We have been extensively working on a definitive re-assembly of this entire week. It's a monumental project as multiple sources exist on most of the sets, including raw soundboard recordings, line feeds that had room ambience mixed in for the KSAN feed, aircheck reels of the broadcasts, as well as outtakes reels made during the preproduction of the "The Last Days Of The Fillmore" albums. Almost everything has been extensively logged but new discoveries continue to surface, making this an ongoing project.
It's timely that you should mention this week of shows, because I'm currently logging a large quantity of the preproduction outtakes (songs proposed, but not used) on the "The Last Days Of The Fillmore" albums and a significant discovery was among them. I'm finding this new discovery quite fascinating, but unlike all the other sets from this run, I'm unable to identify it completely.
Perhaps someone who attended can help shed light on this and I welcome any input, recollections or even educated speculation that might help.
Let me explain...
As many already know, on the final night (July 4, 1971), following the Santana set, a lengthy jam session occurred, featuring many great musicians and singers.
A similar event occurred earlier in the week and this jam session is the source of two tracks that made the album. These two jams featured Elvin Bishop and members of his group, Boz Scaggs and members of his band, as well as Taj Mahal sitting in. "We Gonna Rock" and "Long And Tall" on the album release are both sourced from this. As far as I can tell, this set occurred after the main sets on the first or second night (6/30 or 7/1/71) and was not broadcast.
What we didn't know until now is that there was considerably more to this jam session than just those two performances. Preproduction reels contained six more tracks, previously unknown to exist.
These tracks are quite intriguing, but I'm unable to identify everyone on stage, so if you were there and can recall any additional information, please chime in.
Like the jams on the album, these tracks also feature members of Elvin Bishop and Boz Scaggs' bands, but also include at least four female vocalists and two male vocalists, other than Bishop. Taj Mahal is not involved on these additional jams.
Here's what else we've discovered so far:
Linda Tillery (aka Sweet Linda Devine), the powerful lead singer from Loading Zone, is among the primary female vocalists. Jo Baker from Bishop's Group is another. I'm thinking that the singers in Stoneground and possibly Anna Rizzo from Grootna are involved and there is definitely a woman named Bonnie involved (and she is not Bonnie Bramlett.)
One of the male singers is Lester Chambers (of The Chambers Brothers) but unsure of the other.
The core band includes Elvin Bishop on lead guitar, Stephen Miller (from Elvin's band) on organ, David Brown (from Boz's band) on bass and Michael Shrieve (from Santana) on drums, among other unidentified musicians.
For the most part, they perform fairly tight songs, as apposed to lenghty improvised jams. Following the two released tracks, they perform "You Got Me Hummin," with at least 3 (maybe 4 or 5) female singers involved. Before anyone says this is a Cold Blood track, let me tell you that I immediately noticed this, too, but this is NOT Cold Blood and Lydia Pense is not one of the singers. It is the same song that Cold Blood performs, but is not them performing it.
Next is "I Found A Love," with Linda Tillery taking lead vocal. This song was also performed again during the jam sessions on the final closing night, but this is not the same performance.
The third jam also features Tillery on lead vocals and although I'm unsure of the title, the key lyric seems to be "Everybody Wants To Know Why I Sing The Blues."
The next two tracks have the male lead vocalists, one being Lester Chambers. The tracks are most likely titled "Have You Ever Been Mistreated" and "You Better Believe." (On the latter, a strong female chorus is punching out those lyrics between each line of the verses.)
To conclude the set (and the night), Elvin Bishop suggests they play a "soft blues in D" and instructs all the singers on stage to take a shot at improvising a verse. This is a lengthy jam and all the singer's rise to the occasion, taking turns as lead vocalist. This is the final tune before they say goodnight and close the show.
Elvin Bishop plays extremely well on all this material and in my opinion, plays considerably better than during his own group's set.
More time with this material will likely reveal more information, but in the meantime, some questions to share.
First, I'm unsure if this set occurred at the end of the first night (6/30), following Boz Scagg's set (which is what we've been thinking all along,) or did it occur on the second night (7/1), following the set by It's A Beautiful Day?
I'm still leaning toward it being from the first night, but evidence points both ways, so if anyone was there and are now recalling this set, please let us know. Since this material seems only to exist on these preproduction reels, there is no actual date notation to help determine it one night or the other. I am positive that none of this material duplicates performances from the final closing night.
Also, if anyone recalls who the mysterious "Bonnie" might be among the female singers, please let us know. Ditto on any other singers you may recall or if you recognize a song title mistake in my descriptions.
I realize that listening to this might be key in getting help and we'll likely put this material on Concert Vault at some point, but in the meantime, any knowledgable replies appreciated.
Over the years, much from this week has circulated from the KSAN simulcasts and some may already be familiar with them. The closing week musical festivities have fascinated music fans and collectors for decades, me included. This new discovery is another significant piece of the puzzle.
Which in my long winded way has answered your question.
Otherwise, to all who are reading, were you there? Can you shed additional light on this? Let us hear from you.
Stay tuned! MrBB
