Otis Redding, Live In London & Paris
Otis wrings every last drop of soul and sweat from these classic sets.
"We got to take the easy way out," sang Otis Redding in his delightfully garbled version of "Day Tripper," but taking the easy way out was never an option for Stax's greatest singer. Whether ripping it up on the chitlin 'circuit or in front of the "love crowd" at the Monterey Pop Festival, Otis always worked extremely hard, wringing every last drop of soul from his material and every last bead of sweat from his ecstatic audiences. His passion, playfulness and commitment to music and entertainment come through loud and clear on this exhilarating 19-song package, which contains two complete shows recorded during the Stax/Volt Revue's European tour of March 1967. The London show, recorded March 17 at the Finsbury Park Astoria, absolutely smokes, with Otis and his hybrid MGs/Mar-Keys backing band barely stopping for breath as they burn through seven songs — including Otis's classic reworking of "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction." But it's really just the appetizer for the soulful feast that is the ten-song Paris set; recorded only four days later at the Olympia Theatre, the show is a stunning example of just how gloriously deep and dynamic Otis could get whenever he added ballads like "I've Been Loving You Too Long" and "These Arms of Mine" to the set list.
