Rory Gallagher - Live At Montreux/The Definitive Collection (2006)

Legendary Irish guitarist Rory Gallagher play the Montreux Festival on five occasions across a twenty year period, having appeared twice previously with Taste. This double DVD set brings together material from all five solo shows and includes the complete concert from 1994. Rory electric live performances were rightly famous and this definitive Montreux collection captures him at his very best.

This double DVD from the late Rory Gallagher collects portions of all five of his appearances at the Montreux Jazz Festival from 1975 to 1994. The 40 tracks that cover 43 tunes include the complete 1994 show on disc two along with bonus material on that second disc culled from the 1975, 1977, and 1985 shows. The first thing that hits you when watching the 1975 tapes is how great a guitarist he was when young and handsome at age 27. The playing is extraordinary and on target. If one looks at the cup as half full, the fact that Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison, and Jimi Hendrix were gone at that age means that the 20 extra years of Gallagher music found here are a blessing and a plus. There are lots of different camera shots on the 1975 show, a high-energy edit to go along with the music, and some tremendous slide playing on & "Secret Agent" (not the P.F. Sloan tune), a bluesy rocker that absolutely cooks. On disc two, fast forward ten years to 1985, and his proficiency on the acoustic guitar with & "Walking Blues" is just as powerful as the loud electric guitar. Gallagher had played the legendary jazz festival with his band Taste on two occasions prior to these five solo performances, and during the 1994 show is almost a different fellow from the one you witness 20 years prior. An older blues statesman, he's not bouncing around on the stage in 1994, the guitar tones are decidedly lower, the growl is intact, and the music is just as exciting and pure. This package comes with an eight-page foldout that includes three pages of liner notes penned by London journalist Chris Welch. Extraordinary in its scope, this truly is a "Definitive Collection", as the title says, and aside from the historical importance, is solid entertainment that will hold your attention.

~ Deep stuff. Joe Viglione, Rovi

Tracklist:

DISC ONE
1975:
01. Tattoo'd Lady (Rory Gallagher)
02. Garbage Man (McKinley Morganfield)
03. Cradle Rock (Rory Gallagher)
04. Tore Down (Sonny Thompson)
05. Laundromat (Rory Gallagher)

1977:
06. I Take What I Want (Rory Gallagher)
07. Calling Card (Rory Gallagher)
08. Secret Agent (Rory Gallagher)
09. Bought And Sold (Rory Gallagher)
10. A Million Miles Away (Rory Gallagher)
11. Do You Read Me (Rory Gallagher)
12. Pistol Slapper Blues (Fulton Allen)

1979:
13. Shin Kicker (Rory Gallagher)
14. Last Of The Independents (Rory Gallagher)
15. Mississippi Sheiks (Rory Gallagher)
16. Too Much Alcohol (J. B. Hutto)
17. Shadowplay (Rory Gallagher)

1985:
18. Bad Penny (Rory Gallagher)
19. Moonchild (Rory Gallagher)
20. Banker's Blues (Big Bill Broonzy)
21. Philby (Rory Gallagher)
22. Big Guns (Rory Gallagher)

DISC TWO
1994:
01. Continental Op (Rory Gallagher)
02. Moonchild (Rory Gallagher)
03. I Wonder Who (Morganfield)
04. The Loop (Rory Gallagher)
05. Tattoo'd Lady (Rory Gallagher)
06. I Could Have Had Religion (Unknown)
07. Ghost Blues (Rory Gallagher)
08. Out On The Western Plain (Huddie Ledbetter)
09. Medley: Amazing Grace, Walking Blues, Blue Moon Of Kentucky
10. Off The Handle (Rory Gallagher)
11. Messing With The Kid (Rory Gallagher)
12. I'm Ready (McKinley Morganfield)

+ Bonus:
1975:
01. Pistol Slapper Blues (Fulton Allen)
02. Too Much Alcohol (J. B. Hutto)

1977:
03. Western Plain
04. Medley: Barley And Grape Rag (Rory Gallagher), Pistol Slapper Blues
05. Going To My Hometown (Rory Gallagher)

1985:
06. Walking Blues (Robert Johnson)

Band lineup:

Rory Gallagher (guitar, vocals)
1972 - 1976: Gerry McAvoy (bass), Lou Martin (piano, keyboards), Rod de'Ath (drums)
1976 - 1981: Gerry McAvoy (bass), Ted McKenna (drums)
1981 - 1991: Gerry McAvoy (bass), Brendan O'Neil (drums) + frequent guest: Mark Feltham (harmonica)
1992 - 1994: David Levy (bass), Jim Levaton (keyboards), John Cooke (keyboards), Richard Newman (drums) + frequent guest: Mark Feltham (harmonica)