Customer Reviews

East West Live

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

If you are thinking about purchasing this album, it is worth noting that a CD with three extended live versions of the same song is most likely going to appeal to the devoted fan. That fan will, most likely, already own the album which contains the studio version of "East-West," a raga- and samba- infused instrumental featured on this disc in three successively longer and more experimental live versions from 1966 and 1967. That fan may, depending on their outlook towards the historical value of this particular recording, be able to overlook the sometimes-distorted (but almost always listenable) mono sound quality of this disc.

In spite of the crude sound quality, this is a wonderful disc. Tracing the stylistic development of the tune "East-West" (the title tune from the second released Paul Butterfield album), this CD documents a pivotal moment in the development of late '60's rock. Around the time these performances were recorded, the Paul Butterfield Blues Band frequently shared concert bills with the Byrds. Much of the Byrds' highly influential 'raga-rock' from ca. 1966 (especially "Eight Miles High") is more than a little indebted to "East-West". The PBBB's instrumental virtuosity and eclectic fusion of disparate musical genres also had a profound influence on Carlos Santana and the Grateful Dead. If the PBBB can be accused of "noodling" through parts of these performances, that is at least somewhat an accusation born out of three decades of indulgence by the countless jam bands that have followed in the wake of the PBBB, who so often aspire to this level of ambition without possessing an equal level of skill.

Also, the reviewer who mentions that the PBBB likely played better versions of this tune in the early '70's ought to check his facts. PBBB Keyboardist Mark Naftalin (who recorded the performances included on this CD) states in the Michael Bloomfield biography "If You Love These Blues" that the band never performed "East-West" after Bloomfield left the group in 1967. Given the intensity of the performances on this CD, and the integral role that Bloomfield (the tune's composer) played in these performances, it is not hard to imagine why that is the case. Bloomfield, a truly underrated guitarist, gives searing, passionate performances here (especially on track #3) that rival anything coming out of the amplifiers of Clapton or Hendrix from the same era.

Sure the sound quality is not the greatest. OK, I admit it. Recorded on portable tape recorders in 1966-67.........what would you expect? But if you can get past that, this is a great, rare chance to hear how East/West developed onstage - three great versions taped by a band member over about a one year period. An incredible document of a songs growth - played live - you shouldn't expect the song to sound exactly like the studio version recorded about a year earlier. That is the beauty of this CD - it shows the development of a great tune, from a 12 minute version, to a 16 min. version, to the best part, the 28 minute blowout version. Wow!! This third version is worth the price alone....but all versions are great. If you like the song from the album, this is certainly a real treat. It's historic importance cannot be denied. The songs influence is incredible!!!!
I guess you can tell I like it.....alot!!!! Brings back memories of my younger days.........this WAS a groundbreaking song for the times!

(4-1/2 stars) What's really cool about this disc, that others have commented on, is how well it shows the development of this group of musicians around a particular idea that from all accounts of the time, was utterly groundbreaking and historically important. On the first version, its Bloomfield's wicked chops that really grab your attention, but you get the idea that the rest of the band just hasn't quite picked up the right vocabulary yet. Version 2 has much more impressive soloing from Bishop, and some nice interplay between the two guitarists. We get to hear a little more of Butterfield, but its track #3 where we finally see the synthesis fully realized. On this, there's not a single member of the band that doesn't stun you, from the apocalyptic guitars, to the solid, groovy jazz drum-riffing, and especially Butterfield's wonderful, textural harmonica touches - its worth paying twice the cost of this CD just to hear the intensity of this final performance. Its an absorbing listen, but be warned that undoubtedly curious neophytes might be turned off by the somewhat muddy bootleg-like sound and jam-oriented aspect of the disc. Nevertheless, the strength of the performances coupled with its historic significance makes it a joy to behold.

If you're like me and dig jam-oriented music, then get this disc. The studio version of this song is mind-blowing, but when they played it live, it turned into a whole new monster. These live cuts are on par with the likes of Cream, John Coltrane(sorry guys, he's still gotcha beat on time!), and The Grateful Dead. I just love it when musicians can churn out this type of stuff. It says something about the caliber of musicians in the 1960's. Everyone gets hung up on the "drug" aspect of the decade, but folks, let me tell you something, the 1960's was probably the most productive decade not just for rock, but for every form of music out there. It's too bad that this great movement had to end and evolve into what we have today. Anyway, enough of my ranting.
If you're new to Butterfield, i strongly suggest you get on of his albums, or the 2-disc Elektra Years Anthology. If you want to dive off the deep end, then get this disc. Ranging from 12-16-28!!!-minutes, these three cuts show how the song developed over the course of a year. Cut 1 is from the Whiskey A Go Go in LA March or April? 1966, Cut 2 is from Poor Richard's in Chicago April or May? 1966, and Cut 3 is from The Golden Bear in Huntington Beach, CA January or February? 1967. The dates are guesswork, as the cd only lists the recording dates as seasons(ex. winter 1967). The last version is at the end of Bloomfield's tenure with the band, so you get to hear some of his last works with the group. The last version is the best. The third movement is like a whole new song. It's just mind blowing. GET IT. You won't regret it!!!

