Search - Sonny Sharrock :: Live in New York

Kill the keyboardist !!

Michael L. Bark | nyc | 12/11/2005

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Seeing Sonny live was magical. I saw him three times at the original Knitting Factory in NYC, and each time he played, the ceiling and walls would collapse as he would reduce the club to rubble. I couldn't wait to listen to this cd when I first got home with it... and then...disapointment!!...a total dud of a set is captured on this record, I couldn't believe it was the same guy!!The keyboard player on this cd sucks completely. He basically ruins the record for me...his playing is unlistenable and HIGHLY annoying, what a colossal mistake it was to have that guy on the recording...what a shame."

Decent live record.

Michael Stack | North Chelmsford, MA USA | 08/18/2005

(3 out of 5 stars)

"The only live document of Sonny Sharrock's comeback of the late '80s, "Live in New York" is a mixed bag of a record. Consisting of material from his recent "Seize the Rainbow" album along with one cut from the nearly impossible to find "Dance With Me, Montana" record, one from "Guitar", and a pair of blues vocal pieces.



The band-- the same as on "Seize the Rainbow" (bassist Melvin Gibbs and drummers Pheroan Aklaff and Abe Speller) augmented by a keyboardist (Dave Synder) and on the two blues cuts, a vocalist (Ron "The Burglar" Cartel) is in fine form, sympathetic to Sharrock and his vision and finding a way to work with him. Sharrock for his part is inspired, playing fiercely ("Dick Dogs") and beautifully ("My Song"), and sometimes both ("Dance With Me Montana"). However, I find the two vocal tracks ("Elmo's Blues" and "Money Honey") to be largely throwaway, they're fun, but they don't add much, and Snyder's keybaords threaten to overwhelm on more than one track.



Still, while it's not as essential listening as the studio material surrounding its recording, this is a good record for fans of Sharrock who want to get more. For the newcomer, try "Seize the Rainbow" (if you're from a rock background) or the stunning "Ask the Ages" (if you're from a jazz one."