{"id":27741,"date":"2026-05-18T11:18:25","date_gmt":"2026-05-18T16:18:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/online.berklee.edu\/takenote\/?p=27741"},"modified":"2026-05-19T16:56:05","modified_gmt":"2026-05-19T21:56:05","slug":"the-best-live-albums-according-to-berklee-online-instructors","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/online.berklee.edu\/takenote\/the-best-live-albums-according-to-berklee-online-instructors\/","title":{"rendered":"The Best Live Albums\u2014According to Berklee Online Instructors"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-faculty-favorites-that-capture-the-energy-chaos-intimacy-and-spontaneity-of-live-performance\">Faculty Favorites That Capture the Energy, Chaos, Intimacy, and Spontaneity of Live Performance<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>There\u2019s something about summer that makes live music hit differently: even when you\u2019re not at a show, the best live recordings can get you pretty close. To celebrate that feeling, we asked Berklee Online instructors, many of whom have performed, engineered, or mixed concerts themselves, to share their favorite recordings that capture the magic of a live performance. We have linked to the full albums, and featured highlights in the playlist below.<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<iframe data-testid=\"embed-iframe\" style=\"border-radius:12px\" src=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/embed\/playlist\/5uI9nsqcofC4NPNLlNYH0h?utm_source=generator\" width=\"100%\" height=\"352\" frameBorder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"\" allow=\"autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; fullscreen; picture-in-picture\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/iframe>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-the-allman-brothers-band\">The Allman Brothers Band<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe Allman Brothers Band\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/album\/0Y5Wlv2OJKaW0uDJ5HnUfy?si=SHRtvjGxSSq4NplsMdRNxA\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>At Fillmore East<\/em><\/a> has always been a favorite,\u201d says live sound engineer <a href=\"https:\/\/online.berklee.edu\/instructors\/ken-pooch-van-druten?campaign_id=7010Z000001ZkQgQAK&amp;pid=&amp;utm_source=takenote&amp;tum_medium=blog&amp;utm_campaign=bol-gen-takenote-article-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Ken \u201cPooch\u201d Van Druten<\/strong><\/a>, a renowned live sound engineer and co-writer of the <a href=\"https:\/\/online.berklee.edu\/courses\/microphone-techniques-for-live-sound-production?campaign_id=7010Z000001ZkQgQAK&amp;pid=&amp;utm_source=takenote&amp;tum_medium=blog&amp;utm_campaign=bol-gen-takenote-article-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>Microphone Techniques for Live Sound Production<\/em><\/a> course.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-the-band\">The Band<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cAlso, <a href=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/album\/7uqVE9qWdqjtDeLpdHyMxP?si=eT8iDp38RoCbLUbMhnKDmQ\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>The Last Waltz<\/em><\/a><em> <\/em>movie and soundtrack by the Band is amazing: Unbelievable moments on both those records. I guess I\u2019m showing my age,\u201d he adds.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Van Druten, whose extensive career includes mixing and recording Linkin Park\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/album\/72seWTJF9U5SljizfyF2ZK?si=KHM1_OorRAyutCtmTUbkQw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>Road to Revolution: Live at Milton Keynes<\/em><\/a> and Kid Rock\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/album\/03jkOdk1T914XvzIFo7jIg?si=JGvIP8uZR0K8-toScTv1WQ\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u2018<em>Live\u2019 Trucker<\/em><\/a>, knows a thing or two about capturing legendary live performances.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-erykah-badu\">Erykah Badu<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI can\u2019t say I have a favorite live album because there are so many that have had an indelible impact on me,\u201d says <a href=\"https:\/\/online.berklee.edu\/instructors\/amanda-davis?campaign_id=7010Z000001ZkQgQAK&amp;pid=&amp;utm_source=takenote&amp;tum_medium=blog&amp;utm_campaign=bol-gen-takenote-article-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Amanda Davis<\/strong><\/a>, co-author of <a href=\"https:\/\/online.berklee.edu\/courses\/live-event-sound-engineering-and-concert-mixing-201?campaign_id=7010Z000001ZkQgQAK&amp;pid=&amp;utm_source=takenote&amp;tum_medium=blog&amp;utm_campaign=bol-gen-takenote-article-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>Live Event Sound Engineering and Concert Mixing 201<\/em><\/a>. One album stands above the rest for her. \u201cErykah