Lucky for me, I have a very nice original 1970 copy of Layla which was released on the yellow ATCO label. My copy was pressed by Monarch Records in Los Angeles from a lacquer cut by Al Brown at Atlantic Studios. (George Piros at Atlantic also cut many of the original lacquers, and a lot of folks think that his version has a better top end.) My copy rates a solid VG+. But the fact is that Layla is just not a great-sounding album. I've never heard a convincing argument about what went wrong, but the overall sound is thick, it lacks definition and detail in the mid range, and is rolled off and muddy on the bottom. 
Over the years there have been dozens of different releases and remasters. None of them has really improved on the original 1970 issue. However, in 2017, closing in on a half century after the original release, the good folks at Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab decided to have another go at tweaking the original analog tapes, with mastering engineer Krieg Wunderlich at the controls. How does it sound? In his review, vinyl guru Michael Fremer said "The new Mo-Fi reissue stomps all over the original in terms of background quiet, dynamics and especially bottom end drive and timbral accuracy." I agree. Although it's still not a sonic masterpiece, the Mo-Fi reissue is the one to have. |
| Mr. and Mrs. George Harrison |
Layla the album, and particularly "Layla" the hit song, are famously known for the incredible interplay of guitar work between Eric Clapton and Duane Allman. (Allman joined the sessions in progress, and played on all the tracks except for the first three on the album.) On the rest, Clapton's inspired and seemingly effortless lead guitar defines each cut, while Duane's ethereal slide guitar soars above and through the music, adding an almost otherworldly sense of love and longing. (If you don't know the background story to Layla -- Clapton's unrequited love for George Harrison's wife, Pattie Boyd -- look it up.)
Despite the obvious chemistry between Duane Allman and Eric Clapton, Clapton's real musical partner on Layla was Bobby Whitlock. You will recall that The Dominos were three former bandmates from the Delaney and Bonnie group: Jim Gordon on drums, Carl Radle on bass, and Bobby Whitlock on organ, piano, acoustic guitar, and vocals.
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| Jim Gordon, Carl Radle, Bobby Whitlock, and Eric Clapton |
Clapton had briefly joined up with Delaney and Bonnie in 1969, becoming one of the "friends" on the famous "Delaney & Bonnie & Friends" tour and subsequent album. In early 1970, Whitlock traveled to England to visit Clapton. Over a period of weeks, Whitlock stayed at Clapton's house in Surrey where the two of them jammed and wrote most of the songs that would appear on Layla. Anxious to get a group together to play their new music, they called Jim Gordon and Carl Radle over from the U.S. and tuned up by playing in the backing band on George Harrison's first solo album, All Things Must Pass.
After several months playing informal gigs in England and the U.S., the band, which by now had been dubbed Derek and the Dominos, decided to record an album. They set up camp at Criteria Recording Studios in Miami, and in late August and early September laid down the tracks for Layla. The story of how Duane Allman came to play on the album and the drug-fueled sessions at Criteria are well worth reading about. But that's not what I'm here to talk about. My point is that the greatness of Layla owes as much to Bobby Whitlock as it does to Eric Clapton and Duane Allman.
Whitlock was born in 1948 in Memphis, and according to an article in Mojo magazine, learned to play organ while "peering over Booker T's shoulder at Stax Studios." He befriended and learned from other Stax artists, including Sam & Dave, Albert King, and the Staples Singers. While still in his teens, he was performing at clubs in Memphis, playing R&B and soul, while sitting in on recording sessions at Stax. In 1968, Delaney and Bonnie caught his act and lured him to Los Angeles to join a band they were forming.
Clapton's love for the blues is real and deep. But Whitlock was born and cut his musical chops in Memphis, the home of the blues and the birthplace of rock 'n' roll. Whitlock is the heart and soul of Layla. It's apparent from the first song on the album, "I Looked Away," co-written by Clapton and Whitlock. After Clapton sings the opening lines, Whitlock takes the lead, and his voice is much more expressive and, well, soulful. On track two, "Bell Bottom Blues," even when Clapton and Whitlock are singing harmony, it's the passion in Whitlock's voice that comes through when they plead: "I don't want to fade away, give me one more day, please." You can hear the difference all through the album. Clapton is a great singer, but Whitlock's voice has much more emotional impact. If you don't agree, listen to his heart-breaking take on "Thorn Tree In The Garden," the closing track on Layla. If that doesn't bring a tear to your eye, you're just not paying attention.After Derek And The Dominos fizzled out, Whitlock had a brief solo career, cutting four albums from 1972-1976. His first, 1972's self-titled Bobby Whitlock, sets the pattern for those that would follow, with a mixture of country/rock, R&B, blues, and ballads. It was followed by Raw Velvet (also in 1972), One Of A Kind (1975), and Rock Your Socks Off (1976). All four albums are well worth picking up and are are available in used NM condition for $10-15. The first two albums were originally issued on ABC/Dunhill, beautifully produced by Andy Johns, younger brother of producer Glyn Johns. They were reissued on vinyl in 2013 by Future Days Recording, and mint copies are still available cheap. But resist the siren call of the 180-gram remasters and get copies of the originals on ABC, which sound head and shoulders better than the reissues.
Whitlock's next two albums, One Of A Kind and Rock Your Socks Off, were released on Capricorn, home of the Allman Brothers Band, and various members of the ABB make guest appearances. Neither of these later albums has been reissued on vinyl. It's interesting to note that Whitlock revisited two of his Layla compositions on his early albums: "Tell The Truth" appears on Raw Velvet, and "Why Does Love Got To Be So Sad" on Rock Your Socks Off. In 1999, after a 23-year hiatus, Whitlock released his last solo album, called It's About Time. Here, he once again revisits "Why Does Love Got To Be So Sad" as well as "Bell Bottom Blues." The later is significant because it is listed on Layla as being written by Eric Clapton. Whitlock had long argued that he should have a co-writing credit, and at some point Clapton agreed, so the song appears on It's About Time with a Bobby Whitlock - Eric Clapton credit. If you're keeping score, that means that Whitlock wrote or co-wrote half the songs on Layla. Maybe they should have called the group Derek and Bobby and the Dominos.
Sometime around 2000, Whitlock joined up with Delaney Bramlett's second ex-wife and sometime producer, Coco Carmel (Delaney and Bonnie divorced in 1973). Carmel is a multi-talented artist, musician, singer and songwriter. She and Whitlock started making music together and eventually got married. To date, they have released four CDs, and as of a couple of years ago, were living in Austin, TX and still performing.
Enjoy the music!
