Johnny & Edgar Winter - 'Together' - Live
Recorded in '76, this was the Winter Bros. at their peak. I was a HUGE fan back in the day (saw Edgar 9 times! 5 with White Trash. Johnny 4 times w/Derringer). They were like a R&R gypsy tribe back then. This recording was basically the Johnny Winter And... Band plus the Edgar Winter group ALL on stage playing together doing old R&R, R&B, & Blues tunes. I think a coupla things prevented this record from having the 'classic' status of let's say, the Allman Bros. Live at the Fillmore. 1st and foremost, the recording quality wasn't the best, the volume setting at the mixing board allowing for borderline feedback and distortion, compared to the Allman's which was/is pristine. That plus on a single 2-sided album the 2nd side is primarily a long stoned blues jam, not a bad thing since again, Johnny was in fine form, but this long jam would've worked just fine if the record was (I wish) a double album, I always felt that as a single album, the time could've been put to better use. All that said, honestly, I'd forgotten how these guys were Rock'n'Roll MONSTAS back then!! Side one closes with a R&R medley consisting of 10-12 'standards' with the Winter Bros. taking turns on each tune, truly smokin'!! Tell ya what, Johnny Winter never seems to get mentioned as one of the all-time greats, his gtr playing rivals Hendrix (he wasn't the whole package like Jimi was in that he lacked Jimi's amazing songwriting abilities but it took me a long time to admit to myself that Jimi at his core was always a bluesman, so was Johnny), and I consider him one of Rock's greatest most distinctive singers. When you add his genius virtuoso brother Edgar to the mix I feel this was a classic 'Supergroup'! Gave the record a quick wash on my trusty ol' Record Doctor and while not an audiophile recording by any stretch, it's a GREAT R&R record! Don't think I've ever seen this on CD so I recorded it last night, tonight I'll transfer to Itunes and get it on the Ipod, it's all good!!;)
