Wanted Dead or Alive is an album by David Bromberg. It was his third album, released by Columbia Records in 1974.
The title Wanted Dead or Alive is a play on words, referring to how the record was created. Side one of the LP was recorded in the studio with various musicians, including four members of the Grateful Dead − Jerry Garcia, Phil Lesh, Keith Godchaux and Bill Kreutzmann. Side two was recorded live.
Critical reception
Writing in Driftwood Magazine in 2011, Craig Harris said: "With their masterfully executed mix of America’s musical roots, the albums released by David Bromberg in the mid-1970s remain as much fun as they were more than a third of a century ago.... Reaching into what he does best, Bromberg came up with an album full of spirit, high energy and musical diversity. Opening with a galloping reprisal of "The Holdup", his collaboration with George Harrison, Bromberg and cohorts... rarely let up. While his vocals were anything but luscious, Bromberg's deep, growl-like singing made every word heartfelt. Showing the depths of his songwriting with four self-composed tunes... Bromberg uses the guitar picking styles that he had learned as a student and protégé of bluesman Reverend Gary Davis as springboards for discovery."
According to AllMusic, "Some of Bromberg's strongest and best-loved material can be found here, including "The Holdup", "Danger Man", "Send Me to the 'Lectric Chair", "The New Lee Highway Blues" and Bob Dylan's "Wallflower"."
Track listing Side one: "The Holdup" (David Bromberg, George Harrison) – 3:03 "Someone Else's Blues" (Bromberg) – 8:00 "Danger Man" (Bromberg) – 3:05 "The Main Street Moan" (Bromberg) – 5:13 Side two: "Send Me to the 'Lectric Chair" (George Brooks) – 4:52 "Statesboro Blues" / "Church Bell Blues" (Blind Willie McTell / Luke Jordan, arranged by Bromberg) – 5:08 "Wallflower" (Bob Dylan) – 2:57 "Kansas City" (Jerry Leiber, Mike Stoller) – 3:57 "The New Lee Highway Blues" (Bromberg) – 5:40
Personnel Musicians David Bromberg – acoustic and electric guitar, lead vocals Steve Burgh – bass Peter Ecklund – trumpet, mellophone Joe Ferguson – alto and baritone saxophone Hungria Garcia – timbales Jerry Garcia – acoustic and electric guitar Keith Godchaux – piano Jeff Gutcheon – piano Bill Kreutzmann – drums Phil Lesh – bass Tony Markellis – bass Steve Mosley – bass John Payne – alto flute, bass clarinet, tenor saxophone Neil Rossi – fiddle Andy Statman – mandolin, tenor saxophone Jay Ungar – fiddle Winnie Winston – banjo Jack Lee – background vocals Andy McMahon – background vocals Tracy Nelson – background vocals The Sweet Inspirations – background vocals
Production Produced by: David Bromberg Production coordinator: George Eichen Horn arrangements on "Danger Man" and "Kansas City": Peter Ecklund Engineer, side 1: David Brown Engineers, side 2: Buddy Graham, Jerry Smith, Pete Weiss, Frank Laico Tape recordists: Louis Waxman, Lehman Yates Remix engineer: Tim Geelan Mastered by: Jack Ashkinazy Photography: Jim McGuire Album design: Karen Lee Grant Cover concept: Tony Markellis
References