The Band - 1971-12-xx - Hempstead, NY (STU/FLAC) Rehearsal

The Band - 1971-12-xx - Hempstead, NY
(Studio FLAC)

The Band 
Rehearsal at Ultrasonic Studios, Hempstead, NY 
1971, Dec. ?? 

Note: This previously circulated as the 'SNL rehearsals', but is now known to be rehearsals for "Rock Of Ages" at Ultrasonic Studios in Hempstead, Long Island in New York. 

Goody: If for no reason other than Garth's "Jingle Bells" quote at the end of "Chest Fever", I believe this is most likely a set of rehearsals with horns for "Rock of Ages" at the Academy of Music, in December of 1971. Therefore, the date change from previous editions in the title from Oct 30, 1976 to December of 1971. 

Lolita's original notes: 
I corrected the pitch (-50 cents) with Sound Forge 9 upon Goody's advice. 
The levels have been adjusted and I also cleaned the transition tracks. 
Sbe's aligned with TLH. > 

Goody's additional lineage: 
TLH (WAV) > Audition (Tracking updated) > TLH (FLAC Level 8; Align sector boundaries; .ffp) 

*Text and files updated. Goody - August 22, 2011* 

Rick Danko – bass, violin, vocals 
Levon Helm – drums, mandolin, vocals 
Garth Hudson – organ, piano, accordion, tenor and soprano saxophones 
Richard Manuel – piano, organ, clavinet, drums, vocals 
Robbie Robertson – guitar, vocals, introduction 
Allen Toussaint – horn arrangements 
Howard Johnson – tuba, euphonium, baritone saxophone 
Snooky Young – trumpet, flugelhorn 
Joe Farrell – tenor and soprano saxophones, English horn 
Earl McIntyre – trombone 
J. D. Parron – alto saxophone and E-flat clarinet 

01 The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down> 
02 Across the Great Divide (take 1)> 
03 WS Walcott Medicine Show (take 1) 
04 WS Walcott Medicine Show (take 2) 
05 Life Is A Carnival (take 1) 
06 Life Is A Carnival (take 2) 
07 Across the Great Divide (take 2) 
08 Unfaithful Servant 
09 Chestfever 
10 Rag Mama Rag (take 1) 
11 Rag Mama Rag (take 2)

The rehearsal, which consisted of the 5 group members plus Allen Toussaint and a five-man horn section, was in preparation for the Band’s four night stand at the Academy of Music. Levon Helm is featured on lead vocals for most of the tracks, with Rick Danko taking the mic on “Unfaithful Servant” and Richard Manuel on “Across the Great Divide.” The resulting Academy of Music show was recorded and later released as their live album, Rock of Ages. 

To give their music an added dimension, The Band recruited Allen Toussaint and a five-man horn section to spice up their sound for the Cahoots album. When they rehearsed for a four-night stand at the Academy of Music in New York City back in the winter of ‘71, Toussaint and the horns were invited. 

On the introduction to this brief 40-minute excerpt of a rehearsal, the signature horns blow nicely that toot-toot New Orleans sound as the Band come together for The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down. That’s what you’ll hear throughout the rehearsal, how the horns swooped, swished and skittered around, above and below the songs. Injecting freshness and excitement to the Band’s repertoire. 

Just on the horizon other bands were preparing louder, angrier albums, hamming up with makeup and marketing, posing for hours in front of mirrors as they vied to be the next big thing. 

But The Band were digging the older vibe with accordians, horns, a carnival sound, vaudeville, a hoedown that invented Americana before the term was coined. Levon Helm handles much of the vocal chores on the songs here leaving Rick Danko with Unfaithful Servant. Richard Manuel gets to be heard on two takes of Across The Great Divide. 

The sound is thick and chunky with nice turns from Garth Hudson’s organ and Robertson’s sterling solos. But really, the horns take up centerstage much of the time. By now, success with Dylan and as a working unit had changed their lifestyle and Cahoots, the album preceding the concerts, had a bittersweet taste. 

“I can’t emphasize how much success had changed everything,” Rick Danko said of this period. “We were outrageous in our behavior, and it was impossible to get people in one place at one time. And when we did, it was hard to work because when we looked at one another and saw how wrecked we were, it was hard not to crack up.” 

This fly-on-the-wall moment with The Band and Toussaint disputes this. They sound energised and refreshed. But this was before they lurched forward into a downward spiral, eventually disbanding in 1978 with the prophetic Last Waltz.