Aretha Franklin - Disc of the day

Aretha Franklin
Live At Fillmore West

(Rhino, 2006)

1971 supergig that witnessed Lady Soul inveigle the world of rock.

Eleanor Rigby, Love The One You’re With, Bridge Over Troubled Water: Franklin was reaching out to beardy white hippies at this landmark show and the result was a permanent deracination of her appeal, a timely fillip after tough times for Franklin, on the crest of a slough after her divorce from husband/manager Ted White in late 1969. Meanwhile King Curtis (destined to live only five more months) and his Kingpins whomp it up, giving Dr Feelgood an unprecedented, randy vigour, and Ray Charles steps up to honour Franklin’s gospel roots on Spirit In The Dark. Rhino’s 23-track revamp offers the best from Franklin’s three-night stand but Aretha’s genius remains encapsulated in Respect, the original 9-tracker’s opener. A hair-raising vocal, beautiful and terrifying at the same time, it’s twice as meaningful a demand for esteem and empathy in front of this integrated audience at a time when much of the nation was still divided. Righteous and divine in equal measure.

Danny Eccleston

Posted by Danny_Eccleston at 6:00 AM GMT 21/06/2008

Further Listening

Aretha Franklin – Amazing Grace (Warner)

King Curtis – Live At The Fillmore West (Rhino)

Sam Cooke – Live At The Harlem Square Club, 1963 (RCA)

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