Firstly, I have to say how sad and upset I am that my copy of this triple album disappeared somewhere along the way. I bought it, I played it, I loved it well - and now it's gone. All that's left is a photo of an empty record player and a downloaded image of what used to be.
I do still have the CD's and the video so all is not lost.
1971 was a time when I was hearing about Ravi Shankar, George Harrison was doing some of his best work since The Beatles, Dylan was being Dylan and Leon Russell was partly in front and partly behind - performing, producing and backing everybody.
This album brought them all together. Ringo and Billy Preston jumped in and one of the best concerts ever was ready to begin. Dropping the needle on the first track, side one, 'George Harrison/Ravi Shankar Introduction' you get a taste of what's to come. George gives his opening remarks, then Ravi and Ali Akbar Khan begin working on their instruments. At the 6 minute mark they pause, the audience clap and cheer and Ravi says, quietly and cheerfully .. "Thank you. If you appreciate the tuning so much I hope you will enjoy the playing more."
There is then a 16 minute masterclass of sitar and sarod with tabla and tambura accompaniment reinforcing the fact that, despite the upcoming popular songs from popular artists, this concert was for the people caught up in the situation in what was East Pakistan. It was important and fitting and to me, very moving, to have the music of those people open the show.
I'm not going to discuss the politics of the concert or the legal and financial wrangling that went on - let's just look at the music.
George and Ravi were the driving force behind the benefit, so after Ravi's epic performance it was George who took the stage to play the next 3 songs - 'Wah-Wah', 'My Sweet Lord' and 'Awaiting on You All'. Billy Preston gave 'That's the Way God Planned It' and Ringo bounced along with 'It Don't Come Easy' before George came back with 'Beware of Darkness' and the classic 'While My Guitar Gently Weeps'. I should mention that one of the players on stage, but not taking centre-stage, was Eric Clapton, who was there playing on the original recorded version of 'While my Guitar ..' Also, this was the first time George and Ringo had shared a stage since 1966.
Leon Russell takes the Jagger/Richards song 'Jumpin' Jack Flash' to new heights as part of a medley along with 'Youngblood' after which George plays 'Here Comes the Sun'.
Finally, on side five of a six side set, we get Bob !!! It wasn't a done deal that Dylan would even show up, much less play, but in his first concert appearance in 5 years, he came out and did a 5 song set. A photo from this show was used as the cover of his 'Greatest Hits Vol II' album. Bob gave the crowd five out of five with his selection - 'A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall', 'It Takes a Lot to Laugh ..', 'Blowin' in the Wind', 'Mr. Tambourine Man' and 'Just Like a Woman'. That has to be worth the trip for anyone.
George returned to wrap up the concert, playing 'Something' followed by 'Bangla Desh', a song he wrote and released as a charity single four days before the concerts. I use the plural because there were two shows on the same day and this album pulls from them both.
This is a landmark recording. It deserves to be better known and played more often. I'm stuck now with the digital download, but I remember the smell and feel of the original vinyl and the magnificent 64 page booklet that came in a box that opened on the side like a precious gift.
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