Peter Cetera - bass, vocals; Terry Kath - guitar, vocals; Laudir De Oliveira - percussion; Robert Lamm - keyboards, vocals; Lee Loughnane - percussion, trumpet; James Pankow - trombone; Walter Parazaider - woodwinds; Daniel Seraphine - drums
Recorded a few years before founding member and guitarist Terry Kath died from an accidental self-inflicted gunshot wound, this original King Biscuit Flower Hour concert marks a time when Chicago was deep in the middle of a nearly ten-year run as one of the most successful pop groups in the world.
Having spearheaded (along with Blood, Sweat and Tears) the "horn sound" of the early 1970s, Chicago found a successful way to balance the big band and jazz elements of a pronounced horn section with the more traditional rock 'n' roll foundation of a four piece guitar-bass-drums-keyboard rhythm section. Since they emerged in 1969, with the now legendary Chicago Transit Authority double album, they maintained a near-locked position in the Billboard Top 40.
This recording was made when the initial lineup of Peter Cetera, Terry Kath, Robert Lamm, Lee Loughnane, James Pankow, Walter Parazaider and Daniel Seraphine was still very much intact. Percussionist Laudir De Oliveira, who would become a full-fledged member of the band, is also present, and he contributes considerably to their evolving sound with his Latin-based percussion. With a string of hit singles under their belt from their most recent release Chicago V11, the band was becoming known throughout the world for delivering radio-friendly power-ballads.
This second set recording features a large chunk of Chicago's hits, including "Dialogue Parts 1 & 2," "Just You And Me," "I've Been Searching So Long," and "Feelin' Stronger Everyday." These crowd pleasers are balanced with material from the new album, including "Life Saver." They close with an extended version of the jazzy rocker "25 or 6 to 4," as well as a cover of The Beatles', "Got To Get You Into My Life." The latter song, with its layered horns, was one of the first times a full brass "big band" sound had been applied to pop singles. When The Beatles released it on their Revolver album in 1966, it actually became one of the major influences that inspired the actual formation of Chicago as a band.