Customer Reviews

An Anthology: Duane Allman

5 star:		(29)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This Anthology is a great collection representing Duane's work & his legacy, especially outside of the ABB. The real keepers on this set are his session work with Muscle Shoals, when he worked with such artists as Aretha, Wilson Pickett, & etc. A fabulous bonus is cuts from his aborted solo album, which are extremely interesting. His work as a sideman is phenomenol, as he adds his own stamp to the cuts while never overwhelming the actual artist being recorded. It is also astounding on how GOOD he got after leaving Muscle Shoals & forming his own band. Within a 2-3 year span, he became one of the biggest talents to emerge in rock, all to end at his premature death.

This isn't a perfect "Anthology" for Duane. To begin with, this album has too many ABB cuts from their first three albums, as well as Layla from his work with the Dominos. Overlapping overkill. Chances are, if one was to pick this album up in the first place, more than likely, they would already own those albums.

A second knock on this set is, it is EXTREMELY dated. The powers to be haven't remastered a single track, & there are supposedly a wealth of unhidden treasures still unreleased commercially that was done by Duane. In the days of vinyl, this Anthology was quite a tribute to his legacy.... but now, they need to update it. Very badly.

In the mean time, this 2 disc set is still worthwhile until Duane finally gets the royal treatment with a box set. A monster talent, the heart & soul of the ABB, slide master, & much more. He pushed players such as Betts & Clapton to dig in a little deeper. A real inspiration.

Remember Duane Allman.

Universal Japan has issued new '08 remasters of both Anthology and Anthology II, both in LP-replica mini-sleeves of the original album covers, and both complete with replicas of the original booklets.

It's great to finally have improved-audio versions of both of these fabulous compilations, but what just knocked my socks off was the remastered "Loan Me A Dime". This track now sounds better than any other CD ever released, including the '97 Scaggs Anthology. I've always loved that song, and now it sounds like you're standing in the room when they recorded it; you won't believe the increased clarity of the drums, or the awesome bass-drum kick on this version.

The price of both of these sets will probably take your breath away, but you can find them direct from Tokyo retailers, or eBay, for nearly half the price Amazon is charging for them. Just don't delay in buying them, as all mini-sleeves are limited edition.

WHAT IS A JAPAN "MINI-LP-SLEEVE" CD?

Have you ever lamented the loss of one of the 20th Century's great art forms, the 12" vinyl LP jacket? Then "mini-LP-sleeve" CD's may be for you.

Mini-sleeve CDs are manufactured in Japan under license. The disc is packaged inside a 135MM X 135MM cardboard precision-miniature replica of the original classic vinyl-LP album. Also, anything contained in the original LP, such as gatefolds, booklets, lyric sheets, posters, printed LP sleeves, stickers, embosses, special LP cover paper/inks/textures and/or die cuts, are precisely replicated and included. An English-language lyric sheet is always included, even if the original LP did not have printed lyrics.

Then, there's the sonic quality: Often (but not always), mini-sleeves have dedicated remastering (20-Bit, 24-Bit, DSD, K2/K2HD, and/or HDCD), and can often (but not always) be superior to the audio on the same title anywhere else in the world. There also may be bonus tracks unavailable elsewhere.

Each Japan mini-sleeve has an "obi" ("oh-bee"), a removable Japan-language promotional strip. The obi lists the Japan street date of that particular release, the catalog number, the mastering info, and often the original album's release date. Bonus tracks are only listed on the obi, maintaining the integrity of the original LP artwork. The obi's are collectable, and should not be discarded.

All mini-sleeve releases are limited edition, but re-pressings/re-issues are becoming more common (again, not always). The enthusiasm of mini-sleeve collecting must be tempered, however, with avoiding fake mini-sleeves manufactured in Russia and distributed throughout the world, primarily on eBay. They are inferior in quality, worthless in collectable value, a total waste of money, and should be avoided at all costs.

Duane Allman was one of the great guitar legends of the 1970s. Tragically he died just before achieving superstardom, and his legend has been somewhat obscured by history. But he has never been forgotten by musicians who worked with him and those who really care about great American music.

