LIVE IN WINDY CITY (USA 1992) [AKA: LIVE IN CHICAGO & LIVING PROOF]

This live CD is released by the UK label Angel Air ("Where The Artist Has A Voice"), it contains a fine history of the band: Miles Copeland was their first manager, Ritchie Blackmore persuaded Decca to sign Wishbone Ash after they were a support act for Deep Purple and most of the early songs were created out of endless jams and musical discussions.

The recordings are from a concert in Chicago, USA, 1992. You can enjoy the dual vocals and dual guitar work by the legendary duo Andy Powell and Ted Turner. I won't say that the sound on Live In Windy City is similar to the wonderful album Live Dates but I was pleased with this inspired effort featuring lots of great interplay between Powell and Turner and lots of powerful and fiery soli. The tracklist includes 'classics' like The King Will Come (the guitar intro sounds like a mountain brooklet that turns into a mighty river, culminating with an exciting wah-wah sound and dual guitar work), Throw Down The Sword and Blowin' Free (strong extended guitar soli).To me these compositions are fine progressive bluesrock, songs from the later period on this CD are more polished and harder-edged. A good CD that showcases the very distinctive sound by Wishbone Ash.

This live album dates from 1992 and features the classic combination of Ted Turner and Andy Powell on guitar, but by this time founder members Steve Upton and Martin Turner had called it quits. We have Andy Pyle on bass and Ray Weston on drums. There are also keyboards on some tracks but this isn't credited in the liner notes. This is a bit of a shame because they add some much needed depth and interest.

The set list features tracks from the reunion albums, Strange Affair, Here to Hear and Nouveau Calls along with three from Argus and Living Proof from Just Testing. They had long given up the progressive leanings and this is just standard hard rock AOR type fare. The Turner/Powell guitar interplay is largely present and correct, the solos being inventive without being too self indulgent. However, Martin Turner's bass work in particular is missed I feel. The album gives a good indication of the 90s reunion version of the band.

I usually start listening from track 2 as this version of The King will Come is poor, I put this down to the band warming up. However Throw Down the Sword is particularly well done, gone is the sublime twin lead parts accompanied by stately organ. They use a string sound instead, which is still effective, and Andy Powell pulls out an excellent solo worthy of this epic.

I picked this up for a budget price and haven't regretted it. Ash fans should not be disappointed. Its worthy of 3.5 stars.

My kind of... live album

This 1992 set has been re-released a number of times under slightly different titles, but in every case the tracks are identical. The line up has the classic twin guitars of Ted Turner and Andy Powell supported by Andy Pyle (bass) and Ray Weston (drums). This would be Ted's last appearance on an album by Wishbone Ash.

For those hoping to hear a succession of songs from the band's early years, the set list will be something of a disappointment. On the plus side, there are three tracks from the legendary "Argus" (perhaps predictably "The king will come", "Throw down the sword" and "Blowin' free") but apart from those the oldest track is "Living proof" from 1980's "Just testing". Other than those four songs, the set list focuses on Wishbone Ash's then latest releases "Nouveau Calls" (1987), "Hear to hear" (1989) and ""Strange affair" (1991).

The sound quality is best described as adequate, the bass being too up front in the mix, dominating the proceedings throughout. The vocals on the other hand sound a bit feint and suffer from unintended echo. It is a pity really, as the band's performance is excellent throughout, with fine vocal harmonies and of course truly top rate guitar work.

After the crowd pleasing opener, a slightly extended version of "The King will come", the band introduce a couple of tracks from their then latest album "Strange affair". Both of these ("Strange affair" and an extended "Standing in the rain") are rollicking affairs, the latter including some particularly excellent lead guitar. There seems to be some unaccredited keyboards on these tracks, the following "Lost cause in paradise" also opening with what appeared to be sampled sounds.

"Throw down the sword" is naturally a highpoint in mid-set, the following "In the skin" from the instrumental album "Nouveau Calls" (get it? - No vocals) being substantially extended from its studio counterpart through improvisation. Likewise, "Why don't we" (from "Here to hear") is given a spirited 8 minute run through, the twin guitars offering wonderful echoes of the past.

As we approach the conclusion of the album, a third track from "Argus", "Blowing free" is dusted off and given an 8½ minute workout. The song has lost none of the energy it had when it first appeared, indeed this version may well be the definitive live rendition. The album closes with "Living proof" from "Just testing", a track which appears to be a live favourite but which leaves me rather cold.

In all though, this is a superb live album featuring the classic twin lead guitars of Wishbone Ash. The track list may be largely unfamiliar to those who lost the band after the mid 1970's, but the songs here are all worthy of the Wishbone Ash name, and indeed many benefit from exposure to the live environment.