Levon Helm & the RCO All-Stars | Levon Helm | GREAT VOCALS, GREAT HARMONICA, GREAT SONGS

Levon Helm & the RCO All-Stars | Levon Helm | play this at 2 am

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Levon Helm & the R...

	Levon Helm & the RCO All-Stars Levon Helm Edsel Records UK, 1996 average customer review:based on 5 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

GREAT VOCALS, GREAT HARMONICA, GREAT SONGS

THIS ALBUM IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE OF ALL TIME IT HAS PAUL BUTTERFIELD PLAYING HARMONICA IN A TOTALLY DIFFERENT STYLE FROM MOST OF HIS BLUES STUFF, BUT IT IS SOME INCREDIBLE PLAYING AND WITH LEVON HELM OF "THE BAND" FAME SINGING AND PLAYING DRUMS AND DOING THE VOCAL WORK , DOCTOR JOHN ON KEYBOARDS,GUITARS & PERCUSSION, THREE OF THE M.G.S BOOKER T,STEVE CROPPER & DONALD "DUCK"DUNN, DEANNA CARTERS' DAD, FRED CARTER, JR. AND SOME BAD TO THE BONE HORN SECTION. THIS ALBUM IS A GOLD MINE OF TALENT AND WAS RECORDED IN 1977 ON ABC RECORDS. IT HAS ALL KINDS OF MUSIC ON IT FROM BLUES TO BOOGIE TO SOUL, TO CHUCK BERRY A-LA HAVANNA MOON. TRY IT YOU'LL LIKE IT.

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play this at 2 am

This is a very satisfying album, featuring some great American musicians doing what they love to do best. And you can't beat it as background music late at night when lights are shimmering and the ice cubes are rocking.

A great capture of musicianship

I owned this on vinyl when it first came out and practically wore the grooves off it. The band includes Booker T. Jones (keyboards/percussion), Paul Butterfield (harmonica), Donald "Duck" Dunn (bass), and a large horn section that later played on John Bulushi and Dan Akroyd (as "Jake & Elwood" Blues Brothers - Briefcase Full of Blues : Lou Marini, Alan Rubin, and Tom "Bones" Malone), as well as Steve Cropper on guitar. And of course, Levon Helm (original member of Robbie Robertson's "The Band") at the helm with vocals and drums. They debuted on Saturday Night Live on March 19, 1977 as Levon Helm and the RCO All-Stars.

The music takes on an R&B tone right from the start with "Washer Woman" to the very last song, "That's My Home." Although Levon Helm is not known for his voice, the music fits him and he uses good expression. My favorite songs are: "You Got Me", "Blues So Bad," and Chuck Berry's "Havana Moon" with a calypso groove to it. The other songs are quite listenable too.

In short, this is a great CD with a fabulous band of musicians "creating an atmosphere that people can have a good time with and even dance to"as the liner notes read. It was fresh and unique and lends itself to listening over and over again!

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A very nice curiousity

Levon Helm sang lead vocals, played the drums, mandolin and occasionally the harmonica for The Band from it's inception as Ronnie Hawkins' back-up band and through it's many manifestations. One would expect that just about anything the man touched would be gold.

While this all star line-up does a fair job of presenting itself, it certainly does not live up to the promise held by bringing so many stellar talents together. The group includes Levon Helm, Robbie Robertson, Garth Hudson of the Band, Steve Cropper, Donald Dunn, and Booker T. Jones, The Memphis Horns, Dr. John and the late, great Paul Butterfield. Such a line-up couldn't miss, Right?

I believe that sometimes, when such a large conglomeration of superstar talents is brought onto a song that these talents tend to negate themselves. Witness the inevitable pile-ups caused during live tribute shows where a dozen of the great guitarists play all at once. Anyone of them might be great, the the resulting blend becomes a cacophony that makes the average garage band sound good.

Nevertheless, I do enjoy having this album in my collection. having yet another Paul Butterfield recording is worth the cost and I could listen to Levon sing soap commercials.

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WHERE'S THE 2008 RAVEN RECORDS REMASTERED CD?

Australia's Raven Records, which has carved out a Rhino-like place in the market for great remastered re-issues and compilations.

In 2008, Raven released a "2-fer" of "LH & The RCO All Stars" and "American Son", an incredible bargain. However, Amazon doesn't carry the CD.

So, instead of paying a lot of money for this older Japan, single-title disc, check out the Raven version.

Tracks
Washer Woman | The Tie That Binds | You Got Me | Blues So Bad | Sing, Sing, Sing (Let's Make A Better World) | Milk Cow Boogie | Rain Down Tears | A Mood I Was In | Havana Moon | That's My Home

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