Still
listening to the Fillmore Concerts 1992 mix by Tom Dowd - Whipping Post
is just crazy - the first six minutes dissolve into an amalgamation of
themes, trances, movements and refrains that eclipse the standard format
of what a popular song is and evolve into art. The shifts that this
live exploration of sound make are a kin to winding through a mountain
pass so subtle and soft are their landings you may fail to notice every strand of grass or shift in rock formation but they are there.
In its whole its a creative work of genius and the gods but each note,
arpeggio and sonic exploration has a purpose and melds from the
righteous spirit that drove their creation in the first place.
Their work together on these recordings are true compositions rivaling
the masters Bach, and Mozart. Call it jazz, call it rock n roll but it
is so much more and beyond the "jam band" moniker its ridiculous. Get
this music out listen to it again deeply and pay attention. If you
think you know it because you listened to it repeatably years ago you
will be surprised at the sophistication, the maturity, the musicianship
and the touches and flourishes that permeate the main themes and arcs.
It's quite unbelievable what is going on here as the musicians work
together and intertwine with each other.
Eat a Peach is on
deck next on my musical sojourn back through their catalogue but its
going to have to wait for a while more as I re-listen to disc two and
circle back to the first disc - I really don't see an end in sight and
that in and of itself is a beautiful thing.
I
want you to take a good look at these musicians and how they are all
concentrating and looking at each other. This is how its done. It's
Dickey's turn a guitar god in his own right to lead but the ensemble
playing behind him including Duane is playing "with" him and working,
concentrating, and listening in order to weave in and out of the magic.
Each musician is propelling the other and informing
the other as the music takes direction. It is an amazing amount of
good fortune that this sextet with these specific musicians was captured
live by such a renowned and skilled producer Tom Dowd.
Fillmore East as I have just been re-listening to it only recently is a
freaking stunning collection of musicianship,and fire. It is an
outrageously groove driven pallet of sound, an avalanche of intricacy
and composition with halting pinnacles of contemplation and I haven't
even gotten to the second disc yet.
I'm listening to "The
Fillmore Concerts" a 1992 remaster of the original release just as the
ABB were emerging again off the heals of the Dream Box set and Seven
Turns. I'm ecstatic to have it in my collection and truth be told
haven't listened to it in decades as I was all in on the later day
sextet with Warren Haynes, Derek Trucks and Oteil Burbridge.
Berry Oakley's bass work while never receiving as much press as Duane's
guitar skill, drive and vision possess the same amount of finesse,
brilliance, heart, drive and fire. It is something to behold listening
to the original six working together and it is a miracle that this
moment in time was captured. Imagine if this recording suffered the
fate of the Layla sessions ohhh my what a tragedy that would have been.
Instead we have this prodigious amalgamation of the pinnacle of music
that is certainly the Mount Everest of music here on Earth and quite
possibly a sliver of what it must sound like in heaven - effortlessly
dancing and commingling each note, chord and beat thundering through its
woven path, barreling through passages of time momentarily settling
like a light rain upon your soul and then exploding like a volcano. You
better believe it was all about the music and if you bring any other
attitude to the stage you suck.
