The Jacksons for Friday Lunchroom – recorded live at the Mid-South Coliseum in Memphis on November 25, 1979.
It’s a shame not more Soul/R&B concerts have been recorded for posterity or even a matter-of-record – the ones that are, are usually the big acts with wide appeal – lesser knowns are profound rarities. There have been pockets here and there, such as the NET program Soul! – but by and large that’s one aspect of Musical heritage that seems to have fallen off the radar. Unless . . .
The Jacksons are certainly no small group. Their string of hits spreads across decades. And of course, Michael Jackson who went on to become an icon (and cautionary tale) was one of the founding members until leaving shortly after this concert (in 1980). As The Jackson Five they were the essential Motown act until they left and signed with Epic, and which point The Jackson Five became The Jacksons because of the legal rats nest that ensued while switching labels.
In November 1976, following the debut of the family’s weekly variety series, the Jacksons released their self-titled CBS debut under the Philadelphia International subsidiary, produced by Gamble & Huff. Featuring “Enjoy Yourself” and “Show You the Way to Go“, the album went gold but failed to generate the sales the brothers had enjoyed while at Motown. A follow-up, Goin’ Places, fizzled. Renewing their contract with Epic, the Jacksons were allowed full creative control on their next recording, Destiny, released in December 1978. By 1979, the Jacksons had sold 90 million records. Featuring their best-selling Epic single to date, “Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground)“, written by Michael and Randy, the album sold over a million copies. Its follow-up, 1980’s Triumph, also sold a million copies, spawning hits such as “Lovely One“, “This Place Hotel” and “Can You Feel It“. In 1981, they released their fifth album, a live album that eventually sold half a million copies. The live album was culled from recordings of performances on their Triumph Tour. Rumor has it, this concert is one of those out-takes, which explains why the quality is high.
I don’t think anyone had a clue what was to happen just around the corner – needless to say, this concert is a reminder of just how good The Jacksons were in a live setting, and why we really need to have more examples from lesser luminaries to help paint the picture.
In the meantime, express yourself – the weekend is coming.
