Search - Procol Harum :: Live in Concert With Edmonton Sym Orchestra

The Heat of a Cold Alberta Night

PHILIP S WOLF | SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, CA. USA | 09/22/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"On the 18th November 1971, Procol Harum recorded this Concert with a 52 piece Symphony Orchestra and 24 Singers in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. This is the evidence of this event...



Already well established as a Rock Band of serious music that leaned way into the Classicial/Artsy Rock that was gaining in popularity as the 1970's unfolded infront of us. Procol Harum could produce Hits such as: "A Whiter Shade Of Pale" and please record buyers with such epic pieces as: "A Salty Dog" & "In Held 'Twas In I."



Lead guitarist Robin Trower had left the Group after the sessions for their excellent LP: "Broken Barricades" to explore a more Blues/Rock orientated direction away from the Classicial format of PH. The Band quickly replaced Robin with guitarist, David Ball and headed out to tour the world once more. This Concert from Edmonton would be the high-point of the Tour.



From: "Conquistador" through to The Grand Finale of: "In Held 'Twas In I", this show is a perfect marriage of Rock & Classical Music. This Orchestra & Large Chorus is not here to linger in the background. "Glimpses Of Nirvana" will show you that Orchestra's can hold the power of a Heavy Metal Band {while you watch your windows rattling!}



Groups such as Deep Purple, had already played Concerts with Orchestras, but the results were mixed as the Rock Band seemed to opposed to The Orchestra in a fight for dominance. This time out Gary Brooker and his Band, got it all perfect. This performance is as much Orchestra as it is Rock Band, it all bleeds together and breaths as one BEAST. This is the record, for which all others that want to attempt this should listen to first. If the Music doesn't fit as perfectly as Procol's does to Orchestration...Don't do it, this one already did it better!



Again, this is not Rock Music, it is something else all together. The mission of this Group was to produce something 'Bigger' than Pop/Rock Music, something for the Ages. Right here on this CD they have done so.

FIVE STARS !!!"

No need to pay these rip-off prices

D. A Campbell | Annandale, VA United States | 08/06/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This wonderful live Procol Harum album has just been re-released (August 2009)and is greatly improved, with three bonus tracks (vs. only one bonus track on this version), all the original album art and a very nice booklet, all at list price of $18.98 from Amazon (and surely soon to drop in price once used copies of it start circulating). So, the rip-off dealers with posted prices as I write this starting at $100 new and $44 used, hope you choke on them!"

Procol Treads Water

Peter Baklava | Charles City, Iowa | 04/12/2010

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Once again, I find myself in the contrarian position as a reviewer. I give this album 4 stars, and I've always thought it was a fine effort from a band that was always very professional.



However, as a live album, it was a summation of the past, and broke no new ground. There was no new material, and basically the only interest provided by this disc was the novelty of a few new orchestral trimmings. Atmosphere was added by the tension coming from the challenge of performing well backed by an orchestra, and there was the additional perk of hearing Procol Harum with a new guitarist in place.



As it happens, the requirements of performing live with a symphony meant that Procol had to scale back on its guitar sound. David Ball, who replaced Robin Trower in the band, performed very admirably in this concert, even with limited wattage in his amps. But his sound is a little tinny and whiny compared with Trower's massive tone. With the exception of "Conquistador" and possibly "In Held Twas In I", the tracks do not improve on the original studio versions.



In the liner notes, Gary Brooker implies that Robin Trower split with the band because he was unhappy at the prospect of this album. With all deference to Gary, it seems more likely that Trower had discerned Brooker's interest in steering the band back to its former, five-piece sound. Look at the artwork on the back cover of "Live With the Edmonton Symphony...". Brooker and Reid's portraits loom above the band, much larger than the other band members. Before, they appeared on album covers more or less as equals. Trower didn't want to again be a role player, so he left.



***FOOTNOTE: David Ball never again appeared on a Procol Harum record, but oddly enough, his body did. It seems he spent enough time with the band as it prepared for the next album, "Grand Hotel", that he participated in the cover shot, in which Procol Harum wore top hats and tails in front of a white-columned mansion. When Ball then departed, clever photo-editing pasted Mick Grabham's head onto Ball's incongruous (Ball was much taller than Grabham) body.



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