Last year, Stephen Stills‘ sold his catalog to Irving Azoff’s Iconic Artists Group (David Crosby did a similar deal in 2021). Iconic Artists Group and Omnivore Recordings have just announced the release of Stephen Stills Live At Berkeley 1971 (out on April 28th – CD/Double LP) featuring a previously unissued recording made during Stills’ first US Tour in 1971.
The recording was made over two nights at the Berkeley Community Theater, with David Crosby joining him on vocals and guitar for “You Don’t Have To Cry” and “The Lee Shore.”
The art-deco Berkeley Community Theater, which also houses one the world’s largest Wurlitzer organs, has played host to many greats, including Jimi Hendrix, Bob Dylan and Joni Mitchell. Cat Stevens and The Grateful Dead played in the same year of this recording. The following year, the Alice Coltrane Sextet played there with an unofficial release emerging in 2019 that featured four lengthy tracks (it was a double album!), including her magical Journey In Satchidananda, named for her spiritual adviser Swami Satchidananda.
Omnivore on Stephen Stills Live At Berkeley 1971
In 1971 Stephen Stills embarked on a U.S. tour, opening each show with an intimate acoustic first set and closing each night with a riveting electric set featuring the Memphis Horns. These historic, previously unreleased recordings took place over two nights at the Berkeley Community Theater, with David Crosby joining him on vocals and guitar for “You Don’t Have To Cry” and “The Lee Shore.”
These recordings find Stills at peak performance in both vocal delivery and musicianship, effortlessly incorporating alternate instrumentation on his instantly recognizable tracks, including a seamless medley of “49 Bye Byes” and “For What It’s Worth” unexpectedly played on piano.
Hand-picked by Stills from his personal archives, this album captures timeless and era-defining performances. Fans who were lucky enough to catch his historic debut trek, dubbed “The Memphis Horns Tour,” were treated to the balladeer, the raving troubadour, the acoustic bluesman, the soul driver, and by far the most passionate music maker. Backed by a loyal cast of friends, including his usual steady rhythm section—drummer Dallas Taylor and bassist Calvin “Fuzzy” Samuels—along with keyboardist Paul Harris, guitarist Steve Fromholz, and percussionist Joe Lala, these Northern California shows were one of the most unique and intimate stops on the tour
This album, rather than being an artifact from a bygone era, sparkles and stimulates. It cajoles you into thinking, feeling and—most importantly—moving. Stephen Stills Live At Berkeley 1971 is a cornucopia of priceless sound—and all of it bears the distinct and loving fingerprint of Stephen Stills.
The opening track, Love The One You’re With has been released as a single (Order/Save: https://stephenstills.lnk.to/LiveAtBerkeley1971)
Stephen Stills Live At Berkeley 1971 Tracklisting
- LOVE THE ONE YOU’RE WITH
- DO FOR THE OTHER
- JESUS GAVE LOVE AWAY FOR FREE
- YOU DON’T HAVE TO CRY with David Crosby
- THE LEE SHORE with David Crosby
- WORD GAMES
- SUGAR BABE
- 49 BYE-BYES/FOR WHAT IT’S WORTH
- BLACK QUEEN
- KNOW YOU’VE GOT TO RUN
- BLUEBIRD REVISITED
- LEAN ON ME
- CHEROKEE
- BAND INTRODUCTION
- ECOLOGY SONG
Pre-Order here: https://stephenstills.com