Badu\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/album\/0ANbEIqol6OKQl36DYBAom?si=Sd1zy5mESTOTibxwJ2mWZg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>Baduizm<\/em> <em>Live<\/em><\/a> changed my life! The music, the arrangements, and the vocal performances are all superb. And the mixing is elite! The first song is \u2018Rim Shot\u2019\u2014that\u2019s the side stick of the snare drum, and the sound of the rimshot is <em>CLEAR<\/em>! Even though I love the studio version of the song on <a href=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/album\/0ANbEIqol6OKQl36DYBAom?si=XWWF7uOfSvGHRFi0NgqqMw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>Baduizm<\/em><\/a>, the live version on <em>Live <\/em>takes the music and message to another level.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-gary-clark-jr\">Gary Clark Jr.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/online.berklee.edu\/instructors\/david-carroll?campaign_id=7010Z000001ZkQgQAK&amp;pid=&amp;utm_source=takenote&amp;tum_medium=blog&amp;utm_campaign=bol-gen-takenote-article-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>David Carroll<\/strong><\/a>, who cowrote <a href=\"https:\/\/online.berklee.edu\/courses\/live-event-sound-engineering-and-concert-mixing-201?campaign_id=7010Z000001ZkQgQAK&amp;pid=&amp;utm_source=takenote&amp;tum_medium=blog&amp;utm_campaign=bol-gen-takenote-article-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>Live Event Sound Engineering and Concert Mixing 201<\/em><\/a> with Davis, gravitates toward Gary Clark Jr.\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/album\/4jLUg6wWnd0vB4CcPSPS6Q?si=Cz1jX3d2TUGd-HjbK2uk8A\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>Live<\/em><\/a> for its \u201craw energy.\u201d He says he especially loves the pacing of the record.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cStarting with \u2018Catfish Blues\u2019 and ending with \u2018When The Sun Goes Down,\u2019 you\u2019re taken on a kind of blues journey that includes highs and lows,\u201d he says. \u201cThe high energy of songs like \u2018Don\u2019t Owe You a Thang\u2019 and the slowdown of \u2018Blak and Blu\u2019 is just incredible.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Carroll says Clark is \u201ca modern-day legend and we are lucky to have him,\u201d and recommends listening to the album straight through.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-ahmad-jamal\"><strong>Ahmad Jamal<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/online.berklee.edu\/instructors\/yoron-israel?campaign_id=7010Z000001ZkQgQAK&amp;pid=&amp;utm_source=takenote&amp;tum_medium=blog&amp;utm_campaign=bol-gen-takenote-article-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Yoron Israel<\/strong><\/a>, author and instructor of <a href=\"https:\/\/online.berklee.edu\/courses\/drum-set-performance-101?campaign_id=7010Z000001ZkQgQAK&amp;pid=&amp;utm_source=takenote&amp;tum_medium=blog&amp;utm_campaign=bol-gen-takenote-article-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>Drum Set Performance 101<\/em><\/a>, has performed on more than a dozen live albums, both as a bandleader and a support. He says that albums like Ahmad Jamal\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/album\/0iDFf7GeVfjCNHg9ZTGlRk?si=ul5fkeXaTCiZqYOOd20TGA\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>Live in Paris 1996<\/em><\/a><em> <\/em>and <a href=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/album\/4Cm2Rol2wFNjuYSMftriHT?si=yHyKeEDxSDOkVuG4N_VUTg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>Chicago Revisited<\/em><\/a>, both of which he played on, can sound completely different, because of the chemistry of different players and the vibe of the venue.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Ahmad Jamal Trio - Swahililand\" width=\"500\" height=\"375\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/SMS9SGtIy6g?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Yoron Israel drums with Ahmad Jamal in 1996.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-abbey-lincoln\">Abbey Lincoln<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Israel also calls Abbey Lincoln\u2019s 1994 live release, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.discogs.com\/release\/12482289-Abbey-Lincoln-Live-Music-Is-The-Magic?srsltid=AfmBOoqmj2RnMS15wThJGzxbj4GDpH0MO56aQmmmeI9AgptlB2Dj5JrW\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>Music Is the Magic<\/em><\/a>, \u201ca huge favorite.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThat recording really captures the uniqueness of a live recording,\u201d he says. Recorded at the now-defunct Sweet Basil Jazz Club, the NYC room was one of his favorites to play. He says the venue where a live album is captured is one of the most important aspects of a good live recording, each room carrying its own unique energy.