Live at Fillmore West is an album by King Curtis, released in 1971. The album showcases the concert he played with his band the Kingpins at the Fillmore West venue in San Francisco in March 1971, who were supporting and backing soul singer Aretha Franklin. A week after its release in August 1971, Curtis was stabbed to death outside his brownstone apartment in New York City.
It was reissued on compact disc in the 1990s through Rhino Records and was released in an expanded edition in 2006. In addition it was released as an expanded edition four-CD box set entitled, Don't Fight the Feeling: The Complete Aretha Franklin & King Curtis Live At Fillmore West by Rhino Handmade in 2005, featuring the complete concert by King Curtis and Aretha Franklin. This edition was limited to 5,000 numbered copies.
History The album was recorded at the storied San Francisco rock venue the Fillmore West over three nights, March 5, 6, and 7, 1971. King Curtis and his band the Kingpins were a supporting act for Aretha Franklin, as well as playing as her backing band. The album opens with his own "Memphis Soul Stew", and includes his signature composition, "Soul Serenade", but the bulk of the songs are cover versions of recent rock, soul and country recordings, including Stevie Wonder's "Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours", Led Zeppelin's "Whole Lotta Love" and Bobbie Gentry's "Ode to Billie Joe". Curtis' version of Procol Harum's "A Whiter Shade of Pale" later found renewed fame when used in the opening title sequence of cult British comedy film Withnail and I.
Professionally Curtis was having a prolific and successful time in the summer of 1971. Aretha Franklin's Live at Fillmore West album was a huge hit, he had contributed to two tracks on John Lennon's album, Imagine, recorded the theme to the television show Soul Train, and had made a highly acclaimed performance at the Montreux Jazz Festival with Champion Jack Dupree.
A week after the album's release, Curtis was stabbed to death outside his brownstone apartment in New York City, following an argument with two drug addicts. The day after he died the album peaked at No. 54 on the Billboard 200 album chart, his greatest success as a solo artist.
Track listing
Live at Fillmore West (original edition) Released August 1971
Live at Fillmore West (expanded edition) Released July 11, 2006, featuring 5 additional tracks.
Don't Fight the Feeling: The Complete Aretha Franklin & King Curtis Live at Fillmore West 4 CD Box-set. Released May 3, 2005 by Rhino Handmade in a limited edition of 5000.
Chart performance
Album Chart Peak position Billboard 20054 Billboard Jazz Albums3 Billboard Soul albums9
Single
Title Chart Peak position Whole Lotta Love Billboard Hot 10064 Billboard Best Selling Soul singles43
Personnel King Curtis – tenor saxophone Cornell Dupree – electric guitar Jerry Jemmott – bass guitar Pancho Morales – congas Billy Preston – Hammond B-3 organ Bernard Purdie – drums Truman Thomas – electric piano
The Memphis Horns: Jack Hale – trombone Roger Hopps – trumpet Wayne Jackson – lead trumpet Andrew Love – tenor saxophone Jimmy Mitchell – baritone saxophone
References