Fillmore East: The Lost Concert Tapes 12/13/68 [LIVE]

Michael Bloomfield, Al Kooper

Product Details

• Audio CD (April 8, 2003)
• Original Release Date: March 4, 2003
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Live
• Label: Sony
• ASIN: B00008QSA6
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (33 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #79,586 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

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  Music > Rock > Live Albums > Blues Rock

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

The live attempts at recreating the seminal jam chemistry of Super Session were hit-and-miss affairs, and this one, previously unreleased, has its fair share of off-key and off-target tunes. The rhythm section is erratic, the repertoire--ranging from Simon & Garfunkel's "59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin' Groovy)" to an Elvis-flavored "That's All Right Mama"--is a bit odd, and co-leader Al Kooper is competent but rarely inspired. Guitarist Michael Bloomfield, however, is uniformly brilliant and his graceful blues virtuosity is by itself well worth the price of admission. Bloomfield and the group are joined on B.B. King's "It's My Own Fault" by a then-unknown Johnny Winter and things get really interesting. For nearly 11 minutes Winter and Bloomfield dive deep into the blues with Winter astounding the audience with his vocals and lightning licks on a song that had long been a staple of his live shows in Texas. The remainder of the album lacks similar energy and excitement, but Bloomfield's guitar work keeps it listenable. Overall, The Live Adventures of Mike Bloomfield & Al Kooper, recorded several months earlier, provides a better look at the band's concert sound but it does so without Winter. --Michael Point

Product Description

The complete smash album featuring Kooper, Stills and Bloomfield at Fillmore East December 13th, 1968, here reissued & remastered with liner notes by Al Kooper. Columbia/Legacy. 2003.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great live Bloomfield!, May 13, 2003

By	Paul Ferris (Boulder, CO. United States) - See all my reviews

Without providing a full review of this CD (available elsewhere) I did want to point out that the most obvious flaw in the CD, the drummer's inability to play in time with the band, reveals one of the great strengths of Mike Bloomfield. At turns, the drummer tries to play a straight blues in 3/4 or sounds like he is accompanying a striptease act rather than a blues-rock band. But listen to Bloomfield's blistering solo on "Don't Throw Your Love on me so Strong" and hear how he plays completely undeterred even by a drummer hopelessly out of sync with the rest of the band. Bloomfield's solo on this Albert King classic is so full of exquisite chops and passion it's worth the price of the ticket alone. His tone is unbelievable and it's a rare individual who can make even a Les Paul sound that good. It's as close as anyone I have heard come to making a guitar talk. Then again, the extended solos of Winter and Bloomfield on "It's My Own Fault" also justify the purchase. It's like listening to two masters at the peak of their game totally in control and throwing everything they've got at the music on one very good night. Thanks for finding these tapes Mr. Kooper.

14 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Kinda like driving an Aston Martin with a flat tire!, June 14, 2006

By	Wah Wah (CA USA) - See all my reviews

The "drummer" (more like "The Anti-Drummer") on this is Johnny Cresci. He is maddeningly lacking in even basic garage band ability, and literally has no idea what a 6/8 blues meter is. How he landed on the same stage with these legends may be the musical mystery of all time. For me, Mr. "Clueless" Cresci makes it nearly impossible to enjoy the brilliant performances going on despite his anti-rhythmic upchucking.....kinda like driving an Aston Martin with a flat tire! I have tried to get beyond Cresci's chops for over a year of listening now, and I simply can't do it. If you're a musician, his playing will make you extremely agitated. I'm gonna have to trade this in, and go on listening to Live Adventures like I have for the past 37 years. This would have been much better with the drum tracks totally muted on the 6/8 numbers.

Granted, this is an historically significant release, but I think it should have stayed in the vault, or released with Johnny Cresci having been digitally removed or replaced.

14 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Well Worth the Wait, April 18, 2003

By	N. Wakabayashi "Nobs" (Jawsey) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Who would've thought that in April of 2003, it would be sort of my take of a "Bloomfield" Month, with the duo releases of this album & the re-release of the Super Session album? The project as a whole had been delayed for some time, as I continually made my trip to the stores...only to find out on Al Kooper's web site that Sony/Columbia had to delay the project again.... & again.

True to Mr. Kooper's word, this album is "all about Bloomfield". Well sort of, as a nod must be given to the surprise guest appearance by Johnny Winter(what happened to the mentioned Buzzy Feiten cuts?). And he does not disappoint, but the drummer sure does. All over this recording, as he & the rest of the band are clearly out of sync.

However, there is enough here to overlook any of the faults. At time when he was still at the peak of his guitar powers, & his name was ALWAYS mentioned with the other great guitarists of the day. His singing NEVER was on par with his guitar playing(not much changes in my assessment w/ this album), but if one wants to just hear the man play with glee, pick this one up. It's what keeps many of us coming back for more to this inconsistent, but giant talent. By then, he wasn't the hot shot guitarist with the Butterfield Blues Band. Rather, a seasoned pro that had perfected his "Bloomfield" style.

The playing by Bloomfield is on par with the My Labors/Fillmore West releases, but those recordings were enhanced with the addition of Nick Gravenites, the backing band for those gigs, & the guest appearance by Taj Mahal.

Hopefully this project will remind the musical community again on what an awesome talent he was. Many of us owe it him, & countless others who were there to "educate" the rock & roll community on the art form known as the blues.