Live at Fillmore West

Last updated
King Curtis Live at Fillmore West
King-curtis-live-at-fillmore-west.jpg
Live album by
ReleasedAugust 1971
RecordedMarch 5–7, 1971
Label Atlantic, Rhino
Producer King Curtis
Arif Mardin
Jerry Wexler
King Curtis chronology
Get Ready
(1970)
King Curtis Live at Fillmore West
(1971)
Everybody's Talking
(1972)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [1]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [2]

Live at Fillmore West is an album by King Curtis, released in 1971. The album showcases the concert he played with his band the Kingpins at the Fillmore West venue in San Francisco in March 1971 who were supporting and backing soul singer Aretha Franklin. A week after its release in August 1971, Curtis was stabbed to death outside his brownstone apartment in New York City. [3]

Contents

It was reissued on compact disc in the 1990s through Rhino Records and was released in an expanded edition in 2006. In addition it was released as an expanded edition four-CD box set entitled, Don't Fight the Feeling: The Complete Aretha Franklin & King Curtis Live At Fillmore West by Rhino Handmade in 2005, featuring the complete concert by King Curtis and Aretha Franklin. [4] This edition was limited to 5,000 numbered copies. [5]

History

Recorded at the Fillmore West concert hall, the storied rock venue in San Francisco, over three nights, March 5, 6 and 7 1971, [6] King Curtis and his band the Kingpins were supporting Aretha Franklin as well as playing as her backing band. [7] the album opens with his own composition "Memphis Soul Stew", but the bulk of the album is taken with cover versions of recent rock, soul and country recordings including Stevie Wonder's "Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours", Led Zeppelin's "Whole Lotta Love" and Bobbie Gentry's "Ode to Billie Joe". His version of Procol Harum's "A Whiter Shade of Pale" found renewed fame when used in the opening title sequence of cult British comedy film Withnail and I , although the film is set in 1969, two years before the performance. [8]

Professionally Curtis was having a prolific and successful time in the summer of 1971. Aretha Franklin's Live at Fillmore West album was a huge hit, he had contributed to two tracks on John Lennon's album, Imagine , recorded the theme to the television show Soul Train and had made a highly acclaimed performance at the Montreux Jazz Festival with Champion Jack Dupree. It was in this climate that the album was released in August 1971. A week after its release, Curtis was stabbed to death outside his brownstone apartment in New York City, following an argument with two drug addicts. [3] The day after he died the album peaked at No. 54 on the Billboard 200 album chart, his greatest success as a solo artist. [9] There is a widely held misconception that Curtis was murdered on the night of this live performance. [10] Ralph Brown, in the audio commentary on the DVD issue of Withnail and I, wrongly states that he was shot in the car park after the concert.

Track listing

Live at Fillmore West (original edition)

Released August 1971

Live at Fillmore West (expanded edition)

Released July 11, 2006, featuring 5 additional tracks.

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Memphis Soul Stew" Curtis Ousley 7:41
2."A Whiter Shade of Pale" Gary Brooker, Keith Reid, Matthew Fisher 5:26
3."Whole Lotta Love" Led Zeppelin 2:16
4."I Stand Accused" Jerry Butler 6:05
5."Them Changes" Buddy Miles 7:01
6."Ode to Billie Joe" Bobbie Gentry 3:22
7."Mr. Bojangles" Jerry Jeff Walker 4:30
8."Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours" Lee Garrett, Lula Mae Hardaway, Stevie Wonder, Syreeta Wright 2:37
9."Soul Serenade" Luther Dixon, Curtis Ousley5:32
10."My Sweet Lord" George Harrison 2:33
11."Them Changes" (alternate take) Buddy Miles 5:33
12."Ode to Billie Joe" (alternate take)Bobbie Gentry4:35
13."Soul Serenade" (alternate take)Luther Dixon, Curtis Ousley4:51
14."Memphis Soul Stew" (alternate take)Curtis Ousley5:05
Total length:67:07

Don't Fight the Feeling: The Complete Aretha Franklin & King Curtis Live at Fillmore West

