I've got a kind of odd relationship with the Band. I respect them and think they're incredibly talented, but I just don't care all that much for their first two albums, Music from Big Pink and The Band, both widely acknowledged masterpieces. I don't own any of their other studio works, and since I don't like their best ones, I'm in no hurry to.
I am, however, crazy about The Last Waltz, Martin Scorsese's documentary about their last concert. I've heard all the complaints - too much Robbie Robertson, it was pure luck that they got any Muddy Waters, what's Neil Diamond doing there - and it doesn't matter to me. There's some incredible performances - Van Morrison's "Caravan" may be my favorite, but not by much - and as a snapshot of a dying scene, it's worth its weight in gold. The 4-CD box set rules, too.
One thing that does trouble me about it, though, is the lack of concert footage of Richard Manuel. The Band's pianist and second drummer, his voice may have been the best of the three vocalists - soulful and haunted, whether it was a fast or slow number.
Fortunately, the Band appeared on Saturday Night Live a month before the Last Waltz, and Manuel performed "Georgia On My Mind." Here it is. Prepare to be blown away.
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