What's stranger than a bunch of black guys playing heavy metal? How about a bunch of white guys from Scotland playing some of the funkiest R&B soul you have ever heard. Average White Band are those guys. Not only does their second album AWB, from 1974, debut one of the greatest band logos of all time, see above, but that album is one of the finest R&B masterpieces you can buy. They went on to release a few more nearly impressive albums throughout the 1970's until eventually sliding into creative mediocrity in the 80's and 90's.
Live at Montreux features the Average White Band's first and only appearance at the famous Montreux Jazz Festival on July 10th, 1977, and shows them at their performing peak. The video quality looks every bit the 70's vintage that it is, but the audio has been brilliantly remastered for surround sound. Joining the six core members of Alan Gorrie (bass/vocals), Onnie McIntire (guitar/vocals), Hamish Stuart (guitar), Roger Ball (alto sax/keyboards), Molly Duncan (tenor sax) and Steve Ferrone (drums) onstage was Sammy Figueroa adding some muscular conga work to the mix. Ferrone, who ironically is black, had recently replaced the band's dazzling original drummer Robbie McIntosh, who died of a heroin overdose just before the recording of their third album Cut The Cake.
After the standard introduction from the festival director Claude Nobs, the band boldly kicks things off with their most well know song, the instrumental funk masterpiece "Pick Up The Pieces". This led right into their muscular take on the Isley Brothers' classic "Work To Do" which they include on their seminal second album. The interplay between Ferrone and Figueroa on this song was a highlight of the show and cemented their status as two of the best percussionists in the business.
After slowing things down a little with the haunting "A Love Of Your Own" from 1976's Soul Searching album, they delve right back into the AWB album with the Tower Of Power-influenced "Person To Person" followed by one of their finest non-instrumental songs "Got The Love". "Sweet And Sour", which sounded like an attempt to recapture the magic of "Pick Up The Pieces", was a brand new song that would later appear on their 1978 release Warmer Communications. After an outstanding run through of "Cut The Cake", where everyone gets to shine with a little solo spot, they close the show with their unique take on the Marvin Gaye classic "I Heard It Through The Grape Vine". Here they take you on a warm extended groove that overflows with improvisation, soul-drenched vocals, and compelling musicianship.
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