Customer Reviews

Gregg Allman Tour

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The Big Man put on a tuxedo and brought a full orchestra, a slew of backup singers, and turned in a swinging, joyous, full-throated demonstration of how to do Southern soul with style and class. From the hilarious introduction by Martin Mull ("Due to illness, I am unable to perform tonight, but Gregg Allman has kindly consented to perform on my behalf....") to the rave-up closer, this album presents Gregg and his band in a sophisticated, entirely new light. Backed by a top-notch crew including fellow Capricorn Records mates Cowboy, Gregg and the boys re-imagine many of the best tracks off of his first solo album as big-band, swing-style numbers, throwing in Southern soul and warm jazz inflections, as well as a few glimpes of ABB jams. All in all, a very satisfying and entertaining live album that shows a very different side of Gregg Allman. Not just for fans, this is one that will convert the casual listener and make you want to dig deeper into the catalog of this great artist.

With the Allman Brothers Band, singer/songwriter/keyboardist/occasional acoustic guitarist Gregg Allman stands aside and lets one of the finest ensembles in the world turn fabulous songs into jaw-dropping jam-band nuggets. But on his own, Allman's love for soul music shines, and that's obviously something not everybody has figured out. His solo shows don't have extended guitar workouts, but he loves horn sections and that shows on this long-awaited CD release of his 1974 live album. There's also an orchestra and guest performances by a long-departed countryish band called Cowboy, which also served as his backing band -- along with Allman drummer Jaimoe and then-ABB member Chuck Leavell. It all works pretty well, in my humble opinion. Don't Mess Up A Good Thing and Stand Back have a nice kick to 'em, while the ballad Queen of Hearts has a swelling chorus that's simply moving to hear. So if you're thinking of buying this to get your ABB fix, you'll be disappointed. But if you come prepared to give Gregg his due as a solo artist, then prepare to enjoy yourself.

Finally after many years this great 1974 record was released on CD a few years ago. Famous for The Allman Brothers Band, Allman certainly has not achieved much acclaim as a solo artist. This largely unknown gem is a tribute to the man's genius, a tremendous soul record whose genre veers far from the hard jazz/blues of the Brothers. The gospel influence is heavy, the Southern Soul flows free, with great performances by Mr. Allman (vocals, organ), Allman Brothers pianist at the time Chuck Leavell, Randall Bramlett (sax, organ), acclaimed session men Tommy Talton and Scott Boyer of Cowboy, both on guitar and vocals, three female backup singers, and a 24 piece orchestra. Released only a year after Allman's solo studio classic "Laid Back", it includes three tunes from that record, including "Queen of Hearts". 'Hearts', and "Oncoming Traffic" are to my mind simply the most beautiful tunes that Gregg Allman has ever written, and they are both given marvelous treatment on this live record. Only one drawback out of 12 songs: Allman Brothers' "Stand Back" sounds lame with horns. The only other ABB tune is a great version of "Dreams". A soul record that JUMPS. BUY IT.

Released to commemorate Gregg's first major solo tour in 1974 in support of the successful Laid Back album, this set reflects the tour very well. Highlights include a lush orchestral "Dreams" and "Stand Back" from the catalog of the ABB, "Queen of Hearts" and "Will the Circle Be Unbroken" from Laid Back, plus the otherwise unavailable "Oncoming Traffic" and "Double Cross", among others. The use of fellow Capricorn artists, the very under appreciated band Cowboy as the backing group insures top notch musical support. They even get a couple of solo turns here.(More of their vintage material needs to see the light of day. Hint. Hint.) This was Gregg's move out of the shadow of the ABB so don't expect that same thing. The style owes more to Brother Ray and Bobby Blue Bland than Muddy and Elmore. If you are a fan, well worth the investment. Of course, if you are a long time fan like this old Georgia boy, then I haven't said anything you didn't already know. Enjoy.

I was at the Gregg Allman show in Omaha, Nebr in 1974. It was a great concert. I was very glad to see this re-released on CD.
This is NOT the Allman Brothers, and it was not meant to be. It shows another dimension to Gregg. I really liked the 24 piece orchestra, and contrary to many other people, I really liked the middle of the show act of Cowboy. This CD is a must for ABB fans and collectors who want more than just another version of Whipping Post or all the other great ABB standards.

