In Memory of Elizabeth Reed
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| “In Memory of Elizabeth Reed (Live)” | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Song by The Allman Brothers Band | |||||
| Album | At Fillmore East | ||||
| Released | July 1971 | ||||
| Recorded | March 12–March 13, 1971, Fillmore East, New York City | ||||
| Genre | Jazz fusion, instrumental rock | ||||
| Length | 13:04 | ||||
| Label | Capricorn Records | ||||
| Writer | Dickey Betts | ||||
| Producer | Tom Dowd | ||||
| At Fillmore East track listing | |||||
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"In Memory of Elizabeth Reed" is a jazz-influenced instrumental song from The Allman Brothers Band that is one of their most well-known pieces, especially as captured on the group's 1971 live album At Fillmore East.
Contents |
[edit] Origins
The original studio recording of "In Memory of Elizabeth Reed" is the fourth song on the group's 1970 album Idlewild South. It is an instrumental song written by guitarist Dickey Betts, the first of several Allmans instrumentals to be written by him, and the first original instrumental song written by a member of the band.
The song is named after a headstone Betts saw at the Rose Hill Cemetery in Macon, Georgia[1], a place frequented by band members in their early days for relaxing and writing songs, among other things. The cemetery was later memorialized by the band as the final resting spot of both band leader Duane Allman and bassist Berry Oakley.
"Elizabeth Reed" has appeared on numerous Allman Brothers live albums, first and most notably At Fillmore East, which many fans and critics believe is the definitive rendition.
[edit] An Allman pattern
"Elizabeth Reed" follows a song pattern similar with other Allman songs. Much like "Mountain Jam," it first follows a standard rhythmic part, then a guitar solo followed by a keyboard solo and then another guitar solo. A drum duet usually follows, and a bass solo is occasionally added in the end. Other songs that follow this general pattern are "Revival" and "Hot 'Lanta."
For this song, Butch Trucks plays an accompaniment-like rhythm pattern in 4/4 time using ride cymbal and snare, while Jaimoe plays "lead"-like jazz drumming.
[edit] Composite takes?
Some selections on the original At Fillmore East were edited by producer Tom Dowd for conciseness or other reasons. However, it is uncertain whether "Elizabeth Reed" was one of those edited on the original album, on the 1992 expanded release The Fillmore Concerts, on the 2003 revised At Fillmore East [Deluxe Edition], or not at all.
In the 1992 Fillmore Concerts liner notes, an interview with Dowd clarified that he did edit the 1992 version:
The clearest example of Tom Dowd's approach to the project comes in the 13 minute version of "In Memory of Elizabeth Reed" that is pieced together from multiple takes, one of them being the March 13th (first show) version that appeared on the original album. The band played the song three times during its Fillmore stand. "One of them I hated," Dowd says, "but two of them were fantastic!" Dowd and mixer Jay Mark mixed down those two versions and proceeded to, as Dowd puts it, "take this song apart. I came to the conclusion that in the first half of the song, up to Duane's solo, I had a better band performance and Dickey Betts solo on the version that we had not used before. Starting with Duane's solo, though, it's the original version. Twenty-one year later, I know 'Liz Reed' as well as I know any song, certainly more than I did in that time of instant decisions. Putting the two versions together showed off the song best. Listen to it! Listen to the togetherness of Dickey, Duane, and Gregg on the theme lines, and how Butch and Jaimoe adjust to the changes up front. There's much more exciting interplay now, more like the band sounded those nights."
Other sources confirm. Bruce Eder's All Music Guide review of the 1992 volume says that "It is also a slightly less honest release [than the original], where "In Memory of Elizabeth Reed" is concerned — Dowd edited the version here together from two different performances, first and second shows, the dividing line being where Duane Allman's solo comes in."[2] C. Michael Bailey of All About Jazz also states that the 1992 The Fillmore Concerts represented "digital editing" combining multiple takes of "Elizabeth Reed" onto one track.[3] Dave Lynch's All Music Guide review of the 2003 At Fillmore East [Deluxe Edition] says of the 1992 volume that "Duane's 'Liz Reed' solo, although from the same take used on At Fillmore East, is mixed lower than on the version listeners first heard in 1971 — as a result, the power and beauty of the solo doesn't stand out quite as effectively,"[4] and that the 2003 edition restores the 1971 mix.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ FAQ entry 30, Allman Brothers Band official website. Accessed May 27, 2007.
- ^ Bruce Eder, The Fillmore Concerts, All Music Guide, accessed May 27, 2007.
- ^ C. Michael Bailey, "The Colossal Mess of 'The Allman Brothers Band at Fillmore East'", All About Jazz, October 7, 2006. Accessed May 27, 2007.
- ^ Dave Lynch, "At Fillmore East (Deluxe Edition)", All Music Guide. Accessed May 27, 2007.