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-sonny-rollins-amp-john-coltrane\"><strong>Sonny Rollins &amp; John Coltrane<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThere are certain live dates of artists like Sonny Rollins\u2019 <a href=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/album\/4ZsJnvskaNpZ03ynI0mqlH?si=KA5TxDhQSKWmCNdsGdsUZQ\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>A Night at the Village Vanguard<\/em><\/a>, or even now, to this day, John Coltrane\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/album\/3bFxBCBwFQ8WGRghgoUxaU?si=lqTHHRLsT2KyO4prS-ihYg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>Live at Birdland<\/em><\/a>,\u201d Israel says. \u201cThere\u2019s an energy between the members of a touring band, coupled with the energy that you\u2019re getting from the audience. It\u2019s hard to explain, but there\u2019s something that happens as a performer: It\u2019s not like you\u2019re totally engulfed in the audience, but when you get in front of an audience, whether it\u2019s 10 people or 10,000 people, there\u2019s just another gear that kicks into your psyche, into your emotion, and that\u2019s captured on live records, and it\u2019s not that way in the studio.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/online.berklee.edu\/instructors\/matt-smith?campaign_id=7010Z000001ZkQgQAK&amp;pid=&amp;utm_source=takenote&amp;tum_medium=blog&amp;utm_campaign=bol-gen-takenote-article-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Matt Smith<\/strong><\/a> is the Managing Director of the legendary Club Passim in Cambridge, and one of the instructors for the <a href=\"https:\/\/online.berklee.edu\/courses\/music-venue-management?campaign_id=7010Z000001ZkQgQAK&amp;pid=&amp;utm_source=takenote&amp;tum_medium=blog&amp;utm_campaign=bol-gen-takenote-article-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>Music Venue Management<\/em><\/a> course. He has also worked as a tour manager, sound engineer, and stage manager\/MC for various tours and festivals, so it makes sense that there would be some variety in his choices. He says his two favorite live albums capture opposite ends of the live music experience: the intimacy of a packed club and the scale of arena rock.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"background:#FDE9EC; padding:18px 20px; border-radius:8px; margin:20px 0;\">\n  <p style=\"margin:0; font-size:18px; line-height:1.6;\">\n    <strong>Small Room Energy: Sam Cooke\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/album\/3nTXqOEHr6AfTb1WSaB4Pm?si=-gvdq344Q06jDn1KZxayWg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><em>Live At The Harlem Square Club, 1963<\/em><\/a><\/strong>\n    <br>Smith\u2019s first pick is Sam Cooke\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/album\/3nTXqOEHr6AfTb1WSaB4Pm?si=-gvdq344Q06jDn1KZxayWg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><em>Live At The Harlem Square Club, 1963<\/em><\/a>. \u201cIt\u2019s a small room where you can almost feel the crowd, the heat, and the energy,\u201d he says. \u201cThe band and the audience are feeding off of one another.\u201d Smith says the performances feel almost accelerated compared to the studio recordings, charged with \u201celectricity and excitement and immediacy.\u201d\n  <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"background:#FDE9EC; padding:18px 20px; border-radius:8px; margin:20px 0;\">\n  <p style=\"margin:0; font-size:18px; line-height:1.6;\">\n    <strong>Stadium Scale: Wings\u2019 <a href=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/album\/5TbgNZatKeCa3V4CJI2eEg?si=Oi9VIRcwQ8qjFSdBi6xsSw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><em>Wings Over America<\/em><\/a><\/strong>\n    <br>For pure arena spectacle, Smith points to Wings\u2019 triple album, <a href=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/album\/5TbgNZatKeCa3V4CJI2eEg?si=Oi9VIRcwQ8qjFSdBi6xsSw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><em>Wings Over America<\/em><\/a>. \u201cThis is stadium rock at its best,\u201d he says. Smith says he loves the way McCartney and company move easily between Beatles classics, newer material, and quieter acoustic moments. \u201cThey are firing on all cylinders but can bring things down to quiet, acoustic songs that make an entire audience lean in like they\u2019re in a club.\u201d\n  <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-keith-jarrett\"><strong>Keith Jarrett<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/online.berklee.edu\/instructors\/sean-slade?campaign_id=7010Z000001ZkQgQAK&amp;pid=&amp;utm_source=takenote&amp;tum_medium=blog&amp;utm_campaign=bol-gen-takenote-article-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Sean Slade<\/strong><\/a> says he likes live recordings to feel exploratory and unpredictable, and that his favorite live release is from Keith Jarrett: \u201cOf the many adventurous and entirely improvisational live solo piano outings he has done, Keith Jarrett\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/album\/4VELwCVLKeaG80pHsIOpr0?si=TCH8qZUfQpSw0PBK4CAC-A\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>Sun Bear Concerts<\/em><\/a> is my favorite. Documenting five concerts given in five Japanese cities from November 5-18, 1976, each show is very different, and if he doesn\u2019t reach his stated aim of \u2018running the gamut of human emotions,\u2019 he comes damn close. I\u2019m drawn to Osaka, where the vibe can get downright funky.