Colosseum
Live

I take the opportunity of the recent release of the complete and remastered edition of the legendary "Live" album by Colosseum from their 1971 UK tour to attempt a review of this musical monument, lasting nearly 2 and a half hours... And I write complete because the second CD containing the live version of the famous "Valentyne Suite" recorded in March '71 at the University of Manchester auditorium has finally been published; the reason why it wasn't done at the time, nor with the 2004 edition, remains mysterious; regarding the double vinyl, I can hypothesize that it was considered too commercially daring to release a third LP, even though other popular groups of the time, Yes being the first, would do so shortly thereafter. What still seems strange is that the initial setlist did not include the live version of the most famous track of this multifaceted group, the one that delivered them into the history of Music.

In this regard, I am reminded of a parallel with another great group of the time, whose experiences are similar, and I refer to Fleetwood Mac, whose epic "Live in Boston" was initially released as a single LP... cutting out most of the significant tracks, once again gentleman time has done justice to that extraordinary performance recently restoring the complete version composed of no less than 6 (six) vinyl, also dating back to the first part of '71! Other similarities: both groups were coming off three works, among which not in order of release: an absolute masterpiece, a second of excellent level, and finally a third lesser one; it was precisely these highly level live performances that led to the subsequent breakup of the two formations which, like the Phoenix, would rise from the ashes, but with very different musicians and characteristics; not least, both the leaders had a "Green" root.......

I don't want to go through the CD tracks one by one, it would be quite demanding for the writer and rather boring for the reader considering the length of the work; but to make understand and appreciate its expressive quality, I just need to refer to two key moments of the first CD, the "historic" one, and ideally reverse the listening starting from the finale "Lost Angels" with the formidable arrangement of the namesake track contained in the album "Valentyne Suite", so much to double its duration with the precious virtuosity of all the protagonists, Dave Greenslade foremost, whose first performance of "Rupper Ladder to the Moon" is also remarkable: while the second highlights more the skills of drummer Jon Hiseman, founder and historical leader of the band, who then repeats himself without holding back (10 minutes of delight, blessed is that Audience!) also in "Time Machine" on the second CD. Another piece of indisputable quality is: "Tanglewood '63," a musical monument sculpted by the tenor sax of Dick Heckstall-Smith, unfortunately passed away in 2004, an unforgettable arrangement of the track by famous jazz composer Michael Gibbs, but it is certainly not the only intervention of great value in a work pervaded by his presence.

Another remarkable track, indeed unpublished, at least until the release of the first "Live" is "I Can't Live without You" which allows Dave Clempson, replacement for Litherland, Colosseum's first guitarist, to demonstrate his extraordinary skill in a solo between rock and psychedelic, which alone would be worth the price of the album... Am I exaggerating? Well, go listen to it, preferably in the first version, recorded in Brighton, and you will agree with me and perhaps also appreciate the histrionic performance of vocalist Chris Farlowe who may seem a bit excessive, but certainly not lacking in talent as proven in the second edition of "Skellington."

Another live gem, contained in the second CD, is "Stormy Monday Blues," a track by Manfred Mann turned inside out by the Allman brothers in the same year and shortly after by Eric Clapton, but as usual, it serves as a pretext to highlight, especially in the first version, the individual qualities of the artists, not least the bassist Mark Klarke. Also compelling is the re-edition of the famous suite that begins with the virtuosities, of vaguely Nietzschean flavor, not coincidentally by Dave Greenslade in duet with Mark Clarke, proceeding with an increasingly frenzied rhythm until leaving room for a very serious solo by Dick Heckstall-Smith at the sax that introduces (finally) the main theme of the suite, listening to which one might perhaps realize another possible reason why the performance was "cut," namely the excessive deviation and expansion (over 5 minutes) from the original that perhaps could have bothered purists, but depriving the audience of such valid and imaginative performances.

In conclusion, a live commitment perhaps more aimed at highlighting the great qualities of the artists rather than faithfully reproducing the original tracks, which makes it a splendid and not very evocative performance that deviates quite a bit from the trend of the time when fans expected a rather faithful reproduction of what they had already heard at home, interspersed at most with a few drum, guitar, or keyboard solos; on the contrary, here we are faced with more or less daring arrangements of what had already been published.

After what has been said, the judgment can only do justice to a live album worthy, indeed most worthy, of keeping company with the other "giants" of the happiest era for this genre and to a group unfortunately not very renowned in our country. Excellent quality remastering, so-so cover.