It’s fair to say that every major musical artist has produced its definitive work. For the Allman Brothers Band, that profound milestone is their now half-century-old live album At Fillmore East (released 7/6/71). At the time of its release, it summed up all that was impressive about this seminal Southern rock ensemble, based on its two previous studio outings, and in the lengthy interim since it came out, it has only grown in importance: as the band evolved over the years and transcended changes that might well have rent other groups asunder, this set of concert recordings has come to stand as the benchmark against which all its other releases are measured, both on stage and in the recording studio.
Safe to say, it’s invaluable for that historical reason alone. Yet, in practical terms, it also presents the most cogent existing statement of the ABB’s influences as well as its inherent capabilities as musicians. Early in its existence, the group’s roots in the blues wound their way into the realms of jazz via members’ interests in the likes of genre icons such as Miles Davis and John Coltrane. Meanwhile, founding member Duane Allman’s preference in maintaining a quite finite repertoire meant that increasingly streamlined song choices allowed him and the rest of the members more latitude to stretch out in more different directions than a wide(r) range of choices might allow.
Rather than master many songs, “Skydog” (a composite of nicknames from Muscle Shoals FAME Studios owner Rick Hall and Wilson Pickett) stipulated his Brothers master a relative few. Based on perception, right or wrong, that ‘The Man with The Horn’ took a similar approach with his last great quintet of Hancock, Carter, Shorter and Williams, the fiery hirsute Floridian’s decision furthered his aim to streamline and ultimately perfect setlists like the one comprising AFE. The potent combination of original material and blues covers were paced in such a way to showcase the Allmans’ ability time to play equally brilliantly within concise, economical arrangements as well as more open-ended avenues for expansive improvisation.
So, their shows invariably began, as this collection does, with one of their most familiar tunes, “Statesboro Blues.” A Blind Willie McTell number the late namesake guitarist learned from a Taj Mahal album, its prominent slide guitar work introduced an essential component of the group’s sound even as it allowed the sextet to warm up, as it continues to do during Elmore James’ “Done Somebody Wrong.” The guitar interplay between Allman and Dickey Betts is growing in intensity with each exchange, while, in the meantime, bassist Berry Oakley firms his limber bond with double drummers Jaimoe and Butch Trucks: their spotlights were inevitably brief in these years to better whet the audience’s appetite for more. Like their peers, they refused to overplay.
As with its predecessor around four minutes in duration, the second of those two aforementioned homages to roots set the stage for the first extended take in this program, an 8:47 rendition of T-Bone Walker’s “Stormy Monday” nearly twice the length of the previous pair combined. It is no accident that sibling Gregg Allman has his first showcase here: his alternately gruff and delicate vocals were well on the way to becoming a hallmark of the Brothers’ sound and this performance illustrates the remarkable depth of feeling he could convey with his voice. Little wonder that, even with all the estimable instrumental fireworks around him, the chief composer in this unit could still stop a show (and did so virtually throughout their forty-five years of existence).
The first truly lengthy cut on At Fillmore East, however, is “You Don’t Love Me.” One of ABB’s standard choices for protracted jamming, this rendition runs some nineteen minutes and features two extensive interludes of Duane playing by himself, just prior to his dual tributes to King Curtis (“Soul Serenade”) and Jimi Hendrix (“Castles Made Of Sand”) at the dramatic closing crescendos. Effectively starting over during this interlude, thanks to edit by producer Tom Dowd near the end –excerpted from a take the evening prior during these two March nights at the late impresario Bill Graham’s mythic venue—this version loses some impact, at least compared to versions slightly more compact, as included on The Complete Fillmore East Recordings. Nevertheless, most all variations include the bluegrass reel segments by which Betts injects the country influence into the Dixie rockers’ sound (a major contribution of his to the group besides composing and positing himself as virtually the imaginative equal of his famed fretboard partner).
The Allman Brothers Band ratchets up momentum again in short order with the instrumental “Hot Lanta.” Never released on a studio recording of the group’s, probably because it too closely echoes more than one of their other originals, this short, sharp five minute functions as an ideal setup to a rousing interpretation of the first signature instrumental of Betts in the ABB canon, “In Memory of Elizabeth Reed;” the three contrasting sections allow for each component of the lineup to shine–Gregg gets a pithy Hammond organ solo instead of singing—while the varying tempos allow a range of intricate interactions that effectively turn into a tour de force by the time of its cold stop.
