George Harrison & Friends - Concert for Bangladesh
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Free Music Notes for Concert for Bangladesh
Free Music Review: The Mother of "Live Aid" sounds great in reissue
Hit: 5 Stars
Before Live Aid or Live 8 we had "The Concert for Bangla Desh". The first major rock charity concert still sounds great even though it was recorded all those years ago. Harrison invited a group of his friends to perform to help famine victims began when Ravi Shankar expressed concern about the people in his country. Harrison quickly whipped together this show which raised millions of dollars Sadly, it was tied up in litigation due to the U.S. government for years and the people like the child featured on the cover probably didn't see a dime until it was much too late. Regardless others benefited from the concert and the noble deed turned attention to a part of the world that had been ignored by the west.
The concert sounds great with remixed/remastered sound. Some of the performances sound like they were drawn from one of the other shows (unless the original concerts had overdubbing and this is the version without it). Regardless, the performances are marvelous. Leon Russell who is largely forgotten by modern audiences turns in a rousing performance. Although Ringo only appears on one track ("It Don't Come Easy" co-written without credit by Harrison)and Badfinger is relegated to the shows (Pete Ham the band's guitarist joins Harrison on "Here Comes the Sun"), the stars of the show do a terrific job of bringing it on home.
Dylan's set enhanced with the previously unreleased "Love Minus Zero/No Limit" is electrifying. Since he had largely been absent from the concert scene prior to this show (he had been injured in a motorcycle accident)for quite a while, he brings power and musical poetry to the stage. Harrison himself armed with the great songs from his magnum opus "All Things Must Pass" and two songs from The Beatles "Abbey Road" more than holds his own with Dylan. Harrison closes with the riveting "Bangela Desh" a very topical song that still has relevance today about our world.
Sadly Lennon was a no show (he was invited to participate)and McCartney, understandably, elected not to participate either due to his differences with Harrison (although McCartney did a similair show in 1979 nearly a decade later in the form of "The Concert for Kampuchea to raise money for the victims of Pol Pot's reign of terror in Cambodia. That show, which has yet to show up on CD, featured The Clash, The Who,The Pretenders, Elvis Costello, Queen, McCartney & Wings, Ian Dury, The Specials and Rockpile)or because he wasn't invited.
While there has been some carping about the change in the packaging, the original cover IS still available as part of the deluxe DVD release from Rhino. The CD and regular DVD release feature Harrison solo on the cover. Perhaps not the best choice given the participants but it would certainly sell more copies than the original album cover in today's CD age.
Free Music Review: Before Ringo, there was George Harrison and his All-Star Band
Hit: 5 Stars
This 1971 album was the first of the all-star benefit albums. And arguably the best. In a nut shell, George Harrison, fresh off his success with "All Things Must Pass" raised his profile even further when he joined with Indian sitar master Ravi Shankar for 2 benefit shows at Madison Square Garden. At the time, Bangladesh was ½ a world away and largely unknown and forgotten by Americans and the rest of the world for that matter. Plus it had been born out of a war between religions and torn apart even further by devastating floods. George's idea was simple; gather as many musician friends as he could for a concert and maybe raise some money to aid the citizens of the emerging nation of Bangladesh. But even with his high profile, George was uncertain the shows would even be sellouts, billing it only as "George Harrison & Friends". Other than a few gigs as a sideman, he hadn't performed live since the final Beatles tour in 1966. And never as a solo act. Everyone here was established stars whose careers got a boost as a result of the shows. Harrison wisely lets Shankar open the show with a set of Indian sitar music that receives a warm response from the crowd, before kicking off his own set with "Wah-Wah" from ATMP. Eric Clapton was still in the midst of his heroin addiction, but kept himself together for this show to recreate "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" with George onstage (although in his memoirs, he regretfully admits that the haze of drugs fogged whatever memories he has of the show). Ringo Starr contributes a rousing version of "It Don't Come Easy", complete with lyric flubs. Bob Dylan was the big surprise here, it was questionable weather or not he'd show up at all. Like Harrison, he'd largely retreated from live performances (the last being at the Isle of Wight Festival the year before). Here, he does a 5 song acoustic set with help from George and Leon Russell (an extra Dylan song is included as a bonus track). We can only imagine (sorry, Mr. Lennon!) what George could've been as a solo performer live. For his own songs, he performs here with a great ease, especially on the delicate rendition of "Here Comes the Sun". But other than a disastrous 1974 tour, he rarely ever performed live again except in situations like this where he could fade into the background if he chose and let others like Dylan, Billy Preston or Ringo bask in the spotlight. The context of this show certainly forced him to give his all.
