# Artists You Saw Live For The First Time Late in Their Careers



## Hiawatha (Mar 13, 2013)

Because of festivals etc, I have a lot of these, many of which I wouldn't have planned but mostly they were excellent or very good :

1980s - Donovan, Gil Scott-Heron, Lindisfarne, 10CC, Black Slate
1990s - Al Green, Tony Bennett, Bob Dylan, The Kinks, Van Morrison, Velvet Underground, Sparks, 
Jonathan Richman, Blondie, Bruce Springsteen, Renaissance, Burning Spear
2000s - Chuck Berry, Kraftwerk, Arthur Lee (of Love), Isaac Hayes. David Bowie, Solomon Burke, Shirley Bassey, Neil Young, Crosby, Stills and Nash, Willie Nelson, Neil Diamond, Martha Reeves, The Who, Stevie Wonder, Gilbert O'Sullivan, Joan Baez, Einsturzende Neubauten, Yes, Manu Chao, Brian Wilson, Todd Terry, Chic, Mavis Staples, The Ethiopiques, Archie Roach
2010s - Judy Collins, Colin Blunstone


----------



## Larkenfield (Jun 5, 2017)

Itzhak Perlman, Claudio Arrau, Alfred Brendel, Bill Evans, Miles Davis, Art Pepper, Don Ellis, Sarah Vaughn, Shelley Manne, Paul Horn, Jimmy Rowles, Geri Mulligan, Stan Kenton, mostly late in the careers. I saw Sarah Vaughan only a few months before she died. I used to see Frank Rossolino at the Lighthouse on a Monday night in Hermosa Beach but more during the middle of his career while he was actually emotionally sane. When he was in the right mood he could be one of the funniest people you ever met. He could not only play the trombone brilliantly but the euphonium.


----------



## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

Leo Kottke, Sonny Rollins, Mose Allison, Toots Thielemanns, Chico Hamilton, Les McCann, George Benson, John Scofield, Richard Thompson


----------



## Hiawatha (Mar 13, 2013)

Thank you for these two posts. As with the thread on who you would have liked to have seen live, jazz lends itself well as so many of the greats were from a slightly earlier period than rock etc. Mose Allison, Toots Thielemanns, George Benson, Miles Davis and Sarah Vaughn are among many on your lists I would have liked to have seen. Carmen McRae is another. I'd have been intrigued to see Richard Thompson.


----------



## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

Richard Thompson is still performing at the top of his game. The show I attended last year was superb! Leo Kottke was a bit of a disappointment. I guess he was having an off night. There are many I wanted to see earlier in their careers but I don't live in a busy town with a lot of concerts. I saw Sun Ra in the mid 80s and that was a great show. I also saw Gil Scott-Heron a year or two before he passed. He was okay. Not in top musical form, but in good spirits.


----------



## Manxfeeder (Oct 19, 2010)

Larkenfield said:


> Art Pepper


Back in the early '70s my college jazz band director got Art Pepper, just out of rehab, to come and be a guest artist with our band. His skin was yellow and he had that strange distended liver, but what a player. And that was just in rehearsal.

One oddity was Rouvan, a semipopular semi-opera singer, who was staging a comeback after a heart attack. His skin had a strange white pallor, and our band backed him up at a local country club. I remember that his wife was stunning. I think he passed away a week after that.

Then we got to hang out with Frank Rosolino at the musicians' union after hours in Las Vegas. He died about a month later.

I should probably add that we had other artists come through who didn't die.


----------



## Hiawatha (Mar 13, 2013)

starthrower said:


> Richard Thompson is still performing at the top of his game. The show I attended last year was superb! Leo Kottke was a bit of a disappointment. I guess he was having an off night. There are many I wanted to see earlier in their careers but I don't live in a busy town with a lot of concerts. I saw Sun Ra in the mid 80s and that was a great show. I also saw Gil Scott-Heron a year or two before he passed. He was okay. Not in top musical form, but in good spirits.


Good to hear about Richard Thompson. A pity about Leo Kottke. I almost got to see the Sun Ra Arkestra in London last month but things didn't work out. I saw the great Gil Scott-Heron twice, first in 1986 at an Anti Apartheid event on one of the London commons (good) and very many years later at Glastonbury. Then his health was already in decline although it was long before the "I'm New Here" etc. swansong (sad/disappointing). GS-H was very underrated although as he noted hip-hoppers picked up on him.


----------



## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

Pepper and Rosolino were two tragic figures. But I really like Art's playing in the 70s. I rarely listen to the early stuff.


----------



## Hiawatha (Mar 13, 2013)

Manxfeeder said:


> Back in the early '70s my college jazz band director got Art Pepper, just out of rehab, to come and be a guest artist with our band. His skin was yellow and he had that strange distended liver, but what a player. And that was just in rehearsal.
> 
> One oddity was Rouvan, a semipopular semi-opera singer, who was staging a comeback after a heart attack. His skin had a strange white pallor, and our band backed him up at a local country club. I remember that his wife was stunning. I think he passed away a week after that.
> 
> ...