He was one of the greatest white blues guitarists of all time--Eric Clapton said Duane was a better guitarist than himself, and Duane taught Eric how to play slide guitar--but unfortunately, there are only two albums where Duane's talent ever showed its full potential: Derek and the Dominoes' LAYLA AND OTHER ASSORTED LOVE SONGS (where he often outplayed Clapton himself) and the Allman Brothers Band's AT FILLMORE EAST. By the time those great albums were released, he was already dead of a motorcycle accident.

Fortunately, Duane cut his chops before these immortal recordings by working as a session player for various artists at the fabled Mussel Shoals recording studios. This collection gives us highlights of some of his best work in that era, along with a few choice Allman Brothers cuts.

The collection is for real guitar music fans--he played on so many records with so many artists that the songs tend to swing wildly from style to style. And unfortunately, the sound quality on these recordings is full of hiss and could be cleaned up with modern remastering techniques. Alas, that has yet to be done; this collection is basically a quick remaster of a previous release on vinyl, and doesn't even use up all the available space on CD (which it easily could). More could also be done to group the songs more effectively by style. For these reasons this collection rates only four stars; for musicianship, it deserves 5 stars at least!

Here's hoping that some day someone sees fit to release a set that uses all the possibilities of the CD format and modern remastering techniques to give us a collection that truly shows off Duane Allman's astonishing genius. In the meantime, any true guitar fan needs to hear these recordings and learn more about this man!

This collection features Duane Allman of the Allman Brothers Band on cuts from the ABB as well as his extensive work as a side man.

Duane's recordings from 1968 to his untimely death at 24 in 1971 is unmatched by most guitar players in a life time.

Duane could play blues jazz, rhythm, and monsterous leads.
Most however know him for his touch on slide guitar. Duane wrote the book on modern electric slide and it ranks with the best ever.

His feel on slide is incredible- with beautiful intonation- he stretched the limit of range and maintained clean, clear sound throughout.

The anthology albums are likly to lead you to a deep appreciation of Duane's playing. This is just a starting point though. You will also want the first four ABB albums and many of his albums as side man . Check out the cuts from Ronnie Hawkins and Johnny Jenkins. You will want these whole albums (or CDs) as well.

The feel on Wilson Picketts' "Hey Jude" is worth the price alone. Duane smokes one incredible solo at the end of this cut.

The Derek and the Dominos Layla sessions are also a must!

As Duane said: "Music is like books for people who can't read"

Duane Allman-one of the all time great guitar players!

The Hourglass were a blues crew waiting for distribution: a young band work up B.B. King, John Lee Hooker, and Mel London with such passion. That grieving, woeful organ player is Paul Hornsby; Gregg melts the microphone with anguished howls and heart-wrenching pleas. B.B. taught Duane how fingertips cut diamonds. Note the Albert King-like influence (on "Loan Me a Dime") formation of his style, including the repetitive phrases that follow one-two in milli-second quickness, lay down a note, ring it again in a bell-like manner, or pull it off on the second try.

Wilson Pickett's scalding cover of "Hey Jude" would praise the Beatles, the Muscle Shoals players, or Pickett himself, but Duane's great white shark bite solo made the hair stand up on the back of your neck. On "The Road of Love," Clarence Carter proudly said, "I like what I'm listening to!" as he admired the fuzzy distortions of Allman's slide. Contemplate, however, when Duane reunited with Hourglass friends Hornsby and Sandlin, and added newcomer Berry Oakley for a string-bending prophetic eulogy on Champion Jack Dupree's "Goin' Down Slow." Duane's vocals could handle slow crooning without being annoying, and his guitar wept where his voice wouldn't go. Other good people lent Duane their voice or let him be their spokesman: just imagine him nodding his head in agreement, his slide dancing to Aretha's statements when she belted out "The Weight," or the slinky, sinewy electric sitar that pulsated alongside buddy King Curtis, a man with talent to blow--a Meerschaum pipe if possible?--and make notes this beautiful on "Games People Play." A ventriloquist throwing his voice, Duane added a `talking slide' dimension to his bottleneck on John Hammond's version of Willie Dixon's "Shake for Me," mimicking human frustrations and gestures that hoot and wag wildly beside the unbridled, frenzied vocals.

