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American University 12/13/70

The Allman Brothers Band - American University 12/13/70 Audio CD

A fair review of the The Allman Brothers Band "American University 12/13/70" Audio CD. Please note that the below review is the views of the authors, and authors only. You can get a complete list of all The Allman Brothers Band reviews here, or go back to the The Allman Brothers Band tabs.

Band: The Allman Brothers Band
Title: American University 12/13/70
Rating:

Release Date: 2005-07-12
Media: Audio CD

Tracks: 1: Statesboro Blues 2: Trouble No More 3: Don't Keep Me Wonderin' 4: Leave My Blues at Home 5: Stormy Monday 6: You Don't Love Me 7: Whipping Post

Allman's 1970 Christmas Gift
No, this won't knock that monster off it's summit, but it adds more wealth in hearing more live Allman Brothers Band, from one of the group's peak years. Will this CD replace one of the greatest live albums ever recorded? That album entitled: "Live At The Fillmore East" set the standard for rock and blues bands forever.

Sound quality on this is very, very good, almost amazing for the standards of live tapes from 1970. I have no complaints about the audio, this is really in fine shape. Performance? In a word. . . GREAT! The Allman's no doubt performed a few hundred shows in 1970, and by this December performance, they were more than on top of their game. The slide guitar of brother Duane, soars over the top of Berry Oakley's solid and firm basslines. The two drummmers are locked-in as one mighty power that drives this eighteen wheeler. Dickey and Gregg, add some really nice things into the mix as well. To say that in a live setting, The Allman Brothers were tight, would be a major understatement.

The normal set is presented here with fantastic versions of: "Statesboro Blues", "You Don't Love Me" & "Whippin' Post" that go that extra mile and a half. "Stormy Monday" is a bit shorter than the "Fillmore" version, Duane's solo is goin' there, he's really on top of it here, and then there is a quick fade-out {flip of the reel-to-reel?} AAARRGGGHHH !!! I would so love to hear the rest of this, to see where it goes, but alas. Long, played-out renditions of: "You Don't Love Me" & "Whippin' Post. " are the closing numbers to this disc.

I am mighty interested to hear just what exactly happens after the tape fade on: "Stormy Monday. " How many songs from this night, are we missing? Well, it will take a: "Deluxe Edition" to answer that question, and we'll need a ton of luck to get a chance to listen to that one!

The 60 minutes of music, that you do get here on this CD, is mighty fine. This is more than worth a listen. The Allman Brothers Band, was playing fantastic music every night in 1970/71. . . and they still do!
Four Stars!!!.

"Trouble No More" finding more live Duane!

As so often happens, before a review is written about the music a warning label must be in place about the sound quality for those that would let history pass by because of a vocal mix or the sometime docile sound of a guitar. As the author of the Jefferson Airplane book "Take Me To A Circus Tent" and a former radio disc-jockey, I am often asked to write and or discuss various recordings from the 60's and 70's. Endless treasures from the vaults are missing from musical snobs collections because the recording didn't have the luxury of $123,678,190 digital equipment.

"American University 12/13/70" should be a welcome addition to any fan of the Duane period. How many times have we begged for more products with his name? The record company finds a terrific gig from Washington, D. C. and all we need to say is "Thank you. "

When the opening notes of "Statesboro Blues" hit or the classic riff of "Trouble No More" sends shivers down your spine you will circumvent any worry if sound quality can deter your enjoyment. "Don't Keep Me Wonderin" is pure rock and roll up close and personal. "Leave My Blues At Home" is Allman magic. The line-up with Duane and Dickie could hold our attention for a marathon or floor us with explosive blues in under seven minutes. "Stormy Monday" could play on forever. Gregg's voice has made this one of the definitive covers of the T-Bone Walker tune.

The gold metal winner on this disc may be the sixteen minutes of "You Don't Love Me. " The tastefully constructed representation of the William Cobbs tune needs several listenings to totally encompass the nuances. Most bands extend a song and you head for the first soft drink vendor in sight. The Allman's improvise and we are glued to the speakers.

If the disc had to end the choice of over twenty minutes of "Whipping Post" will satisfy your hunger for more Duane and Dickie magical interplay.

Duane was not on this earth long enough for us to be anything but grateful for any sound coming from his six string.

