The Band

loved the cd. came quickly

I purchsed this album when it 1st came out -- and as I was first coming over to rock from symphonic and early folk music. Since that time, among the thousands of albums in my collection, this has always been my very favorite, most beloved music. It has amazed me that whenever this music comes on -- whatever the mood or setting -- I am *always* happy to hear it.I feel similarly about The Band's other 2 initial albums -- Music from Big Pink and Stage Fright -- but this one's even finer. Each voice is powerful, resonant and evocative. Each composition is strong. Each line, each instrument played is "just right" harmonically and rhythmically, and the ensemble is as tight as any music I know. At the same time, each player's work -- especially the bewilderingly wonderful Garth Hudson keboards -- is so complex and well conceived that new discoveries within each song still reveal themsleves to me, even after thousands of listenings. How can that be true?! It can be so only with the very finest of all music.The bonus tracks here include rehearsals which show the arrangements in mid-form, some steps leading to the synthesis as ultimately recorded.Best known of this classic ensemble, Robbie Robertson with his guitar contrasts some with the rest. His playing is spare, tighter than anything I've heard, and always incisive. Yet for me, the other instruments and vocals are more central to the full presentations. This said, it is clear Roberston's role in it all was crucial, and not only as guitarist. After he left The Band, some of the fire dropped away. Robertson had contributed beyond anything tangible he brought. Their later albums, recorded after a very long hiatus, are excellent but nowhere near the level of the 1st 3.When I've seen these folks in person, I have been astonished to see that they switch instruments with each other during the set, and each player is excellent playing any instrument!The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down is the best known in this colletion, having been covered by many other artists -- notably Joan Baez, in a 'nice' track, but completely outshone by the original. Yet this Band track -- wonderful as it is -- must for me bow to the even more stunning yet varied tracks: King Harvest, When You Awake, Look Out Cleveland, Rockin Chair...and, yes, Rag Mama Rag and Up on Cripple Creek. The great Little Feat cover Rag Mama Rag on their Down Upon the Suwannee River, and do it well. But any cover of this music is simply superfluous.

This was the album that got me exposed to The Band as a six-year-old kid back in Millington the '60s gave way to the '70s. The eponymously-titled sophomore effort of Bob Dylan's former back-up band[No pun intended on the group's name] gave the group the most exposure than its maiden-voyage effort Music From Big Pink[1968] and even got them on Time magazine and a spot on bill at San Francisco's Winterland Arena-their major appearance as The Band, which they later culminated as a group with their farewell bash The Last Waltz on Thanksgiving Day in 1976.While we're in 1969 here, we enjoy an album that's well crafted and structured to represent the feeling of Americana in rock. Every song on here is great from first to last in an even dozen count. What also makes this album even more special is the arrangements worked with producer John Simon. Horn sections are made up from Simon, bassist/vocalist Rick Danko, keyboardist/vocalist Richard Manuel and keyboardist/multi-instrumentalist Garth Hudson. Not only that but this album was recorded mainly at Sammy Davis, Jr's house which also had a bar, swimming pool and a rec-room. What luxury. My main favs here are all of side one-"Across The Great Divide", "Rag Mama Rag", "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down"[Later a hit for former Dylan partner/muse Joan Baez], "When You Awake", "Up On Cripple Creek" and "Whispering Pines", as well as "Rockin' Chair", "Look Out Cleveland", "The Unfaithful Servant" and "King Harvest(Has Surely Come)". Other songs worth mentioning are "Jemima Surrender" and "Jawbone". But since this is a 2000 remaster there are also seven bonus cuts here-the outtake "Get Up Jake"[Later released as a B-side] as well as alternate takes/mixes of "Rag Mama", "Dixie", "Cripple Creek", "Whispering", "Jemima" and "King Harvest". Since these re-masters memorialize Danko and Manuel, Helm has also departed in 2013. Kinda sad to think of the three main vocalists gone, but their voices and music remain in our ears.This is THE classic album of The Band. Get it and you'll love it. Truly.

Great album

Super Songs

Un clásico, excelente disco

Perfect !

Music from big pink ha aperto la strada, 'the band' e' andato oltre, a the weight risponde the night they drove old dixie down: la guerra di secessione spiegata da quattro canadesi ed un sudista dell'Arkansas al colto ed all'inclita degli States. Musica 'americana' 'north americana' precisa Robbie. Il doppio vinile 45giri e' l'esempio di come dovrebbe essere la rimasterizzazione dei capolavori di 50 anni fa. L'ascolto sembra dal vivo tanto precisi e separati gli strumenti, ognuno ne suonava magistralmente almeno due, Garth organo fiati, Rick basso violino e voce, Richard piano batteria armonica voce, Levon batteria violino voce, solo Robbie centellina i suoi preziosi assoli alla chitarra oltre a comporre e produrre l'album, pochi contributi dal coproduttore John Simon. La gioiosa up on cripple creek fa da contrappunto alla sinfonica the night..ed il resto va da se... Jemina surrender, unfaithful servant king harvest, mai tanti capolavori in un solo album, l'apice di the band, poi verra' stage frigth poi... il lento declino fino a the last waltz il canto del cigno, con carriere personali non memorabili, suicidi lutti, sono rimasti l'alfa e l'omega Robbie e Garth, che fu la chioccia di the band dando loro lezioni di musica, all'insaputa dei suoi genitori che ne preconizzavano una carriera classica, per pochi spiccioli! Il cd vale per il prezioso booklet di Anthony de Curtis, poche alternate take ed outtake inedite di modesto interesse ed il concerto a Woodstock, vicino casa, gia' pubblicato nel recente cofanetto celebrativo ed alcuni brani dal doppio cd del 2000 dei primi due album, ma costa solo 15€! Comunque l'accoppiata e' vincente!