JETHRO TULL -LIVE FROM BALOISE, SWITZERLAND 15/11/2008 (e-a-r Music) (2 x CD) (2025)

Ian Anderson describes the concert as “a fine venue in the beautiful city of Basel and “a memorable occasion for all”. The rapport with the audience is paralleled by a deep synergy between five outstanding musicians, the other four being Martin Barre, John O’Hara, David Goodier and Doane Perry. The material provides a fascinating romp through the decades from Tull’s blues roots in ‘My Sunday Feeling’ and a cover of Brownie McGhee’s ‘So Much Trouble’, the self-deprecating talismanic frontman saying he is no match for Brownie in the harmonica department – he’s wrong! There’s one other cover showing Tull’s jazz credentials – ‘Serenade to a Cuckoo’ and welcome blasts from the past in ‘Living in the Past’ and ‘Bourée’. CD 2 has a barnstorming ‘Nothing is Easy’ and a showcase for drummer Perry in ‘Dharma for One’- although not an actual drum solo insists Anderson! There’s a cry for more traditional forms of farming in ‘Heavy Horses’, a glorious evocation of classic prog in ‘Aqualung’ and on ‘Locomotive Breath’ of course, they can’t slow down! It all sounds great, the epitome of excellence in fact in another brilliant Tull live concert.