When I left the Beatles and Beach Boys for other forms of rock and roll, I found the Paul Butterfield Blues Band and East-West. This album was SO good that my mother even let me play it a high volume and eventually drove me to the Fillmore to see the band when I was in 9th grade. Unfortuntely, I did not know that Bloomfield had just left the group and was about to form the Electric Flag (a group I was able to see live later in 1967). But I still had the album East-West and aquired their earlier work, which also a powerful set of songs.

If you dig the history of rock and roll and especially the evolution of the blues/rock guitar, you will like this album and you need to hear it; if you like Mike Bloomfield it is a no-brainer. Thanks to Mark Naftalin for having the sense to get some on tape during what was most likely a chaotic road experience and for preserving these recordings. I easily forgive the fidelity and deeply cherish the playing.

The previous reviews seem to divide on the issue of sound quality. So let me say that, especially on the first track, the sound quality is about third-rate. But the music itself--first-rate. For someone like myself who has spent a good amount of time listening to music from 78 RPM records (Robert Johnson, Charley Patton, for example) the sound quality is just not an issue. If you're a casual listener, then skip this one. But if you're passionate about this kind of music, and especially if you love Bloomfield, particularly in his early years, you need this. The band is on fire throughout, caught up in that intense level of mutual exploration that is like the start of a wild affair. And like a wild affair, it burned itself out. Within a year Bloomfield had moved on and Butterfield reportedly never played the song again. But here, thanks to keyboard player Mark Naftalin, is the equivalent of some flowers pressed in a book, only the heat is still all there.

The previous reviews cover a lot of ground, and show how individual Butterfield / Bloomfield fans might hear East-West Live in an entirely different way. My two cents: if poor recording technology interferes with your enjoyment of music, don't bother, but if it doesn't, and you love electric blues jams, E-WL may trigger multiple climaxes in your ears (can I say that?) Too bad nobody made a professional live recording of the PBBB with Bloomfield, but Elektra had problems getting them down right in the studio, so may not have tried. The greatest blues-jam band to ever walk the planet; only the Allmans with Duane can stand with them.

For any fan of the PBBB or of jams, this is great find. The sound quality isn't great, but what do you expect given how it was recorded. This CD gives the listener a rich variety of styles on this jam, with the real feeling that is lost in the studio. This is a great album for anyone who loves jams.

the importance of the butterfield blues band was among other things, the introduction to the world, and some of the supreme recorded moments of mike bloomfield, one of the finest guitarist to grace this planet in his short existence. butterfield's first album, though very good, had nothing to quite prepare the listener for the second album 'east - west'. while butterfield remain commited to discovering the power and the sublime purity of the blues, bloomfield contributed the experimental and modal title track that changed the face of rock and roll. released in 1966, before the psychedelic revolution, the title track was an eleven minute modal guitar jam which introduced rock and roll to a differant harmonic structure, differant, trance inducing time signatures, and reveal some of the sonic possibilities of the guitar (influencing just about every guitarist to come afterword, including jimi hendrix, jimi page, etc...) this document, capturing this song played at differant points in BBBs history from 1966-67 has very acceptable to actually very good sound board recordings, has three versions of this song, each progressively more dynamic and challenging than the preceeding one, of probably the (IMO) greatest single guitar performance in rock and roll. All three versions (especially the last 28:00 minute version), must be heard to be believed! elvin bishop, paul butterfield(on harp), and bloomfield play some of the most beautiful and powerfully moving instrumental work in rock. Absolutely revolutionary!

This is a CD I heve very mixed feelings about. If this and Strawberry Jam, considering their low sound quality & low production values, had been offered as a less than full price CD, like the Velvet Underground did with Live at Max's Kansas City, they would be great. You can fool around with the eq a bit and make it sound better but for a full price non bootleg CD, you shouldn't have to. That said, it's incredilble to have live recording of this truly amazing band available (other than the rather limp live album from a latter line up). It's pretty obvious that the guys enjoyed the hell out of playing this. If you are new to the Butterfield Blues Band this isn't the place to start. But if you're already a fan, pick this & Strawberry Jam up, particularly if you can get a used copy at a good price.