Customer Reviews

At Carnegie Hall

5 star:		(40)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The wait is finally over. Chicago's legendary four-album document of their sold-out week at Carnegie Hall is at last, reissued and remastered. In addition to the material that was included on the original 1971 album, there is a complete disc of unreleased material from the concerts as well as the original packaging and replicas of the original posters and booklet which came with the LP. Granted, THIS is the ultimate reissue of this classic live album.
As for the music itself, it is full of the raw energy that made Chicago so great during its early days. Instead of the short snappy pop songs and romantic ballads, you get extended jam-band cuts such as "In The Country", "South California Purples", "Sing A Mean Tune Kid" and "It Better End Soon". Additionally, there are stellar renditions of "Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?" (complete with a six-minute 'Free Form Intro' from Mr. Chops, Robert Lamm), "Questions 67 and 68", "25 or 6 to 4", "Beginnings" and the band's plea for Nixon's resignation, "A Song For Richard and His Friends". All seven of Chicago's original band members are given due time in the spotlight and are full of the energy and vigour of an excited young band during their first shot of fame. Terry Kath's extended guitar solos on the aforementioned "Purples" and "Sing A Mean Tune Kid" are some of his best guitar solos on record full of freedom and endless invention.
As for the bonus material, there are tunes which were not released on the original "Carnegie Hall" album as well as alternate performances of several tracks on the original album. The "Naseltones" free form intro included here is another Robert Lamm piano improvisation which goes into a boogie motiff that has a slight hint of Dave Brubeck in its groove. In addition, "Listen" and Terry Kath's "Hour In The Shower" are rock solid and are worthy additions to the original album.
Hands down, this is an awesome trip down memory lane for those who were there to remember it, those who bought the album when it originally was released and those who discovered it years later and couldn't get enough of it. This is the early Chicago in their prime as they used to be.
Hats off to Chicago and Rhino Records for such a stellar reissue of this classic concert.

On a personal note: I saw Chicago in concert in 1991 and to be honest, they were absolutely horrible. It was the worst concert I've ever attended. This Carngegie Hall concert beats the heck out of that 1991 concert by a huge longshot.

Anyone looking for the best example of Chicago as a great band has it right here. Their improvisational powers are at a peak, their best early hits are here, there's fire and passion in the vocals of Terry Kath and even the usually sedate Robert Lamm, and the guitar playing of Terry Kath is in sharp relief for all to hear. He really was one of the great unsung guitar heroes.

Best of all, the sound of the horn section has been improved over the original recording. The sound is much more robust. Maybe now that infamous "kazoos" assessment can be laid to rest.

The packaging is also superb -- it's essentially a mini replica of the original box set, complete with all 3 posters and an expanded booklet with new liner notes.

The 4th disc of unreleased performances has further delights -- "Sing A Mean Tune Kid" is a bit less jazz and a bit more rock in its alternate version, Kath's singing is more controlled in the alternate "Introduction," and now we get to hear top-notch live versions of "Listen," "Loneliness Is Just A Word" and "An Hour In The Shower."

This set has been slagged a lot over the years, but I've always held firm that it's really an amazing document of a powerful live rock band. Before the platinum pop balladry, before the loss of key band members, before their respectability eroded in the 1980s, THIS was Chicago -- a band that could hold their own in the company of greats like the Jefferson Airplane, the Grateful Dead, and other contemporaries who exelled when stretching out on stage. Don't pass this one up!

I was introduced to the first half of this landmark recording as "Volume I & II" on an 8-track tape cartridge (!) Quite the nostalgia trip. I must confess, I can't hear a significant difference between the remastered CDs and the original CD release of a few years ago...but of course the newly mixed, previously unreleased tracks are wonderful. I'm a little surprised that they didn't do some tasteful crossfading between these songs--even a bit of canned applause between numbers would've created the sense of one typical night during this unprecedented week. Fragmented as this bonus disc is, however, it's a real treat for Carnegie Hall fans. I'm truly disappointed, however, that they didn't take full advantage of the eighty minutes a CD allows...given all of those performances, alternate takes of three or four more numbers could've easily fit on that disc! I suppose a bit of marketing comes into play: a few years fron now, it'll be released yet again as a five or six CD set, broken down into invividual performances from each night...the Late, Great Terry Kath is NOT the only person who shines throughout this effort: Danny Seraphine's drumming has to be heard to be believed! This entire set is a showcase for his phenomenal chops during this era...it's almost impossible to believe that this is the same guy whose drumming morphed into the generic tripe heard on Chicago 16 and 17. This album represents Chicago arguably at their peak...at least before David Foster got his hands on them and turned the boys into a hit factory.

I remember the first album I got in 1969 as a 9 year old kid - Chicago I. My dad played in a local dance band and I was raised on a lot of jazz along with the rock and roll I heard on the radio. When I heard Chicago, I had the best of both worlds.

I never got Live at Carnegie Hall when it first came out. I remember hearing that the band didn't particularly care for it and that the recording was not that great. However, when I saw the remaster on CD I jumped on it. These 4 CD's focus on the early power and greatness of the band - the genius of Terry Kath, in your face bass playing by Peter Cetera, great piano from Robert Lamm, awesome drumming by Danny Seraphine and the amazing horn section of James Pankow, Lee Loughnane and Walter Parazaider. The material covered is from the first 3 Chicago double albums. There is too much good stuff to mention. The power of the band is amazing and the improvisation by Walt and Terry is incredible - see how many snippets of other songs you can hear during "Purples" and "It Better End Soon" flute solo.
Chicago was my FAVORITE band during the Kath years. While I understand the market they are catering to today, I left it behind and have always focused on the jazz-rock side of the band. This is a GREAT chronicle of this era. Thank you Rhino and thanks to all 7 guys in Chicago for a legacy that left a lasting impression on this fan!!!! Buy it!!!!

When I was 13 I had an album collection consisting of Zeppellin, Sabbath, Cooper, Cream, Beethovin, Bach and the brand-new Chicago at Carnegie Hall. I haven't heard this album in 20 years (since my last record player gave up the ghost and I switched to cd's and electronic formats) and my wife surprised me last night with this 4 cd set. WOW! This is how live music should be performed. For those out there who actually LIKE live music to sound just like the studio version this isn't for you. But if you want to hear what a late 60's era hard-working touring band sounded like night after night when mainstream audiences cared about musicianship and composition without the "repairing" of such recordings by later studio work...then this set is an excellent example. This has got to be on anyone's list of top ten live rock albums. I recommend a strong buy!

I truly enjoyed dropping this CD in and listening to it - I am listening to "Listen" even now! I give it four stars, because I save 5 stars for only the very best CDs, and Chicago's studio versions are consistently better than the live stuff.

I will admit that, when I first bought the album some 30 years ago, I struggled to get through it. I thought the sound quality was bad, didn't like all the extended guitar solos, thought their extra vocal maneuverings violated the near perfection of the studio versions, etc. I used to enjoy playing through my Chicago albums from CTA thru to the latest album, but tended to skip this one.

I always thought Peter Cetera and Danny Seraphine sounded tired on this album.

But Rhino has done a great job cleaning it up, the extra tracks are great (the duplicates, in my view - are better than those on the original Carnegie album). And, 30 years on, it is a real joy now to play it. I find that I am listening close for little details I have missed in prior listenings. This offering, with all the original liner notes and artwork reproduced, takes me back to a time when a 12-year old kid didn't really understand what he was listening to. And, in a small sense, you can catch the live magic of the Original Seven of this legendary group.

Rhino's reissues are outstanding. I am seeing Chicago this summer for only about the fifth time in my life (taking my kids with me). They remain one of the head-and-shoulders above all others greatest American acts during the course of my lifetime (I'm 45). The original members are pushing 60 - and I hope that the inevitable revival of mass interest in Chicago happens soon enough, so that a large segment of modern music lovers can enjoy it while most of the band are still original members. I urge anybody reading this - whatever your age - to go out and buy these outstanding Rhino reissues!!

kwd "silent soldier" wrote in his review above:
"The only tweak I might make would be to eliminate the 4th 'bonus disc' only because the first three are so satisfying."