When this album came out in 1974 I didn't much care for it. In fact, I remember commenting to a fellow Allman-Fanatic that the ABB selections sounded like "Allman-Musik". Twenty Seven years hence, my opinion has improved substantially. I guess back then, being a purist, I had no room for anything that wasn't straight ahead full tilt southern boogie. The horns and especially the 24 peice orchestra were way too overblown for my catholic tastes. As I listened to this for the first time in more than twenty years, I discovered that there was much here to appreciate and that Gregg Allman really was true to his roots despite all the Hollywood hype surrounding him at the time and all the big band arrangements of the old material.

I still feel there's lots of fluff. The Cowboy selections don't hold up very well and Are You Lonely For Me Baby sounds bored and uninspired, too much gospel and not enough boogie. Oncomming Traffic slows down to a crawl, like...like a rush-hour traffic jam. But the ABB selections stand up much better then I had orginally felt and really show off Gregg's outstanding soulful grit. Stand Back and Dreams kick and of course Gregg's inspired performance of Queen of Hearts is timeless. I would have bought this CD for that one selection alone. Queen of Hearts really is one of the finest songs Gregg ever wrote and here he delivers it with heartfelt passion and raw emotion. This is the version they should have included on the Gregg Allman anthology.

The style of this live CD bears little resemblance to Fillmore East but it is nonetheless a very fine CD. Surprisingly, it also bears little resemblance to his then currect "Laid BacK" album either. This is Allman backed with a large ensemble doing a much more uptempo set and without much soloing. A number of the songs included here can only be found on this CD so it is a must for serious Gregg Allman fans.

ONE OF GREGG'S BEST ALBUMS, EVERY TRACK IS GREAT, ESPECIALLY WITH THE AWESOME SHM AUDIO FORMAT. MUST HAVE FOR ANY CD COLLECTION, BUT DON'T PAY THESE RIDICULOUS OVER-INFLATED PRICES, I BOUGHT MINE FROM THE MUSIC SPECIALIST ON E BAY, THEY ALSO HAVE A STORE IN GEMM, ANTEATERMUSIC. SAVE YOURSELF A TON OF CASH.
CHEERS!

As the author of the Jefferson Airplane book "Take Me To A Circus Tent" and a former radio disc-jockey, I am often asked to write and or discuss various music supplies and recordings from the 60's and 70's.

The 1974 "Gregg Allman Tour" showed him to be road tested but not weary. His voice and passion during the set is superlative. Along for the ride Allman`s Jaimoe and Chuck Leavell brought instant credibility to the tour but enhancing the entire production was the tasty and unsung guitar-playing of Tommy Talton. Excluding the epic version of "Turn On Your Love Light", the tunes were not given the Allman Brother extensions, thus Talton wisely picked his spots and was up to the challenge.

"Queen Of Hearts" and "I Feel So Bad" captivate the audience with Gregg's arsenal of musical expertise. The blender is busy mixing rock, soul, southern rock, gospel, and traditional blues and the band is locked in. "Where Can You Go Cowboy?" has such tremendous instrumentation you can easily miss the nuances if you don't give it a second listen. "Dreams" is seven minutes of Gregg ripping out his soul. The rendition is without a blemish. "Turn On Your Love Light" lets the entire group flex their collective muscles. The audience is mesmerized with Gregg's vocal. A perfect close to the festivities is the traditional "Will The Circle Be Unbroken." There have been interpretations far and wide of the timeless tune but Gregg and band have us believe it was his pen that created the song.

The CD has a nice mix of Gregg's vocals and gives you the feeling you were part of the tour. If you overlooked this the first time around it is never too late to go on the road with Gregg.

While not the guitar heroics, duel drumming, & driving Bass that have made the Allman Brothers Band one of the finest live acts of all time, Gregg goes in a much different direction and shows his versatility in this '74 Carnegie Hall, Capitol Theatre live release. Much of the material comes from Gregg's finest solo effort "Laid Back". Accompanied by a string and horn section, Gregg along with Allman Bros. friend Chuck Levell work their way through a great songlist, including one of the best versions of "Dreams" recorded since the early '70's. The only think that keeps this album from all 5 stars, is the less than intresting performance by Cowboy. The Gregg Allman Tour, allows fans of both Gregg and The ABB, to expore another side of the fantastic music that has endured 30+ years!