Free Music Review: "No One is Gettting payed For Anything"
Hit: 5 Stars
One can argue that the "Concert For Bangladesh", is one of the single most important events in rock n roll history. George Harrison, along with Ravi Shankar invented the pop star benefit concert, Without realizing at the time, that they would influence a whole charitable movement that has continued for decades, for various causes. This reissue CD of that historic concert, proves to be a time capsule that brings one back to an era when for one day, some of classic rocks most gifted musicians put on a show for the ages. The remastered sound quality is out of this world. The first thing I noticed was being able to clearly hear acoustic guitars and some keyboards clearer then ever. The vocal clarity is like night and day compared to the original release. One really notices a major difference during Leon Russell's performance of "Jumpin Jack Flash", and "Youngblood". Of course, Bob Dylan never sounded better during a live acoustic set. It is quite obvious that a lot of care and thought went into the packaging. Although the cd sports a new cover that is different from the original, I felt the packaging still held the historical presentation of the original. Each cd is housed in a slip cover, that has the original cover photo, as well as the same orange color of the 3 LP boxed set. The booklet has both original and new liner notes, and the booklet has a healthy serving of photo's, some not seen before. The only real negative that I found with this set, is the deletion of some of George Harrison's verbal interaction with the audience. Gone is the introduction of Leon Russell before his set, as well as George announcing that he is going to try one with just the acoustic guitars before he played "Here Comes The Sun". Also, removed was the long thunderous ovation he received after playing "Something". When George returned to the stage for his finale "Bangladesh", he told the crowd "Thank-you you're so kind". That was also deleted. I feel that when producers alter the original, they are messing with art. Those verbal interactions with the crowd, were part of the historic final product that we all remember so well and are now a thing of the past. All put aside, the cd is fantastic, with crystal clear remastering, but I sure wish they would have left the entire concert intact and away from the cutting room. Anything missing, can be heard on the full length DVD movie, or the original CD.Free Music Review: The Template for All Benefit Concerts That Followed
Hit: 5 Stars
"I'd just like to say before we start off with the concert...that...uhh...to thank you for coming here...as you all know it's a special benefit concert...we've got a good show lined up...I hope so anyway...." And with that introduction from George Harrison, the former Beatle began his August 1, 1971, Concert for Bangla Desh which became the template for all of the benefit concerts that would follow.
However, not only did it raise much needed money, it produced a solid collection of songs from a stellar group of musicians. In addition to former bandmate Ringo Starr and friends Ravi Shankar, Eric Clapton and Bob Dylan; the concert also included (among others) Billy Preston (who worked with the Beatles during the LET IT BE sessions), Leon Russell, Klaus Voorman , Jim Keltner, Carl Radle and Pete Ham (of Badfinger).
The concert opens with a 16-minute performance by Ravi Shankar, backed by three additional Indian musicians on sarod, tabla and tamboura.
Harrison's contributions included four songs from his then current album ALL THINGS MUST PASS along with "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" with Harrison and Clapton trading lead guitar lines. Perhaps the standout song is his acoustic duet with Pete Ham on "Here Comes the Sun." Other Harrison songs are "Something" and the concert-closing number "Bangla Desh." [A studio version of the single was also released in August, but it would stall at No. 23.]
Ringo turns in a solid performance of his hit "It Don't Come Easy." Billy Preston does a rousing version of the gospel-tinged "That's the Way God Planned It." And Leon Russell turns up the energy with the medley "Jumpin' Jack Flash/Youngblood."
The highlight of the concert was arguably the five-song set by Bob Dylan (now including a sixth song, "Love Minus Zero/No Limit"). He is backed by Leon Russell on bass, Harrison on guitar and Ringo on tambourine.
All told, this was an exciting musical event thirty-four years ago, and with this newly remastered edition it sounds even better today. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
Free Music Review: One of Harrison's Finest Moments
Hit: 5 Stars
Not only was this album, the live recording of a musical event inspired by the suffering occurring in a country in serious need of aid, but a statement of compassion and deep spiritual kinship, the work of a contemplative man who have been part of the greatest group of all time, and was not above his times.
All that said, the music contained here represents one of the best Rock concerts ever recorded, and hardly need any further significance attached to it, to be worth repeated listenings. Harrison, performing for the first time, since recording All Things Must Pass, is in excellent form, and so is Eric Clapton who provides a solo for My Guitar Gently Weeps that is even better for his White Album contribution.
The material leans on George's first, and triple album, with Isn't It A Pity, Wah-Wah, Something, Beware Of Darkness, and a beautiful version of My Sweet Lord being standouts. In addition to them, Leon Russell's presence throughout is, perhaps the most unexpected gem. His rendition of Jumping Jack Flash is simply stunning, as it is his harmonies with Bob Dylan in Just Like A Woman.
Yes, because then there was Dylan, offering a set of classics -now augmented by one song, Love Minus Zero/No Limit- accompanied by Harrison, Russell and Ringo's tambourine, who would be worth purchasing by itself.
Other than Dylan's addition and the sound improvement on this remastered version, there may be no reasons for those who already owned the original CD release, to own this edition. But if you do not have it, this is a must, Rock history, tremendous music.
The only thing I'd wish is that they maintained the original album cover, which not only conveyed the purpose of this concert unequivocally but was an icon in its own right.
If nothing else, this release is thoroughly worthwhile because in reminding a large number of people like me who basked in the great music contained here, that it's time to listen to Concert for Bangladesh again.