In Memory of Elizabeth Reed

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

"In Memory of Elizabeth Reed (Live)"

Song by The Allman Brothers Band
from the album At Fillmore East
Released	July 1971
Recorded	March 12–March 13, 1971, Fillmore East, New York City
Genre	Jazz Fusion Instrumental Rock
Length	13:04
Label	Capricorn Records
Writer(s)	Dickey Betts
Producer(s)	Tom Dowd
At Fillmore East track listing
Hot' Lanta (5)	"In Memory of Elizabeth Reed (Live)" (6)	Whipping Post (7)

"In Memory of Elizabeth Reed" is the fourth song on 1970 album Idlewild South by The Allman Brothers Band. It is an instrumental song written by guitarist Dickey Betts, the first of several Allmans instrumentals to be written by him. The song holds the distinction of being the first original instrumental song written by a member of the band.^[1]

The song is named after a headstone Betts saw at the Rose Hill Cemetery in Macon, Georgia. Coincidentally, both Duane Allman and Berry Oakley are buried in the same cemetery as Elizabeth Reed.^[1]

It has appeared on numerous Allman Brothers live albums, most notably At Fillmore East, which many fans and critics believe is the definitive rendition. The live version in the At Fillmore East album actually consists of two parts. Producer Tom Dowd took portions from both nights and edited them into this version. Some parts of the keyboard solo are the same as the one on the album and the drum duet is exactly the same. Different guitars were used on different takes.

The song follows a song pattern similar with other Allman songs. Much like Mountain Jam, it first follows a standard rhythmic part, then a guitar solo followed by a keyboard solo and then another guitar solo. The addition of a drum duet is always the last while a bass solo is occasionally added in the end. Another song that follows a similar pattern is Revival and Hot' Lanta.

This song also features the unique style of drumming for the Allman Brothers. For this song, Butch Trucks plays a "rhythm"-like pattern(usually in 4/4 time, a ride cymbal and a snare is used), while Jaimoe plays "lead"-like jazz drumming as seen here. The drumming also follows the instrument played during a solo. For example, when the keyboard solo is played by Gregg, the drumming is usually lighter, while during guitar solos, the drumming would usually employ more cymbals

In this performance, Betts opens the song with ethereal volume swells on his guitar, giving the impression of violins. Slowly the evocative, lilting first theme begins to emerge, and Duane Allman's guitar joins Betts in a dual lead. The next section has the tempo pick up to a Santana-like, quasi-Latin beat, with a strong second-theme melody being driven by unison playing.

Betts now takes a solo, featuring his usual metallic-toned guitar playing. This leads into a thoughtful organ solo from Gregg Allman, with the two guitars churning rhythm figures in the background.

Now it is Duane Allman's turn, and he starts out quietly rephrasing the first theme in his more wood-toned guitar style. He then gradually builds to a high-pitched climax, with Berry Oakley's bass guitar playing a powerful counterpoint lead underneath him against the band's trademark percussive backing. Allman cools off into a reverie, then starts up again, finding an even more furious peak. It was this long, masterful solo that drew comparisons of Duane to jazz immortal John Coltrane. Duane uses one of his standard "licks" here, a quick three-note lick.

Spent, the band drops off and a relatively brief but to-the-point percussion break is taken by Butch Trucks and Jai Johanny Johanson. The full band then enters to recap the mid-tempo second theme, and the song is smartly finished off. Clearly kept in rapt attention, a couple of silent beats pass before the Fillmore audience erupts in applause.