For a couple weeks now I ‘ve been on a Bill Withers-Fest..the result of picking up the recently released on Cd “Bill Withers Live at Carnegie Hall”…recorded in October 1972..
I’ve always been a fan..but seriously now..this disc is a true revelation, nothing short of true , deep, deep, soul…somewhere between Gil Scott Heron..and maybe Fela K.; all backed up by Booker T’s band…this is a must have.
Standouts are many, but the intro raps’, Bernorce Blackmans way funky guitar..and songs like “I can’t write left handed”, “For my friend”, “Better off dead”, and “Grandma’s hands”…make this a better world to live in.
Bill entered a magical state that night..as did the band, and the audience.
Here’s a uber cool cover of the classic..”Use me”, w/ D’angelo et al..from 98′…tight stuff, unreal drumming/percussion/sax..and it does the Master justice.
sounds great, will definitely seek that one out.
fyi…on the D’angelo cut…
indeed, that is Eric Clapton playing rythmn/lead w/ the Sanborn Band…and,concerning the Bill Withers performance:
strike the Fela comparison…not a bad one in terms of artistic honesty and intensity…but I think Curtis Mayfield would be more to the point.
now I feel better, and
yes, these little things do matter…