Concert for George
|
List Price: Our Price: $9.53 You Save: $10.45 (52%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $8.49 (click here) Category: Music CD See more new music releases 
|
|---|
Buy this Music CD at online store in your country
Canadian Music Store
Canadian Music Store
Free Music Notes for Concert for George
Free Music Review: Art of Dying...
Hit: 5 Stars
George Harrison was my first "crush" -- I always loved his wicked sense of humor, his consistent and devoted spirituality and his disciplined musicianship. He was dark and mysterious, but never moody or brooding. He never took the whole rock and roll thing too seriously. I cried when I saw the DVD of this concert, and I played this album endlessly for days afterward. Even the Indian music.
Though the performances aren't superb, especially on my favorite song, "Beware of Darkness", and the music sounds loud and muddled in some parts, this album is more of an emotional trip, a bidding of "goodbye' to a dear friend than an exercise in musical virtuosity. These rock dinosaurs sound a tad old and weathered...but, in fact, they are. I was touched at hearing Ringo playing "Photograph" which, as he said, has a different meaning now that George is gone. I was touched also by Paul McCartney's version of "All Things Must Pass" - a gorgeous song -- which Paul sang with rare emotion. (I didn't like his "For You Blue") Paul's intro to "Something" with the ukelele was cute, but it was weird when Eric Clapton took over (the song was reportedly written for George's then wife Patti Boyd; she later left George for Eric so it was a bit strange). The most melancholy aspect was realizing that there were only two Beatles left alive.
Joe Brown was excellent with Here Comes the Sun and Tom Petty was OK with I Need You, a much-ignored George song. He was awful with the rest. I enjoyed "Isn't it a Pity" with the "Hey Jude" "la la la la's" added to the background.
I wish, however, that there had been more women singing tribute to George -- of course, he didn't have that many female musician friends and peers. (There just weren't any in the 60s and 70s). "Don't Bother Be" is still one of my fave Harrisongs and it could have been sung with an edge by classic-rocker Sheryl Crow or any of today's ladies.
This album is well worth the money if you're a Harrison fan. Throughout the concert, it seemed, that personal egos were checked out in favor of a loving tribute to George. It's not on the album, but the DVD has the Monty Python troupe lending a sense of humor as well. For days, I was left with a wistful tear in one eye and a smile on my face.
Free Music Review: Heartfelt and Star Studded Live Concert Sounds Fantastic
Hit: 5 Stars
A truly riveting performance of a great mix of Harrison's great songs with huge stars that collaborate wonderfully without ego. Eric Clapton sings a number of Harrison tunes along with "While my guitar gently weeps" where he played the lead guitar on the original White Album 'All those years ago". But the whole album is star studded with Traveling Wilbury's Jeff Lynn and Tom Petty who also perform with the Heart Breakers, Ringo Starr, Paul McCartney, Joe Brown who used to open for the Beatles, the fifth Beatle on "Let it Be" Billy Preston and many more stars that electrify the concert. In particular, songs from the great "All Things must Pass album" really shine with the support of all those fantastic guitar players, Jools Holland and the Band and glorious back up singers and that allows you to really appreciate the unique sound of those songs such as "Isn't it a Pity", "My Sweet Lord", "All Things Must Pass", and "Wah Wah". The emotion is heart felt in the great play but also more poignant when Ringo states that he and George wrote the song "Photograph " together that made him a big hit and as he said, the meaning is now changed. When he sings "Every time I see your face it reminds me of the place we used to go, but all I have is a photograph.." it is beautiful but almost gives you a chill particularly on the DVD. Joe Brown, who used to open for the Beatles years ago is masterful on "Here Comes the Son" and "That's the Way it Goes". An amazing collection that includes Jeff Lynn and Tom Petty collaborating on a song that brought the Wilbury's together under Harrison, 'Handle with Care". Of course Eric Clapton on "If I needed someone" makes it sound beautiful along with his collaborations with Paul McCartney on "Something" and "While my guitar". All through the concert, George's young son plays guitar and sings backing vocals. Shankar's India sound is very pleasant but is packaged on a separate disc so if you are not into that, Disc 2 has all of the pure Harrison songs. Joe Brown closes with a wonderful sweet song on a ukulele called " I'll see you in my dreams". Appropriate for the sentiment and the fact that Harrison loved the ukulele and on trips he always packed two as his son said, "just in case someone else wanted to play too".Free Music Review: The Quiet One Speaks Through Others
Hit: 5 Stars
What can I say? Of all the piss-poor tribute albums that have been done (including Kiss' tip o' the hat to themselves w/ 'Kiss My Ass') this is the absolute greatest expression of appreciation for an artist's work ever. Honestly, not being a fan of Indian music I haven't listened all that much to disc 1 - Disc II however is f*cking amazing. As Jim Morrison would say "a feast of freinds" are here to pay a long overdue albeit beautiful tribute to George. Jeff Lynne and Eric Clapton trick the listener sometimes into thinking they have the original songs on. Beautifully sung and played "I Want To Tell You" kicks off the disc and it goes all the way up from there. Tom Petty does his usual whine/sinus-nose singing of Taxman and the surviving Wilburys do a great job of Handle With Care.
