1 comments about Collectors' King Crimson, Vol. 2.

1. This is a special and much more expensive release of 2 King Crimson Collectors Club releases, Live At Cap D'Agde, 1982 and On Broadway, 1995.

   You should buy the King Crimson Collectors Club membership instead, because the On Broadway CDs are missing a couple of songs, such as "Thela Hun Ginjeet".

   Other than this, the shows are excellent.

No comments about Live at the BBC.

No comments about In Concert.

5 comments about All the World's a Stage.

1. Back in 1976, Rush was a much better live band than studio band. The live versions of "2112" and "Something for Nothing" leave their studio-born siblings in the dust. The same can be said for just about all of the tracks here. Heck, I even like this version of "By-Thor and the Snow Dog." I'm not a huge fan of Phase-I Rush, but the energy here is contagious and the album is a lot of fun to listen to.
   
   And what would a 1970's-era live hard rock album be without an extended drum solo. At least we get to hear one of the greatest rock drummers of all time on this one.



2. This live album probably captures Rush at the height of their career. It displays the tightness of the band through their early evolution. Notes are crisp, timing is superb and the musical riffs blend together in as close an approximation of the studio recordings as possible. Geddy is at his finest, suppling a driving back beat equaling the "perfessor" Neil Peart on the skins. Un-like other three man bands, there is no "emptiness" when Alex performs his wonderous guitar solo's.
   
   An excellent selection for those of you wishing to sample Rush for the first time and a must have for those of us that love this Canadian band.



3. This is the first of many incredible live albums by Rush circa 1976. I had this one on cassette back in the day, wore that thing out! A great live version of 2112 on this one, plus Something for Nothing and a Working Man/Finding my Way melody that is out of sight.



4. As a longtime fan of Rush, I am a proud owner of this live album. Alex, Geddy and Neil just jam on this great live record from one of the best progressive groups ever.
   
   It's great to hear 'By-Tor And The Snow Dog' live. Alex plays some mighty fine slide guitar here. 'Working Man/Finding My Way' features a great drum solo from Neil, who is, in my opinion, one of the best of all-time. The drum solo alone is worth the price of the entire album.
   
   The record ends with 'What You're Doing,' which was the one that was used for compilations. It's a great one; Geddy's vocals are great, and Neil plays a great beat.
   
   Overall, this is one of the best live records ever released. Highly recommended for any Rush fan. An amazing record from one of the finest trios in rock history.
   
   Highly recommended. ENJOY!!!



5. All THe World's A Stage is a truly epic compilation of Rush's growth as a progressive rock genre group at this point in thier career. The lyric excellence and outstanding live performance skills of Neil Peart coupled with geddy Lee's vocal and and virtuoso bass and keyboard performances and Alex Lifeson's complimentary guitar abilities make this a truly elevating sonic experience.

3 comments about Live in Concert.

1. The horid sound quality makes this CD unlistenable. It pretty cool to here what this band sounded like in the early years. This captures them before they became huge. Unlike Carnegie Hall, and Japan, when this band was huge.
   There are so many different Toronto live CDs, all of them have the basic horid sound quality.



2. The sound quality of this CD is abysmal. Imagine placing a box of kleenex on each ear while listening to Chicago in a large arena with poor acoustics. If you can, you've got a good idea of the audio quality on this recording. It's a guaranteed disappointment.



3. This album is interesting in that it captures the group after the release of their first album when "25 or 6 to 4" is just a new song. Unlike other versions of the 1969 concert in Toronto, this version actually contains a version of "Beginnings". "Introduction" is often misnamed as "Beginnings" on other versions. The band plays with a lot of energy. Unfortunately, the album suffers from poor sound quality - in mono no less. It's still more interesting than Carnegie Hall.

3 comments about Volunteer Jam VII.

