toptentwist
04-03-2012, 10:47 AM
I recently purchased the 1960s era Chuck Berry box-set on Hip-O [["You Never Can Tell: The Complete Chess Recordings 1960-1966"). I bought the set from google as an mp3 download but it had some problems and was missing about 13 tracks [[out of approximately 100).
Google refunded my money, and I I then went and bought the missing tracks from Amazon [[I was hoping they would just somehow figure out how to get the missing tracks - but they thought it was easier to give me a complete refund - without somehow forcing me to delete the music).
Anyway, most of the missing tracks were from a 1963 live appearance Chuck Berry made in Detroit.
I have a habit of using a photo of the venue for my ipod artwork when dealing with unreleased live material. My guess is that the concert was probably at the Fox Theater and I started an internet search to see if my theory was correct.
I believe the live recording of Chuck Berry from "Detroit" was recorded at "Walled Lake Casino".
This was apparently an amusement park with a dance hall. Not sure if gambling ever happened there.
But very much to my surprise, I found mention that Chuck Berry was backed by "Berry Gordy's All Stars" at what appears to be 4 concert appearances.
This got me VERY excited. This would represent a major intersection of two of my musical favorites [[Chuck Berry and Motown).
Unfortunately, listening to the concert - I'm not sure this happened.
I hear five musicians on stage
Guitar [[only one - obviously Chuck Berry)
Piano
Saxophone
Drums
Bass
During "Wee Wee Hours" I could hear Chuck yell "Play that piano Johnny!"
I'm fairly certain that the Johnny he is speaking about is Johnny Johnson [[Chuck's usual piano player at Chess). It sounds like his playing and it sounds nothing like Johnny Griffith.
Plus if he was playing with a pick-up band, Chuck isn't famous for learning the names of the guys in the band.
So that would seem to leave three open slots for a "Berry Gordy All Star" band.
Problem again, is I don't think it sounds like any of the Funk Brothers... specfically the saxophone. It doesn't sound like anything I've heard out of Detroit. And why go through the trouble to bring the Chess piano player - and then hire three guys to fill out the band.
Plus, the band seems very comfortable playing behind Berry. Like they've been doing it for a while.
I found some more references that Motown acts did play at this venue - and its very possible that various combinations of Funk Brothers backed them. I even found artwork for what looks like a privately pressed CD with a "Walled Lake" logo on it - and a title that says something like "Lee Alan presents a long lost concert at Walled Lake - April 1963 - featuring The Funk Brothers"
I'm not sure if that CD is supposed to be the Chuck Berry concert or some other performer.
My guess is that there are a number of these concert recordings that have survived and that some of them DO feature some of the Funk Brothers. But I just don't think this Chuck Berry concert is one of them. And it pains me to say that - because I really DO wish it was what the liner notes hint at.
Does anyone know more about this ?
Maybe attended the concerts in 1963 ???
Google refunded my money, and I I then went and bought the missing tracks from Amazon [[I was hoping they would just somehow figure out how to get the missing tracks - but they thought it was easier to give me a complete refund - without somehow forcing me to delete the music).
Anyway, most of the missing tracks were from a 1963 live appearance Chuck Berry made in Detroit.
I have a habit of using a photo of the venue for my ipod artwork when dealing with unreleased live material. My guess is that the concert was probably at the Fox Theater and I started an internet search to see if my theory was correct.
I believe the live recording of Chuck Berry from "Detroit" was recorded at "Walled Lake Casino".
This was apparently an amusement park with a dance hall. Not sure if gambling ever happened there.
But very much to my surprise, I found mention that Chuck Berry was backed by "Berry Gordy's All Stars" at what appears to be 4 concert appearances.
This got me VERY excited. This would represent a major intersection of two of my musical favorites [[Chuck Berry and Motown).
Unfortunately, listening to the concert - I'm not sure this happened.
I hear five musicians on stage
Guitar [[only one - obviously Chuck Berry)
Piano
Saxophone
Drums
Bass
During "Wee Wee Hours" I could hear Chuck yell "Play that piano Johnny!"
I'm fairly certain that the Johnny he is speaking about is Johnny Johnson [[Chuck's usual piano player at Chess). It sounds like his playing and it sounds nothing like Johnny Griffith.
Plus if he was playing with a pick-up band, Chuck isn't famous for learning the names of the guys in the band.
So that would seem to leave three open slots for a "Berry Gordy All Star" band.
Problem again, is I don't think it sounds like any of the Funk Brothers... specfically the saxophone. It doesn't sound like anything I've heard out of Detroit. And why go through the trouble to bring the Chess piano player - and then hire three guys to fill out the band.
Plus, the band seems very comfortable playing behind Berry. Like they've been doing it for a while.
I found some more references that Motown acts did play at this venue - and its very possible that various combinations of Funk Brothers backed them. I even found artwork for what looks like a privately pressed CD with a "Walled Lake" logo on it - and a title that says something like "Lee Alan presents a long lost concert at Walled Lake - April 1963 - featuring The Funk Brothers"
I'm not sure if that CD is supposed to be the Chuck Berry concert or some other performer.
My guess is that there are a number of these concert recordings that have survived and that some of them DO feature some of the Funk Brothers. But I just don't think this Chuck Berry concert is one of them. And it pains me to say that - because I really DO wish it was what the liner notes hint at.
Does anyone know more about this ?
Maybe attended the concerts in 1963 ???