Fascinating - thank you.


----------



## Larkenfield (Jun 5, 2017)

starthrower said:


> Pepper and Rosolino were two tragic figures. But I really like Art's playing in the 70s. I rarely listen to the early stuff.


The early Art Pepper: Art Pepper +11 and Smack Up. Great albums at his lyrical, swinging best. No one could play a ballad like Art.


----------



## elgar's ghost (Aug 8, 2010)

Johnny Winter - Wolverhampton, Civic Hall early 1990s. A total let-down - he seemed uninterested and played is if he had no steam left in the pipes at all. Plus he played nothing from his 70s heyday which was annoying seeing he had about eight good albums to pick from.

Paul Rodgers - Wolverhampton, Civic Hall 1993(?). Excellent gig, and not just because of the Free/Bad Co. stuff.

Ian Hunter - Dudley, Robin Hood 1993. Excellent sweaty club gig. He was already 54 years-old then.

Geno Washington - Worcester, Evolution Club (or whatever it was called then) early 2000s. Awful - the man spent most of the set singing generic blues-rock songs and the backing group had none of the chops of his 1960s Ram Jam Band.

The Cult - Birmingham Carling Academy 2006. No album to peddle, so they played all the great stuff, and played it well. Also nice to see Ian Astbury not looking or performing like an ****.

Mott the Hoople - London Hammersmith Apollo 2009. Much better than I had dared to hope, although drummer Dale Griffin was sadly too weak by then to play on anything but the encores.


----------



## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

I caught Johnny Winter in a club in 1988. He played pretty good that night. Honestly, he didn't need to play any of that old rock stuff from the 70s. He was making great records for Alligator, and he made some more good ones for the Point Blank label. I do like his first two Columbia albums, and Progressive Blues Experiment.


----------



## Hiawatha (Mar 13, 2013)

elgars ghost said:


> Johnny Winter - Wolverhampton, Civic Hall early 1990s. A total let-down - he seemed uninterested and played is if he had no steam left in the pipes at all. Plus he played nothing from his 70s heyday which was annoying seeing he had about eight good albums to pick from.
> 
> Paul Rodgers - Wolverhampton, Civic Hall 1993(?). Excellent gig, and not just because of the Free/Bad Co. stuff.
> 
> ...


Excellent post - but I bet what you list is not the first time you saw them in every case. Little matter. There was no need for me to be so narrow. Ian Hunter - obviously a huge back catalogue but I also quite liked the very commercial thing he did as late as 2012 - "When I'm President". Guess he was 73 then!


----------



## elgar's ghost (Aug 8, 2010)

Hiawatha said:


> Excellent post - _but I bet what you list is not the first time you saw them in every case_. Little matter. There was no need for me to be so narrow. Ian Hunter - obviously a huge back catalogue but I also quite liked the very commercial thing he did as late as 2012 - "When I'm President". Guess he was 73 then!


Yes it was, but I forgot the actual wording of your original question and erroneously listed Black Sabbath who I had seen before. I have since amended my post.


----------



## elgar's ghost (Aug 8, 2010)

starthrower said:


> I caught Johnny Winter in a club in 1988. He played pretty good that night. Honestly, he didn't need to play any of that old rock stuff from the 70s. He was making great records for Alligator, and he made some more good ones for the Point Blank label. I do like his first two Columbia albums, and Progressive Blues Experiment.


Well, judging by the muted audience reaction throughout I can only guess that either most weren't there exclusively for Winter's later stuff or that he was simply on autopilot. I went with three blokes who had seen Winter before and they were equally disappointed. OK, Winter's body may have begun to feel the pace by then but for me the gig just didn't ignite.


----------



## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

He was very erratic due to the abuse of his health. One time in the late 70s he was here to perform and they had to call off the show after the house was full because Johnny was wrecked and couldn't perform.


----------



## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

Nana Mouskouri. 

When my wife grew up in Shanghai, she was one of the few Western artists whose songs were allowed to be played on the radio. When she gave a concert in the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam on her farewell tour, I decided to surprise my wife and bought two tickets.


----------



## Manxfeeder (Oct 19, 2010)

I saw Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings in Nashville. She passed away from cancer the next year. I have a knack for seeing performers before their untimely ends.


----------



## elgar's ghost (Aug 8, 2010)

Manxfeeder said:


> I saw Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings in Nashville. She passed away from cancer the next year. I have a knack for seeing performers before their untimely ends.


