Mick Grabham - guitar; Chris Copping - organ, keyboards; Gary Brooker - lead vocals, piano; B.J. Wilson - drums; Alan Cartwright - bass
Among the most important of all the British progressive rock bands to emerge from the late-1960s, Procol Harum underwent several personnel changes from the time they released "Whiter Shade Of Pale" in 1967 to when they stopped making albums ten years later. During that decade, only vocalist/pianist Gary Brooker, lyricist Keith Reid and drummer BJ Wilson remained from the initial lineup.
Originally a studio band that was formed when the aforementioned "Whiter Shade of Pale" single exploded onto the worldwide pop charts, the band eventually fell into place around lead vocalist and pianist Gary Brooker and his brilliant baritone voice. With the help of lyricist Reid, who never performed with the group but was very much an active member who toured with them, Procol Harum settled into a long string of critically acclaimed albums on A&M, released though the 1970s. They all went gold, and a few of them, including the popular 1972 live album recorded with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra that included "Conquistador," went platinum.
This recording was made the following year in 1973, just after the band had replaced guitarist David Ball with Mick Grabham, formerly of Cochise. Like the live album released in '72, this recording was also made with a full symphony (the Los Angeles Philharmonic) and choir (the Roger Wagner Chorale). It contains a rich collection of some of Procol Harum's best material, including several songs from Grand Hotel, the band's new album at the time. Featured among the songs in this show are "Broken Barricades," "Simple Sister," "Grand Hotel," "A Salty Dog," "Conquistador" and "TV Caesars."
The band would continue to make new studio albums through 1979 and tour until their farewell concert in New York in July of that year. After a 12 year hiatus while the members pursued solo careers, the band finally reunited for two albums and a few tours in the early 1990s.