GREGG ALLMAN

A very sad day indeed. The news of Gregg Allman's death overnight marks the end of one of rock music's greatest groups. To try to label the Allman Brothers Band in any musical category, I believe, misses the point and seriously undervalues what their legacy might be.

 

On first hearing 'Fillmore East' too many decades ago, I was stunned by its precision.....and I still am. For a band that, in numerous ways, built its reputation on live performance, the attention to detail on that double is truly remarkable. To my untrained ears, there's not a damn note out of place.

 

The other great thing about this band lay in its influences. The lazy 'Southern Rock' tag never sat well with Gregg Allman and you don't have to be a musical scholar to recognise rock, jazz and blues infusions in all their work, whether live or from the studio. Even in 'jam' mode, the Allmans mined rich and diverse sources.

 

Of course Gregg Allman, through circumstance, was the continuing element of the group and, by all reports, a lot of pundits wrote them off following Duane's death in 1971. But it was Betts and Allman who forged the route towards 'Brothers and Sisters' which demonstrated that their history was far from over. I reckon it's their best studio album.

 

Allman's keyboards were integral to the ABB sound. You only have to listen to any recording to realise that those keyboards were as much a part of the band's engine room as they were lead instruments. Allman provided the platform for many of their greatest compositions and live performances. And I'm not going to even mention his distinctive vocals.

 

If you're not that familiar with the Allmans, beg, borrow or steal a listen to 'In memory of Elizabeth Reed' and you'll soon know what I'm talking about.

Posted on f/b on 29 May 2017.