THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “In 1971, Stephen Stills embarked on a U.S. tour, opening each show with an intimate acoustic set, and closing with a riveting electric set featuring The Memphis Horns.
The previously unreleased recordings on this album took place over two nights at the Berkeley Community Theater, with David Crosby joining him on vocals and guitar for You Don’t Have To Cry and The Lee Shore. These recordings find Stills at peak performance in both vocal delivery and musicianship, effortlessly incorporating alternate instrumentation on his instantly recognizable tracks, including a seamless medley of 49 Bye Byes and For What It’s Worth unexpectedly played on piano.
Hand-picked by Stills from his personal archives, this album captures timeless and era defining performances. Fans who were lucky enough to catch his historic debut trek, dubbed The Memphis Horns Tour, were treated to the balladeer, the raving troubadour, the acoustic bluesman, the soul driver, and by far the most passionate music maker. Backed by a loyal cast of friends, including his usual steady rhythm section — drummer Dallas Taylor and bassist Calvin “Fuzzy” Samuels — along with keyboardist Paul Harris, guitarist Steve Fromholz, and percussionist Joe Lala, these Northern California shows were one of the most unique and intimate stops on the tour
This album, rather than being an artifact from a bygone era, sparkles and stimulates. It cajoles you into thinking, feeling and — most importantly — moving. Stephen Stills Live At Berkeley 1971 is a cornucopia of priceless sound — and all of it bears the distinct and loving fingerprint of its creator.”