That said, the scintillating nature of the performance is no real surprise. Per the wishes of the founder member (again), the number had been a prominent staple of the Brothers’ shows for nigh on a year at this point, beginning around the time of shows with the Grateful Dead the previous February at this same New York city spot (captured on Bear’s Sonic Journals: Fillmore East February 1970 – Deluxe Edition). Most groups might well end their night on such a rapturous note, but the Allmans were nothing if not courageous and so closed most of their headlining appearances with “Whipping Post.” A contemporary blues of the most intense sort, it represents the most proper denouement of At Fillmore East, an accurate recapitulation of all that the performers had done so expertly the previous hour or so: improvising fluently together and apart, around singing from the depths of the soul, utilizing their individual and collective imaginations in so complementary fashion, the six musicians created some ferocious dynamics.
It’s fair to contend there was little more ABB could do to astonish as this point, except that, as the volcanic climax peaks on this durable original of Gregg’s, the recording fades out to the sounds of an intro to the Allmans’ majestic improvisation on a song of British folkie Donovan,“Mountain Jam.” Subsequently, to appear in full on the first album issued in the wake of Duane Allman’s death, 1972’s Eat A Peach (as were “One Way Out” and “Trouble No More” from these same appearances), this thirty minutes-plus also showed up on The Fillmore Concerts, an expanded version of AFE (there remixed by Dowd to the displeasure of many).
Other releases of the era, including the aforementioned six-CD set as well as Live at A&R Studios, reveal what these spring of 1971 recordings might suggest: the Allman Brothers Band was still improving during the course of their continuing roadwork in the wake of the July release of this third album of theirs. The progression came to a screeching halt, at least for this original six-man lineup, with the tragic, accidental death of Duane in October of this same year (followed by Oakley’s roughly a year later in eerily similar fashion on a motorcycle).
But At Fillmore East captures a pivotal moment in time for this group and, in fact, for blues-rock in general. Few, if any, releases of its kind have aged so well over time and continue to stand the rigorous test(s) thereof. Little wonder then that, with the hindsight of fifty years, a title originally issued as double vinyl at a reduced price remains the ‘go-to’ title for longstanding fans of the Brothers as well as those dilettantes curious about the ever-increasing influence of this band’s legacy as a contemporary musical institution.
7 Responses
The second completely solo guitar section in You Don’t Love Me is Dickey Betts. He always had that second spot. Soul Serenade wasn’t a tribute to King Curtis in YDLM until after his death five months later. And Dowd’s edit of the two YDLMs didn’t make them that much longer, they would often go past the 20 min mark, and was frequently the closer in the summer of 1971. Whipping Post wasn’t getting played every night for some reason. One Way Out on Eat a Peach and The Fillmore Concerts and the Deluxe At Fillmore East is from 6/27/71 the closing of the legendary venue. They did play One Way Out once in the original March 1971 runs where AFE was recorded, but that take was only released with the 6 cd Super Deluxe Complete Fillmore East shows, which included 6/27/71.
And I like the mix on The Fillmore Concerts. Tom Dowd knew how to make an album sound great, and if he hadn’t stopped Duane, Randolph Juicy Carter would have an offkey sax solo on Liz Reed, and THAT would have diminished AFE. Carter has some good moments in his guest spost with the ABB over the years, but as the complete shows revealed, he wasn’t hittin’ the note that first night.
The patently ill–informed nature of your comment renders your credibility absolute nil.
You don’t love me is misplaced on the cds. The original albums were designed for a record stack dropper, so that side 3 followed 1, and 4 followed 2. Therefore, side 1 was the blusy intro, Hot Lana announced the instrumental greatness that would follow, Liz Reed was the next step in that, and ydlm led to whipping post (as teased at the end of side 2), just as wp led to mountain jam (as teased at the end of side 4), which was the real closer of the show (and one of the greatest pieces of music ever, imho).
A ? for Thom Doucette should be mentioned.
This album is a masterpiece and should be experienced at least once.
We’ll it’s hard for me to remember the detail you are all sharing however I attended the Saturday night late show (which had a bomb scare which required us all to exit and then return inside). Over time I would see the band 14 times and were captivated at every show. Their jamming technique provided such relaxing and stimulating feelings combining with my normal concert libations.They were one of the best bands hands down!
Duane Allman plays extraordinary leads and solos throughout At Fillmore East, there is no doubt; but it is Dickie Betts who knocks it out of the park on Whipping Post, lest we forget. He takes the song to a whole other level…and then he takes it even higher! It is def. one of my all-time favorite leads.
Still is one of my favorite albums. I was there for one of the shows and the atmosphere in the building was electric! Always remember Johnny Winter and Ric Derringer standing off stage enjoying the music. A great Bill Graham show, Elvin Bishop, and Johnny Winter And, plus the great light show. One of my favorite concerts that seemed to never end. I owe it all to my deceased bud, who waited over night to buy the tickets.