LIVE AT CARNEGIE HALL

Live at Carnegie Hall was my first exposure to Renaissance's sound back in the 70's and it sure has come as a big thrill at that time. Can you understand, Ocean Gypsy and say, to round it up that all disk 2 with the long epics Scheherazade and a stunning version of Ashes are burning -i enjoy better that five minutes bass guitar solo than a featured electric guitar which i always though was untrue to Renaissance sound, are absolute standouts. At one hand, it's true that you can feel some problems between the band and the orchestra, some hisses inherent to a live captation but they're part ot the magic of a one night stand that you truly feel all along the listening experience. Sound balance is near perfect if you consider the period, musicianship is stunning, the two Jon, Camp and Tout, shines brightly on their respective instruments, and Annie Haslam is equal if not better on stage than on studio, which tells a lot. The end of Ashes are burning is somewhat eloquent on that purpose. As a best of... this album stands tall, as well as a fitting document of live recording of any great progressive band of the seventies. That's the point which prevent me from giving the full score: i may not feel the same enjoyment today when listening to it. Still it was enough to buy and enjoy all the classic stuff of the period between Prologue and Novella. I'll have to find Song for all seasons maybe...