As a film,
The Last Waltz
was a triumph -- one of the first (and still one of the few)
rock
concert documentaries that was directed by a filmmaker who understood both the look and the sound of
rock & roll
, and executed with enough technical craft to capture all the nooks and crannies of a great live show. But as an album,
soundtrack
had to compete with
the Band
's earlier live album,
Rock of Ages
, with which it bears a certain superficial resemblance -- both found the group trying to create something grander than the standard-issue live double, and both featured the group beefed up by additional musicians. While
found
swinging along with the help of a horn section arranged by
Allen Toussaint
,
boasts a horn section (using
Toussaint
's earlier arrangements on a few cuts) and more than a baker's dozen guest stars, ranging from old cohorts
Ronnie Hawkins
and
Bob Dylan
to contemporaries
Joni Mitchell
Neil Young
, and
Van Morrison
.
The Band
are in fine if not exceptional form here; on most cuts, they don't sound quite as fiery as they did on
, though their performances are never less than expert, and the high points are dazzling, especially an impassioned version of
"It Makes No Difference"
and blazing readings of
"Up on Cripple Creek"
"The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down"
(
Levon Helm
has made no secret that he felt breaking up
was a bad idea, and here it sounds if he was determined to prove how much they still had to offer). Ultimately, it's
's "special guests" who really make this set stand out --
Muddy Waters
' ferocious version of
"Mannish Boy"
would have been a wonder from a man half his age,
sounds positively joyous on
"Caravan,"
do well for their Canadian brethren, and
's closing set finds him in admirably loose and rollicking form. (One question remains -- what exactly is
Neil Diamond
doing here?) And while the closing studio-recorded
"Last Waltz Suite"
sounds like padding, the contributions from
Emmylou Harris
the Staple Singers
are beautiful indeed. It could be argued that you're better off watching
on video than listening to it on CD, but either way it's a show well worth checking out. ~ Mark Deming