Customer Reviews

The Best of Edgar Winter

5 star:		(3)
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This 2002 release is a remastered 15 song retrospective of his 5 Epic albums. It includes a 16 page booklet with liner notes and photos. The diversity of his music is amazing. Clive Davis gave Winter lots of money and full musical freedom to sign with Epic which Edgar took full advantage of. His first stage leaned heavily in a jazz vein, and then he entered his second stage by forming White Trash with the extraordinary vocal talents of Jerry La Croix. White Trash was sort of a cross between Blues Brothers style blues and Sly & the Family Stone with a mix of rock, soul, blues and `honest to goodness' gospel. Then he went into a pop/rock direction with his electronic rock smash "Frankenstein". Various musicians who played in the different incarnations include Rick Derringer, Ronnie Montrose, Dan Hartman, Tommy Shannon and his brother Johnny. One thing that all these different styles of music do share is that they are all sound timeless. I highly recommend this CD.

If this is supposed to be a complete retrospect of Edgar's career, why is there then NOTHING from the "Shock Treatment album on this collection? Having said that, you might want to pick up the "Collection" from 1989 on Rhino!

THE BEST OF EDGAR WINTER is an excellent supplement to THE EDGAR WINTER COLLECTION, EDGAR WINTER'S WHITE TRASH, THEY ONLY COME OUT AT NIGHT, and his latest, REBEL ROAD. It includes most, but not all of his best songs from the 70s. For example, nothing from SHOCK TREATMENT is included, and "Hangin' Around" is mysteriously absent. That said this CD showcases Winter's early guitarists Floyd Radford, Ronnie Montrose, and, to a lesser extent, Rick Derringer, quite impressively. Brother Johnny makes an appearance on a cover of "The Harlem Shuffle." This CD is a must-own for any true fan of rock & roll, as Winter, who's legally blind, proves that a disability doesn't have to be a handicap.

I didn't know much of Edgar Winter's other work beyond "Frankenstein" and "Free Ride," but I was quite pleased with what I found.

This is my first introduction to Edgar Winter and i already love his music. Edgar winter is one of the most underated innovative artist of all time. His Brother is Johnny Winter one of the best rock/blues artist of the late 60s and 70s who influenced a lot of artist including Stevie Ray Vaughan. Edgar & Johnny came to epic at the same time. johnny went one way and edgar went another. Edgar went the more idealistic way, Shocking people with his unheard of innovative way of playing. Using music from almost every category such as rock, gospel, jazz, blues, soul, funk, classical and probably more. Critics were stunned. When he created The album and band "white trash" heads were turning. There live playing rip the house down & never dissapointed. Like "Sly & The Family Stone" he is way ahead of his time.
I can't wait until sony/legacy remasters all of his albums. This is a good start. Songs like frankenstein, Dying to live, fire and ice, turn on your lovelight and free ride give me chills. the only dissapointment is some of the songs are the short versions. But if your just a beginner star with this.