Customer Reviews

Johnny Winter And:Live at The Fillmore East 10/3/70

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Johnny Winter has always been a potent stage performer, as documented on numerous live recordings. His set at Woodstock, which has only recently been released in full, was a star-making turn, and after two studio albums for Columbia he formed a new quartet with members of the recently disbanded McCoys: Rick Derringer, Randy Jo Hobbs and Derringer's brother (performing under the original family name), Randy Zehringer. That group recorded under the name "Johnny Winter And," and with Bobby Caldwell replacing Zehringer, broke in their self-titled debut album with this 1970 set at New York City's Fillmore East. The set includes only two tunes from their then-new album (Winter's "Guess I'll Go Away" and Derringer's "Rock and Roll Hoochie Koo"), with the remaining titles drawn from Winter's two previous albums.

The 1971 album Live Johnny Winter And documented the same line-up, repeating "Good Morning Little School Girl" (with improved fidelity here) while trimming "It's My Own Fault" and "Mean Town Blues" to half the length of these extended Fillmore jams. Another difference is that this 67-minute set forgoes the `50s rock covers that dominated the 1971 release. This disc opens with a pair of blues on which Winter takes incendiary, extended solos, and "Rock and Roll Hoochie Koo" is played harder than Derringer's later hit single. The twenty-two minute "It's My Own Fault" is low and slow, providing more of the emotional shades Winter could bring to both his guitar playing and singing. Unfortunately, it's the only slow number in the set.

Those who've longed to hear the rest of the band's early set list are in for a treat. These are the live chapters of Winter's post-Woodstock band that were left out of the 1971 telling. The band's studio debut is represented by two tracks, the extended solos and jams stretch to their full post-psychedelic ballroom length, and covers of Dylan's "Highway 61 Revisited" and Muddy Waters' "Rollin' and Tumblin'" recount some of Johnny Winter's earlier recordings. Those who latched onto Rick Derringer during his pop-rock days with Edgar Winter and subsequent solo career will be floored by the fire in his blues playing. Collectors' Choice delivers this disc in a digipack with a four-panel booklet that includes knowledgeable liner notes by Richie Unterberger. [©2010 hyperbolium dot com]

Saw johnny a few times during this era. Madison Square Garden, Felt Forum, etc. Listened to this twice when I got it. One word, AWESOME!!!! Anybody that knows johnny Winter will relish this recording. A couple of the songs are on the other "JW and live" album, but sound a bit different here. How music like this has just sat around somewhere all these years is beyond me. Would have been nice to have a little more notes and pictures in this CD, but having the music will do just fine. Some of the best. This is a much welcome edition to my collection of just about every thing johnny has recorded.

I was lucky enough to be introduced to Johnny Winter in my senior year in high school via his first album. For me personally, I prefer Johnny from 1969 through 1973-74 or so (including the "Still Alive And Well" Album).

While the sound isn't as "full" as the live Johnny Winter And recording - this is still an excellent show with a killer setlist. I'm not an engineer so I don't know if this is from a soundboard and the 71 release is a multitrack recording edited in the studio - although that would be an educated guess.

With that said, the recording is VERY good and the setlist is great. The interplay between Derringer and Winter is worth the price of admission alone. I'd consider this a 'must' purchase for any fan of Johnny's from that time period (69-74).

I'm very happy with the release, the sound, the setlist and the value. A nice **** release.

This CD is very hot and just what I have been waiting for. Johnny Winter was my favorite guitarist from 1973 to 1976. I still liked Johnny during his mostly blues 1977 and beyond, but not as much, even live. I have been disappointed with the Johnny Winter Bootleg series because most of the tracks on all six volumes are from his later periods (after 1976). I have been waiting for a full show from an earlier era. The early 1970 show on the deluxe Second Winter is cool also, not to mention the Woodstock reocrding. The best shows I saw Johnny do live were in 1975 (Captured Live from Oakland) and 1976 (Winterland). Although I was too young to see this band, my favorite album (by Johnny) to this day is Johnny Winter And Live. This CD blows that one away!This one is now my favorite. Why did I have to wait so long to hear it? To set the record straight, Good Morning Little Schoolgirl is the same version from JWAL. Mean Town Blues is the full version of the JWAL recording. I was happy and saddened to hear this the first time. The JWAL version is hacked to bits. There is even a few verses of Walkin' Blues near the end of the jam on this full version. It's My Own Fault, however, is a completely different version from JWAL. I know every note by heart of that album, so I am sure of this. This version is much better (although the JWAL version was probably also edited). Johnny and Rick really tear it up together. Rock and Roll Hoochie Coo is good, but not as good as the Roadwork version. Highway 61 and Rollin' and Tumblin' are both excellent. I guess I'll Go Away was a pleasant surprise since I have only played the studio Johnny Winter And album once or twice in my life. All in all, this is a much better album than JWAL, although that is still a great album. I wish I could have seen this band live. This recording is the next best thing.

