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Jun 23, 2023 Web Exclusive By Frank Valish

By August of 1971, Stephen Stills was already a star, having released a full catalog of albums with Buffalo Springfield, a marvelous debut with Crosby, Stills, and Nash (and another adding Young), and two of his own solo albums.

Live at Berkeley 1971 finds Stills on his first solo tour, and this set shows both the strength and variety of his own material. Made up largely of songs from his solo albums, 1970’s Stephen Stills and its follow up, 2, which was released two months prior to the August shows that contribute to this set, Live at Berkeley is split into two parts. The first half features Stills in folk troubadour mode with acoustic guitar, singing songs like “Love the One You’re With,” “Do for the Others,” and “Word Game.” Two highlights are his duets with former bandmate David Crosby on “You Don’t Have to Cry” and “The Lee Shore,” which remind of the historic harmonizing the pair shared in CSN.

The second half finds Stills at his more bluesy, starting with “Black Queen” and then incorporating soul with “Bluebird Revisited” and “Lean on Me.” The set ends with an epic, extended, horn-filled version of “Cherokee” from his debut solo album and “Ecology Song” from 2. In total, it’s a wonderful summation of where Stills was in 1971 and the depth and breadth of his talent onstage. (www.stephenstills.com) (www.omnivorerecordings.com)

Author rating: 7/10