Customer Reviews

Concert for George

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From the opening track, Sarve Shaam with its wonderful intonation of bells, sarod and hypnotic voices and Eric Clapton's introduction until its conclusion on the second disc with Joe Brown's wonderful "I'll See You In My Dreams," this set is as wonderful a remembrance any man could hope for from his friends and loved ones.
Olivia makes it clear in the notes that George, the quiet one, was in fact full of life, pursuing his marriage and family with the same intensity and respect that he treated his career, all the while retaining the playfulness that set he and his Liverpool colleagues off from everyone else ever in rock. When you consider that this man is one of the 4 reasons anybody ever wanted to be a rock musician, you might think you were approaching the sacred. In fact, as is clear from his friends, he is someone they went to to play ukeleles with as well as to worship or garden with.
He was a whole man. His music in his Beatles, solo, Travelling Wilbury and final days was always about life led on the ground, in the material world, yet not bound by it. It was Harrison who first saw the difference between Haight Ashbury and enlightnement. It was Harrison who realized his tremendous good fortune could be harnessed to work remarkably good things for less fortunate people. He respected what his craft could accomplish and was a selfless, ego-free spirit who could race cars, produce silly movies and prove loyal to family and friends. He was Everyman who had come into good fortune and knew not to take it for granted.
As to the music herein: it is just GREAT! His mates came to this project with great love and respect for their fallen comrade. Ravi and Anoushka Shankar get the project off and running with a couple of sitar pieces and a terrific rendition of "The Inner Light". One is reminded of the start of THE CONCERT FOR BANGLADESH, and its tremendous setting of a tone of consideration. Much the same effect is produced here. It anchors you in the spiritual world that Harrison embraced.
The second side essays his pop work. Wilbury buddy Lynne kicks things off with "I Want To Tell You," and the CD rocks from that point on. The emotional centerpiece is Ringo's "Photograph." Tough to listen to that without getting misty. It is absolutely the best Ringo's ever done that. Paul kicks in with a very bright and emotionally uplifting "Something" that comes from the heart, as well as the uke. He returns with Clapton to blisteringly deliver "While My Guitar," nearly as transcendent as "Bangla Desh's" version. Tom Petty is just the right touch, especially on "Handle With Care," handled with Dhani Harrison, as sure a chip off the old bloke as you might get. Dad must have been beaming! Billy Preston ecstatically revels in "My Sweet Lord," then Clapton burns it up again on "Wah Wah," which was a reference to him anyway, before Joe Brown sends it all off lovingly.
The son of a Catholic busdriver and Nurse in Liverpool who often said he was sure he would never have amounted to anything had it not been for The Beatles, obviously took from his parents a sense of finding a spirituality to guide his life. That he touched so many of his colleagues as all of us as always and forever being the genuine article says all there needs to be said about the importance of living in the material world with a sense of faith.

Thank you, Eric Clapton, for giving us the blessing of this beautiful and moving concert in honor of George. I grew up listening to the Beatles, and always had a particular affection for George and Ringo, the two 'stabilizing' members of the band. I always appreciated George's quiet consideration before speaking, and his thoughtfulness and the fundamental goodness of his heart. When George died, I was deeply saddened like many millions of others, and thought that no tribute or monument could ever do him justice.

I was wrong. The Concert for George, primarily organized by his long time friend Eric Clapton, provided just the catharsis that his friends and fans needed. The CD was hard for me to listen to the first time as I wanted to hear George singing. Eric said it best in an interview, though, when he explained that at first rehearsals were tough to get through, but the rehearsals and show provided a mechanism of grieving to all his personal friends. That explained it brilliantly: They had time to work through it, while the listener did not. (Who says rock stars can't be truly insightful?) The musicians obviously worked very hard to get this just right and they succeeded brilliantly: this CD beautifully captures their efforts.