This is more material recorded on October 3rd, 1970 (the day before we lost Janis Joplin to misadventure), the weekend killer band Johnny Winter And recorded their classic live album at the Fillmore East and this one fills in a lot of the missing gaps from that album. The songs on this collection, unlike the "Live And" album released in March of 1971 are unedited and every brilliant high energy note is left intact. "Good Morning Little Schoolgirl" is the only identical cut from the "Live And" album and everything else is a fresh new surprise. Looooong versions of "It's My Own Fault" and Meantown BLues" are the highlights along with stellar versions of "Highway 61" and the Rick Derringer composition "Rock and Roll Hootchie Koo". Rick Derringer adds amazing guitar riffs to compliment Johnny's beyond awesome playing and the band is tighter than the noose that should be around my landlords throat! Bobby Caldwell provides kickass drumming (althought the liner notes mistakenly say that Randy Zeringer is the drummer. Randy actually left the band after the And studio album was released) and Randy Hobbs fills in the bottom on the bass. If you're a diehard Johnny Winter fan like I am or just a casual listener buy this CD! It's a killer and will bring you many years of joy!

This album seems to contain the outtakes from what was recorded and released on the "Johnny Winter And Live" album in the early 70's. Although there are moments when the band sounds rough and un-rehearsed, Johnny and Rick play some pretty amazing things on this album. This is especially evident in "It's My Own Fault". On a whole this is a great collection that just further demonstrates the true greatness of Johnny Winter.

I have "Johnny Winter and Live","Captured live","Live in NYC", "Houston sessions" (a bootleg),"Live with Willie Dixon" (a bootleg),"Bootleg Series" (vol.1-2-3-4)...but this CD ,in my opinion,is the best live of Johnny Winter ever.The interplay beetween him and Rick Derringer is perfect,the music is high speed rock-blues very well recorded (1970!),Johnny's voice is powerful.A must have

I agree that this album is a great find - my only quibble is with the packaging. The uncredited knucklehead of an art director put dark blue type over black for the song titles, and, get this - "Fillmore" is spelled "Filmore." Are you guys kidding me?

I became a fan sometime before seeing him at Fillmore East on Feb 15 1969. He shared the bill with Chuck Berry and Savoy Brown. He came on like a gaudy and almost otherworldy presence with swirling chiffon scarves, but the rest was brain and heart stinging blues intensity. Guitar freaks knew he was God's gift. He played from the heart, over and above his great talent and giant dexterous hands and fingers. He is also perhaps the greatest scholar of the blues alive, I think, rivaling anyone's knowledge - plus he's woodshedded just about all of it to perfection. Johnny performed several other times at the Fillmore and was a crowd favorite. Those were the days. Front section seats were like 4.50 or 5.50, and the backstage door was accessible by fans who generally respected the artists' safety and dignity. It was just an enthusiastic scene, including the famous bathrooms, the Hell's Angels, the East Village, Ratner's next door...Johnny I love you and may you be well.Thank you so much...

I've been waiting for more live recordings from Johnny's numerous shows at the Fillmore for years. At the time he was already a superstar coming off his unprecented contract with Columbia(?)in 68, if I recall correctly. Good Morning Little School Girl is the same exact recording as was previously released on JW And Live. Rock and Roll Hoochie Koo, Highway 61 Revisited, Guess I'll Go Away and Rollin and Tumblin provide a window into what Johnny was into at the time. It takes you from his blues beginnings to his foray into the aggressive rock and roll guitar playing style he became known for. Hearing these solos again reminds me of the single thought that always reverberated in my mind at the time (I'd like to see someone transpose that!) He was at his best during this period of time. I recall him/them playing the same night the Allman Brothers Band did and recall the Allmans checking JW out from backstage while he did his set. They seemed to be transfixed. While Rick Derringer was a good rythym guitarist to JW his solos were just a little too empty for me. Fortunately JW brought out the inner guitarist in him and enabled Derringer to make valiant efforts. Now if there were only video/movie recordings from any of these shows. I say buy it. Raw, young Johnny Winter at his best. The sound is better than I thought it would be considering up until Peter Frampton live recording were usually empty and tinny.