4 CD Box-set. Released May 3, 2005 by Rhino Handmade in a limited edition of 5000.

Disc one
No.TitleWriter(s)ArtistLength
1."Intro"   
2."Knock on Wood" Eddie Floyd, Steve Cropper The Memphis Horns  
3."Whole Lotta Love" King Curtis 
4."Them Changes" King Curtis 
5."A Whiter Shade of Pale" King Curtis 
6."My Sweet Lord"  Billy Preston  
7."Ode to Billie Joe" King Curtis 
8."Mr Bojangles" King Curtis 
9."Soul Serenade" King Curtis 
10."Memphis Soul Stew" King Curtis 
11."Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I'm Yours)" King Curtis 
12."Respect" Otis Redding Aretha Franklin 
13."Call Me"Aretha FranklinAretha Franklin 
14."Mixed-up Girl" Jimmy Webb Aretha Franklin 
15."Love the One You're With" Stephen Stills Aretha Franklin 
16."Bridge over Troubled Water" Paul Simon Aretha Franklin 
17."Eleanor Rigby" Lennon–McCartney Aretha Franklin 
18."Make It with You" David Gates Aretha Franklin 
19."Don't Play That Song (You Lied)" Ahmet Ertegun, Betty NelsonAretha Franklin 
Disc two
No.TitleWriter(s)ArtistLength
20."Share Your Love with Me"Alfred Braggs, Deadric Malone Aretha Franklin 
21."Dr. Feelgood (Love Is a Serious Business)"Aretha Franklin, Ted WhiteAretha Franklin 
22."Spirit in the Dark"Aretha FranklinAretha Franklin 
23."Spirit in the Dark (reprise)" Aretha Franklin 
24."Knock on Wood" The Memphis Horns 
25."Them Changes" King Curtis 
26."Whole Lotta Love" King Curtis 
27."A Whiter Shade of Pale" King Curtis 
28."I Stand Accused" King Curtis 
29."Soul Serenade" King Curtis 
30."Memphis Soul Stew" King Curtis 
31."Respect" Aretha Franklin 
32."Call Me" Aretha Franklin 
33."Love the One You're With" Aretha Franklin 
34."Bridge over Troubled Water" Aretha Franklin 
Disc three
No.TitleWriter(s)ArtistLength
35."Share Your Love with Me" Aretha Franklin 
36."Eleanor Rigby" Aretha Franklin 
37."Make It with You" Aretha Franklin 
38."You're All I Need to Get By" Nickolas Ashford, Valerie Simpson Aretha Franklin 
39."Don't Play That Song" Aretha Franklin 
40."Dr. Feelgood (Love Is a Serious Business)" Aretha Franklin 
41."Spirit in the Dark" Aretha Franklin 
42."Spirit in the Dark (reprise)" Aretha Franklin 
43."Knock on Wood" The Memphis Horns 
44."Them Changes" King Curtis 
45."A Whiter Shade of Pale" King Curtis 
46."Ode to Billie Joe" King Curtis 
47."Soul Serenade" King Curtis 
48."Memphis Soul Stew" King Curtis 
Disc four
No.TitleWriter(s)ArtistLength
49."Respect" Aretha Franklin 
50."Call Me" Aretha Franklin 
51."Love the One You're With" Aretha Franklin 
52."Bridge over Troubled Water" Aretha Franklin 
53."Share Your Love with Me" Aretha Franklin 
54."Eleanor Rigby" Aretha Franklin 
55."Make It with You" Aretha Franklin 
56."Don't Play That Song" Aretha Franklin 
57."You're All I Need to Get By" Aretha Franklin 
58."Dr. Feelgood (Love Is a Serious Business)" Aretha Franklin 
59."Spirit in the Dark" Aretha Franklin 
60."Spirit in the Dark (reprise)" Aretha Franklin and Ray Charles  
61."Reach Out and Touch (Somebody's Hand)"Nickolas Ashford, Valerie SimpsonAretha Franklin 

Chart performance

Album

ChartPeak position
Billboard 200 54
Billboard Jazz Albums3
Billboard Soul albums 9

Single

TitleChartPeak position
Whole Lotta Love Billboard Hot 100 64
Billboard Best Selling Soul singles 43

Personnel

The Memphis Horns:

Related Research Articles

<i>Lady Soul</i> 1968 studio album by Aretha Franklin

Lady Soul is the twelfth studio album by American singer Aretha Franklin released in early 1968 by Atlantic Records. The album stayed at number 1 for 16 weeks on Billboard's R&B album chart, and it hit number 2 on the pop album chart during a year-long run.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">King Curtis</span> American saxophonist (1934–1971)

Curtis Ousley, known professionally as King Curtis, was an American saxophonist who played rhythm and blues, jazz, and rock and roll. A bandleader, band member, and session musician, he was also a musical director and record producer. A master of the instrument, he played tenor, alto, and soprano saxophone. He played riffs and solos on hit singles such as "Respect" by Aretha Franklin (1967), and "Yakety Yak" by The Coasters (1958) and his own "Soul Twist" (1962), "Soul Serenade" (1964), and "Memphis Soul Stew" (1967).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cornell Dupree</span> American R&B/soul jazz guitarist

