What The Hell Happened To Blood, Sweat & Tears?- Original Soundtrack
Omnivore, 2023
8/10
Listen to What The Hell Happened To Blood, Sweat & Tears?- Original Soundtrack
The American jazz rockers Blood, Sweat & Tears were certainly one of the best bands during their heyday, and here we’re treated to ten previously unissued live recordings from 1970 recorded in Yugoslavia, Romania, and Poland.
“Something’s Coming On” begins the listen with frisky bass, moody organ and punchy drumming amid David Clayton Thomas’ distinct vocals in the busy jazz rocker, and “God Bless The Child” follows with Lew Soloff and Chuck Winfield’s well timed trumpets alongside the ebbs of intimacy that bursts into a snappy, animated fury towards the end.
In the middle, the first live performance of “Hi-De-Ho” arrives, and showcases a powerful, nearly gospel flavored landscape that benefits from Steve Katz’s eloquent harmonica, while “And When I Die” is a playful and rhythmic set highlight that thumps and shakes with Bobby Colomby’s lively drumming.
The last 2 tracks are also great, and include the soft, romantic “You’ve Made Me So Very Happy”, that’s populated by Fred Lipsius’ agile sax and bursts of chunky bass from Jim Fielder, and “I Can’t Quit Her” exits with a gritty and raw display of emotive and tunefully rugged song craft.
The songs here serve as a soundtrack to a documentary of the same name. Blood, Sweat & Tears were the first American rock band to perform behind the Iron Curtain, and this collection of tunes from that time captures the band at their best, performing some of their biggest hits and new songs that would become classics, too.
Travels well with: Stephen Stills- Live At Berkeley 1971; Jackson Browne- Downhill From Everywhere