Album Review: Aretha Franklin – ‘Aretha Franklin: Live at Fillmore West’

By Jeff Swindoll Jul 13, 2006, 12:23 GMT

Aretha Franklin is the Queen of Soul and what can be said but long live the Queen.  Producer Jerry Wexler, who had signed Aretha to Atlantic Records in 1966, had an idea to get her some crossover audience.  He conceived the idea of having her perform at rock promoter Bill Graham’s Fillmore West in San Francisco. 

However, having conceived of the idea he was somewhat concerned at how she would be received by the Haight-Ashbury audience.  Her primary audience was from the black community and the Haight-Ashbury crowd cottoned more towards the Grateful Dead.  His concerns were later unfounded when she performed a three day venue at the Fillmore West that she would later call the highlight of her career.

To make up some of the costs (the Fillmore West was a small venue), it was decided that the concerts would be recorded for later compilation into a live album.  Another change was that Aretha’s show band was not used and a “dream team” of Atlantic artists was assembled in their stead. 

Aretha was accompanied by her own “Sweethearts of Soul” (consisting of her cousins Brenda Bryant and Margaret Branch, and Pat Smith).  The “dream team” included saxman King Curtis (his sets are given a separate release by Rhino), the legendary Billy Preston, and the Memphis Horns. The event was staged over three nights in March 1971 and the album was called “Live at Fillmore West.” 

The album was released as “Live at the Fillmore West” and the first CD of this 2 disc set recreates that album but with some unedited tracks.  The tracks are “Respect,” “Love the One You’re With,” “Bridge over Troubled Water,” “Eleanor Rigby,” “Make it with You,” “Don’t Play that Song,” “Dr. Feelgood,” “Spirit in the Dark,” “Spirit in the Dark (Reprise),” and “Reach out and Touch (Somebody’s Hand).”

When the album was originally released by Atlantic both performances of ‘Spirit in the Dark’ were edited, but they appear unedited on this new CD.  The highlight of the disc has to be the up tempo, hard charging version of “Respect” that opens the show.

The second disc is a collection of 13 alternate tracks, but some are the same songs as on disc 1 but from different nights of the show. New songs that appear on disc 2 are “Call Me,” “Mixed Up Girl,” “Share Your Love with Me,” and “You’re All I Need to Get By.” 

“Mixed Up Girl” is interesting since it appear to be a somewhat hasty addition by Aretha and the band needs some time to prepare for the number, all caught on tape.  Skipping back to disc 1 for a moment, another highlight is when she notices a familiar face in the audience.  She had mentioned the venue to him sometime earlier in passing and didn’t know that he would be in the audience on the last night of the concert. 

Completely unscripted, Aretha calls up the “right, reverend” Ray Charles onto the stage to perform “Spirit in the Dark” with her.  The original version without Ray Charles appears on disc 2.  The album is excellent and shows the power and majesty behind the Queen of Soul.  Give the Queen some R. E. S. P. E. C. T. and buy this CD.

‘Aretha Franklin: Live at Fillmore West’ is now available at Amazon. Visit the music database for more information and a complete track listing.