Perhaps "Loan Me a Dime" is the tune that describes Duane's closeness in letting his instrument speak the words that the soul cannot say. Boz Scaggs carries the heavy hurtin' blues, but Duane's introductory solo also cried to the heavens like his heart had been pulled from his living, beating chest. Boz faces his last day on Earth with no love or hope, and Duane plays as though he's losing his, too. The follow-up solo, criticized for engineering coordination (Duane's mix get buried midway), is apparent that he did not stop playing this tune--ever. The recording session ended, the sun went down, the band went home, but Duane played this way every time: nothing came between him and the feelings he needed to release. Sensitive regional touches and dobro/slide playing find themselves nestled in the comfort of the Delta's warmth as he, Johnny Jenkins, and Berry settle back at the old farmhouse, finding shelter from that summer heat in Muddy Waters's "Rollin' Stone." Visualize baking-hot red earth beneath your bare feet back as the three men pick and pluck those strings.

Delaney & Bonnie & Friends were Duane's second family unit; his slide has the wildest time with pals "Out on the Open Road," continuing when Johnny Jenkins comes back again in "Down Along The Cove." Gentle times return when Scott Boyer and Cowboy hitch their wagon and give the reins a tug in "Please Be With Me," and Duane shimmers on dobro. Eric Clapton gives/gets a lesson in acoustic slide with Duane on Layla's "Mean Old World." The final songs embrace the group scene, and his five-alarm siren call at the opening of "Layla" make it the epic monolith of unreturned love affairs. Happily, the other five cuts are as fundamental as the laws of gravity: "Statesboro Blues"; "Don't Keep Me Wondering" (the studio version); "Stand Back," and "Dreams": the very best that modern recording could portray in bottleneck phrasing, tone, composition, and originality. By the divine right of kings, Duane had sole ownership of the inner secrets of electric slide. "Little Martha" wraps up (but not the Dreams box set with Berry's bass foundation).

This is Duane Allman's guitar work of the finest quality and no other guitar work exists with this range of sound and soulful music while moving from blues in "Done Somebody Wrong" (Allman Brother's Band at Fillmore East) to country sounds in "Please Be With Me." (Cowboy) This album contains unbelievable kick-ass sounds - stinging riffs and warm slide guitar leads that definitely place Duane Allman way ahead of his time -- way ahead of his time in 1971 and way ahead this year as well. On this CD, Duane coaxes every possible sound out of his guitar using the bottleneck slide and finger picking method to satisfy the clients that chose him to record on their songs. These clients included Aretha Franklin, Clarence Carter, Boz Scaggs and Wilson Pickett to name a few. Duane's dynamic slide and lead guitar work was recorded on the album, "Layla and Other Love Songs" (Derek and the Dominoes), while working as one of the "Derek and the Dominoes" led by Eric Clapton." This Duane Allman Anthology album would not be complete without the original "Layla" appearing on this CD; also, "Mean Old World" appears as a previously unreleased cut of Duane and Eric Clapton playing acoustic guitars with Eric singing the blues. I was listening to this CD the other day and a friend riding with me wanted to know who the new artist was that was singing and playing. I began to tell her about all the artists on this album and about Duane: now she wants to hear it when we go out. Need I say more?

Duane Allman lays down some of the finest guitar work heard in the rock/blues genre in this collection of varied tunes, feels and artists. For anyone who has only heard Duane Allman as the lead player with the Allman Brothers, this CD opens the door to another side of his talent. His ability in the studio to capture just the right feel for other artist's recordings shows his diversity and continues to rank his playing right up there with the greats in rock and blues. I would have bought this for "Loan me a Dime", if it was the only tune on the CD. We lost a great talent when Duane Allman left us too early.

