Happy Birthday, George

Thanks to Karl at World Wide Webers for reminding me - George Harrison was born today. Post-Beatles, I found him the most engaging, talented, and solid of them all. His later albums are good - his very last one I reviewed like this when it came out

Brainwashed I always liked George best, and this album is probably the best one, certainly the best one since "All Things Must Pass". It's pure George, the man who couldn't tell the difference between a hit song and a metaphysical speculation. Marwa Blues showcases his guitar playing, and his voice rarely sounded better than it does on Any Road and I'll Never Get Over You. And he and Dhani chanting the Naamah Parvati at the end of the album -- the perfect way to say 'goodbye, George...'

Then there's Concert for George

A wonderful set of some of George's best songs, performed by some marvellous musicians (Tom Petty, Eric Clapton, Ringo Starr, Jeff Lynne, Paul McCartney, Gary Brooker, Joe Brown, Billy Preston), plus a cd of Ravi Shankar's other daughter, Anoushka, playing a sitar solo, accompanying Jeff Lynne on The Inner Light, and a mixed Indian/Western orchestra in a long piece he wrote for George's memory. If you loved George, you'll love this cd.

and I reviewed the DVD

"Concert for George" - the cd's good, the dvd's better. You get the theatrical release, the complete concert, uncut, and a lot of interviews and rehearsal footage. The concert itself is wonderful, beginning with Ravi Shankar's (other) daughter, Anoushka, playing a sitar solo and accompanying Jeff Lynne on The Inner Light, and then conducting a mixed Indian/Western orchestra in a long piece Ravi wrote for George's memory. Then a 22-song set of some of George's best songs (also a Traveling Wilburys number, a Carl Perkins number, and a ukelele version of a lovely old standard), performed by some marvellous musicians (Tom Petty, Eric Clapton, Ringo Starr, Jeff Lynne, Paul McCartney, Gary Brooker, Joe Brown, Billy Preston) - and with the dvd you get to see them. Ringo's wonderful, at the mike or on the drums. Plus, you get Jools Brown's number, cut from the cd for some reason. Also, you get the talking, by Eric, by Ravi, by the others, which means now you can hear Olivia's observation on seeing Dhani on stage with the others. And you get to see it, so now you'll know (if all you have is the cd) just why the audience clapped and cheered in the middle of I'll See You In My Dreams... plus you get a lot of backstage stuff, and a lot of interviews (the musicians, Dhani and Olivia, producers, Pythons (yes ... two Python numbers not on the cd ...) If you loved George, you'll love these dvds.

I miss him.