There are two CDs in the set, one is the Indian music segment, which was a good commercial decision (although George liked Indian music, and I respect that, I would bet than most of the purchasers of this CD are less enthusiastic about it) and the other is the concert in the original order, minus some material to make it fit on the CD. Ringo was a standout with "Photograph", which is still the best Ringo song, and a song that Ringo and George wrote together, and "Honey Don't", an old Carl Perkins song that George loved. Eric Clapton was wonderful on everything he performed on; I particularly liked his pseudo-duet with Paul on "Something", and with the whole ensemble on "Wah Wah", which had breathtaking percussion, and, of course, "While My Guitar Gently Weeps", a song veritably made for him.

Without question though, the greatest performance in the show was by Joe Brown, a major institution in early British rock, but today relatively unknown in the US. Joe's main set started with a hauntingly beautiful rendition of "Here Comes the Sun", and then went to "That's The Way It Goes", a song I have always loved, but never got the acclaim it deserved. Joe also closed the show with the dreamy "I'll See You in My Dreams", and he sang it like he meant it. I would be remiss if I didn't mention the beautiful "Isn't It a Pity" by the multitalented Billy Preston.

There were a couple of weaker performances present, though. None that were overtly bad, but they certainly were not up to the standards of the rest of the show. The primary offenders here were Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, who are normally great, but came across as lifeless and flat. I also found Jeff Lynne's voice to sound a bit tired, especially when he sang a verse of "Wah Wah" and to a lesser degree on "The Inner Light." I (really) hate to say it, but I also found Paul's version of "For You Blue" a bit dull. I think it's interesting that Paul picked a song of George's from "Let It Be", an album where tempers ran high and contentiousness prevailed; perhaps that has clouded my vision a bit on the subject.

For any fan of George's this is a must. I never thought that I could like this CD as much as I do since I knew I would miss hearing George on the songs. After a few listenings, though, I now feel happy when I hear it, and have found it to be a fitting tribute to a great man. While we will always miss you, George, I will always be grateful for this beautiful and befitting tribute.

I'll see you in my dreams.

This tribute to George's music and life is an incredibly poignant reminder of how much Mr. Harrison mattered, and how much he is missed.

I was brought into this world around the time of 33 & 1/3, so watching & listening to "Concert For George" wasn't, for me, like taking a stroll down nostalgia lane. I feel really fortunate that I was able to discover the Beatles & George's solo work a bit independently of any trend or fashion. And what a discovery!

There is no one more qualified than Eric Clapton in spearheading this event. Obviously he & George were great friends, and Clapton's understanding & love for Harrison's music is utterly apparent. Eric gives us gorgeous renditions of "If I Needed Someone," "Beware Of Darkness," and "While My Guitar Gently Weeps." Clapton's anguished solo on the latter is breathtaking.

For me the biggest surprise and delight of the show was the performance of Joe Brown. I had never heard him perform before, and I was blown away by his idiosyncratic voice & dignified renditions of George's songs. Of all the musicians present that evening, Joe Brown's musical approach on these songs most closely resembled George's. His version of "Here Comes The Sun" follows the original closely, yet still retains an appealing freshness. "That's The Way It Goes" was the most adventurous choice of the show set-list (it wasn't a hit or a Beatles song), but Brown's mandolin textures & soft voice fit this Gone Troppo classic perfectly. This song, along with Browns' moving rendition of "I'll See You In My Dreams", are in my opinion the highlights of the night, and both brought tears to my eyes.

Another moving highlight was the performance of Billy Preston. Preston gives us an incredible "Isn't It A Pity," and a soulful rendition of "My Sweet Lord." Gary Brooker gives a rowdy rendition of "Old Brown Shoe," and the Sam Brown & Jools Holland performance of "Horse To Water" is powerful. Incidentally, this performance is not included on the CD; nor are the Monty Python songs. Michael Palin gives a HILARIOUS "tribute" (which is in the same vein as the "Oh Lord, You Are So Absolutely Huge" prayer in "The Meaning Of Life") that I'm sure would have brought a broad smile to George's face.

