Elton John - "11-17-70"

As a music listener there are a number of Elton John songs that I love, yet despite his excellent songs his albums often leave me unimpressed. This is the only Elton John album I own and it is a live showcase recorded shortly before "Your Song" became a number one smash. It is a live in studio concert (with a small audience) that was broadcast on live radio at the time.

By and large John performs like a rock and roll/blues/soul animal. This features his simple killer live trio of John on piano and vocals, Nigel Olsson on drums, and Dee Murray on bass. Many non-John fans seek out this album; not because of its rarity, it is readily available on CD and iTunes though it is a lesser known album. The song choices are why they seek it out.

He tears through a number of his lesser known songs with excellent readings of "Take me To the Pilot" and a killer cover of the Rolling Stones "Honky Tonk Women." All the tracks are either early album tracks, covers, or B-sides that did not appear on his albums. There is also that rock and roll jam style with all the seven tracks at least going five minutes, one over seven minutes and the closer an 18 minute medley that includes a section of The Beatles "Get Back."

The 1995 CD reissue, (the version I own) on John's Rocket Records as part of "Elton John The Classic Years" reissue series, has a decent booklet with historical notes but the sound is a bit softer than you would expect. Many Amazon reviewers prefer the out of print British CD import reissue from the same 1990s period.

Most fans will be happy with a good Greatest Hits compilation. Overall "11-17-70" is not necessary but a fun good live record and a wonderful showcase of Elton John before his massive success and before all his excess of the 1970s.