Cornell Luther Dupree was an American jazz and R&B guitarist. He worked at various times with Aretha Franklin, Bill Withers, Donny Hathaway, King Curtis, and Steve Gadd, appeared on Late Night with David Letterman, and wrote a book on soul and blues guitar, Rhythm and Blues Guitar. He reportedly recorded on 2,500 sessions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fillmore East</span> Influential live music venue 1968–1971, Lower East Side, New York City, USA

The Fillmore East was rock promoter Bill Graham's rock venue on Second Avenue near East 6th Street on the Lower East Side section of Manhattan, now called the East Village, in New York City. The venue was open from March 8, 1968, to June 27, 1971, and featured some of the biggest acts in rock music of that time. The Fillmore East was a companion to Graham's Fillmore Auditorium, and its successor, the Fillmore West, in San Francisco.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sam Moore</span> American singer (born 1935)

Samuel David Moore is an American singer who was best known as a member of the soul and R&B duo Sam & Dave from 1961 to 1981. He is a member of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, the Grammy Hall of Fame, and the Vocal Group Hall of Fame.

<i>Aretha Now</i> 1968 studio album by Aretha Franklin

Aretha Now is the thirteenth studio album by American singer Aretha Franklin, released on June 14, 1968, by Atlantic Records. Quickly certified Gold, it eventually reached a million in US sales. It hit No. 3 on Billboard's album chart. In 1993, it was reissued on CD through Rhino Records. The album was rated the 133rd best album of the 1960s by Pitchfork.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aretha Franklin discography</span>

This discography documents the releases of albums and singles by Aretha Franklin. Widely regarded as the "Queen of Soul", she has sold more than 75 million records worldwide, making her one of the best-selling R&B female artists of all time. Billboard ranks her as the 34th Greatest Artist of all time. Franklin has scored 73 entries on the Billboard Hot 100, the most among women for nearly 50 years until Nicki Minaj passed her in 2017. Billboard listed her as the 41st Top Gospel Artist of the 2010s. She has accumulated 20 No. 1 hits on Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bernard Purdie</span> American R&B, soul and funk drummer

Bernard Lee "Pretty" Purdie is an American drummer, and an influential R&B, soul and funk musician. He is known for his precise musical time-keeping and his signature use of triplets against a half-time backbeat: the "Purdie Shuffle." He was inducted into the Modern Drummer Hall of Fame in 2013.

"I'm in Love" is a song written by Bobby Womack. It was first recorded by Wilson Pickett in 1967, which gave him a top-ten R&B hit on Billboard's chart in 1968, peaking at number 4 as well as peaking at number 45 on the Billboard Hot 100.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jerry Jemmott</span> American musician

Gerald Stenhouse Jemmott is an American bass guitarist. Jemmott was one of the chief session bassists of the late 1960s and early 1970s, working with many of the period's well-known soul, blues, and jazz artists. He has won two Grammy Awards.

<i>Aretha in Paris</i> 1968 live album by Aretha Franklin

Aretha In Paris is a live album by American singer Aretha Franklin, released in 1968, by Atlantic Records. The album was recorded in Paris, France, on May 7, 1968. It reached the top 20 of Billboard's album chart. It was reissued on compact disc through Rhino Records in the 1990s.

<i>Aretha Live at Fillmore West</i> 1971 live album by Aretha Franklin

Aretha Live at Fillmore West is a live album by American singer Aretha Franklin. Released on May 19, 1971, by Atlantic Records. It was reissued on compact disc in 1993 through Rhino Records. An expanded, limited edition 4-CD box set entitled, Don't Fight the Feeling: The Complete Aretha Franklin & King Curtis Live at Fillmore West was released by Rhino in 2005. This was limited to 5000 numbered copies. In addition, there is a guest duet vocal by Ray Charles on "Spirit in the Dark".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Richard Tee</span> American pianist, singer and arranger

Richard Edward Tee was an American jazz fusion pianist, studio musician, singer and arranger, who had several hundred studio credits and played on such notable hits as "The Hustle"(1975), "Slip Slidin' Away"(1977), "Just the Two of Us"(1981), "I'll Be Sweeter Tomorrow "(1967), "Tell Her About It"(1983), "In Your Eyes", "Until You Come Back To Me"(1974)

<i>Soul 69</i> 1969 studio album by Aretha Franklin

Soul '69 is the fourteenth studio album by American singer Aretha Franklin; released in 1969 by Atlantic Records, the album features covered material. The album charted at number 1 on Billboard's R&B albums chart and at number 15 on Billboard's Top Albums, but launched two largely unsuccessful singles, "Tracks of My Tears", which reached number 21 on "Black Singles" and number 71 on "Pop Singles", and "Gentle on My Mind", which charted at number 50 and number 76 respectively. The album was re-released on compact disc through Rhino Records in the 1990s.

