Painters Mill Music Fair (Tinkerbell BELL-01/02)
The Painters Mill Music Fair, Owings Mills, MD – November 29, 1970
Disc 1: Layla, Bell Bottom Blues, Blues Power, Stormy Monday, Tell The Truth
Disc 2: Got To Get Better In A Little While, Little Wing, Why Does Love Got To Be So Sad, Have You Ever Loved A Woman, Let It Rain
Derek And The Dominos’ appearance at the Painters Mill Music Fair outside of Baltimore was released previously as Seven Pulsating Notes on the Mid Valley label (111/112). Tinkerbell use the same tape source (it has the same cuts and audience comments by the recorder) but is a dramatic improvement over the Mid Valley release. Tinkerbell is in stereo while Mid Valley is mono and is much more clear, enjoyable and powerful. The Mid Valley might rate a four out of ten but this new version, while still not perfect, is clearly listenable.
This is one of their final performances (the last occurring December 6th in Selden, Long Island of all places). “Layla”, which was rarely played, opens the show. It sounds as if the band want to go into the second half (the first few notes are played), but they segue into “Bell Bottom Blues” instead. The audience is clearly impressed with “Stormy Monday”. “Little Wing” is played in a unique up-tempo arrangement as a prelude to “Why Does Love got To Be So Sad”. “Let It Rain” closes the tape of a very strong and confident performance by the band.
The unfortunately named Tinkerbell label is a new offshoot of the Misterclaudel/Wendy/Non Plus Ultra people focusing upon (one assumes) Eric Clapton releases. It has similar thick glossy paper inserts and even comes with picture discs. Tinkerbell did an excellent job in redeeming this tape from being poor and only for completist to being very enjoyable and a fantastic record of a rare Derek And The Dominos performance. On that point this is a great release and an auspicious start for this new label.
1 Comment
Thanks for this review, as I just got it late last week, and I really like it too. It’s a little slightly or somewhat bass-heavy, but overall the sound quality is fairly decent. And in addition to it being valuable for having one of the few rare versions of “Layla” played live by Derek & The Dominos, it’s also great to have “Bell Bottom Blues”, which wasn’t played live by them much either, although not quite as rare as “Layla”. Anyway, a well-recommended release.