1. Buy this for great fiddle (Charlie, of course) and Great Gonzo (Ted Nugent). Sho' nuff!!!



2. I had the pleasure of being at this Jam and hearing this music live. I've had the album for years and count it as one of my prize possessions. Charlie's Jams were beyond belief during a time when southern music ruled. His tribute to Skynard was the best I have ever heard. You never knew who would show up and play (Billy Joel, Tanya Tucker, Jerry Lee Lewis, James Brown, Linc Ray, etc.) Own a piece of Southern Rock history. The best! How about a live concert DVD? Charlie's live shows are smokin.



3. WOW! -- If you like Charlie Daniels you are going to love this! I had the pleasure of hearing CDB in concert at the most recent Oregon Jamboree and this album is as close to a live concert as you can get without being there!

No comments about Live Magic.

4 comments about Codename Hawkwind Vol. II: Live From the Darkside.

1. First off,I'd like to say that I am really tired of seeing this SAME title released over and over ...and freaking OVER!People!For those of you who may not know,it's the SAME disc that we old school Hawkfans know as 'Bring Me The Head Of Yuri Gagarin'(see my review).I've actually seen online reviews of this release from fans that APPEAR not to realize as to WHAT this CD title is.Only reason I'm giving it a two-star review instead of one,is because of the artistic cover.So FOR completists,it's almost painful.



2. So check other reviews under that listing. Yes, it has some good songs. Yes the sound is terrible. Recorded on a portable recorder by someone in the audience the clapping in time and background noise is a real distraction on Silver Machine.
   NEW NOTE- May 2006: This concert has just been remastered and reissued IN FULL as 'Empire Pool Wembley 1973'. It still has an annoying humm through most of the concert that I would think could have been digitally removed but it is a somewhat better sounding CD than this one. Plus it includes 8 more tracks including a personal favorite, Seven by Seven.



3. Let the buyer beware."From the darkside" is a bootleg quality disc of Hawkwind live at the Empire Pool in London in 1973.It is also called "Codename Hawkwind Volume 2".It also seems to be the second disc of the four disc box set "Welcome to the future" which I see gets some very poor reviews for it's sound quality( or lack thereof).
   So,if you are looking for a murky,dark recording of Hawkwind from 1973,look no further.



4. A dark sounding concert that could have been a lot better if the performance was more energetic but still it holds your interest because of the song list and the band lineup. This one is for true Hawkfans. Can't beat Space Ritual for sound and show quality, still the best!

No comments about A Little South of Sanity.

4 comments about Live and Improvised.

1. I had always wondered why it took so long for a live Blood, Sweat & Tears recording to be released. I mean that captured at least some of the energy that seeing them in concert had.
   
   Finally!! Although this isn't the same line up I had seen the last time I saw them in 1976, it's close. It's a shame that they didn't record them with Georg Wadenius was still with them. Georg was a vital part of that line up which was largely comprised during the Jerry Fisher era and carried over into the second David Clayton-Thomas era. He was such a original and unique guitarist who also provided a unique vocal dynamic to the background vocals, which was something new to Blood, Sweat & Tears sound. Although he is missed the guitar is in the very capable hands of the very in demand session guitarist, Steve Khan.
   
   The rest of the band Dave Bargeron, Larry Willis, Bobby Colomby, Tony Klatka, Forest Buchtel (who came in at the time of Clayton-Thomas), restoring the two trumpet, four horn sound, Bill Tillman, Danny Trifan (of Eleventh House Fame) another new member, who replaced the Ron McClure.
   
   The group is in fine form. The instrumental tracks show off an aspect of the group that demonstrated that this group at any time could've become a good fusion/jazz ensemble without necessarily needing a vocalist. "Unit 7" and "Spain" are both high points on this recording. Good solos and they swing. In truth more faithfully to the jazz tradition, than they did during the group's heyday. The arrangements looser and less superstructured than back then.
   
