Search - George Harrison & Friends :: Concert for Bangladesh

The original mix of this album is better

Barry Smith | Plainview, New York United States | 10/25/2005

(3 out of 5 stars)

"When I purchase a re-master of a classic album, I am always alert to the fact that there might be possible tampering with the original mix: instruments or noises either added or subtracted. Upon listening to the new version of THE CONCERT FOR BANGLADESH, it is very clear that there was a lot of subtraction going on. Although some new clarity is brought into the overall sound of the recording (which originally sounded a bit muddy to some people's ears), there has been an extensive change in many of the sounds I was familiar with on the original LP. For example, several of the stage comments have been deleted, Harrison's introduction of Leon Russell is one. Also, the inspiring hoots and shouts of the background singers during "That's The Way God Planned It" have been erased. Even many of the hilarious audience comments that were audible (someone shouting "Do something Ringo!!" prior to "Awaiting on You All") are now missing. Overall, the new crowd sounds seems to be a lot different from the sounds that were on the original LP. I don't know why the producers of the re-master decided to do this. They should have gone for a more faithful approach. Because of this, the original CD version is still better.



Additionally, the new cover art is not faithful to the original album package. Some of the photos are still there, but I wish that the entire original book would be available for this edition. Not to mention the chronic problem of CD storage: in this package, the bare disc is stuffed in a non-protective sleeve, ready for a barrage of scuffs and scratches.



Despite the drawbacks, the new version of THE CONCERT FOR BANGLADESH not without merits. As mentioned above, there is a new sound clarity which still sounds very good. And then there's the extra Dylan track from the afternoon show "Love Minus Zero/No Limit." Perhaps a few other alternate tracks from the afternoon show could have been added as well as there is plenty of room on the discs for more music."

Harrison & Friends Lend A Hand

Thomas Magnum | NJ, USA | 10/25/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"The Concert for Bangladesh was the first rock charity concert and the forerunner for shows like No Nukes, The Concert for Kampuchea, Live Aid and more recently, Live 8. Spearheaded by George Harrison who was spurred into action by Ravi Shankar's appeal to help the homeless Bengali refugees of the 1971 India-Pakistan war, he gathered a group of friends including Eric Clapton, Ringo Starr, Leon Russell, Billy Preston, Badfinger and Bob Dylan for a concert to raise money for UNICEF at Madison Square Garden. The most notable friend was Mr. Dylan who was at the height of reclusiveness and rarely made public appearances. His set perfectly captured the essence of the show featuring old protest warhorses "A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall", "It Takes A Lot To Laugh, It Takes A Train To Cry" and "Blowin' In The Wind", the pretty "Just Like A Woman" and a tip of the cap to Mr. Harrison with "Mr. Tambourine Man". Mr. Clapton guests with Mr. Harrison on a driving guitar duet "While My Guitar Gently Weeps". Mr. Starr sings "It Don't Come Easy" totally off-key, but his lack of pretense and sense of humor shines through to make it a fun performance. Mr. Russell & Mr. Preston were either unknown to many or known as backing musicians at the time, but there electrify performances of "Jumping Jack Flash/Youngblood" & "That's The Way God Planned It" respectively helped catapult them to mainstream success. Mr. Shankar's opening "Bangla Dhun" is a fine piece of sitar music, but at over seventeen minutes long, it makes it tough for repeat listenings. This is Mr. Harrison's show and his songs are the spiritual backbone of the concert. Featuring tracks from the Beatles like a tender performance of "Here Comes The Sun" (backed beautifully by Badfinger living up to their Beatles comparisons) to tracks from his then new album All Things Must Pass. "Wah Wah" is the opening rock song of the show and he slides nicely into solid versions of "My Sweet Lord" and "Awaiting All On You". "Beware Of Darkness" is a duet with Mr. Russell that might well be the best track on the album. Mr. Harrison closes his set with a superb version of "Something" which leads into the group performance of a new song "Bangla Desh" which closes the concert on a high note. The new version of album features a bonus track, "Love Minus Zero/No Limit" by Bob Dylan. The album was a big hit peaking at number two and won the 1972 Album of the Year Grammy Award."

The Template for All Benefit Concerts That Followed

Steve Vrana | Aurora, NE | 10/29/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

""I'd just like to say before we start off with the concert...that...uhh...to thank you for coming here...as you all know it's a special benefit concert...we've got a good show lined up...I hope so anyway...." And with that introduction from George Harrison, the former Beatle began his August 1, 1971, Concert for Bangla Desh which became the template for all of the benefit concerts that would follow.



However, not only did it raise much needed money, it produced a solid collection of songs from a stellar group of musicians. In addition to former bandmate Ringo Starr and friends Ravi Shankar, Eric Clapton and Bob Dylan; the concert also included (among others) Billy Preston (who worked with the Beatles during the LET IT BE sessions), Leon Russell, Klaus Voorman , Jim Keltner, Carl Radle and Pete Ham (of Badfinger).



The concert opens with a 16-minute performance by Ravi Shankar, backed by three additional Indian musicians on sarod, tabla and tamboura.



Harrison's contributions included four songs from his then current album ALL THINGS MUST PASS along with "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" with Harrison and Clapton trading lead guitar lines. Perhaps the standout song is his acoustic duet with Pete Ham on "Here Comes the Sun." Other Harrison songs are "Something" and the concert-closing number "Bangla Desh." [A studio version of the single was also released in August, but it would stall at No. 23.]



Ringo turns in a solid performance of his hit "It Don't Come Easy." Billy Preston does a rousing version of the gospel-tinged "That's the Way God Planned It." And Leon Russell turns up the energy with the medley "Jumpin' Jack Flash/Youngblood."



The highlight of the concert was arguably the five-song set by Bob Dylan (now including a sixth song, "Love Minus Zero/No Limit"). He is backed by Leon Russell on bass, Harrison on guitar and Ringo on tambourine.



All told, this was an exciting musical event thirty-four years ago, and with this newly remastered edition it sounds even better today. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

"