Jefferson Starship - Live from The Park NYC (2-CD) 1976 ak320

Jefferson Starship - Live from The Park NYC (2-CD) 1976 ak320

The police say you guys in the trees are causing problems…you can either jump out or they’ll…do something!” So went one of the colorful and increasingly adamant stage announcements about tree-dwelling audience members made throughout the near-entirety of Jefferson Starship’s free concert at New York City’s Central Park on May 12, 1975. The eight-strong band line-up of Paul Kantner, Grace Slick, Marty Balin, Craig Chaquico, Papa John Creach, John Barbata, David Freiberg and Pete Sears was in a period of transition, on the cusp of what would become the group’s most successful record: Red Octopus. Now, this spirited performance can be revisited on Real Gone Music’s 2-CD set Live in Central Park NYC May 12, 1975 (RGM-0183).

Red Octopus arrived in stores almost one month to the day after the Central Park concert, on June 13, 1975, and three songs would be previewed from that set: the AM-ready “Play on Love,” the rocking “Sweeter Than Honey,” and the forceful opening cut, “Fast Buck Freddie.” Ironically, the song which propelled Jefferson Starship to the stratosphere, Marty Balin’s “Miracles,” was not in the set list at Central Park.

mp3 320ak

Tracklist

01 Intro - Ride The Tiger.mp3
02 Somebody To Love.mp3
03 Cruisin'.mp3
04 Fast Buck Freddie.mp3
05 Have You Seen The Saucers.mp3
06 Rain Break.mp3
07 Big City.mp3
08 Play On Love.mp3
09 With Your Love.mp3
10 Talk - Tuning.mp3
11 St Charles.mp3

Disk 2

12 Hot Water.mp3
13 Talk - Tuning.mp3
14 That's For Sure.mp3
15 Talk - Tuning.mp3
16 White Rabbit.mp3
17 Sweeter Than Honey.mp3
18 Volunteers.mp3
19 Miracles.mp3
20 Goodbye.mp3
21 Volunteers Reprise.mp3

The audience members in the trees may never have wanted to come down – in either sense of the expression. But it’s not hard to see why. This line-up of Jefferson Starship was one of the band’s strongest, synthesizing all of the various strains of the members’ styles into a powerful whole. Listening to Live in Central Park, it’s hard to disagree that, yes, the San Francisco band did built that city on rock and roll…and made quite a splash in the Big Apple, too.

Players

Paul Kantner - rhythm guitar, vocals (1970, 1974-1984, 1992-2016; his death)
Grace Slick - vocals, keyboards (1970, 1974-1978, 1981-1984)
Craig Chaquico - lead guitar, synthesizer, backing vocals (1974-1984)
David Freiberg - vocals, guitar, keyboards, synthesisers, bass (1970, 1974-1984, 2005-present)
John Barbata - drums (1974-1979)
Papa John Creach - violin (1974-1975, 1992-1994; his death)
Pete Sears - bass, keyboards, guitar, backing vocals (1974-1984)
Marty Balin - vocals, guitar (1974-1978, 1993-2008)