Enjoy the music and be well,
Craig Fenton
Author of the Jefferson Airplane book "Take Me To A Circus Tent"
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Great - just buy it
BTW, if you don't have the Deluxe Eat a Peach, get it. This is a great concert and the recording is actually very good sounding for a board tape. The second disk is the final night of the Fillmore closing concert and is just incredible.

Live Rock and Roll/Blues From one of Rock's Best Bands
This album was recorded in a very small venue known as Leonard Gym, located on the campus of American University. This live album is one of the Allman Brothers earliest live recordings and it helped to establish the band as one of the premiere live acts of its time. The gym seated only about 1,000 people, making it a very intimate place to record a live album.

This album is a testament to the rock and roll/blues music that characterized the early Allman Brothers music and that still comprises a large percentage of the band's material today. Every song on this live album is blues centered with Duane Allman and Dickey Betts sharing the lead guitar spotlight, assaulting their respective guitars with powerful blues jams. Gregg Allman supplies the vocals, Berry Oakley the Bass, and Butch Trucks shares some time with Jaimoe on drums and percussion. The music on this album stays basic but powerful, with one extended blues guitar lick after another.

Because of the small size of the venue where this album was recorded, the crowd seems unusually subdued and I was surprised at how relatively quiet the fans are during this live set. Some simple applause is about all you can hear and once the Allman Brothers start to play, there is no background noise at all from the crowd. And, in characteristic fashion, the band members say very little between songs. Gregg Allman thanks the crowd a few times and mentions the titles of a few songs. But he doesn't say much else, instead preferring to sing songs and play music with his band- exactly what the people at the show paid for in the first place.

There are only seven songs on this CD but don't let the number of tracks fool you. There is a large amount of music on this album thanks to the long, extended versions of You Don't Love Me and Whippin' Post. These two songs combined contribute more than half an hour of music to the album and you start to wonder if they will ever end. The version of Whippin' Post is one of the longest I have ever heard. At one point (about halfway through) it fools the listener into thinking it is going to end. It slows down greatly, with a sound that is dark and that reminds me of a soundtrack to a thriller movie. Then, slowly but surely, it regains momentum with Gregg Allman belting out one more verse.

Overall, Live at American University Washington D. C. is a very good live album from these veterans of rock and it is one that all fans of the band should add to their collection. It is 100 percent rock/blues with some long, extended guitar jams from Duane Allman and Dickey Betts that will keep fans yelling for more. The crowd is subdued and some of the songs are so long they seem like they will go on for eternity. But fans of the Allman Brothers will enjoy this album regardless and it ranks as another solid live effort from these pioneers of southern rock.
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FINDING A LOVE LETTER FROM LONG AGO
Beginning with LIVE AT LUDLOW GARAGE through LIVE AT THE ATLANTA INTERNATIONAL POP FESTIVAL and now AMERICAN UNIVERSITY 12/13/70 the listener can see a steady development in the band's chops and abilities that lead up to FILLMORE. With this album, we have all the makings of an arc that tracks the Allman Brothers Band monumental THE ALLMAN BROTHERS AT FILLMORE EAST. Naturally, the Allman Brothers didn't just spring out of Flannery O'Connor's head whole and complete; but to many in the rock community that's how it appeared as FILLMORE landed on their turntables.

Most of us have little interest in how such and such band or song came to be. That understood this album provides another chances (excuse?) to listen to Duane Allman in his element once more. Reading the liner notes, a little bit of modern electronic wizardry was necessary to bring this album up to a presentable form. In that regard, the sound quality is surprisingly good considering the age of the original sources. On the down side, due to running out of recording tape on the reel, "Stormy Monday" is here in a much abbreviated form in which we miss out on Allman's guitar soloing on the balance of the song. now AMERICAN UNIVERSITY 12/13/70 is also shorter than previous offerings of early Allman Brothers live recordings.

Still the intensity and liveliness makes this a compelling document of a band we really only got to know briefly before Duane Allman's death. This is no substitute for THE ALLMAN BROTHERS AT FILLMORE EAST or EAT A PEACH. But for most of who love this band it is like finding a love letter from long ago you didn't even know you got.
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You can see a complete list of all The Allman Brothers Band discography, or go back to the The Allman Brothers Band tabs. There is also a good guide on how to read guitar tabs here.