"Share Your Love with Me" is a song written by Alfred Braggs and Deadric Malone. It was originally recorded by blues singer Bobby "Blue" Bland. Over the years, the song has been covered by various artists, most notably Aretha Franklin who won a Grammy Award for her 1969 rendition. Other artists who covered the song include The Band in 1973, Kenny Rogers in 1981, and most recently, Van Morrison in 2016.

"(Sweet Sweet Baby) Since You've Been Gone" is a song by singer Aretha Franklin. Released from her Lady Soul album in 1968, the song was successful, debuting at number 31 and peaking at number 5 on the Hot 100 for five weeks, and spending three weeks at number 1 on the Hot Rhythm & Blues Singles chart. The B-side, "Ain't No Way", was also a hit, peaking at number 16 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 9 on the Hot Rhythm & Blues Singles chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rock Steady (Aretha Franklin song)</span> 1971 single by Aretha Franklin

"Rock Steady" is a song written and performed by American singer-songwriter Aretha Franklin, released in October 1971 from her eighteenth album, Young, Gifted and Black (1972). The single reached the #9 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 charts that same year. It also peaked at #2 on the Best Selling Soul Singles chart. The original A-side, a rendition of the song "Oh Me Oh My ", peaked at #73 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #9 on the Best Selling Soul Singles chart.

"Soul Serenade" is a jazz instrumental written by King Curtis and Luther Dixon. Curtis played the lead on a B-flat saxello, a version of the alto sax. The song was released on Curtis' 1964 album "Soul Serenade".

<i>A Brand New Me</i> (Aretha Franklin album) 2017 compilation album by Aretha Franklin, with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

A Brand New Me is a compilation album by American recording artist Aretha Franklin. It was released on November 10, 2017, by Rhino Records and Atlantic Records. The album features archival vocal performances that Franklin recorded for Atlantic Records accompanied by new orchestral arrangements by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and newly recorded backing vocals, in addition to the original (archived) background vocal and instrumental accompaniments. Producer Nick Patrick said of the album: "There is a reason that Aretha Franklin is called the 'Queen of Soul.' There is nothing more exciting than that incredible voice taking you on an emotional roller coaster ride through her amazing repertoire of songs. To have the opportunity to work with that voice on this project has been the greatest honor and to hear a symphony orchestra wrapped around those performances is breathtaking." Franklin died in August 2018, nine months after the album's release.

<i>The Atlantic Singles Collection 1967–1970</i> 2018 compilation album by Aretha Franklin

The Atlantic Singles Collection 1967–1970 is a compilation album of singer Aretha Franklin, released by Rhino Records in September 2018. The album contains her first 17 singles for Atlantic Records released in the United States from her debut for the label "I Never Loved a Man " of February 1967 through "Border Song " of October 1970. The Amazon sales website identifies these as digitally remastered versions of the original mono issues, although that is not indicated in the set's liner notes or packaging. The original recordings were produced by Jerry Wexler, at times in collaboration with Tom Dowd and Arif Mardin.

References

  1. AllMusic review
  2. The Rolling Stone Album Guide. Random House. 1992. pp. 399–400.
  3. 1 2 "Live at Fillmore West by King Curtis". Swampland.com. 27 March 2011.
  4. "Aretha, King Curtis Fillmore Sets Remastered". Billboard. May 18, 2006.
  5. "Don't Fight The Feeling: The Complete Aretha Franklin & King Curtis Live At Fillmore West". Rhinomedia.com. 27 March 2011. Archived from the original on 26 August 2011. Retrieved 27 March 2011.
  6. "ARETHA LIVE AT FILLMORE WEST". theblacklistedjournalist. 25 March 2011.
  7. "King Curtis, Aretha Franklin". bassplayer.com. 25 March 2011.
  8. "Top 25 Movie Music Moments". clashmusic.com. 27 March 2011.
  9. "King Curtis Biography". Soultracks.com. 27 March 2011.
  10. "Withnail Links – Soundtrack". Fan site. Retrieved 14 December 2010.