide guitar pitted against Richard Betts’ round lead guitar, with “One Way Out” providing Betts with his finest recorded guitar solo. “Stormy Monday” juxtaposes Allman and Bett’s distinct lead styles in an orgy of perfect blues phrasing. Gregg Allman’s jazzy organ interlude is an added delight.

“Statesboro Blues” is the only song of the three mentioned that has been released in other recorded versions. A studio version recorded at the Capricorn studios in February of 1970. This is the earliest released performance and shows the band competent in their performance with elements of Duane’s accompaniment and solo slide guitar playing in the Fillmore Concerts version already being formed, but having reedy sonics and a slightly dragging tempo. The middle performance comes from The Allman Brothers Band Live at Ludlow Garage 1970. Recorded April 11^th, this is the longest of the three versions, clocking in at 8:09. It is a loose, sure performance, more full-bodied than the studio version. Gregg Allman’s goes off mike several times and Duane’s slide vision is still not fully realized revealing why this had not been released earlier. The song has the surprise for those used to the Fillmore version in that just when you think the song is over, it cranks up for five more minutes of Duane’s slashing but accurate slide guitar. There is a definite evolution between the studio version and the Fillmore version. Listening to all three one after another is like using a fine tuning knob to achieve the perfect performance, which the Fillmore “Statesboro” is. It would be interesting to hear alternate versions of “One Way Out.” But, then again, maybe not. What occurs on the Fillmore recording is already perfection as the entire set, even in its less than perfect moments.

The Allman Brothers At Fillmore East (1971)

From sputnikmusic.com

There is just something about the Fillmore that makes a band shine beyond anything they could’ve done in just normal venues. This is quite notable with a wide variety of bands. This is without a doubt the best material the ABB have ever released. Just by listening to a few of the songs on Live at the Fillmore you can tell where they really shined. They even have said themselff that they had gotten frustrated doing the studio albums.

Going into the concert they had an idea of what they had wanted to achieve. No real setup just a bunch of guys just jamming doing what they had always done best. Quite a few of the songs on the album they had never even recorded previous to the concert. And a lot of them had been covers of old blues songs that they had loved for years.

The band itself were simply put superstars at what they did. Containing arguably the tightest rhythm section in rock. One thing is for sure Butch Trucks and Berry Oakley sure could hold the band together. The two guitarists were for sure some of the best. While they each had their part. Duane was the slide man, and he stills stands the best after all these years. Dickey took care of the great leads that you often hear in the ABB. Gregg Allman’s voice fits perfectly with the band. And it would certainly not be the same with anyone else.

Now onto the songs:
1. Statesboro Blues – This is originally a William McTell song. It is one of the many songs the ABB covered at the Fillmore. As they introduce the Allman Brothers Band. The song starts off with just plain great slide playing by Duane. And this continues throughout out the whole song. Gregg’s soothing voice comes in and goes great with the song. This song is probably up there as Duane’s best guitar work which is saying quite a lot. The rhythm section is so tight on this song it is almost scary. Easily a standout.
5/5

2. Done Somebody Wrong- On the next song they cover an older Elmore James song. As Gregg says before the song starts its a true story just like a lot of old blue songs. Starts off with a really catchy slide lick and starts going from there. There is a few fabulous solos played by both Duane and Dickey which really stand out and make the song shine. After hearing both the original and their version, I must say that this version is so a lot better. Great song
4.7/5

3. Stormy Monday- This song was originally done by T-Bone Walker. This is a slower placed song compared to the last few. It has a fabulous solo that fits in so perfect with the song its amazing. They put so much emotion into this solo and in general, the song. And then there is an organ solo which you probably wouldn’t be the first thing you would think of hearing in an ABB song. But surprisingly it fits in quite nicely with the song. Followed by another guitar solo to end the song.
4.3/5

4. You Don’t Love Me- This was originally performed and written by Willie Cobbs. This one of the long jams in the album. Which is fitting considering that they are a jam band. In the beginning of the song the band gets the crowd going early. Along with quite a stunning guitar riff. Also you can hear in the background,the organ going along with the guitar. Followed by quite an amazing solo, more fast and ferocious than the others solos on the album but still as good if not better. And here comes the organ solo which was heard throughout the whole song so it is no surprise to hear it again. And might i say it sounds great in the song. There is a point in the song where it all stops for just Duane to play. This is where he shines in the song, without a doubt the best part in the song. Then, the pace of the song changes and it almost seems like a different song. But no, its just a little change. Fabulous Fabulous Song
5/5

5. Hot ‘Lanta- This is actually a true original by the ABB. It is an instrumental where all members of the band get to show off their skills. Each have their time in the song to shine and be heard. I think it is an alright song but it just doesn’t really compare to other songs on the album. It just seems to lack that true ABB sound.
3.3/5

6. In Memory of Elizabeth Reed- Another original this time a more popular one that is probably familiar to you. Has a more jazzy feel than quite a few of their others songs. The guitar work in this song is amazing because it strays away from the style(s) that the guitarists usually do. About halfway through the song there is a great organ solo. I would say it is the best organ solo on the whole album. And there are a lot of great ones on here so that is saying alot. Fantastic Song.
5/5

7. Whipping Post- If you have heard one Allman Brothers Band songs without actually knowing it. It should be familiar to most people. It is a very recognizable riff. And this is probably one of the best versions to be heard of it. This version is high on improvisation and it is just amazing how they can string out a 4 minute song to become a 20 minute song and still have you interested every second of the song.
5/5

Overall
This is and probably always will be one of my favourite albums of all time. I would recommend this to everyone but especially to people that like classic rock, jam bands , and southern rock. But just give it a chance if you like any style of rock.