ABB Beacon 2009
Skydog: DA Retro
Skydog: DA Retro Review
Side trips & Family
Allman's
The Allman Brothers Band lengthy career has yielded many opportunities for its members to have solo efforts. We have decided to start a section to highlight some of those efforts. We also included family relations like Gregg Allman's son's band, Honeytribe. This page is not meant to be exhaustive. we'll add to this page bit by bit.
Honeytribe
Barry Small �
Duane Allman Anthology Vol. 1 Review
The Duane Allman Anthology Vol. 1 is a combination of Duane performing session work as well as a glimpse of his work with the Allman Brothers Band. The material begins with an early band he formed with his brother Gregg, The Hourglass, and concludes with five Allman Brothers Band songs. In between those periods, Duane played sessions for a variety of excellent musicians playing blues, soul, R&B, acoustic material, and rock.
With the session work selections, the material varies in that the band and singers differ from track-to-track. Some songs feature wailing guitars, while other tracks Duane plays a supplemental role. In an attempt to categorize, there are four main types of tracks: extended jams, supplemental roles, acoustic material, and the Allman Brothers Band.
From the first disc, Duane sings "Goin' Down Slow." It features some dazzling guitar clocking in at 8:44. The highlight from disc one? This is one of those songs where the notes that aren't played as good as the ones that are. Other tracks that open up are the "B. B. King Medley" where in addition to strong guitar phrases, Gregg Allman does a good B. B. King vocal impersonation. Boz Scagg's "Loan Me a Dime" offers an extended R&B workout. The familiar long time classic "Layla" showcases the electric guitar duo of Eric Clapton and Duane Allman.
Many of the tracks Duane's role is low-key offering tasty slide guitar fills and short solos. Among my favorites is Wilson Pickett's rendition of the Beatles classic "Hey Jude," which showcases not only Duane, but great horns and vocals. There are several other good songs where Duane backs up the likes of Aretha Franklin, Delaney and Bonnie as well as a Bob Dylan cover "Down Along The Cove" with Johnny Jenkins just to name a few.
There are several acoustic songs. The album closer "Little Martha" from Eat a Peach is a gorgeous duet with Duane Allman and Dickey Betts. A good acoustic number, "Please Be With Me" by the band Cowboy that features Duane playing slide Dobro. Eric Clapton did a cover of the song on his album 461 Ocean Blvd. Speaking of Clapton, he and Duane perform a version of "Mean Old World" that subsequently was released on The Layla Sessions: 20 Anniversary Edition. The final acoustic track is "Rollin' Stone" with Johnny Jenkins, an urban blues gem indeed.
There are five Allman Brothers Band songs that close the disc. Two live, and three studio. Most people that buy the Duane Allman Anthology already have the Allman Brothers CD's. If you don't fall into that camp, these songs will likely convince you that you should.
Duane Allman is one of the truly special guitar players. His Anthology compiles material that is rare and spread among over a dozen albums, several that are out of print. For those that appreciate his genius will treasure this release.
In addition to personnel listing by track, the liner notes include a booklet written by Tony Glover along with several photos.
1. B. B. King Medley: Sweet Little Angel/It's My Own Fault/How Blue Can You Get? - The Hourglass
2. Hey Jude - Wilson Pickett
3. The Road Of Love - Clarence Carter
4. Goin' Down Slow - Duane Allman
5. The Weight - Aretha Franklin
6. Games People Play - King Curtis
7. Shake For Me - John Hammond
8. Loan Me A Dime - Boz Scaggs
9. Rollin' Stone - Johnny Jenkins
1. Livin' On The Open Road - Delaney & Bonnie
2. Down Along The Cove - Johnny Jenkins
3. Please Be With Me - Cowboy
4. Mean Old World - Eric Clapton And Duane Allman
5. Layla - Derek & The Dominos
6. Statesboro Blues - The Allman Brothers Band
7. Don't Keep Me Wondering - The Allman Brothers Band
8. Standback - The Allman Brothers Band
9. Dreams - The Allman Brothers Band
10. Little Martha - The Allman Brothers Band Duane Allman Anthology Vol. 1
Duane Allman Anthology Vol. 2
I previously had Duane Allman Anthology Vol. 2 in the LP days. Its story is similar to the one noted above. I recall being knocked out by "Dimples," which is (or at least a version) included on the expanded editions of The Fillmore East releases.
