Unearthed live music from the late Ten Years After frontman Alvin Lee has finally been mastered and released. Alvin Lee & Co. Live at the Academy of Music, New York 1975 is out now on Rainman Records.
Lee, who is probably best known for his masterful, blues-rocking six-string performance of "I'm Going Home" at Woodstock in 1969, left Ten Years After four years later to kick off a solo career. Now, for the first time, a January 18, 1975, show by his band—recorded at New York's Academy of Music (which would eventually become the Palladium)—has been mastered and officially released.
The show was recorded on a (then) state-of-the-art 16-track machine, but only a few songs have ever been heard. In 2012, Lee discovered the masters in his archives and set out to transfer and mix the concert; sadly, he died in 2013 before the music could be released, but his wife Evi oversaw the project, and the album was released October 27.
The result is a collection of jazzy, funky and mellow performances—13 tracks played by a world-class band, including Lee on guitar and vocals, Ian Wallace (drums) and Mel Collins (sax and flute)—both ex-King Crimson—plus two former members of Stone the Crows—keyboardist Ronnie Leahy and bassist Steve Thomson—as well as Brother James (percussion) and Donnie Perkins and Juanita Franklin (backing vocals). You can hear three tracks via this story and check out the full track list below.
On the album, Lee steps away from his normal fleet-fingered blues fireworks and opts for a more laid-back vibe and a take-it-easy approach to rhythm and groove. Following up on his 1974 release, Take Flight, the band—dubbed Alvin Lee & Co.—took this show on the road in the U.S.
For more information, visit alvinlee.com.
ALVIN LEE & CO. LIVE AT THE ACADEMY OF MUSIC, NEW YORK 1975 TRACK LIST:
- 1. Got to Keep Moving
- 2. Let's Get Back
- 3. Somebody's Callin' Me
- 4. All Life's Trials
- 5. Baby Please Don't Go
- 6. Time and Space
- 7. There's a Feeling
- 8. Every Blues You've Ever Heard
- 9. Percy's Roots
- 10. Money Honey
- 11. Going Through the Door
- 12. I'm Writing You a Letter
- 13. Ride My Train
