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Live at Woodstock
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Live at Woodstock
Current price: $7.99
Barnes and Noble
Live at Woodstock
Current price: $7.99
Size: CD
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In August 1994,
released
, a single-disc collection of highlights from
's legendary closing set at
. Less than a year later,
won the rights to his son's recordings, and his company,
, began reissuing definitive masters of
's catalog. In the summer of 1999,
rolled out
, which features the entire set over the course of two discs. Hearing
's complete concert isn't as revelatory as you'd think, since it just emphasizes that he overcompensated for his under-rehearsed band by jamming. And does he ever jam -- almost everything clocks in at over five minutes, with a couple weighing in at over ten minutes. Naturally, this will hardly be seen as a detriment by legions of
fans, and that's who this set is for. Listening to all of
takes dedication and an active interest in the subtleties of
's playing. He had disbanded
only eight weeks before and was teamed with players who wanted to follow him, no matter where he went. Unfortunately, the lack of rehearsal meant that they were often striving to keep up with him; in turn,
runs wild, spinning off dizzying solos that are as fascinating as they are frustrating. Taken individually, these performances are usually enthralling, but
will exhaust the average listener. Which is not to say it isn't a worthwhile experience. As a historical document, it is interesting and revealing, and
historians undoubtedly will find several of these performances necessary. But this not an essential addition to the average fan's library, simply because
blew minds at
through excess, not focus. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine