Album Review: Eat A Peach By Allman Brothers Band

Two important eras of the Allman Brothers Band came together on Eat A Peach. It was a double catalog that contained tracks before and after the untimely demise of lead guitarist Duane Allman. In a way, Eat A Peach serves as a tribute for Duane as well, whose groundbreaking pioneering brought the unique Allman sound to the table.

Eat A Peach was a mix of The Allman Brothers’ live material left over from their Fillmore East sessions, along with studio originals as well. The catalog features the band at their best form, and soon followed Duane Allman’s heritage providing some of the best guitar works of the band, courtesy, and in tribute to Duane.

Some of the Fillmore material included “One Way Out”, a Sonny Boy Williamson original, where Duane and Gregg Allman traded licks and vocal chops, and Dicky Betts featured his slide guitar in action as well. “Mountain Jam” is befitting of the name, a lengthy jam formulated from a jazz rock improvisation where Duane and Dickey goes note for note in a guitar duet. Remnants of its opening notes can actually be heard at Fillmore East’s “Whipping Post” on its conclusion. “Little Martha” featured Duane’s acoustic performance and is a fitting ender to the album, considering it was the most recent recording he did before his death.

The band went their separate ways before commencing the recording of the double album, with “Ain’t Wasting Time No More” featuring a sad yet accepting theme in a blues rock format provided a healthy contrast to the other tracks on the album. Dickey Betts’ “Les Brers in A Minor” is an improvised instrumental that turns into a funk rock groove with Berry Oakley’s bass, Gregg Allman’s organ, and the double percussion laid by Butch Trucks and Jai Johnason. Duane Allman’s spirit lives on with a composition by Gregg, “Melissa”, which was melodiously melancholic, with an acoustic guitar duet by Gregg and Dickey.

Eat A Peach is an important monument in the Allman Brothers Band’s career, allowing two eras to meld into one beautiful work of art, and most importantly, honoring Duane Allman’s memory and legacy.