1. Happily Married Man - Duane Allman
2. It Ain't Fair - Aretha Franklin
3. The Weight - King Curtis
4. You Reap What You Sow - Otis Rush
5. Matchbox - Ronnie Hawkins
6. Born To Be Wild - Wilson Pickett
7. No Money Down - Duane Allman
8. Been Gone Too Long - The Hourglass
9. Stuff You Gotta Watch - Arthur Conley
10. Dirty Old Man - Lulu
11. Push Push - Herbie Mann
1. Walk On Gilded Splinters - Johnny Jenkins
2. Waiting For A Train - Boz Scaggs
3. Don't Tell Me Your Troubles - Ronnie Hawkins
4. Goin' Upstairs - Sam Samudio
5. Come On In My Kitchen - Delaney & Bonnie
6. Dimples - The Allman Brothers Band
7. Goin' Up The Country - The Duck And The Bear
8. Done Somebody Wrong - The Allman Brothers Band
9. Leave My Blues At Home - The Allman Brothers Band
10. Midnight Rider - The Allman Brothers Band
We have more details about this release in our Eric Clapton section. Duane Allman plays on all but the first three songs of this classic.
Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs
Review | Order | SACD
The Layla Sessions: 20th Anniversary Edition (box-set)
Review | Order
On the box-set, Duane plays on some of the outtakes, and some jams. The review provide the details of which tracks.
Book - Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs by Derek and the Dominos
1. I Looked Away
2. Bell Bottom Blues
3. Keep On Growing
4. Nobody Knows You When You're Down And Out
5. I Am Yours
6. Anyday
7. Key To The Highway
8. Tell The Truth
9. Why Does Love Got To Be So Sad?
10. Have You Ever Loved A Woman
11. Little Wing
12. It's Too Late
13. Layla
14. Thorn Tree In The Garden Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs
The Honeytribe is led by Devon Allman, Gregg Allman's son. Their debut album is entitled Torch. The music is not southern rock, rather it leans more to hard rock with an emphasis on blues. Devon voice is not sensational, but it fits the music quite well. His vocals sounds a bit like Elvis Costello on "When I Call Home," and "Nothing to Be Sad About," but more like Rainbow's Ronnie James Dio (without the high range) on "Perfect World."
Torch includes two instrumentals, "Mahalo," and "511 Texas Avenue" both are quite good and among the best material on the album. "Mahalo" is a jammed out rocker while "511 Texas Avenue" is an acoustic bringing back memories of Eat a Peach's "Little Martha."
The band and songwriting is good yielding a solid band that has a solid future. Get a microscope out to read the album cover notes.
Additional Honeytribe Content
1. Torch
2. Mahalo
3. No Woman, No Cry
4. When I Call Home
5. Perfect World
6. Mercy Mercy
7. Something I Know
8. Heaven Has No Mercy
9. Why You Wanna Bring Me Down
10. 511 Texas Avenue
11. Nothing To Be Sad About Torch
I gave a brief listen to Soul Serenade. My initial impression is that the music is good, but the style was not what I was seeking. It starts out wonderful with one of my favorite melodies on the title track, but then it moves toward Reggae. There is more jazz than blues. The personnel incorporate quite a bit of flute too, which isn't my favorite instrument. Though, certain bands like Marshall Tucker and Jethro Tull are too good to not make an exception for.
While I wasn't initially knocked out, the music can be appealing as the band is great. Derek Trucks guitar playing is superb as he'll effortlessly offers hints of Jeff Beck in his prime and others time Duane Allman, but with his own personality.
1. Soul Serenade/Rasta Man Chant
2. Bock To Bock
3. Drown In My Own Tears
4. Afro Blue
5. Elvin
6. Oriental Folk Song
7. Sierra Leone
1. Out of the Night
2. Nothing But Tears
3. Love Makes the World Go 'Round
4. Cast Off All My Fears
5. I've Been Trying
6. No Easy Way Down
7. Heartbeat
8. So Much Love
9. Got to Get Away
10. Silently
11. Bells
12. Power of Love
13. Changing of the Guard
14. To Things Before
15. I'm Not Afraid
16. I Can Stand Alone
17. Down in Texas
18. I Still Want Your Love
19. Home for the Summer
20. I'm Hanging Up My Heart for You
21. Going Nowhere
22. Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)
23. Now Is the Time
Duane Allman Books
Midnight Riders: The Story of the Allman Brothers Band Skydog: The Duane Allman Story Layla ...Derek and the Dominos