Anoushka Shankar's rendition of "The Inner Light" is incredible. Her virtuosity is apparent on "Your Eyes," and the Ravi Shankar composition is brilliant, of course. "Arpan" captures the essence, in my opinion, of George's spiritual searching and eventual contentment. This piece is both imposing and playful.

Ringo's contributions are excellent, and they show the flip side of George's image as a serious mystic. "Photograph" is immaculate pop, and "Honey Don't" is of the country/rockabilly tradition that both George & Ringo loved.

Jeff Lynne & Tom Petty were obvious choices for the concert; sadly, their performances are the weakest of the evening. I have never really cared for Jeff Lynne's voice, and he sounds particularly strained on "Wah Wah". His vocals are much better on "The Inner Light" and "Give Me Love," but I feel that his voice really isn't suited for these songs. Lynne's crooning of the Roy Orbison parts on "Handle With Care" is excellent. Tom Petty's rendition of "Taxman" seems a little uninspired, and Mr. Petty's singing on "Handle With Care" is not-that-great. His version of "I Need You" is superb, though. Don't get me wrong, I'm really glad that they were there & they are both obviously capable musicians. I just think that maybe they had an off-night.

Which brings us to Paul McCartney. He gives a great performance of "All Things Must Pass," which is ironic since he & Lennon deemed it unworthy to be on a Beatles' record. McCartney & Clapton deliver a beautiful version of "Something," and "For You Blue" is excellent. It must be said though that McCartney seems to have a compulsive need to always be the center of attention. His interrupting Joe Brown to make a joke was irritating, and perhaps in a weird way fitting, since McCartney apparently got under George's skin quite a bit. Tellingly, McCartney's interruption isn't included on the CD.

This CD/DVD set is a fantastic tribute, and whatever minor flaws that may exist are completely irrelevant in comparison to the powerful performances given by artists that all loved George Harrison & his great music.

First, Bob was invited to play but couldn't make it due to long standing schedule conflicts...this has been noted on Dylan sites. As for the concert itself, this is a great, well recorded disc. Purchase it AFTER seeing the concert. You need to see the visual images of these folks. Sam Brown (Joe Brown's daughter) did an absolutely scorching version of Horse To The Water in the concert - a pity it couldn't have fit onto the CD "due to timing". Joe Brown - unknown to most of us stateside fans - a British musician and George ukelale mentor, seems an odd choice to sing Here Comes The Sun, but does the song proud. His closing uke sing-a-long I'll See You In My Dreams will bring tears to your eyes (especially when you see the falling flower petals which accompany it on the DVD) While I disagree with the "preening McCartney comments" ((he's pretty dignified actually) no one seems to comment on Ringo who is in fine voice but just a wee bit TOO jovial. Everyone else is superb - particularly the magisterial Billy Preston, Eric clapton, and of course, "Our Jeff" Lynn. Gary Brooker's name may elude some of you, but as soon as he begins singing Old Brown Shoe, you'll probably place the voice - think A Whiter Shade of Pale. Add Jim Keltner, Klauss Voorman (!) on bass, and the incredible one-of-a-kind Ray Cooper on persussion - well, it's a killer band. All play it straight - solid musicianship on the soundtrack to our lives. It's really great stuff. But make sure you watch it too!

Someone else mentioned a general aversion to tribute concerts. Beatles fans know there have been some pretty tacky tribute shows for John Lennon over the years. But the Concert for George was a true exception, remarkable for the fact that all the participants were personal friends and collaborators of George.

I saw the movie in theaters and loved every minute of it, and now the complete show is available on dvd. But I'm also very glad it has been released on cd. There isn't a bad performance in the bunch, and they all come from the heart.

My personal favorites: all of disc one's Indian music from Ravi and Anoushka Shankar, McCartney's performances, Billy Preson singing "Isn't it a Pity, Clapton's "Beware of Darkness," and Joe Brown's show-closer "I'll See You In My Dreams."

It would've been great if Bob Dylan had been involved, if only to join in on "Handle With Care." I have to imagine Dylan was invited to perform, but as great as it would've been, his absence is certainly not a detriment to this perfect tribute.

