Customer Reviews

Live in Concert with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I'm no stranger to this album: I bought the A&M vinyl back in the '70s and an import CD in the late '80s. Both sounded magnificent for their time, but lacked the extras (Luskus Delph (B-side of the 'Conquistador' single)), not to mention 'Simple Sister' and 'Shine On Brightly' from the Edmonton rehearsals) featured here. I would have been content to have these extra goodies along with the familiar tunes from the earlier releases in good sound. What I was not prepared for was how the latest remastering brings the whole enterprise up to a new level.

The familiar strains of 'Conquistador', 'A Salty Dog' and 'In Held Twas in I' ring out with the same resonance of 30 years ago, but what's evident is a reworking of the inner voices, notably the woodwinds and choir, which now sound positively celestial. The lesser-known 'All This And More' is elevated by the glowing choral work which somehow seemed buried before.

'Luskus Delph' is a delightfully coy tune from their Broken Barricades album (often introduced by Gary Brooker as "a sultry bit of underhanded smut"). If you had the Conquistador single, you've heard it. I waited 37 years and it was worth it just to hear the horn motif and choir winding its way around Keith Reid's suggestive lyrics. 'Simple Sister' is tarted up here with brass and orchestral flourishes, but lacks the ominous repeated theme that usually closes it, while 'Shine on Brightly' is the band without orchestra - probably a warm up, but showing the band in good form.

If you are not familiar with this album, and want to hear the best of rock/symphonic fusion, by all means pick this up. You may know 'Conquistador' already, but hold on until the close of 'In Held Twas in I' (played at the highest volume your neighbors can tolerate), and I guarantee you'll be blown away.

For devout Procolers, now is the time to upgrade your collection with this new offering.

Since Live In Concert With the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra was the only Procol Harum album I did not yet own on CD, this Salvo remaster was eagerly anticipated. Even though this album was not my favorite Procol Harum release when it was current, I cannot deny that the rendition of Conquistador presented here has become the one by which all other renditions of the song are measured. The song sounded spectacular upon its original release and sounds even more so on this remaster.
So why do I give this only four stars? Well, mostly because Conquistador is the only song in which the orchestration becomes an integral part of the composition. On the other cuts, the orchestra merely adds highlights although those highlights are not unimportant to what both the band and the orchestra were trying to do here. The other cuts from the original release where the orchestra does most to enhance the music are A Salty Dog and certain parts of the epic In Held Twas In I. As for the bonus cuts, orchestral impact is minimal. I enjoy most the version of Luskus Delph.
Pieces not mentioned are good as well though a lot more could have been done with Simple Sister. The abbreviated take on that here reminds me of how radio butchered the Doors' Light My Fire in the interests of brevity for AM play. Also, even though Gary Brooker has a very appealing and distinctive voice, the vocal parts of In Held Twas In I formerly performed by Matthew Fisher show that he is sorely missed.
This is the album where Procol Harum came out of the closet to proudly display the classical leanings fans always suspected they had. As with the other Salvo remasters, this CD comes with a handsome and interesting booklet containing all pertinent album info, pictures, and interesting commentary that is highly retrospective but with a judicious dose of contemporary viewpoints. I highly recommend this and all other Procol Harum remasters by Salvo issued to date.

Especially when this album came out, taking the also-ran track "Conquistador" from the first album, added an intro with a Spanish feel, and wound up with a hit. Other notables are "Whaling Stories" and the epic "In Held Twas In I", both of which had always been "what if they used an orchestra" tracks. Which they did on "Salty Dog" (reprised here). Everybody seems to consider the Moody Blues' "Days Of Future Passed" as the defininitive rock band with orchestra album, but this one is "how about in a live setting?", the way Dream Theater did many years later with "Score" and Metallica did with "S&M". With these guys, I had picked up the original "Procol Harum" album on strength of the single "Whiter Shade", liked the followup single "Homburg", but then ignored them until the single "Simple Sister" prompted me to pick up "Broken Barricades", but once this album came out with the single "Conquistador" leading the way, buying it and listening to it prompted me to double back and get the earlier ones that I was missing. From then on in, I never missed picking up each of the later ones as they came out. Which makes this one the album that spawned a collection. This was to include all the "reunion" releases as well. Well, it's as good a way as any to become a dedicated fan, and I recommend it highly to the uninitiated. While you're at it, don't forget Brooker's "Within Our House", prima facie evidence on one disc that you can perform a rock concert in a church--as long as your band stylistically resembles Procol Harum.

