Album. Last Call documents the vintage
quintet’s final show at the Music Box
Supper Club in the band’s hometown of
Cleveland, Ohio. The generous set list puts
the quintet’s roots in ‘60s pop, garage rock
and R&B on display, including many selections
from Artifact alongside covers of
songs the then-teenaged band deployed
while cutting their teeth. Phil
Giallombardo’s organ shimmers through
Procol Harum’s “Whiter Shade of Pale,”
“Kaleidoscope” and “Shine On Brightly.”
Other artists on the hit parade include
Spooky Tooth and regional hero Bob Seger.
Singer and keyboardist Ken Margolis
drives the Choir’s rocking “I Can’t Stay in
Your Life,” suggesting a cross between
early Chicago and Carole Kong’s “I Feel
the Earth Move.” Margolis also lays the
foundation for a raucous version of the
Kinks’ “David Watts,” representing the
lone cover song from Artifact. The energy
is elevated by guitarist Randy Klawon’s
stratospheric and melodic soloing. The
group’s enduring camaraderie and chemistry
is evident as vocal duties are divided
and shared during a soulful take on Billy
Preston’s “That’s the Way God Planned
It.” Background singers Tonia Schleicher
and Lori Rizzo add sparkle and sass to
original fare including bassist Denny
Carleton’s jaunty “Mummer Band,” a rollicking
version of Preston’s “What About
You,” and a white-hot cover of the
Easybeats’ “Good Times.” Carleton leads a
lively rhumba during Margolis’ instrumental
“For Eric.” Giallombardo describes
his heartsick and moving “Have I No Love
to Offer” as a fusion of his obvious affection
for Procol Harum and his love for
early, pre-disco Bee Gees fare such as
“New York Mining Disaster” and “I Can’t
See Nobody.” The song is capped by
Klawon’s searing blues lead. Propelled by
Bonfanti’s reliable percussion, an instrumental
cover of Leonard Bernstein and
Stephen Sondheim’s “America” becomes a
rowdy stomper and organ showcase worthy
of Keith Emerson. Klawon quotes
“Freeway Jam” for good measure.
Bonfanti punctuates the band’s “If These
are Men” with thundering fills. The Choir
concludes the main set with Jimmy Webb’s
majestic “MacArthur Park,” and wraps its
collection of originals with an encore of
Danny Klawon’s 1966 garage rock gem
and #68 Billboard single “It’s Cold
Outside.” Despite infrequent live-show
artifacts like monitor feedback, Last Call is
highly listenable. It’s a more-than-worthy
document of a band that became the incubator
of the Raspberries and merited rank
among the greats of its era. Ultimately, Last
Call is an enduring gift to fans old and
new.
– Jeff Elbel
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