King Biscuit Flower Hour: Canned Heat In Concert

AMG Review of King Biscuit Flower Hour: Canned Heat In Concert

Lindsay Planer
All Music Guide

From the archives of the King Biscuit Flower Hour syndicated radio concert series comes one of the only, if not the only, professionally recorded live disc to feature this particular reincarnation of the 1960s lues and oogie band Canned Heat. They took part in both the Monterey International Pop Music Festival (June 1967) as well as the Woodstock Music & Arts Fair (August 1969), yet failed to garner the commercial success worthy of their considerable instrumental prowess. In fact, the set captured here is taken from the Heat's appearance at a Woodstock reunion show held September 7, 1979, in Brookhaven, NY. This lineup incorporates Larry Taylor (bass/vocals), Bob "The Bear" Hite (harmonica/vocals), and Adolfo "Fito" de la Parra (drums), as well as more recent personnel Mike "Hollywood Fats" Mann (guitar) and Jay Spell (piano). In addition to the anticipated readings of their best-known works "On the Road Again" and "Going Up the Country," there are more than competent cover versions of William Harris' "Bullfrog Blues" -- dating back to their debut, Canned Heat (1967) -- as well as Amos Milburn's R&B Creole anthem "Chicken Shack Boogie." Another highlight is the ten-plus minute title track to Canned Heat's concurrent effort, Human Condition (1978), their last with Hite, who passed in 1981 of a heart seizure. The performance concludes with a thoroughly involved "Shake 'n Boogie," which harks back to the type of white-hot playing that the original combo became known for. The contents have also been issued as Greatest Hits Live and the DVD audio 5.1 DTS Surround Sound From the Front Row Live, both released in 2003.