Sunday, January 17, 2021

Down to St-James Infirmery

THE DOORS: JIM MORRISON, 'FIVE TO ONE' - FEATURING ALBERT KING
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This unofficial recording from The Doors dates back from the 'Roadhouse Blues' tour (january till august 1970) on which legendary blues guitarist Albert King joined forces with the band. It is a fragmented bootleg and came out in 2009, not so long before the official and much completer Live in Vancouver 1970 double cd was released by Elektra. The Vancouver concert was recorded on 6 june 1970, just a little more than a year before Morrison's demise. The band plays tight and they're in good shape, including their singer. 

Delta blues slide licks

The bearded Morrison starts the fun in 'Roadhouse Blues' with the megaphone effect coming in great. 'When The Music's Over' thrillingly bursts in and out. Note that Albert King isn't to be heard only on Ellas Mc Daniel's 'Who Do You Love' here but he immediately adds as a surplus his wonderful delta blues slide licks to the band's improvisations. What a combination! Terrific live bass work also, and that for a band without a regular bass player. It's just Manzarek on keys.

Youtube - The Doors Live In Vancouver - Fever

'Light My Organ' as a rule seems to get high on a psychedelic, little false tuning - or is it the recording? -  but from a musical genius like Manzarek you accept that without question. I mean, who else plays bass on a piano keyboard, left-handed, while performing melodies on the organ, right-handed? The song gets interwoven here with 'Fever' from Little Willie John and made famous by Peggy Lee. It's the most swinging moment of the disc with Jim on shakers and the public clapping along.


"Fever started a long time ago"... 

"Everybody's got the fever"

 

The raw sounding, wounded frontman takes us first down into St-James infirmery before the obsessed and childlike Morrison we all know comes through by means of another great outburst that's called 'The End'. The concert in the Pacific Coliseum is as good as The Doors get live. Spreading their most psychedelic and bluesy vibes, manifested especially in their cover choices with Jim making them his genuine dark own. This uncomplete cd is very tasteful and tastes for more...

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Jim Morrison - Five To One
Issued by Woodstock Tapes (WT5117) in 2009

1 Roadhouse Blues 5:50
2 Backdoor Man 2:28
3 Five To One 5:56
4 When The Music's Over 12:12
5 Who Do You Love 7:22
6 Light My Fire 10:57
7 Fever 7:32
8 The End 16:29

Live at Pacific Coliseum Vancouver, 6 june 1970

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