DEREK & THE DOMINOS – PORT CHESTER 1970 (2 CD)

Description

Capitol Theatre, Port Chester, NY, USA 5th December 1970 TRULY AMAZING/PERFECT SOUND
★This is an UPGRADE!!!

[Derek and the Dominos, first generation master of rare audience recording from the final tour!]
　This week, we will release a press CD of the first generation master of rare audience recordings of Derek and the Dominos, the band that Eric Clapton recognized as the “strongest” in his career!

　This work is a complete recording of the Port Chester, New York, performance on December 5, 1970, with a good mono audience recording. This time, the original master, which copied the first-generation open reel tape to a reel, was obtained from a reliable overseas taper. There is a previously released version of the sound source from this day, but the sound quality is poor and fluffy, which made me keenly aware of the difficulty of audience recording at that time.

　However, this work is a master copy of the genuine first-generation reel tape, resulting in the highest sound quality ever. Furthermore, it has been remastered in-house to minimize the muffled sound and correct the high drop in the right channel that occurred during the second show, resulting in a significant upgrade from the previously released version. Not only Clapton’s guitar, but also the drum sound is clearly defined, with the snare, toms, and floor toms easily distinguishable. While it may not have the clarity of a modern digital recording, the quality is still quite enjoyable.

　This performance took place approximately two months after the officially released Fillmore East show, marking the final leg of a long US tour, the second show since its conclusion. It was a tight schedule, with two shows per day. The band had no inkling that this would be their final tour, and they were in the prime of their career, eagerly anticipating the acclaim for their newly released album, “LAYLA AND OTHER ASSORTED LOVE SONGS.” While only the opening cut is included, we hope you’ll enjoy Clapton’s incredible playing on this rare audience recording from his time with the Dominos.

[A fantastic performance comparable to the official live album!]
　It is well known that Derek and the Dominos broke up less than a year after their formation, despite releasing the masterpiece “LAYLA AND OTHER ASSORTED LOVE SONGS.” Their only live tours were a short UK tour and a long American tour. However, it’s also true that the Dominos’ appeal exploded during this short period of activity, and you can really feel that not only in the official live album “IN CONCERT,” but also in this album. Taking this opportunity to take a bird’s-eye view of Clapton’s activities that year,

January 1970: Recorded his solo album “ERIC CLAPTON” with Delaney, Bonnie & Friends in LA.
February 2-22, 1970: Toured North America as a member of Delaney, Bonnie & Friends　
, then left the band and returned to the UK
. May 5, 1970: Appeared at a concert by Traffic, led by his old friend Steve Winwood, in Oxford, UK.
June 14, 1970: Derek & the Dominos held their debut concert at the Lyceum, a hall in central London.
・June 18, 1970: Recorded his first single, “Tell the Truth” c/w “Roll It Over,” in London.
≪August 1, 1970: Released his first solo album, “ERIC CLAPTON,” and the single “Tell the Truth” was also released that month.≫
・August 1-22, 1970: Short-term UK tour　
・August 23-mid-September 1970: Recorded the album “LAYLA AND OTHER ASSORTED LOVE SONGS” in Miami
・September 20-October 11, 1970: European tour
・October 15-December 6, 1970: Long-term US tour ←★Here★
≪December 1, 1970: Recorded his first solo album, “LAYLA AND OTHER ASSORTED LOVE” SONGS” release ≫
December 18, 1970: Attended Keith Richards’ birthday party, held by the Rolling Stones while they were recording at Olympic Sound Studios. Recorded a live studio version of “Brown Sugar” with the Stones.

　You’ll notice that Derek & the Dominos recorded the album “LAYLA” and then toured before its release. Clapton was eager to prove the capabilities of his first band on the live stage. The results are evident not only on the official live album, but also on this album. The two performances on this day featured different setlists for the first and second stages, making for a fascinating listen.

　First of all, “Tell the Truth” was performed in the “fast version” of the song originally released as a single at both the first and second shows. Despite Clapton’s dislike of this “fast version” and even recalling the single, he played the fast version arrangement here. Moreover, the first show was 19 minutes long, and the second show was 12 minutes long. At this tempo! The playing was intense. Bobby Whitlock’s piano improvisation, especially in the second show, is incredible. Listeners will be amazed. This was the first time the band had played the fast version. Was it Clapton’s decision to return to the band’s roots at the end of the tour?

　The blues medley from Blues Power is “Have You Ever Loved A Woman” as seen at Fillmore in the first show, but in the second show it’s changed to the slow blues “Stormy Monday” featuring Bobby Whitlock on vocals, which is a nice touch. In memory of Bobby Whitlock, who passed away in August of this year, we hope you will enjoy his soulful vocals.

　Other tracks, such as “Got to Get Better in a Little While,” “Why Does Love Got to Be So Sad,” and “Little Wing,” are performed with a passion comparable to that of the Fillmore. The first show’s “Let It Rain” is a more compact version, without Jim Gordon’s drum solo in the middle. This is also a solid performance worth listening to. During the solo in “Bottle of Red Wine,” Clapton slows down after playing a somewhat difficult phrase. This was likely a way to recover from a tuning error during the performance. After correcting his tuning, Clapton suddenly regained his rhythm in the second half. These developments are also part of the appeal of a live performance.

　Clapton is amazing! The final track, “Crossroads,” is impressive. Here, he plays a slightly faster arrangement, rather than the slow tempo seen at the Fillmore concert. The main riff is still there, and the audience’s excitement as they recognize this song is captured. The solo is also exceptionally sharp. The final, incredibly fast phrase adds up to a stunning finale.

　At the time of this concert, the classic album “LAYLA AND OTHER ASSORTED LOVE SONGS” had just been released. This meant that songs other than “Blues Power” and “Let it Rain” were unfamiliar to the audience. Still, the audience listened attentively to the Dominos’ performance and gave them a thunderous round of applause as a matter of course. This proves that there were “no bad days” in the Dominos’ live performances until the very end. Here, Clapton plays and sings from start to finish. Listening to this recording, you can really hear how much Clapton wanted to express himself with this band. This is what Clapton wanted to do, and that’s why he formed this band!

　This is the second performance from the final performance of the Dominos legendary tour. Please enjoy this work with the best sound quality ever.

Disc:1 (64:34)
1st Show
1. Tell the Truth
2. Little Wing
3. Blues Power
4. Have You Ever Loved a Woman
5. Let It Rain

2nd Show
6. Intro
7. Why Does Love Got to Be So Sad?

Disc:2 (70:39)
1. Blues Power
2. Stormy Monday
3. Key to the Highway
4. Tell the Truth
5. Bottle of Red Wine
6. Got to Get Better in a Little While
7. Crossroads