Album Review: Wattstax: The Living Word
With apologies to Sir Walter Scott, “oh, what a tangled web we weave, when again we practice to re-release.” The 1972 Wattstax festival was black R&B’s excellent (if belated) answer to Woodstock and other festivals of the era. Concerts in and around the Watts district of Los Angeles put the spotlight on Stax Records’ best artists, in a dazzling show of the best the label (and genre) had to offer.
In addition to estimable performances by Isaac Hayes (“Theme from Shaft“), Eddie Floyd (“Knock on Wood”), Albert King (“Killing Floor”), the Staple Singers, the Bar-Kays and Carla and Rufus Thomas, Wattstax included spoken-word pieces by Rev. Jesse Jackson and stand-up by a young Richard Pryor.
The contents of the festival have been released, repackaged, spread out among multiple released and recombined so many times that it’s all but impossible to sort out what’s what. But this new 3CD set seems to be — more than anything else — a rethinking of the most recent repackaging, 2003’s Music from the Wattstax Festival & Film. This set wisely adds in great performances that were left off that set.
For the completist, it’s anybody’s guess which or how many out of print CDs and LPs you’d have to track down, but for anyone who wants a good overview of what the Wattstax festival sounded like (and for anyone who would enjoy an excellent live compilation of the era’s best R&B — Wattstax: The Living Word is the one to buy.
About the Author
Bill Kopp
With a background in marketing and advertising, Bill Kopp got his professional start writing for Trouser Press. After a stint as Editor-in-chief for a national music magazine, Bill launched Musoscribe in 2009, and has published new content every business day since then (and every single day since 2018). The 4500-plus interviews, essays, and reviews on Musoscribe reflect Bill's keen interest in American musical forms, most notably rock, jazz, and soul. His work features a special emphasis on reissues and vinyl. Bill's work also appears in many other outlets both online and in print. He regularly hosts lecture/discussions on artists and albums of historical importance (including monthly events Music to Your Ears and Music Movie Mondays), and is a frequent guest on music-focused radio programs and podcasts. In Spring 2023 he taught a history of Rock 'n' Roll at UNC Asheville's College for Seniors. He also researches and authors liner notes for album reissues -- more than 30 to date -- and co-produced a reissue of jazz legend Julian "Cannonball" Adderley's final album. His first book, Reinventing Pink Floyd: From Syd Barrett to The Dark Side of the Moon was published by Rowman & Littlefield in 2018, and in paperback in 2019. His second book, Disturbing the Peace: 415 Records and the Rise of New Wave, was published in 2021 by HoZac Books. His third book, What's the Big Idea: Great Concept Albums will be published in 2024. Read even more about him here.