When John Lennon died, I was angry. When I got in my car on that cold winter day I heard on the radio that George Harrison died, I cried all the way on the twenty-minute journey. We knew it was coming. Still, Harrison's passing hit me hard.

Back in the day (the 1960's), you could tell a lot about a person by who his favorite Beatle was. My favorite was George. There was just something about his presence in those public appearances that I could identify with. It turns out my future wife also was a big fan of Harrison's. Hard to say why. Harrison's song output was usually only one or two songs for each Beatles album. John and Paul were usually more talkative. But George was the one I felt closest to. When he died part of my life slipped away.

So I cannot be objective about this album. I love it like an old photograph of my grandparents who are also long gone. And that is not a bad way to view this album, an act of love of Harrison's "family" to his memory.

The album consists of two discs. The first disc is a small homage to George's love of Indiana music. As such, most will give it one listen and forget it which is a shame because rarely do we get such a fine presentation of Eastern music in one setting. It should be given more than a couple of chances. Harrison himself was drawn to this music and devoted a lot of time toward it. It gives the listener a little view into Harrison's life beyond the hype and celebrity roller coaster of events and press releases.

The second disc presents us with the Harrison we thought we knew. All the way from the early Beatles to the solo artist to the Traveling Wilburys, the expanse of Harrison's songwriting comes in for a decent selection. Of course, the actual performances are the thing.

In this regard, one has to admire Eric Clapton for setting the tone and standard for the evening's proceedings. Clapton is a constant presence on stage taking the lead on much of concert with his vocals and outstanding guitar work. Jeff Lynne also has to be respected for his input. Lynne is not a welcome musician in a lot of reviews-but he always did well toward Harrison and turns in an excellent version of "Give Me Love (Give Me Peace On Earth)".

I have to confess that I don't know who Joe Brown is except I have read his name on various album credits over the years. I gather he is something of an institution in the United Kingdom. In any event, Mr. Brown lends a note of grace and warmth with his low-key performances of "Here Comes The Sun" and "That's The Way It Goes".

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers in contrast seem a little weak and "under powered" with "Taxman" and "I Need You". It is not until the last half of "I Need You" that Tom and the band hit their stride. I have no doubt that Petty very much wanted to be there; but I was surprised to be disappointed with his set.

After a brief "Handle With Care" by the Petty, Lynne and Dhani Harrison, the concert takes us to the closest thing we will ever get as far as a Beatles reunion these days. Ringo comes on to remind us of George's contributions toward Ringo's own solo work and Harrison's love for Carl Perkins. Then McCartney hits the stage.

There was a real potential for McCartney to overwhelm the festivities by virtue of his presence. But to his credit, McCartney submerges his charm into the performances of some of Harrison's best work.

But a special note has to be made of Billy Preston. Preston plays support throughout most of the evening, but then he takes lead on "Isn't It A Pity" and "My Sweet Lord". It is on the later that Preston really shines. Over the years, Preston has romanced "My Sweet Lord" to the point that it has become truly his. His performance is one of the best of the entire concert. Perhaps only second to McCartney's satisfying rendition of "Something".

In the end the question remains for this tribute album that is with every tribute album: why buy this when you can get real thing. After all, Harrison's albums are hardly out of print. The answer is this album marks an event where musicians who really knew and worked with Harrison came together to celebrate his life and play his music. In other words, this is a tribute album that really does pay tribute to the memory of one who really did help shape the world we live in now. George Harrison deserved no less.

What can I say? Of all the piss-poor tribute albums that have been done (including Kiss' tip o' the hat to themselves w/ 'Kiss My Ass') this is the absolute greatest expression of appreciation for an artist's work ever. Honestly, not being a fan of Indian music I haven't listened all that much to disc 1 - Disc II however is f*cking amazing.

