Posts by Doug Collette

[rating=8.00] It was an equally brave and honorable gesture Paul Rodgers made with The Royal Sessions. Offering homage to those artists, like Albert King, Sam, Dave and Otis Redding, that strongly influenced him to develop a career that included singing for “Free,” forming “Bad Company” and fronting the remaining members of “Queen,” one of the […]

[rating=9.00] It is a tribute to Eric’s Clapton’s fundamental integrity as a musician that, no matter how deeply he’s pursued mainstream acceptance, he’s never wholly forsaken his roots in the blues. Accordingly, what might seem just another careerist move, his appearance on “MTV’s Unplugged television program in 1992, turns into a reinvention of his persona […]

There have been numerous tributes to the late Jerry Garcia since his death in 1995, but none such as an accurate reflection of the man’s own uniquely Zen approach to life and art. If the tongue-in-cheek opening interval is slightly disconcerting-showing actor Luke Wilson asking directions to the site of the filming at Bob Weir’s […]

The early January announcement of the departure of both Derek Trucks and Warren Haynes from the lineup of The Allman Brothers Band at the end of 2014 represents an inevitable moment for all loyal followers of these musicians. With Haynes’ return to the ABB fold after his 1997 exit to concentrate on Gov’t Mule, he […]

If ever a beloved band (besides the seminal country-rockers Poco) deserved its story told, it’s Little feat. One of the most distinctive rock and roll units of its time, Lowell George and co. went unjustly under recognized during his lifetime despite an affectionate fanbase whose passion and loyalty far surpassed its numbers. Founding Rolling Stone […]

Zevon showcased his stellar songwriting and showmanship during this solo show.

[rating=7.00] All Your Life may be the loveliest album Al Di Meola has ever done. His affection for the Beatles material that comprises the album was no doubt amplified by recording at Abbey Road Studios where the iconic foursome did the bulk of their work. In producing this tribute to the Beatles, Di Mieola remains […]

[rating=9.00] Even apart from their historical significance, the relative rarity of live recordings by the Beatles makes both volumes of Live at the BBC valuable on their own terms. Half a century after the iconic quartet captured the fancy of the world, listening to the infectious energy captured on this second edition, progressing more or […]

Quite apart from its Black Friday release date, Dawes’ Stripped Down at Grimey’s comes at just the right time for both the band and its fans. It should remind both parties what brought them together in the first place, a bond that might well have become tenuous due to the anonymous nature of the group’s […]

[rating=8.00] Neil Young’s Live at the Cellar Door follows in the footsteps of previous entries in his archival performance series, bearing marked resemblance to Canterbury House, the Riverboat and Massey Hall. All sterling documents of brilliant solo performances, this one is only slightly less so due to the paucity of spoken interludes that, on its […]