Bobby Darin - Live at the Desert Inn
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Free Music Notes for Live at the Desert Inn
Free Music Review: One of Darin's best and most mature live performances.
Hit: 5 Stars
Though I have always liked Bobby Darin, I became a real fan with this CD, re-released in 2005. Recorded in 1971, two years before his premature death at 37, it shows Darin at his peak--sophisticated, versatile, brilliant in his choice of material and presentation, and totally in control, whether he is letting it all hang out in his Medley of "Chain of Fools," "Respect," "Splish Splash," and "Johnny B. Goode," or quiet and subtle in his tribute to Bob Dylan, "I'll Be Your Baby Tonight."
"Save the Country," his stirring opener, sounds like a big Vegas show-stopper, with the Jeannie Thomas Singers in the background and what sounds like a huge band, though it actually consists of four musicians--Billy Aikens on piano and keyboards, Tommy Amato on drums, Terry Kellman on guitar, and his conductor/arranger Quitman Dennis on bass. Beginning with a gospel/revival sound, Darin then switches to an intimate a capella presentation in which he declares, "We can build a world on love," before taking the song to a wild conclusion. "Your Love Keeps Lifting Me Higher" also has a powerful gospel/rock sound, and as Darin puts more and more energy into the song, and you begin to think he cannot possibly get more any more impassioned, he does, while never missing a note.
His tributes to other musician/composers--James Taylor's "Fire and Rain" and Bob Dylan's "I'll Be Your Baby Tonight"--by contrast, sound folky and intimate, beginning quietly, almost a capella, with Darin accompanied by guitar, sounding confidential and personal.
The "Beatles Medley," an incredible, seven-minute tribute depending primarily on "Hey, Jude," reflects his extraordinary talent with ballads, sung almost without accompaniment, with notes held so long that it difficult to imagine any health problems or his constant need for oxygen, backstage. "Hi-De-Ho," Cab Calloway's trademark song, is also one of the many high points. Bluesy, with a Darin harmonica solo and the sound of tambourines, he takes the song into the realm of hard rock and roll, an unbelievable performance.
Darin's easy, natural ability with every kind of music of the day--gospel, folk, ballads, wild rock--and his power with each of them, reveal a versatility that singers like Sinatra never achieved (though this is in no way a criticism of Sinatra). His maturity and ability to pace himself without showing any kind of strain is miraculous, considering his health problems. Consistently good, this Darin live performance features some of his best-ever presentations and arrangements. n Mary Whipple
Free Music Review: One of the great live albums from the greatest entertainer.
Hit: 5 Stars
I love this album, and it stands on it's own as a quality recording by a wonderful performer regardless of his physical condition. But I do have to second Barry Pasini's remarks that take issue with Lawrence's statement that Bobby's voice was past its prime.
As Barry pointed out this concert was recorded just before Bobby's first heart surgery. This is very literally true. Directly after finishing his last show of his Desert Inn engangement, Bobby left through the back door of the casino and climbed into a station wagon equiped with a bed. It drove him directly to a hospital in LA for open heart surgery (after spending just a few hours with his young son since Darin didn't expect to survive).
Bobby was in no condition to even perform at this point but felt it was essential to his career to keep this engangement, and he therefore insisted on doing it in spite of what his doctors told him. He could barely even breath or stand up by this time due to extensive heart damage from childhood rhuematic fever, and survived only by gasping oxygen backstage and by frequent cardio-conversion procedures to try to shock his defective heart into beating like a normal one.
So his voice was fine, but he was deathly ill. After his successful surgery he was again able to meet the physical demands of performing, albeit briefly until his death. And we can hear in subsequent performances how very fine his voice really was.
His voice quality was tied directly to his health and not to declining abilities. Regardless, his talent shines thru in this album in spite of everything. And people needn't even know this back story to enjoy it and to marvel at this exceptional performer.
Free Music Review: "I Got Fury In My Soul, Fury's Gonna Take Me To The Glory Goal..."
Hit: 5 Stars
From the moment Bobby Darin's roars onto the stage into Laura Nyro's "Save The Country," you know you are in for an incredible show. From start to finish, this is Bobby Darin in prime form, even if his commercial success was a thing of past by this point (1971).
For those who only know Bobby from "Beyond The Sea" and "Mack The Knife" are in for a big surprise. This is a very different Bobby Darin - a rougher, older, edgier Darin whose music matches his personality. This isn't the same Bobby Darin who did "Dream Lover" and "Queen Of The Hop" a mere 13 years prior.
At this point in his career, Bobby's music began to refelct the time. He does covers of contemporary hits of the day, among them, a moving medley of Beatles classic and bluesy take on James Taylor's "Fire And Rain." He also does a completely new take on his signature hit "Mack The Knife." Gone is the big band style vamp and Sinatra-esque vocal - this is a new, gritty take on the song, with a raw, powerful vocal by Bobby and powerful support by the horn and rhythm section.
The resr set is largely comprised of Bobby's folk material that he had been recording in the late 1960s', including the scorching "Hi De Ho" (an anti-Vietnam number with a stinging job at Spiro Agnew), a moving cover of Bob Dylan's "I'll Be Your Baby Tonight," a nicely done "If I Were A Carpenter," and his own powerful "Simple Song Of Freedom." The encore medley is fantastic, and the bonus tracks are a worthy addition to this already excellent album.
The cd comes with a great essay by Ken Smith as well as excellent sound quality and is a wholly essential purchase for all music fans.
Free Music Review: Review the review
Hit: 5 Stars
Lawrance in Minnesota gave a very positive review to this record, but allow me to butt in anyway on one point:
This concert was just before Bobby's first heart surgery. There is no question he is awesome in this performance. But, his voice was not "past his prime." The man was going on 35. His voice is deeper from age and raspy towards the end of the show. But, so is Sinatra's (raspy, not deeper) in his concert album from 1957. And, Frank's voice was not past its prime in 1957.....when he was 41....which is an age Bobby never saw.
For reasons I am not sure anybody fully understands (but as a cancer survivor I can guess), Bobby came full circle and put "the tux and the toupe" on after the heart surgery and he began singing songs he pretty much said in his protest phase that he didn't enjoy and "weren't him." Well, there were many Bobbys and they were all "him." Watch the "Mack is Back" DVD or the watch or listen to the "Aces" CD/DVD and you will realize his prime probably ahead of him. That's the tragedy.
Free Music Review: Top Notch Performance
Hit: 5 Stars
This CD is a steal. Darin's performance is top notch. He puts so much energy and feelings when he sings. The highlight I believe is the Beatles Medley. In addidtion to the Beatles songs cited on the CD cover, Darin also sings the 2nd verse of Something, one of the Beatles best love songs. The Beatles ballads have held up over time far more so then their rock n' roll tunes. Collectively the Beatles were great but individually none of them can compare to Darin as a singer.
Darin wrote many of his songs or made modern versons of old songs like Mack the Knife. I believe if he had recruited professional writers as Elvis and others did he would have had many more hits. While Darin is arguably the most versatile singer ever, I believe the swing songs is were Darin really excels. There seems to be a lot singers who can do the ballads but not many who can do those finger snapping numbers - at least not as good as Darin or a Sinatra.