I was at the concert but no, although I was living in Edmonton at the time and regularly attended Edmonton Sympathy concerts until moving to the States 20 years later. They were and still are one of the premier orchestras in North America. The Moody Blues started orchestra/rock band fusion with 'Knights in White Satin', still one of the best ever. But this CD is a close second especially when compared to Procol Harum's not so good release with the BBC Symphony Orchestra about 25 years later.

I just revisited this cd recently(I have the German Repertoire version from a few years back: great remastering). I love this album but I have one problem with it: the guitar. It's not what David Ball plays but the lack of a real ballsy tone. This is especially apparent on "Whaling Stories". The guitar is just TOO CLEAN! I remember an interview with him in Melody Maker where he was frustrated over the inability to get a dirtier tone. No one ever seems to mention this or complain about it. It must have been extremely difficult to follow in Robin Trower footsteps but Mick Grabham didn't seem to have as much difficulty. I have seen every lineup of this band, and this one reminds me of the reunion tour for The Prodigal Stranger. Tim Renwick(a fine guitarist in his own right) was a last minute replacement for Trower AGAIN!! He did a good job but once again, his tone was too thin. Gary Brooker himself admitted they should have used someone else. Renwick's successor, Geoff Whitehorn is a monster player and is still a member to this day. So just 1 star(actually a half)off for the lackluster guitar.

I bought this album the first time in 1972. Its live performance with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra shows off Procol Harum to best advantage. Conquistador and Salty Dog are my favorites, but they're all good. My 18 year old daughter liked the story of the pilgrim who asks the Dalai Lama the secret of life. This is a very much "worth it" addition to your CD library if you are a fan of Procol Harum and the other cutting edge groups of circa 1970.

From the liner note stories the nervous tension was palpable during the preparations and performace for this concert. Procol simply had no idea if it was going to work. They had two very new members in the band and combining Symphony Orchestra and Rock band live is very challenging techically and musically. I love Procol Harum and this to me is the high water mark of their career. This sound on this remaster is fantastic! The balances of the orchestra and band are perfect. Very strident orchestra when it needs to be, never drowned out by the band and vice versa. They were underapreciated in their time because in America during '68/'69 when they were first coming up the music was a bit sedate and didn't fit in with the hard rock boggie misuc of the times. By '71/'72 prog was in swing and they were finaly getting recognized as the first pioneers of that music. The orchestra here gives them the power and grace the writing needed. This is the place to start in their catalog. It's serious music but if your mood is right for it there's simply nothing else like it in the history of Rock.

I bought this album when first released in the 70's when I was living in Canada. It was pretty well known because it was recorded in Canada. I have been hooked on it ever since. Anyone that loves the 70's rock bands attempts of playing with orchestras will think this is truly one of the best blends. Not a bad moment on it. I only wish there were even more tracks from the concert that could have been added to the CD. This one is a must.

While Procol Harum produced a number excellent albums over the years, their finest achievement was the Live with the Edmond Symphony Orchestra . The music could easily pass as a greatest hits collection from their early albums. However, in this live set they achieved the perfect integration of a symphony orchestra, the likes of which have never been equaled in the history of rock and roll. For some reason this piece is only available as an import making the price quite a bit higher than any other record from that time. Even at the higher price though, it is still worth it.

This CD is worth it for the versions of "Conquistador", "Salty Dog" (sea gulls included) and "Shine On Brightly" (bonus track). Gary Brooker's vocals never sounded better and "Salty Dog" would challenge anyone. Not available as an MP3 on Amazon.