To which I respectfully reply:
"Good Jesus God, no! Track 7 ("An Hour in the Shower") on Disc 4 is alone worth the price of admission of this set. This is Terry Kath at his absolute most finest!

As for some of the other reviews above, I tend to agree that additional versions of the extended "Introduction", "South California Purples", "Sing A Mean Tune Kid" and "25 or 6 to 4" were probably unnecessary - even though they also feature Terry Kath's guitar work at its finest - and I would have preferred some other songs not included on the original 3-CD or 4-album set. Surely songs like "Poem 58", "Prologue/Someday", "Liberation", "Movin' In", "The Road", "Poem for the People", "Wake Up Sunshine", "Prelude", "A.M. Mourning", "P.M. Mourning", "Memories of Love", "What Else Can I Say", "Free Country", "At the Sunrise", "When All the Laughter Dies in Sorrow", etc. were also played at this concert.

However, I do appreciate Chicago's (and Rhino's) efforts in making sure that Terry Kath has been prominently featured in so many of the bonus tracks of the Rhino reissues of the "real Chicago" albums.

I have the vinyl edition of this which I purchased via ebay about 2 years ago. I have been really anxious to get the CD version since I saw it was coming. Finally, I treated myself to the CD's.
The first thing that comes to my mind is how incredibly raw this band was. I think it gave them a rock sound that I have really enjoyed far more than the 80's stuff. But, I think mainly it's Terry Kath's incredible performances on both guitar and his remarkable "Ray Charles-esque" vocals. He was absolutely brilliant in both capacities.
Robert Lamm's vocals were always a favorite for me and I really think his level of soul here is exceptional.
The new Chicago lineup is very good live and not to be put to the side for their quality. But, This 1971 Chicago band is one which they should look back and aim for again.
It absolutely will blow away the competition and perhaps put them in a place creatively today that will give them a sense of true re-birth / sans nostalgia.
I cannot stop listening to this powerful snapshot from one of my favorite bands from any era. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!

The wait is finally over. For almost 30 years I have been craving some unreleased live Terry Kath tracks to be released. With this new edition of Chicago At Carnegie Hall, my wish has been granted! There is included, in this new re-release, a bonus disc of unreleased and alternate take tracks, on which, the guys really shine. The interplay between Terry Kath and drummer Danny Seraphine is amazing, but really, so is the playing of the entire band. Some of the other reviews here already say it all, but I just have to comment on one of the reviews from a guy named Laurence Babbin. Lawrence, maybe you should try actually buying the discs, rather than just burning them on your computer. That's why there are those annoying little breaks you refer to. On my "real" store bought version, the long connected pieces flow, as intended. To anyone else out there, don't let his comments deter you from buying this outstanding work. There ARE slight breaks between the tracks on the bonus disc, but that's because it is comprised of takes from different shows they played at Carnegie Hall in that one week. This is great live rock music from a time when great live rock music mattered (and you didn't need to be a millionaire to afford a ticket in those days!)......TERRY KATH LIVES!!!

I can still remember when I first brought this 4 disc LP home. I tore off the cellophane and popped record one on my trusty Dual turntable. I had already heard Chicago perform live 5 or 6 times and I thought I knew what to expect. After all, they could ROCK! Were my expectations correct? No! Or maybe. Sort of.
Although the performance was by and large a success, the recording was a flat out disaster--or so I thought. I also believed that the recording engineers, mixers, producers, et al, should never be allowed to work again. Ah,to be young.
Looking back at it now though, I have realized that the recording was about as close to "state of the art" as could possibly be hoped for. (Although that said, the "Live in Japan" album is a much better sounding record).
The concerts themselves were about as accurate a reflection of what a Chicago concert was all about at the time. Wild, raw, full of energy and passion. Some stunning solos. And a new piece was introduced on the album "A song for Richard and his friends". As Robert Lamm said, it is a song about "Wishing President Nixon would quit". That would happen soon enough. Who knows, maybe we now need a song about our current President.
Anyway, this is a classic period piece. I would not recomend it to anyone as an introduction to Chicago, but if you are a fan, this is a must have.