Allman Brothers, "At Fillmore East", released July 71

To become legendary, you usually have to do something that no one has done before.  In the case of the Allman Brothers, this is exactly what guitarist Duane Allman set out to do.  When assembling the band, he wanted to feature two lead guitar players and two full drum kits, something that was very uncommon at the time and even today is quite rare. The result was a sound unlike any heard before and as a result the Allman Brothers have surely become a legendary band. 

This is definitely not an album for the uncommitted music listener.  With track times of 23:03 (Whipping Post), 19:15 (You Don't Love Me), 13:04 (In Memory of Elizabeth Reed), and 8:44 (Stormy Monday), this album requires a disciplined ear and open mind to make it through the long songs and extended jams. But if you want to hear one of the absolutely definitive live albums ever recorded, this is one you must discover. 

What struck me is how clear and high quality the recording is despite being a non-soundboard recording.  This means it was recorded with only ambient recording mics setup in the room so brilliantly by legendary producer Tom Dowd.  Most of the songs sound like they were recorded in a studio setting, not a 2600 seat venue in New York City.  The other thing that intrigued me was how respectful and relatively quiet the audience was.  Perhaps it's just the way it was recorded but the crowd is heard only sparsely on any of the tracks. I wish I could have attended this concert where the audience understands it's place in the show.  Many of the concerts I've attended have been spoiled by unnecessary singing by rowdy crowds seemingly more interested in socializing (aka "getting drunk") than fully appreciating the bands performance.  So to hear a performance where the crowd was actually listening was something of note.  Then again, this was in a time before our ADHD minds took over so maybe the young brain could focus better.  :) 

The lead guitar playing on this album is simply amazing.  As someone that thoroughly appreciates guitar mastery, I enjoyed the extended solos.  The only time it felt excessive was on track 4 (You Don't Love Me).  At one point, the band completely drops out to let Duane Allman do what I can only describe as "noodle" at a local Guitar Center.  Granted, this is a VERY talented guitar player beyond what you'll see at a local GC, but it seemed unnecessarily self fulfilling on this track only.  Perhaps the crowd is so quiet because they're all in the restroom or getting fresh beers. And maybe the band is too...

Beyond that one track, the music and soloing is so incredible.  Music fans know the talents of legendary player Duane Allman but few understand how great Dickey Betts truly is; he even wrote several of their well known songs. Their styles and talents are comparable but also unique in their own way.  And the tone they get is remarkably similar given that they played similar equipment (Gibson Les Paul guitars primarily).  Either way, it's an album that guitar freaks have studied and listened to on repeat as they try to replicate the tone and phrasing in all their incredible solos. 

The rest of the musicianship on the recording is formidable.  Drummers Butch Trucks and Jaimoe Johanson work together to create what sounds like one REALLY badass drummer creating incredible rhythm and pace.  Gregg Allman is such an underrated piano/B3 player but gets time to shine on several tracks.  And the bass playing by Berry Oakley is so phenomenal it makes his untimely death in 1972 (following Duane's in 1971) that much more depressing knowing the musical talents that he left this world possessing.  Also of note is the great harmonica solos by non-band member Thom Doucette.  You don't hear that instrument on many of their studio recordings but it most certainly fit right in with this show at the Fillmore East.

This is a great album by a great band at the peak of their playing abilities.  The Deluxe version is also great and includes several tracks recorded at the shows but not included on the original release.  The Allman Brothers have been a favorite of mine since I began discovering blues and blues influenced artists.  I highly recommend this album and any others by them you can discover.
 
Recommended listening:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wwyXQn9g40I (Blue Sky, one of my favorite ABB songs)

Related links:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/At_Fillmore_East 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Allman_Brothers_Band

Snow White and The Seven Dwarfs, released December 1937

This is a movie I find interesting not because of the content (sorry, not into princess stories) but because of its historical significance. This is the first full-length cell-animated feature in motion picture history release for Walt Disney Productions.  Walt Disney estimated it would cost $250,000 to produce but in the end cost $1,488,422.74, an astronomical number for 1937.  It took over three years to develop and create.  Disney had to remortgage his house to pay for the film and people around Hollywood, including some of his family, often referred to the film as "Disney's Folly."  

For me, as I watched the film, I was most enthralled that it was entirely drawn and painted by human hand.  Of course it's not as clean or stunningly beautiful as the modern animated films that Pixar (a Disney company) makes.  But this is a film built by hand and that's an even more incredible accomplishment.  And it was an overwhelming success and set up the Disney company as a major player in Hollywood production. The profits from the movie allowed Disney to build a $4.5 million studio in Burbank, CA, the same place is located today.  Adjusted for inflation, it is one of the highest grossing films of all time, earning the equivalent of $927,590,000 !  The success allowed Disney Studios to begin work on Pinocchio and Fantasia and begin production on features such as Dumbo, Bambi, Alice in Wonderland and Peter Pan. And the rest, as they say, is HISTORY! 

I also really enjoyed the soundtrack. The original songs ("Hi-ho-hi-ho It's off to work we go") were kind of hokey and silly but I reminded myself it was made mostly for kids.  I appreciate that the composers ( Frank Churchill, Larry Morey, Paul J. Smith and Leigh Harline) had to write/score the originals plus all the scene transition music. There's very few scenes (none?) that don't feature some sort of music.  The movie received an Oscar nomination for Best Film Score.  The orchestral music definitely adds to the character development and their movements.  Snow White became the first American film to have a soundtrack album, released in conjunction with the feature film.  Because Disney didn't own a music publishing company, they didn't even own the rights to the songs for this movie, and still don't even to this day. 

Overall, I did enjoy the movie.  It really is a work of art considering the amount of artists and animators it took to produce.  The perseverance that Disney showed to complete the film is proof of how he was able to build Disney into the American institute that it is today.

Related links:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snow_White_and_the_Seven_Dwarfs_(1937_film)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_highest-grossing_films_in_Canada_and_the_United_States#Adjusted_for_ticket-price_inflation  

Next week #48

Public Enemy, "It Takes a Nation of Millions"

"Jaws"