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Tea For The Tillerman LiveCat Stevens
Cat Stevens remains one of the most enigmatic figures in all of modern music. His transformation from a 60s Popsicle to a 70s tunesmith to the pious and devout philanthropist of today is like something out of a Tolkien book. Although he’s returned to the mainstream bearing the Yusuf Islam name, the Cat Stevens behind the triple-platinum albums Tea For The Tillerman and Teaser And The Firecat holds a special place in the hearts of fans. Numerous compilations have managed to bring the best to the surface, but little has released on film. Majikat, a 2004 CD/DVD set comprising Stevens' Earth Tour 1976, along with various TV segments from the early 70s, has been the only legitimate release so far. But the more recent Tea For The Tillerman Live DVD might interest collectors and fans alike in search of a vintage Cat Stevens performance. The arbitrary BBC, Grey Whistle and Midnight Special clips floating around YouTube have nothing on this nine-song show from 1971. Stevens settles in rather comfortably for an intimate, seemingly impromptu performance before a couple dozen lucky fans within the confines of the studio of KCET, a Los Angeles-based public television station. Accompanied by guitarist Alun Davies and bassist/percussionist Larry Steele, Stevens takes a leisurely stroll through his sampling of his most poignant and engaging songs — “Moonshadow,” “On The Road To Find Out” and “Where DO the Children Play?” After mumbling something about “Wild World” being hit and then playing it, the pace gets up-ended with Stevens jumping on the piano for a pounding rendition of “Miles From Nowhere.” He gets back on path with “Longer Boats” and “Father And Son,” then takes a request for “Hard Headed Woman” to finish up with. The golden 30-minute clip is followed by the infamous animated film of Teaser And The Firecat. The night swallows the day, the moon drifts into the shadows, and the soothing sound of Cat Stevens brings you back to the early 70s when music came on vinyl or tape and issues of politics and religion hadn’t entered the equation. ~ Shawn Perry
©Copyright 1997, 2010 Vintage Rock
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