I remember the group being featuredon the _Later... with Jools Holland_ programme here in the UK over a decade ago. I'd never heard of them but on the strength of their performance I bought the _Naturally_ album. As far as contemporary black music went it was like a current of pure retro-sounding air as opposed to the seemingly unavoidable stagnant miasma of push-button rap and 'r 'n' b'. Sharon had a fine voice and her band had more than sufficient chops. It was a real shame that we lost her.


----------



## Hiawatha (Mar 13, 2013)

Manxfeeder said:


> I saw Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings in Nashville. She passed away from cancer the next year. I have a knack for seeing performers before their untimely ends.





elgars ghost said:


> I remember the group being featuredon the _Later... with Jools Holland_ programme here in the UK over a decade ago. I'd never heard of them but on the strength of their performance I bought the _Naturally_ album. As far as contemporary black music went it was like a current of pure retro-sounding air as opposed to the seemingly unavoidable stagnant miasma of push-button rap and 'r 'n' b'. Sharon had a fine voice and her band had more than sufficient chops. It was a real shame that we lost her.


Oh yes - wonderful - I'm very keen on the artists on Daptone.

Sadly, we have also lost Charles Bradley now.

For authentic living soul - see, among others, Lee Fields and the amazing Ural Thomas. I saw the latter, 80, live in London this year and he was every bit as convincing as in the clips. It was almost unreal.


















Art Rock said:


> Nana Mouskouri.
> 
> When my wife grew up in Shanghai, she was one of the few Western artists whose songs were allowed to be played on the radio. When she gave a concert in the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam on her farewell tour, I decided to surprise my wife and bought two tickets.


That's very interesting to me.

Thank you for it.


----------



## NLAdriaan (Feb 6, 2019)

Vladimir Horowitz, Leonard Bernstein (Mahler 1,4 and 9) and Sviatoslav Richter (2x) in the 1980's-90's in the Concertgebouw, Amsterdam
Pierre Boulez in Amsterdam, Mahler 7
Sergiu Celibidache conducting Bruckner in Amsterdam and Munich in the 90's

Count Basie, Art Blakey, Oscar Peterson, Niels Henning Oersted Pedersen, Dizzy Gillespie, Clark Terry, Ray Brown. Joe Pass, Louie Bellson at various North Sea Jazz Festivals in 80's-90's. 

Joe Zawinul in 90's in Amsterdam

Miles Davis in Nice (France) in the summer of 1991 



Very sorry to have missed:

Carlos Kleiber for his second concert in Amsterdam in the 80's (I had tickets, but he cancelled)

Jaco Pastorius and Weather Report (1978 tour, could have done it, but got to know their live album of this tour) 
Joni Mitchell
Frank Zappa


----------



## Manxfeeder (Oct 19, 2010)

elgars ghost said:


> I remember the group being featuredon the _Later... with Jools Holland_ programme here in the UK over a decade ago.


I was introduced to the Dap Kings through a friend in the UK. Apparently all of you across the pond have a healthy appreciation for R&B. :tiphat:

I told my office that if the Dap Kings ever needed to replace their baritone sax player, I was dropping everything and joining up. I guess it's my good fortune that I kept my 9 to 5.


----------



## Manxfeeder (Oct 19, 2010)

NLAdriaan said:


> Jaco Pastorius and Weather Report (1978 tour, could have done it, but got to know their live album of this tour)


I stumbled on Jaco with the Weather Report at the Playboy Jazz Festival around that time (a female friend wanted to see Joni Mitchell and didn't know any jazz fans, so she took me, even paying my way). Of all the acts there, Jaco stood out. He was dressed like a Hari Krishna, which made him stand out immediately, but then they let him loose by himself. He looped a couple accompaniment tracks, then danced like a maniac, but picked up his bass and played it like he didn't realize it was just a bass. I replay that moment in my head many times.

Of course, seeing Hugh Hefner enter with his stellar accompaniment of Bunnies was also memorable. I've never seen so many flawless women.

You also mentioned Count Basie. I always loved seeing his band live. They were so cool, hardly showing any emotion, but they defined what it means to swing. They would come to Disneyland to play in the pavilion, so we were five feet from the bandstand. And their African-American fan base would be right there, interacting with them like they were in church; every little nuance would bring an immediate response. If I had a time machine, that's something I would like to revisit.


----------



## Merl (Jul 28, 2016)

elgars ghost said:


> Johnny Winter - Wolverhampton, Civic Hall early 1990s. A total let-down - he seemed uninterested and played is if he had no steam left in the pipes at all. Plus he played nothing from his 70s heyday which was annoying seeing he had about eight good albums to pick from.
> 
> Paul Rodgers - Wolverhampton, Civic Hall 1993(?). Excellent gig, and not just because of the Free/Bad Co. stuff.
> 
> ...


