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Stephen Stills is an unyielding force of nature.��

The amount of music pouring out of this man could�ve fueled a half-dozen bands. Following the June�1971 release of his second solo album, Stephen Stills 2, he announced his first solo tour designed to�showcase all aspects of the ever-growing artist. Fans who were lucky enough to catch his historic debut�trek, dubbed �The Memphis Horns Tour,� were treated to the balladeer, the raving troubadour, the�acoustic bluesman, the soul driver, and by far the most passionate music maker offering his goods across�the better auditoriums and arenas that summer.��

This previously unissued live album, with performances hand-picked by Stills from his personal archives,�was recorded on August 20 and 21, 1971 at The Berkeley Community Theater. This 3,500-seat venue�made this one of the most unique and intimate stops on the tour that included his iconic concert at New�York�s Madison Square Garden. In many ways, these Northern California shows in Berkeley sound as if�Stills is leaving it all on the stage during a hometown gig.�

In addition to The Memphis Horns, Stills is backed by a loyal cast of friends, including his usual steady�rhythm section�drummer Dallas Taylor and bassist Calvin �Fuzzy� Samuels�along with keyboardist�Paul Harris, guitarist Steve Fromholz, and percussionist Joe Lala. Guesting on both nights of these�recordings was David Crosby, singing on his own nautical classic �The Lee Shore,� and the Stills-penned��You Don�t Have To Cry,� a Crosby, Stills & Nash favorite.�

The music on these grooves�timeless and era-defining performances� �Word Game,� �Love The One�You�re With,� �Sugar Babe,� �Cherokee,� among others, hasn�t aged a day since they were captured on�tape. This album, rather than being an artifact from a bygone era, sparkles and stimulates. It cajoles you�into thinking, feeling and�most importantly�moving. This is music that�s been unearthed because it�s�simply too good not to be blasting out of cars and exploding from apartment windows and onto the�streets.��

Stephen Stills Live At Berkeley 1971 is a cornucopia of priceless sound�and all of it bears the�distinct and loving fingerprint of Stephen Stills.

�Howie Edelson,�New York City,�December 2022