Then it gets truly great. Ringo does Photograph in a voice that shows his love for his fallen comrade. The song takes on a meaning much more than a run-of-the-mill love song. With lyrics "Ev'rytime I see your face it reminds me of the places we used to go - now all I got is a photograph and I realize you're not coming back anymore - I want you here to have & hold" perfectly sum up what all of the musicians and fans must have felt that evening. Truly remarkable.
The song that knocked me square on my ass was McCartney's version of Something. Having seen his tv concert, I knew he did a rendition of it on a ukelele. It begins as such, then when you least expect it - the whole band charges in as Eric Clapton nails the solo note for note with emotion not possible from anyone else in the biz. My cd skips now where that comes in 'cos I wore it out from being completely captivated. Just beautiful.
Clapton, Starr & Paul wonderfully do While My Guitar Gently Weeps note for note and the rest of the cd follows in tow.
Truly if you're a fair-weather Beatle fan or a longtime Beatnut, then you will be amazed just how great this is for a man who's talent was well-known but was always in the shadows of his obvious counterparts. On this, it's George's night. The once "quiet one" now speaks through his friends and the world once again has gained another great collection of music.
Pick it up!
Free Music Review: One of my favorite CDs! Amazing Rock and Roll!
Hit: 5 Stars
Let me start by saying that I am totally obsessed with this album. I have owned it for several years now and I never get tired of listening to it. I even bought the DVD of the concert after being blown away by the CD! True, I am a Baby Boomer. True, I grew up with the Beatles and Eric Clapton. But, for me, that was a very long time ago in so many ways. I am not "A Fan". I am a normal woman who likes music but would certainly never (under most circumstances) take the time to rate it here on Amazon. The point is, I can't remember the last time I listened to a recording that literally made the hair stand up on the back of my neck! This is amazing Rock and Roll and I defy anyone who claims to be unmoved by the magnitude of this music and the musicians who wrote, and now perform it. I have a new, deep appreciation for the performing artists that Paul McCartny, Ringo Star (yes, even Ringo!) and Jeff Lynn have become; the enduring relevance of the music of George Harrison, the composer; and the deep abiding faith that Eric Clapton is indeed GOD. Eric Clapton was the music director for this concert and the results are extraordinary. Especially wonderful are "Something" and "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" by Paul McCartney and Eric Clapton and "My Sweet Lord" by Billy Preston. Two "negatives": a great performance of "Horse to Water" by Jools Holland and Sam Brown is omitted from the CD and it would have been great if Bob Dylan had been able to be at the concert. That said, this is a great, historic concert by giants of Rock and Roll. It belongs in your library.Free Music Review: A great, great concert - and oh yeah...about Dylan...
Hit: 5 Stars
First, Bob was invited to play but couldn't make it due to long standing schedule conflicts...this has been noted on Dylan sites. As for the concert itself, this is a great, well recorded disc. Purchase it AFTER seeing the concert. You need to see the visual images of these folks. Sam Brown (Joe Brown's daughter) did an absolutely scorching version of Horse To The Water in the concert - a pity it couldn't have fit onto the CD "due to timing". Joe Brown - unknown to most of us stateside fans - a British musician and George ukelale mentor, seems an odd choice to sing Here Comes The Sun, but does the song proud. His closing uke sing-a-long I'll See You In My Dreams will bring tears to your eyes (especially when you see the falling flower petals which accompany it on the DVD) While I disagree with the "preening McCartney comments" ((he's pretty dignified actually) no one seems to comment on Ringo who is in fine voice but just a wee bit TOO jovial. Everyone else is superb - particularly the magisterial Billy Preston, Eric clapton, and of course, "Our Jeff" Lynn. Gary Brooker's name may elude some of you, but as soon as he begins singing Old Brown Shoe, you'll probably place the voice - think A Whiter Shade of Pale. Add Jim Keltner, Klauss Voorman (!) on bass, and the incredible one-of-a-kind Ray Cooper on persussion - well, it's a killer band. All play it straight - solid musicianship on the soundtrack to our lives. It's really great stuff. But make sure you watch it too!