Track Listing

1. Memphis Soul Stew
2. Whiter Shade of Pale
3. Whole Lotta Love
4. I Stand Accused
5. Them Changes
6. Ode to Billie Joe
7. Mr. Bojangles
8. Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours
9. Soul Serenade

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #193520 in Music
• Released on: 1999-01-19
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: Live

Customer Reviews

His Most Inspired Recording
King Curtis and The King-Pins came into the famed Filmore West in 1968 to provide backup for Aretha Franklin. At this time in his career, he was branching out as a producer and music arranger for Freddie King, Aretha and others. It was a last minute cancelation that brought Curtis and his formitable band onto the concert stage for this legendary performance. As Otis Redding had done in Monterey, Curtis seduced the largely white hippie audience and won them over.

The set largely consists of soul staples the band had honed and perfected while on the chitlin circuit; Memphis Soul Stew, Soul Serenade, Freddie King's I Stand Accused and Stevie Wonder's big hit Signed Sealed & Delivered I'm Yours. Curtis rounds it out with with contemporary top 40 material such as Procol Harum's Whiter Shade Of Pale, Jeffery Jeff Walker's Mr. Bojangles and Led Zeplin's Whole Lot Of Love. Check out the audience reaction. These kids couldn't get enough of the King.

Unfortunately, this was one of the last recorded appearences by this great alto player with the soulful wail and impecable phrasing. Several months later, he was stabed outside his New York City apartment house. There are several other King Curtis reissues on the market including the long out of print "Live At Small's Paradise". Although throughout his career Curtis turned in consistantly excellent material, this is without a doubt, his most inspired live recording.

As good as it gets
This record demonstrates as well as any what happens when you put great, mature, seasoned veteran musicians together on a stage. This may have been King's band and he was certainly the 'icing on the cake' but without Jerry Jemmott, Cornell Dupree, Billy Preston and Bernard Purdie it would never have been the same. As a bass player I stand in awe of Jerry's playing. To hear him play with Bernard Purdie and Cornell Dupree and hear how they push the groove like perhaps no other rhythm section before or since is simply breath taking. I dare some one to listen to 'Memphis Soul Stew' and not get chills when King brings the whole band to a searing boil.

I believe this record should be in everybody's collection. No exception. Why? Because this is as good as it gets.

One million Stars
'Memphis Soul Stew', live..man. When this came out, every rythm section tried copping these riffs, and they're -still- trying. This opening track is quite likely the greatest live instrumental recording ever.