The Last Waltz

by The Band

Overview

As a film, The Last Waltz was a triumph -- one of the first (and still one of the few) rock concert documentaries that was directed by a filmmaker who understood both the look and the sound of rock & roll, and executed with enough technical craft to capture all the nooks and crannies of a great live show. But as an album, The Last Waltz soundtrack had to compete with the Band's earlier live album, Rock of Ages, with which it bears a certain superficial resemblance -- both found the group trying to create something grander than the standard-issue live double, and both featured the group beefed up by additional musicians. While Rock of Ages found the Band swinging along with the help of a horn section arranged by Allen Toussaint, The Last Waltz boasts a horn section (using Toussaint's earlier arrangements on a few cuts) and more than a baker's dozen guest stars, ranging from old cohorts Ronnie Hawkins and Bob Dylan to contemporaries Joni Mitchell, Neil Young, and Van Morrison. The Band are in fine if not exceptional form here; on most cuts, they don't sound quite as fiery as they did on Rock of Ages, though their performances are never less than expert, and the high points are dazzling, especially an impassioned version of "It Makes No Difference" and blazing readings of "Up on Cripple Creek" and "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down" (Levon Helm has made no secret that he felt breaking up the Band was a bad idea, and here it sounds if he was determined to prove how much they still had to offer). Ultimately, it's the Band's "special guests" who really make this set stand out -- Muddy Waters' ferocious version of "Mannish Boy" would have been a wonder from a man half his age, Van Morrison sounds positively joyous on "Caravan," Neil Young and Joni Mitchell do well for their Canadian brethren, and Bob Dylan's closing set finds him in admirably loose and rollicking form. (One question remains -- what exactly is Neil Diamond doing here?) And while the closing studio-recorded "Last Waltz Suite" sounds like padding, the contributions from Emmylou Harris and the Staple Singers are beautiful indeed. It could be argued that you're better off watching The Last Waltz on video than listening to it on CD, but either way it's a show well worth checking out. ~ Mark Deming

Product Details

Release Date:	10/06/2023
Label:	Rhino
UPC:	0603497832606
Rank:	4320

Album Credits

Performance Credits

The Band   Primary Artist
Neil Diamond   Primary Artist,Guitar,Vocals,Featured Artist,Vocals (Background)
Paul Butterfield   Primary Artist,Vocals,Harmonica,Featured Artist,Guitar (Electric),Vocals (Background)
Ronnie Hawkins   Primary Artist,Guest Artist,Vocals,Featured Artist,Vocals (Background)
Bob Dylan   Primary Artist,Guest Artist,Guitar,Vocals,Featured Artist
Eric Clapton   Primary Artist,Guest Artist,Guitar,Vocals,Soloist,Featured Artist,Vocals (Background)
The Staples   Primary Artist,Featured Artist
Van Morrison   Primary Artist,Guest Artist,Vocals,Featured Artist,Vocals (Background)
Muddy Waters   Primary Artist,Guest Artist,Vocals,Featured Artist
Emmylou Harris   Primary Artist,Vocals,Featured Artist,Guitar (Acoustic)
Dr. John   Primary Artist,Guest Artist,Piano,Congas,Guitar,Vocals,Featured Artist,Vocals (Background)
Neil Young   Primary Artist,Guest Artist,Vocals (Background),Vocals,Harmonica,Featured Artist,Guitar (Acoustic)
Bobby Charles   Primary Artist,Vocals,Featured Artist,Vocals (Background)
Joni Mitchell   Primary Artist,Guest Artist,Vocals,Featured Artist,Guitar (Acoustic),Vocals (Background)
The Orchestra   Primary Artist
Ringo Starr   Guest Artist,Drums
Robbie Robertson   Piano,Guitar,Vocals,Soloist,Harp Guitar
Rich Cooper   Trumpet,Flugelhorn
Larry Packer   Violin (Electric)
Mavis Staples   Vocals
Dennis St. John   Drums
Tom "Bones" Malone   Trombone,Euphonium,Flute (Alto),Trombone (Bass)
Joe Perkins   Piano
Garth Hudson   Horn,Organ,Piano,Soloist,Trumpet,Accordion,Keyboards,Saxophone,Pipe Organ,Synthesizer,Sax (Soprano)
John Simon   Piano,Piano,Musical Director
Howard Johnson   Tuba,Flugelhorn,Sax (Baritone),Clarinet (Bass)
Rick Danko   Bass,Violin,Vocals,Vocals (Background),Standup Electric Bass
Ron Wood   Guitar,Soloist
Bob Margolin   Guitar
Richard Manuel   Dobro,Drums,Organ,Piano,Vocals,Keyboards,Vocals (Background)
Jim Gordon   Flute,Clarinet,Sax (Tenor)
Jerry Hay   Trumpet,Flugelhorn
Levon Helm   Drums,Vocals,Mandolin
Roebuck "Pops" Staples   Guitar,Vocals
Charlie Keagle   Flute,Clarinet,Sax (Alto),Sax (Tenor),Sax (Soprano)

