A gem that was in the works well before Sly Stone's recent untimely death, The First Family: Live at Winchester Cathedral 1967 is an extraordinary record of an extraordinary band. Capturing a live Sly & The Family Stone set from March 26, 1967, this album finds a group burning up with power and promise. Heard now, and knowing how close these folks were to super-stardom, the release reminds us of the considerable depth of the music of Sly & The Family Stone, and how the sound of a fiery live act was modulated for a string of hit singles not long after this.
The group runs through familiar numbers like "I Can't Turn You Loose" and Try a Little Tenderness" (a bonus cut on the CD and digital versions) by Otis Redding, "Show Me" by Joe Tex, and so on. While the majority of this is cover versions, it's worth remembering that this was a working band, a party band in a way. Sly and the Family Stone paid their dues, as they say, and this is a document of just such a night. Hearing this now is like being a fly on the wall in 1967. The complexities and studio marvels of Sylvester Stewart's work later in the Sixties are not evident here, but his dexterity at leading a band, and playing and singing in the same is wildly evident.
What stuns is just how robust this sounds. The horns, with the late Cynthia Robinson prominently featured, punctuate every cut with precision and verve, while bass from Larry Graham and guitar from Freddie Stone do some lifting of the funk and soul numbers being performed. Percussion from Greg Errico is remarkably lively, and this live set reminds again just how unsung Sly's drummer is. But Sly keeps things together through these long renditions, with even old standards like "Saint James Infirmary" serving as potent audio souvenirs of one of the best American bands ever.
The First Family: Live at Winchester Cathedral 1967 by Sly & The Family Stone is the result of the discovery of two 7-inch reels that belonged to the band's original manager, Rich Romanello. Edwin & Arno Konings put this in motion with Grammy-nominated reissue producer Alec Palao. In addition to restoring the audio, Palao also added an informative essay to the CD package, along with a few photos from the era. This is, obviously, one of the most important reissue projects of 2025. That it swings is even more reason to get it.
Absolutely recommended!
The First Family: Live at Winchester Cathedral 1967 by Sly & The Family Stone is out today via High Moon Records.
[Photos: High Moon Records]