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"display: flex; gap: 2em; align-items: flex-start; margin: 2em 0;\">\n\n  <div style=\"flex: 1; min-width: 0; font-size: 1em; line-height: 1.75;\">\n\n    <h3 style=\"margin-top: 0;\">The Grateful Dead<\/h3>\n\n    <p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/online.berklee.edu\/instructors\/danny-morris?campaign_id=7010Z000001ZkQgQAK&#038;pid=&#038;utm_source=takenote&#038;tum_medium=blog&#038;utm_campaign=bol-gen-takenote-article-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Danny Morris<\/a><\/strong>, author of <em><a href=\"https:\/\/online.berklee.edu\/courses\/r-b-bass?campaign_id=7010Z000001ZkQgQAK&#038;pid=&#038;utm_source=takenote&#038;tum_medium=blog&#038;utm_campaign=bol-gen-takenote-article-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">R&amp;B Bass<\/a><\/em>, and co-author of <em><a href=\"https:\/\/online.berklee.edu\/courses\/bass-performance-101?campaign_id=7010Z000001ZkQgQAK&#038;pid=&#038;utm_source=takenote&#038;tum_medium=blog&#038;utm_campaign=bol-gen-takenote-article-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Bass Performance 101<\/a><\/em> was a second-semester freshman at Ithaca College in May of 1977, when the Grateful Dead played nearby Cornell University. The recording of the show, alternately known as <em><a href=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/album\/3T9UKU0jMIyrRD0PtKXqPJ?si=hA_tzrfQStO69Kojt5MFgw&#038;nd=1&#038;dlsi=29e0da6d89274da8\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Barton Hall<\/a><\/em> or <em><a href=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/album\/3T9UKU0jMIyrRD0PtKXqPJ?si=hA_tzrfQStO69Kojt5MFgw&#038;nd=1&#038;dlsi=29e0da6d89274da8\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Cornell 5\/8\/77<\/a><\/em> is a unanimous top 10 for any respectable Dead Head, and is one of the famed \u201cBetty boards,\u201d helmed by sound engineer Betty Cantor-Jackson.<\/p>\n\n    <p>\u201cI was there! It was just a wonderful evening,\u201d he says. <\/p>\n\n  <\/div>\n\n  <div style=\"flex: 0 0 36%;\">\n    <img decoding=\"async\" \n      src=\"https:\/\/online.berklee.edu\/takenote\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/IMG_0043.jpeg\"\n      alt=\"Young Danny Morris on the day of the Cornell 5\/8\/77 Grateful Dead show\"\n      style=\"width: 100%; height: auto; display: block;\"\n    \/>\n  <\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s now one of my son\u2019s favorite recordings! The Dead sounded very happy there. You can hear the joy in Phil Lesh\u2019s bass playing for real on the recordings. All the Dead shows around that time period sounded epic. Thank goodness for all the live tapes that circulated, and now we have channel 23 (The Grateful Dead Channel) on Sirius radio 24\/7.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He says it\u2019s fortunate the show was recorded so well, because his own recollection of the night is a little hazy, for good reason.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThere was no security and stuff back then,\u201d he says. \u201cMy roommate brought in a backpack with a whip-it canister, and we had all these little nitrous tanks. You just sat down, inhaled this laughing gas, and we had, like, the best time.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When emailed about whether he wanted the nitrous anecdote stricken from the record, he replied, \u201cYou\u2019re welcome to tell the tale. It was 1977 after all :))\u201d and sent us the pic above of young Danny Morris, taken on the day of the show.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-the-who\">The Who<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/online.berklee.edu\/courses\/critical-listening-1?campaign_id=7010Z000001ZkQgQAK&amp;pid=&amp;utm_source=takenote&amp;tum_medium=blog&amp;utm_campaign=bol-gen-takenote-article-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>Critical Listening 1<\/em><\/a> instructor <a href=\"https:\/\/online.berklee.edu\/instructors\/leanne-ungar?campaign_id=7010Z000001ZkQgQAK&amp;pid=&amp;utm_source=takenote&amp;tum_medium=blog&amp;utm_campaign=bol-gen-takenote-article-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Leanne Ungar<\/strong><\/a> says she generally prefers studio albums to live recordings\u2014with exceptions for The Who <a href=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/album\/6W3aTLI4B5UsPpWMvhT2W4?si=to4zoI0aTsynZ_2FML-moQ\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>Live at Leeds<\/em><\/a> and the Grateful Dead Betty boards\u2014but two Leonard Cohen releases changed that equation for her entirely.