   The group runs through it's repertoire of the most well known pieces. David Clayton-Thomas voice is stronger, heavier and more R&B inflected than in his first tenure with the group. Texas Billy Tillman shines with a big bodied tenor tone that comes across a bit like a rock version of Illinois Jacquet. Larry Willis brings those modern jazz, electric keyboard sensibilties that he shares as a contemporary of Herbie Hancock. No, Larry is not a clone, they just happen to be the same age and and actually went to school together. If you like Herbie, then you'll like Larry. Both Tony Klatka and Forest Buctel bring a slightly different feel to the brass section. Forest Buctel coming closer to that Lew Soloff power, that gave Blood, Sweat & Tears horn section the edge over Chicago. Bobby Colomby is still there. Steadfast as always, his style evolved over the year, more comfortable in the rock style than he was years earlier when you could almost hear a direct line to Max Roach.
   
   "Spinning Wheel" is a tour de force giving all the horns a chance to trade licks and show their stuff until they come together to close the piece.
   
   "You've Made Me So Very Happy" is much more R&B based and every bit as good as the single. David Clayton-Thomas is in fine form here.
   
   "Ride Captain Ride" is out and out fun to listen to. They have a unique arrangment and clever hooks through out. Nice horn ensemble passages. A very good take and to my ears better than the original Blues Image version, for the sheer energy with which B,S & T, does these.
   
   "And When I Die" - features an amazing tuba solo by Dave Bargeron, before they segue to "One Room Country Shack" and back again.
   
   "Life" - Is a good strong R&B pieces which is a show case for the singer.
   
   Overall a must-have for Blood, Sweat & Tears fans or fans of this particular genre.



2. No matter what the lineup, where the venue, what the year or what the songs... Blood,Sweat and Tears "Live and Improvised" is (in my opinion) an amazing album that deserves recognition due to it coverage of it's original songs as well as it's covers (note Chick Corea's "Spain" and Billie Holliday's "God Bless the Child") On it's own, "God Bless..." combines blues, rock, soul, swing and a latin combination that's hard to match. Julian "Cannonball" Adderly's "Unit 7" showcases the band's gifted musicians and take listen a to Dave Bargeron's tuba solo walk you subtley into "One Room Country Shack" smack dab in the middle of Laura Nyro's "And When I die". Same song, whole new flavor! Recorded from two concerts I believe in '72 but released a few years later, this particular lineup led by Clayton-Thomas, although a little loose at times, is a group that sounds like it's having a good time (note Bobby Colomby's drum solo in "Unit 7"). Combining some original members and some youngblood, BS and T has managed to keep it together over the years and it shows here! Released just prior to the "Nuclear Blues" album, "Live and Improvised" is an exploration of the old combined with the new. From "You've Made Me..." to "Spinning Wheel" to their version of "Ride Captian Ride", you're sure to enjoy this album. Blood,Sweat and Tears "Live and Improvised" is certainly that... and worth every cent!



3. If I remember correctly, this album was released originaly in 1976, as a dbl. vynil album, few years after the band best days. Time can be a very sharp judge, sometimes, but in that case, history makes only good with the dbl. CD album, that sounds good as in the 70's. There is a lot of material of the band, that is far from being as good and interesting, but lucky us, that album includes only the good stuff of the band, including David Clayton-Thomas version to Al Kooper's "I love you more than you'll ever know" (completely different but also good!) and Chick Corea's "Spain". The band sounds good, and the fans can listen to a great CD of a great band



4. This album contains most of Blood Sweat and Tears' most widely known recordings. They are all taken from a live tour in 1972. David Clayton Thomas leads the band well with his clear, rich vocals and the musicians are all in stellar form. My first BS&T album, it is probably my favorite as it offers an excellent overview of the band's diverse talent. BS&T originals such as "Spinning Wheel" and "You Have Made Me So Very Happy" sound great, and Cannonball Adderly's "Unit 7" is given a thourough treatment. I would strongly recommend this double album to anyone looking for a good compilation of the band's work or a long-time fan who enjoys the unique energy of live recordings