20th Century Masters The Millenium Collection: The Best Of [Digipak]

Performer: The Allman Brothers Band
Distributor: Universal Distribution

Notes: Allman Brothers Band: Gregg Allman (vocals, piano, organ); Duane Allman (acoustic & electric guitars); Dickey Betts (vocals, acoustic & electric guitars); Berry Oakley (bass); Butch Trucks, Jai Johanny Johanson (drums, percussion). Additional personnel: Les Dudek (acoustic & electric guitars); Dan Toler (guitar); Chuck Leavell (piano); Lamar Williams, David Goldflies (bass); Bonnie Bramlett (background vocals). Includes liner notes by Alan Paul. Digitally remastered by Suha Gur (Universal Music Studios, Edison, New Jersey). With the 1991 compilation A Decade of Hits 1969-1979 still in print, you may ask why Polydor found it necessary to release The Best of the Allman Brothers Band as part of the Universal Music Group's 20th Century Masters/The Millennium Collection. After all, the new 11-track album shares nine selections with the earlier 16-track one. The simple answer is price: By purchasing The Best of the Allman Brothers Band, you get about 30 percent less music than you do on A Decade of Hits, and you pay one-third less. The Best of the Allman Brothers Band is a collection intended for the budget-conscious music lover who wants the cheapest possible album containing well-known Allman Brothers songs like "Ramblin' Man," "Crazy Love," and "Whipping Post" from their first ten years of recording. Of course, it remains true that a single-disc best-of is not the ideal way to appreciate the Allman Brothers -- Polydor probably would be better advised to compile a two-disc compilation for that purpose -- but this set may serve to initiate new fans or satisfy older ones who stuck to AM Top 40 in the '70s without venturing over to the FM rock stations where the Allmans' extended jams were heard. ~ William Ruhlmann A good if not ideal one-disc best-of by the venerable American institution, this set has all the hits (including Greg's solo "Midnight Rider") and studio versions of most of the concert favorites (translation: don't expect the usually epic "In Memory of Elizabeth Reed"). Interestingly, for a band that first made its mark as a contemporary blues band, not much of the material here is blues per se ("Whipping Post" being the obvious exception), so if you're considering buying this you might want to check out the previously available DECADE OF HITS: 1969-1979, another one-disc best-of that gives a more well-rounded view of the band's music.

They're known as the founding fathers of Southern rock, but the Allman Brothers were actually much more progressive than the musical school they inspired. They reclaimed the US-influenced blues-rock of Cream et al. and brought it back to America, adding country and jazz touches. They were noted for their improvisatory skills, particularly the inspired dual-guitar work of Dickey Betts and the late Duane Allman. Even after the deaths of Duane and original bassist Berry Oakey and the departure of Betts, the band soldiered on strongly into the 21st century, led by founding singer/organist Gregg Allman.

Click Here for Shipping Options and Policies

Shipping or Dimension weight in pounds: 0.25