Manassas-Manassas (1972)

Once the massive (and at the same time, tumultuous) tour following the album "Deja Vu" by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young had ended, each of its members decided to go their separate ways, temporarily leaving behind one of the greatest supergroups ever created. And it was Stephen Stills who first made a move, creating a new band called Manassas. For this, he recruited former Byrds and Flying Burrito Brothers member Chris Hillman, former Flying Burrito Brothers member Al Perkins, and some of the musicians who had participated in the recording of "Deja Vu", such as drummer Dallas Taylor and bassist Fuzzy Samuels. With the addition of several more members, including Paul Harris, who at the time played organ in B.B. King's band, and former Pacific Gas and Electric percussionist Joe Lala, as well as special guest appearances from musicians such as Rolling Stones bassist Bill Wyman, Grateful Dead frontman Jerry Garcia on pedal steel guitar, and Malcolm Cecil on keyboards, they entered Criteria Studios in Miami and recorded the double album "Manassas", the debut album of this country-rock supergroup. Divided into four sides with different subtitles, this self-titled first album was one of the decade's biggest releases and is still considered an extraordinary work today. On side A of the first disc, titled “The Raven”, we can enjoy a mix of rock with Latin fusions and among which stand out “Song Of Love”, with the immense sound of the guitars of Stills and Perkins, the fascinating “Rock & Roll Crazies / Cuban Bluegrass”, the jam rock “Both of Us” or the meritorious “Anyway”. The sounds of the countryside and rural life appear on the second disc, "The Wilderness", featuring tracks that blend country and bluegrass influences, such as "So Begins the Task", "Fallen Eagle", "Colorado", and "Don't Look at My Shadow". The third disc, "Consider", leans towards folk rock, with standout tracks like "Johnny's Garden", "It Doesn't Matter", and "The Love Gangster". This double album concludes with the fourth disc, subtitled "Rock & Roll Is Here", which, as the title suggests, is a tribute to blues and rock. It opens with tracks reminiscent of the best CSNY songs, such as "What to Do" and "Right Now", followed by the jam epic "The Treasure" and the acoustic blues "Blue Man". The latter is dedicated to three rock greats who had passed away in the previous two years: guitarist Jimi Hendrix, singer Al Wilson of Canned Heat, and guitarist John Allman the Great. Brothers, Duane Allman, a superb conclusion to an album as grand and apotheotic as the career of all the legendary musicians who participated in its creation.