This 2-disc retrospect of Duane Allman's brief and illustrious music career was thoughtfully put together with loving and respectful hands. It features some of the very best of his work including music from the Allman Brothers Band, the Layla sessions with Eric Clapton, and selections from his time as a session guitarist at Muscle Shoals Studios.

Disc 1 highlights include the B.B. King medley with brother Gregg in The Hour Glass, the 13-minute slow blues/long jam Loan Me a Dime with Boz Scaggs, his electric slide guitar on Aretha Franklin's version of The Weight, and his acoustic slide guitar on Johnny Jenkins' version of Muddy Waters' Rollin' Stone. Also included on this disc is Goin' Down Slow, a blues number from Duane's own aborted solo album.

Disc 2 features Duane playing the dobro with Cowboy on the beautiful Please Be with Me, an acoustic slide guitar blues duet with Eric Clapton (Mean Old World), songs with Delaney and Bonnie, Johnny Jenkins, Derek and the Dominos (Layla),and his work with The Allman Brothers Band including the slide guitar monument Statesboro Blues and his own acoustic instrumental Little Martha.

Duane Allman was a true Brother, and more than most people, one of a kind. He was also the greatest slide guitarist to ever pick up and play the instrument. An Anthology illustrates this in a variety of musical settings.

Essential.

I finally understand the fuzz about Duane. I have only occasionally heard his guitar playing on different albums - but never owned an album myself. I have 300+ blues albums with all of the greats Howlin, Muddy, Buddy, the Kings, T-Bone among many others. I feel so bad for never really digging into Duane until now. He's playing is fantastic and this album is a sure treat. I am happy happy happy :o)

Can it really be 36 years since that tragic day in 1971, when we lost the great Duane "Sky Dog" Allman? Well the calandar dosen't lie, that's for sure. Just imagine all that he could have accomplished had he not taken that fateful ride that ended his all too short life. But think of all that he managed to do in less than ten years as a professional musician. The Duane Allman Anthology reveals just how special he was and what he meant to all those who love the many facets of his glorious musicianship.

Before there was an Allman Brothers Band, Duane established himself as a solid session player within the ranks of Rick Hall's Fame Studio's Muscle Shoal's Swampers. Duane played alongside Berry Becket, Roger Hawkins, Jimmy Johnson, David Hood and Al Lester on the beautiful Boz Scaggs album and the wonderful John Hammond's Southern Fried. On both of these he manages to stay within the framework of some beautifully crafted ensamble playing. And when he does step forward he burns the house down with some incediry slide guitar solos. Duane played on some brillant recordings with Atlantic Records R&B super stars like Aretha Franklin, The Wicked Wilson Picket, Clearence Carter and the inimatable King Curtis & his Kingpins. He worked his magic on the legendary Layla sessions leaving us with some breath taking dual guitar work alongside Eric Clapton. He headed up a terific combo together with fellow Allman Brothers bandmates Berry Oakely and Butch Trucks on Johnny Jenkins classic Ton Ton Machute. He toured and recorded with Delaney & Bonnie & Friends. He played on Herbie Mann's fine recording Push Push and held his own among some serious jazz musicians. He worked with Laura Nyro on Christmas & Beads Of Sweat, (though not featured on either Anthology collection) and he layed down some virtuoso dobro work with Macon Georgia's own Cowboy. The list is almost endless. And to think he did all this in less than ten years.

On a personal note, today Thanksgiving 2007, I'm thinking of Duane. It was on Thanksgiving night 1971 that I saw The Allman Brothers Band perform their first concert without him. It was a special night indeed at Carnagie Hall, watching the surviving members giving it their all, without their leader. Hearing brother Gregg sing "I have not come to testify of our grave misfortune" just ripped your heart out. Listening to The Brothers perform Will The Circle Be Unbroken still sends shivers down my spine. I think back at what could have been and I also appreciate so much what he did leave for us. R.I.P. old friend. We surely will never see his likes again.