Al_Kooper

Finally, fans have a career semi-retrospective, complete with some incredible unreleased material, from Al Kooper, who may well be the most underrated musician/producer/band leader in rock and roll history.

Most followers know that Kooper hit the public eye when he snuck into Bob Dylan’s 1965 studio session and composed, on the spot and under pressure, the classic signature organ line for “Like a Rolling Stone.” However, as this superb set, handpicked by Kooper, readily shows, he had an interesting affect on popular music before that, and a significant part in what came later, including the original “Super Session,” with Michael Bloomfield and Stephen Stills; introducing the teen guitar phenom Shuggie Otis to wider acceptance; starting the original Blood, Sweat & Tears, thereby introducing big band horns to rock and roll, and later having a wide ranging solo and production career.

The “Rare” portion of this release is the real mind-blower, including cuts like an updated version of “I Can’t Quit Her,” the blues workout “Baby, Please Don’t Go,” a wild cover of XTC’s “Making Plans for Nigel,” and a big band, instrumental version of “Hey Jude” that virtually proves Kooper can, and has, mastered just about every musical genre out there.

The “Well Done” spotlights his work with Michael Bloomfield, with “Albert’s Shuffle” from the “Super Session” project; with Shuggie Otis, showcasing “Bury My Body,” from the “Kooper Session,” project, and significant portions of his vastly underrated and virtually impossible to find solo work, including “New York City (You’re a Woman)” and “I Stand Alone.”

Through his amazing career, Kooper has presented his, and other people’s music, from a higher perspective than what was “top of the charts” popular or hip at the time. In that way, he has, for those who have listened, opened our ears to the many splendid parts that have become the whole of our rock and roll. Finally, in this project, much of it has been pulled together in one place. Buy it, listen and find out what you have been missing, as well as what you’ve heard.