Last Great Concert

Personnel: Solomon Burke (vocals); Sam Mayfield (guitar); Simona Mana (violin); Rafalella Stirpe (viola); Carle Vickers (soprano saxophone, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone); Daniel Hoffman (baritone saxophone); Alan DeVille (trumpet); Rudy Copeland (Hammond b-3 organ); Keith Hollis Ladinski (keyboards); Mandale McGhee (drums); Candy Burke, Sophia Burke Perez (background vocals).
Liner Note Authors: Charmin Larman; James Austin.
Recording information: Switzerland (2008).
Solomon Burke, the so-called King of Rock & Soul, was exactly that, a king in concert. He wove strands of country, soul, rock & roll, and horn-laced jazz and funk with the fire and joy of a gospel revival meeting, and his message, to love each other, blurred the lines between sacred and secular into meaninglessness. This powerful two-disc set captures a concert Burke gave in Lugano, Switzerland in 2008, two years before his death. Fronting a 14-piece band complete with brass and strings, Burke is commanding and brilliant, pulling out the country-soul on "That's How I Got to Memphis" and "Georgia on My Mind" and the secular gospel on "A Change Is Gonna Come" and "What a Wonderful World," before bringing the house down with a rousing, onrushing revival tent crescendo on "Everybody Needs Somebody to Love." Burke could testify. This explosive live show leaves no doubt of that. ~ Steve Leggett