Don’t tell anyone, but Canned Heat is practically synonymous with the word “boogie.” Over a turbulent run of excessive personnel changes, drug problems, personality disorders, and general malaise, Canned Heat have stuck to their guns, keeping a solid grip on a blues-based repertoire. The boogying band from Los Angeles made a splash at Woodstock and drew the attention of the masters like John Lee Hooker, whom they collaborated with in the early 1970s. They also scored two pivotal hits with “On the Road Again” and “Going Up The Country.” But it was on the stage where Canned Heat truly burned, and this is no more evident than on the Live At Montreux 1973 DVD.
The band expertly slice through a 73-minute set of 10 blues-soaked numbers on the Montreux stage. Singer Bob “The Bear” Hite, a big man with a big presence, takes charge right out of the gate with a stirring and lengthy “On The Road Again.” Bear, despite his girth, intones his composed vocals and hefty harp handling without keeling over. The Heat are then joined by Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown, who takes the lead for the next four numbers. When you have drummer Fio De La Parra, who’s still in the band today, skillfully lining the pocket and guitarists Henry Vestine and James Shane bending and squashing notes, alongside keyboardist Ed Beyer and bassist Richard Hite (aka Bear’s little brother) to tie the whole mess together — it’s easy to see how the Heat could back anyone.
After Brown finishes up, Shane takes over on vocals for a steadfast version of “Night Time Is the Right Time.” Wilbert Harrison’s “Let’s Work Together,” a natural in the land of Canned Heat, follows before “Rock And Roll Music,”with its rockabilly kick, pays tribute to yet another influence. But when Hite straps on a Les Paul for the finale for “Shake ‘N Boogie,” it’s all about the blues. The song mutates into a spiraling showcase of the Heat’s immeasurable musicianship and ability to jam. If you’re left wanting more Canned Heat after this, there’s a deluxe version of Live At Montreux 1973. The second DVD features a 140-minute documentary called, appropriately enough, Boogie With Canned Heat: The Canned Heat Story. This tale, while intersting in parts, is soemwhat long-winded, especially when it comes to details behind the band’s numerous mishaps, exploits, and failures. Still, the performance clips are downright paranormal in their intensity. The two-DVD set is a nice bang for your buck if you have a fascination with Canned Heat’s colorful history. You’ll learn how they turned “boogie” into an independent musical form with plenty of leg room.
~ Shawn Perry
