Title: The How Great Thou Art Sessions, Volume 3 (released in 2004)

Label: 2001

Date: May 25-27, 1966, Nashville's Studio B

Sound Quality: from * * * * to * * * * * - / * * * * * +

Content Rating: * * * * * - / * * * * * +

Tracks: 1.Tomorrow Is A Long Time (takes 1, 2) 2.Beyond The Reef (take 1) 3.Come What May (take 1) 4.Come What May (take 2) 5.Come What May (takes 3, 4) 6.Come What May (takes 5, 6) 7.Come What May (Take 7) 8.Fools Fall In Love (Take 5) 9.Indescribably Blue (vocal overdub take 1) 10.I'll Remember You (vocal overdub take 1) 11.I'll Remember You (vocal overdub take 2) 12.I'll Remember You (vocal overdub take 3) 13.If Everyday Was Like Christmas (vocal overdub take 1) 14.Big Boss Man (takes 1, 2) 15.Big Boss Man (takes 3-5, 7) 16.Big Boss Man (takes 8, 9) 17.Mine (takes 1-3) 18.Mine (take 4) 19.Mine (takes 5-7) 20.Mine (takes 8, 9) (Duration: 61 min. 36 sec.)

Package: The producers have once again proved their designing skills, as this release is very beautifully done, much in the same style as volumes 1 and 2. We have nothing to complain about this side of the CD.

Elvis: He is at full blast! He is recording non-soundtrack material for the first time in almost two and a half years and you feel how dedicated he is on this sessions.

Highlights: When we close our eyes on the fact that most of this material has been previously available, there is no doubt that this release is a great insight into Presley - The Recording Artist. Listening to this CD is even more fascinating when you realize that at the time when the Beatles were beginning to record songs layer after layer (when each instrument is recorded individually, making more possibilities for mixing and sound perfection, the scheme that was used during the American Sessions) Elvis Presley was recording live, something that most modern artist choose not to do, since it's a more expensive way of recording and needs more professionalism from the musicians. This only points at the importance of getting the right sound for the Artist we all love wholeheartedly.

Review: Elvis was very happy when he received the RCA order to record a gospel album in early 1966. It would be the first time he would enter the studio to record non-soundtrack material in two years. He begun preparing for the recording, making home records of songs that he consider as candidates for the album. The dedication that he put into this home rehearsals and studio sessions is evident on both How Great Thou Art album and (even more) on this release.

This third volume is the only one that doesn't feature any gospel material at all - instead of this we get all the (not previously released on the first two volumes) pop and blues material available from these sessions and bonuses from the following year's sessions, since the producers ran out of material from this particular session (we are only glad about it, since this means that they have released everything available now). The sound quality is very good though we fully understand that these are in no way the master tapes.

"Tomorrow is long time, take 1," Felton Jarvis announces as the band begins recording the song with two false starts, one of which (about 5 seconds long) is previously unreleased. There's no real need to point at the greatness of this song and this particular take, which has been previously available on There's Always Me, Volume 4, the careful rendition we get to hear is simply outstanding. The never ended take 1 of Beyond The Reef on the other hand is an amateurish work - there's no real question why it hadn't been released during Elvis' life, it leaves a feeling of a home recording, not studio work.

Following is a series of takes of Come What May, one of the weakest songs from this classical session. Elvis sings "I plan a kiss upon your cheeks," instead of "lips" after the instrumental break, which brings take 1 to an end. Take 2 is complete and lacks any obvious mistakes but as in case with any take of this song it can't be classified as masterpiece. Two false starts and two full takes follow, but unfortunately none of them can boast any inspiration.

Then we get to hear a few seconds of a jam prior take 5 of Fools Fall In Love (it's a big question why the producers have put only one take, especially when we're talking about the master take, except for the fact that they do not posses any other takes). Take 1 of Indescribably Blue takes us to another session, June 12, 1966, this time with Elvis overdubing his vocal, since he had been ill two days prior and the band laid backing tracks. This performance is well known among the collectors - a beautiful attempt on this classical rendition. The I'll Remember You vocal overdubs feature the complete take 2 and what's been left after splicing of takes 1 and 3. Take 1 of vocal overdub of If Every Day Was Like Christmas is only half of a minute long, as we get hear Elvis breaking into laughter.

We then jump to September 10, 1967 and Elvis' recording of Big Boss Man, featured in it's complete existing form. It's great to hear the progress of this tune, as Elvis begins getting into it, becoming more aggressive and "mean" as Felton Jarvis suggests. This is a fantastic way from a country song to a blues classic that we get to hear.

The CD ends with 9 of 21 takes of Mine, a big question why the rest is left out when we have only 61 minutes of CD space used. The most interesting is the fact that though Elvis worked so many takes of this song it didn't really change much in arrangement or Elvis' phrasing. The result is very good though and all this outtakes are worth listening.

The hardest thing is the conclusion. If we close our eyes on the fact that about half of this material is previously released (in pretty much the same sound quality) the CD is a great addition to anybody's collection. Otherwise it's up for you to decided whether you need it or not, but keep in mind that you get to hear everything that's available on one CD - a good choice, in our opinion.

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