Like you, EG, I saw Hunter on the Rant tour at the Bierkeller in Manchester and he was absolutely brilliant. Small place with great atmosphere and a setlist to die for. Also, like you, I saw Johnny Winter later in the 80s and he wasnt bad but hardly played any old stuff and as a fan o his 70s output such as And Live, Captured Live and the wonderful Still Alive and Well albums was a bit miffed that he neglected all of the material from these albums in favour of some dubious and boring blues covers and tracks from that period (which arent too good). I screeched out 'Cheap Tequila" at one point and he just said "no way" and then twanged out some godawful John Lee Hooker cover. His playing was also a bit ropey on the night. A few years ago i went to see Suede live (missed them in their 90s prime) and thet were utterly amazing. One of my top 5 gigs ever. Saw Slade bak in the 80s on their revival tour and they blew me away. Loud as hell and an amazing setlist. Golden Earring were also one i waited all my adilt life to see after they hadnt toured the uk in 30+ years. Drove all the way down to Ipswich on a weeknight circa 2008 to be thoroughly entertained for 2 hours by a band that were much better live than in the studio.


----------



## elgar's ghost (Aug 8, 2010)

^
^

I forgot to list Slade - good choice! I didn't go there specifically to see them but at the Donnington Park festival in 1981 on a thoroughly miserable and drizzly day they totally tore the place up. All the straw that had been put down beforehand in an attempt to dry the grass out was going up in the air like an out-of-control barn dance. The more cerebral Blue Öyster Cult (one of the bands who I HAD gone specifically to see) had to follow them and they didn't stand a chance. Slade had returned to the charts with _We'll Bring the House Down_ earlier that year - an autobiographical title if ever there was one!

Isn't reminiscing great? :lol:


----------



## Merl (Jul 28, 2016)

Slade were one of the most underrated bands ever. They had an amazing singer (Noddy's voice was incredible) and good rhythm section (although Dave Hill was an average guitarist) and a pair of songwriters in Jim Lea and Noddy Holder who wrote genius pop/rock songs. Listen to songs like Far Far Away, In for a Penny and the sublime How Does it Feel and tell me anyone in the 70s could pen a tune any better. When they played How Does it Feel at Manchester Poly back in the 80s the crowd went nuts and sang every word. I still remember it like yesterday. Everyday was sung acapello with the audience and just Don giving us a simple hi-hat rhythm. Noddy was amazed. Funnily enough he used to have a slot on Manchester Rock radio some years back and he mentioned that gig. He said it was one of the best theyd ever had. I saw Gary Glitter the week after but the less said about that the better (although he was surprisingly good i dare to say). I also saw the Mud late in their careers at a holiday camp 70s revival show back in the 80s. They were on with Sweet and the Rubettes. Id already seen Sweet a few years earlier around the Love os Like Oxygen time and Connoly was a drunken mess on stage, slurring his words and forgetting lyrics. When i saw Sweet minus the dead Connoly they were better but still poor and were blown off stage by a fantastic set from Mud who were surprisingly heavy live. The Cat Crept in was a particular highlight of their set.


----------



## Templeton (Dec 20, 2014)

Muddy Waters, 'supporting' Eric Clapton at the Manchester Apollo in 1979/80. Was there for Clapton and didn't really know much about MW, at the time. Absolutely blew me and the rest of the audience away, fantastic performance.


----------



## Merl (Jul 28, 2016)

Saw Steve Harley and Cockney Rebel in the late 80s and they were quite good live. Did a great version of Best Years of our Lives.


----------



## NLAdriaan (Feb 6, 2019)

Manxfeeder said:


> I stumbled on Jaco with the Weather Report at the Playboy Jazz Festival around that time (a female friend wanted to see Joni Mitchell and didn't know any jazz fans, so she took me, even paying my way). Of all the acts there, Jaco stood out. He was dressed like a Hari Krishna, which made him stand out immediately, but then they let him loose by himself. He looped a couple accompaniment tracks, then danced like a maniac, but picked up his bass and played it like he didn't realize it was just a bass. I replay that moment in my head many times.
> 
> Of course, seeing Hugh Hefner enter with his stellar accompaniment of Bunnies was also memorable. I've never seen so many flawless women.
> 
> You also mentioned Count Basie. I always loved seeing his band live. They were so cool, hardly showing any emotion, but they defined what it means to swing. They would come to Disneyland to play in the pavilion, so we were five feet from the bandstand. And their African-American fan base would be right there, interacting with them like they were in church; every little nuance would bring an immediate response. If I had a time machine, that's something I would like to revisit.


Great memories! Nothing beats a live concert, let alone a concert you still remember after 40 years!

Jaco Pastorius was indeed a genius in every aspect in those days. Part of your concert experience may be reflected in this video:




If there was a time machine, I would like to travel to this concert


----------



## PlaySalieri (Jun 3, 2012)

Pollini - 3 years ago at Royal Fest Hall playing Beethoven.

Not a perf I want to remember.

oops sorry - forgot this is non classical section

sorry


----------

