Soul Of A Man is a fascinating, live album by Al Kooper, released on a double CD in 1995 and chronicles a brilliant past of his career. Recorded over three performances at the Bottom Line in New York in 1994, it functions more as a celebration of his entire career than as a typical live album.

Kooper reunites members of the Blues Project and Blood, Sweat & Tears with later collaborators here, creating something of a living history of his musical life.

The performances are full of vitality and passion. Despite the years, Kooper and his collaborators play blues, jazz-rock, soul, folk, psychedelia in a harmonious coexistence with intensity and skill. The album moves freely between different genres, reflecting the breadth of his career.

The album’s strengths often come from the group parts of the brass and jams, with improvisations giving it a strong live feel. More than just a live performance, it’s a kind of account of a significant musical journey.

Soul of a Man doesn’t aim for perfection, but for memory, collaboration and the joy of music. If you’re looking for something solid and flawlessly structured, it might tire you. But if you want a deep dive into Kooper’s career and the spirit of his time, it’s a particularly satisfying experience.

Kooper proves his exceptional musicianship by the fact that he managed to weave such a diverse range of sounds and styles into so many of his studio recordings. But to do this live, on stage, in front of an audience, with relatively little prior touring or rehearsal time with band members is a rare feat indeed. This is one of the very notable exceptions of a live recording that surpasses the quality of a conventional studio album. Those who have heard Soul Of A Man often cite it as one of the best live recordings of all time.

What is exceptional, apart from the collection of great musicians, the song selection, the sheer originality, the clear sound quality and the extensive catalogue of different musical genres, is the complete package that comes with the album, accompanied by an internal booklet that provides a lot of information about the tracks.

From this excellent live album I select the track “Downtime”.
 
Tracklist
1. Child Is Father To The Man – Somethin’ Goin’ On 7:34
2. Blues Project – I Can’t Keep From Cryin’ Sometimes 4:31
3. Rekooperators – I Stand Alone Medley 6:21
4. Rekooperators – I Stand Alone
5. Rekooperators – I Can Love A Woman
6. Rekooperators – New York City (You’re A Woman)
7. Blues Project – Flute Thing 8:52
8. Rekooperators – Don’t Tell Me (Repo Man) 3:46
9. Blues Project – Two Trains Runnin’ 11:36
10. Rekooperators – Heartbeat 5:05
11. Rekooperators – Sleepwalk 2:59
12. Child Is Father To The Man – Just One Smile 6:08
13. Child Is Father To The Man – I Can’t Quit Her 3:54
14. Rekooperators – I Want A Little Girl 5:11
15. Child Is Father To The Man – My Days Are Numbered 5:52
16. Child Is Father To The Man – I Love You More Than You’ll Ever Know 7:13
17. Al Kooper – Vocal Intro 1:15
18. Rekooperators – Made In The Shade 5:06
19. Rekooperators – Downtime 4:38
20. Blues Project – Violets Of Dawn 3:41
21. Rekooperators – Albert’s Shuffle 7:15
22. Rekooperators – Closing Medley 12:39
23. Rekooperators – You Can’t Always Get What You Want
24. Rekooperators – Season Of The Witch
25. Rekooperators – Al’s Witch Hunt