Description
Colosseum – Live – RSD 180 Gram Double Vinyl Record
Record Store Day 2019
Colosseum – Live, released in 1971, is a towering example of early jazz-rock fusion in a live setting, capturing the British supergroup at the absolute peak of their virtuosity, spontaneity, and stage chemistry. Recorded during performances in March 1971 at Manchester University and the Big Apple in Brighton, this double live album serves not only as a powerful bookend to Colosseum’s original run (they disbanded shortly after its release) but also as a definitive statement of their identity: a band that blurred the boundaries between progressive rock, jazz, blues, and classical music, and did it all with fire and finesse.
By this point, the band had solidified its classic lineup:
Jon Hiseman on drums – the bandleader and a rhythmic powerhouse,
Chris Farlowe on vocals – bringing a commanding, soulful presence,
Dave Greenslade on keyboards – providing rich harmonic layers and solos,
Dick Heckstall-Smith on saxophones – a master of jazz improvisation and double-sax technique,
Clem Clempson on guitar – fusing blues-rock grit with jazz phrasing,
and Mark Clarke on bass and vocals – offering both groove and additional vocal strength.
The live setting allows each member to stretch out with extended solos, and the songs evolve into expansive, improvised showcases that go well beyond their studio counterparts. Tracks like “Rope Ladder to the Moon” (a Jack Bruce cover) and “Lost Angeles” are transformed into epic journeys, full of shifting dynamics, high-stakes solos, and tight rhythmic interplay. The energy captured here is raw but never chaotic—each member is listening and reacting, creating a sense of organized freedom that few rock bands at the time could pull off.
One of the album’s highlights is the nearly 15-minute version of “Valentyne Suite”, a composition that originally defined the band’s fusion ambitions in the studio, now reborn as a show-stopping live opus. The piece travels through classical motifs, jazz improvisations, and hard rock segments, anchored by Hiseman’s explosive drumming and Heckstall-Smith’s sax lines, which push the boundaries of what rock instrumentation could be at the time.
Another standout is “Walking in the Park,” one of the band’s earliest tunes, which becomes an upbeat, crowd-rousing jam. Here, you hear their roots in blues and R&B, but elevated through complex arrangements and technical execution. Farlowe’s vocals are particularly fierce throughout the set, straddling soul, blues, and theatrical rock with effortless command.
The production, while rawer than a studio album, benefits from a clear, punchy mix that emphasizes the live energy without sacrificing clarity. You can hear the crowd reacting, the spontaneous exchanges between instruments, and the sheer joy the musicians take in pushing each piece to its limits.
In retrospect, Colosseum Live is more than just a concert document—it’s an audiovisual experience in sound, full of drama, technical wizardry, and emotional weight. It serves as both a summary of the band’s brief but brilliant career and a snapshot of the vibrant British jazz-rock scene at the time, alongside peers like Soft Machine, Nucleus, and If.
Though Colosseum would eventually reform decades later, Live remains the crown jewel of their discography, cherished by fans of progressive and jazz-rock for its authenticity, its instrumental excellence, and the rare chemistry that can only be captured when the tape is rolling and the musicians are on fire.
Brand new, never played and still sealed in the factory plastic
Track Listing
Rope Ladder To The Moon
Walking In The Park
Skelington
I Can’t Live Without You
Tangleowood ’63
Encore…Stormy Monday Blues
Lost Angeles
