Live in New York (Fred McDowell album)

Recording

Producer/engineer Fred Seibert (assisted by Roy "Slim" Langbord) recorded Fred McDowell's November 1971 performance at The Gaslight Cafe in Greenwich Village for radio broadcast over Columbia University's WKCR-FM, in New York City. He hosted the station's Saturday blues show and was hometown friends with McDowell's second on the performance, bassist Tom Pomposello.

Recording was done with Shure Electronics microphones and mixers and a one-track monaural Nagra tape recorder. Editing was accomplished in one 14-hour session at WKCR using Ampex tape decks.

The last authorized retail release of the recordings were in 2000 by the almost immediately defunct Live Archive. Bassist/producer Pomposello went back to the original tapes and reedited, re-sequenced, and remastered all nine tracks from the first two editions, plus 16 bonus outtakes. Slight hints of equalization and echo were added.

Release

The album has remained available continuously from 1972 until the present. Currently, there are free, high quality MP3s of all editions at the official Oblivion Records archive blog. Digital downloads are available worldwide from iTunes, Amazon.com, and other major digital retailers. Streaming versions are on Spotify, MOG, Rdio, Rhapsody, and others. Buyers should be aware of inferior bootlegs available as of 2010 on Amazon.com from Labor Records and Tomato Records.

Release formats:

Packaging

On the original 1st pressing the cover sleeve consisted of very thick cardboard outer sleeve and the 12" vinyl record was protected with a white paper album liner. The 2nd edition pressing included a Fred McDowell discography printed on the inner sleeve.

Sleeve notes

Live session bassist and album producer Tom Pomposello wrote three different variations of the liner notes, consisting of several essays, across all officially licensed editions. Fred McDowell contributed a paragraph to the original release.

Album cover and label

The original album covers and liners were designed by producer/engineer Fred Seibert. First edition labels were designed at the Viewlex pressing plant in Hauppauge, New York; second edition labels were designed by Seibert. The cover photo was of Fred McDowell at a live festival concert; back liner photos on the second edition are by noted UK writer and photographer Val Wilmer.

Track listing

1st edition, vinyl, 1972

Side one

1. Shake 'Em on Down - 4:04 (Fred McDowell)
2. I'm Crazy About You Baby - 4:42 (Fred McDowell)
3. John Henry - 4:40 (Traditional)
4. You Got To Move (aka You Gotta Move)- 2:38 (Fred McDowell)
5. Someday - 3:52 (Sleepy John Estes - Fred McDowell)

Side two

1. Mercy - 5:25 (Fred McDowell)
2. The Lovin' Blues - 4:01 (Fred McDowell)
3. Goin' to the River (Gonna Carry My Rockin' Chair) - 5:12 (Fred McDowell)
4. Baby Please Don't Go - 3:42 (Big Joe Williams)

2nd edition, vinyl, 1973

Side one

1. Shake 'Em On Down - 4:04 (Fred McDowell)
2. I'm Crazy About You Baby - 4:42 (Fred McDowell)
3. John Henry - 4:40 (Traditional)
4. You Got To Move (aka You Gotta Move)- 2:38 (Fred McDowell) - 2:38 (Fred McDowell)
5. Someday - 3:52 (Sleepy John Estes - Fred McDowell)

Side two

1. Mercy - 5:25 (Fred McDowell)
2. The Lovin' Blues - 4:01 (Fred McDowell)
3. White Lightnin' - 5:12 (Fred McDowell)
4. Baby Please Don't Go - 3:42 (Big Joe Williams)

3rd edition, CD, 2000

Disc one

1. Shake 'Em On Down - 4:04 (Fred McDowell)
2. Fred's Worried Blues (Fred McDowell)
3. Mercy - 5:25 (Fred McDowell)
4. Jesus is on the Mainline (Traditional)
5. When the Saints Come Marchin' In (Traditional)
6. Someday Baby - 3:52 (Sleepy John Estes - Fred McDowell)
7. The Lovin' Blues - 4:01 (Fred McDowell)
8. White Lightnin' - 5:12 (Fred McDowell)
9. You Got To Move (aka You Gotta Move)- 2:38 (Fred McDowell) - 2:38 (Fred McDowell)
10. Louise
11. Baby Please Don't Go - 3:42 (Big Joe Williams)

Disc two

1. Goin’ To The River (Carry My Rocking Chair) - 5:12 (Fred McDowell)
2. Shake 'Em On Down - 4:04 (Fred McDowell)
3. 61 Highway (Fred McDowell)
4. John Henry - 4:40 (Traditional)
5. My Babe (Willie Dixon)
6. I'm Crazy About You Baby - 4:42 (Fred McDowell)
7. Red Cross Store (Fred McDowell)
8. Levee Camp Blues (Fred McDowell)
9. Good Morning, School Girl (Fred McDowell)
10. Don’t Mistreat Nobody (Cause You Got A Few Dimes) (Fred McDowell)
11. Get Right (Fred McDowell)
12. Good Night (Spoken Outro) (Fred McDowell)

Personnel