As Jim Morrison would say "a feast of freinds" are here to pay a long overdue albeit beautiful tribute to George. Jeff Lynne and Eric Clapton trick the listener sometimes into thinking they have the original songs on. Beautifully sung and played "I Want To Tell You" kicks off the disc and it goes all the way up from there. Tom Petty does his usual whine/sinus-nose singing of Taxman and the surviving Wilburys do a great job of Handle With Care.

Then it gets truly great. Ringo does Photograph in a voice that shows his love for his fallen comrade. The song takes on a meaning much more than a run-of-the-mill love song. With lyrics "Ev'rytime I see your face it reminds me of the places we used to go - now all I got is a photograph and I realize you're not coming back anymore - I want you here to have & hold" perfectly sum up what all of the musicians and fans must have felt that evening. Truly remarkable.

The song that knocked me square on my ass was McCartney's version of Something. Having seen his tv concert, I knew he did a rendition of it on a ukelele. It begins as such, then when you least expect it - the whole band charges in as Eric Clapton nails the solo note for note with emotion not possible from anyone else in the biz. My cd skips now where that comes in 'cos I wore it out from being completely captivated. Just beautiful.

Clapton, Starr & Paul wonderfully do While My Guitar Gently Weeps note for note and the rest of the cd follows in tow.

Truly if you're a fair-weather Beatle fan or a longtime Beatnut, then you will be amazed just how great this is for a man who's talent was well-known but was always in the shadows of his obvious counterparts. On this, it's George's night. The once "quiet one" now speaks through his friends and the world once again has gained another great collection of music.

Pick it up!

"Concert for George" is an excellent honor to the career of one of our master musicians. The Indian music on the first CD influenced George greatly. While it may not be quite as accessible as the more popular music on the second disc, it is fitting that it is included here. On the studio tribute "Songs from the Material World" that appeared early in 2003, some of the same songs were also covered as on this disc. My favorite on this disc is Tom Petty's rocking version of Harrison's "Taxman." Where the Rolling Stones' Bill Wyman did a more loping studio version, Petty and the Heartbreakers cut it crisply. Moutain's Leslie West did George's "Old Brown Shoe" with a blistering guitar solo while here Procol Harum's Gary Brooker generates steam with slide guitar. The Kinks' Dave Davies did a great version of "Give Me Love (Give Me Peace On Earth)" where Jeff Lynne adds some real passion to one of George's most beautiful melodies. Todd Rundgren did a wonderful cookie cutter version of George's excellent "While My Guitar Gently Weeps"; and here Paul McCartney and Eric Clapton make this an excellent moment on "Concert for George." I also greatly enjoyed Ringo's version of "Photograph" with the lyrics taking on an exceptional irony now that George has departed the material world. Harrison's music was incredible for his spiritually enlightening lyrics, amazing lead guitar that seems to weep with emotion, original melodies and great wit. His music will be played for generations; and "Concert for George" is a fitting tribute to this incredible man. Enjoy!

My only major disappointment with this is they left off one of the best performances in the film. I had never heard of Sam Brown before this,but WOW!!! Her voice on You Can Take a Horse to Water just blew me away!! Everybody else is superb as well. McCartney's emotional preamble to Something is especially touching.I love his simple ukelele take on the song. Albert Lee who I'd never heard before does a tasty sizzling guitar solo on Honey Don't.It's a really enjoyable show. You also realize as Jeff Lynne and Eric Clapton mention in the film, that these songs are so strong and musically interesting for all these artists. Almost all of them have ties to the original recordings. It's also obviuous they're all having a wonderful time.George's songs are of course the centerpiece,but Joe Brown(another unknown for me)does a beautiful rendition of I'll See You In My Dreams to close the show.It is all very touching and fun to watch.

I can't possibly add more to the other reviewers expressing love and admiration of George Harrison and his music. The concert was great with all of the guest musicians doing a simply fantastic job. You could feel the love for George. I would recommend you buy the complete DVD version of the concert rather than the CD. Not only is the music mixed better (in my opinion), but there is a huge omission on the CD. Jools Holland & Sam Brown! They did "Lead a Horse to Water" and Sam stole the show. The CD is not complete without it!