Technical Credits

Mac Rebennack   Composer
Johnnie Wright   Composer
Sam Phillips   Composer,Composer
Joni Mitchell   Composer
Jeremy Zatkin   Mixing Engineer
Robbie Robertson   Composer,Engineer,Lyricist,Producer,Remixing,Remastering,Remix Producer
Patrick Milligan   Project Coordinator
Terry Becker   Engineer
Andy Bloch   Engineer
The Band   Producer
Bo Diddley   Composer
Bob Dylan   Composer
Bobby Charles   Composer,Lyricist
Baker Bigsby   Mixing Engineer
Jack Anglin   Composer
McKinley Morganfield   Composer
Joel Bernstein   Equipment Manager
Rev. Gary Davis   Composer
Stuart Taylor   Engineer
Junior Parker   Composer
Brenda Payton   Composer
Dennis Mays   Engineer
Tim Kramer   Engineer
Muddy Waters   Composer
Bradley Hartman   Engineer
Elliot Mazer   Engineer
Joe Veasey   Composer
Garth Hudson   Horn Arrangements
Ellas McDaniel   Composer
Greg Allen   Reissue Design,Reissue Art Director
Don Robey   Composer
Dr. John   Composer
James Royce Shannon   Composer
Howard Rosenberg   Photography
Robert Full   Photography
Taylor Phelps   Road Manager
Barry Imhoff   Logistics,Coordination
Bill Graham   Concert Producer
Patrick McDougal   Editing,Engineer
John Simon   Arranger,Engineer,Producer,Producer,Horn Arrangements,String Arrangements
Rock Brynner   Road Manager
Tony Bustos   Mixing Engineer
Neil Brody   Engineer
Dan Latham   Assistant Engineer
Annie Leibovitz   Photography
Neal Preston   Photography
Jared Levine   Project Coordinator
Paul Sandweiss   Engineer
Ed Thrasher   Art Direction
Howard Johnson   Horn Arrangements
Jim Anglin   Composer
Rick Danko   Composer
Van Morrison   Composer
Ray Thompson   Engineer
Neil Young   Composer
Terrance Davis   Audio Restoration
Rick Ash   Assistant Engineer
Ed Anderson   Engineer,Mixing Engineer
Wray Smallwood   Engineer
Ava Megna   Production Liason
Cliff Crumpler   Equipment Manager
Jerry Caskey   Equipment Manager
Jerry Stroud   Engineer
The Orchestra   Performer
Ken Regan   Photography
Melvin London   Composer
Tom Malone   Horn Arrangements
Gary Davis   Composer
Tom "Bones" Malone   Horn Arrangements
Dan Gellert   Mixing Engineer
Dave Dysart   Technical Coordinator
Donivan Cowart   Engineer
David Fricke   Liner Notes
Steve Hall   Mastering
Joe Medwick   Composer
Levon Helm   Composer
Rob Fraboni   Producer
Lincoln Chase   Composer
Neil Diamond   Composer
Maurice Coates   Composer
Mel London   Composer
Allen Toussaint   Horn Arrangements
Henry Glover   Horn Arrangements
Herman Parker Jr.   Composer
Joe Vesey   Composer
Sandy Castle   Road Manager
Wayne Neuendorf   Engineer
Larry Samuels   Executive Producer
Bill Spears   Equipment Manager