In the history of the Allman Brothers Band, 2014 may well be remembered as the year the band called it quits. But earlier in the year, an unexpected surprise reared its beautiful head — five performances spread out over six discs from the fabled Fillmore East shows of 1971. The 1971 Fillmore East Recordings features the four shows from March 12-13, plus the complete June 27 performance, recorded by famed producer Tom Dowd, who not only produced ABB’s second album, Idlewild South, but also the sessions for the Derek & the Dominos project that bought Duane Allman together with Eric Clapton.
Free-flowing, unrestrained, yet totally in sync, on tempo and bleeding with unparalleled chemistry bordering on divine intervention, The 1971 Fillmore East Recordings comprises slight yet enticing variances on “You Don’t Love Me,” ‘Whipping Post,” “Trouble No More,” “In Memory Of Elizabeth Reed,” “Don’t Keep Me Wonderin’” and “Done Somebody Wrong,” plus the notorious 33-minute version of “Mountain Jam” and a bluesy “Drunken Hearted Boy” with Elvin Bishop. Surely, whomever receives The 1971 Fillmore East Recordings from you will have to recognize the brilliance of live music and how it’s done properly.
~ Shawn Perry