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cLive energy is undeniable,\u201d she says. \u201cThe highs are higher. And if you can\u2019t be there for the experience, you can feel some of it at home.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-leonard-cohen\">Leonard Cohen<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Two particular albums where you can feel the energy at home have Leanne to thank for that; Leonard Cohen\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/album\/0veLxMmMMFlBraLGyQ48mq?si=PoiIcfh0RAe0CwcTps7Q9g\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>Field Commander Cohen<\/em><\/a>, a 1979 concert that she produced as an album in 2001, and <a href=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/album\/6hpdLjR6verctKUoiTJJoL?si=juBm1BFGR0ybIzfnYeQ1Dg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>Cohen Live<\/em><\/a>, from 1994, which she co-produced with her husband, Bob Metzger.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI thought <em>Field Commander Cohen<\/em> was a terrific picture of Leonard at a time when he was singing with exuberance and playing with a killer band,\u201d she says. \u201cI wanted the world to hear the beautiful recordings done by engineer\/producer Henry Lewy. When Leonard and I listened to them 20 years later we agreed that it was a tragedy they had never been mixed and released. So we put it out in 2001.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Sisters of mercy -LEONARD COHEN Live Austin Texas July 1993\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/LlcTVj0V7VA?start=6&#038;feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">This version of \u201cSisters of Mercy\u201d was captured a month after the version that appears on <em>Cohen Live.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On the <em>Cohen Live <\/em>album, Ungar says she fought to exclude \u201cHeart with No Companion\u201d because the source recording was only a cassette front-of-house mix, but Metzger felt the performance outweighed the poor sound quality. So did the person with the tie-breaking vote: Cohen himself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIn the case of both live records, the degree of energy and tension in the music is so different from a studio recording that the songs are made new,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-roberta-flack\">Roberta Flack<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>As a young singer, <a href=\"https:\/\/online.berklee.edu\/instructors\/gabrielle-goodman?campaign_id=7010Z000001ZkQgQAK&amp;pid=&amp;utm_source=takenote&amp;tum_medium=blog&amp;utm_campaign=bol-gen-takenote-article-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Gabrielle Goodman<\/strong><\/a>\u2019s first touring experience included singing backing vocals on what would become Roberta Flack\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.discogs.com\/release\/7574969-Roberta-Flack-SOUL\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>S.O.U.L.<\/em><\/a> recording. Goodman, who wrote <a href=\"https:\/\/online.berklee.edu\/courses\/improvisation-techniques-for-singing-pop-and-rb?campaign_id=7010Z000001ZkQgQAK&amp;pid=&amp;utm_source=takenote&amp;tum_medium=blog&amp;utm_campaign=bol-gen-takenote-article-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>Improvisation Techniques for Singing Pop and R&amp;B<\/em><\/a> and co-wrote <a href=\"https:\/\/online.berklee.edu\/courses\/r-b-vocals?campaign_id=7010Z000001ZkQgQAK&amp;pid=&amp;utm_source=takenote&amp;tum_medium=blog&amp;utm_campaign=bol-gen-takenote-article-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>R&amp;B Vocals<\/em><\/a> (and teaches both), says she didn&#8217;t know the shows she performed in would one day be released as a Roberta Flack live recording.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cSinging \u2018Killing Me Softly\u2019 with Roberta Flack was a dream come true,\u201d Goodman says. \u201cShe was my mother\u2019s favorite singer and mine. I was inspired by her voice, her piano playing, and the incredible arrangements.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-rufus-amp-chaka-khan\"><strong>Rufus &amp; Chaka Khan<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Goodman also cites<em> <\/em>Rufus and Chaka Khan <a href=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/album\/3j0kxKahatiR5d0sPPtTjP?si=tjGzd9t7TteyQCeKzxxgjQ\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>Stompin\u2019 at the Savoy<\/em><\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/album\/2LDYdZO5TMa9ZE9gj6VGuc?si=GOnAXKGHSoe1QIr8CLziTw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>Aretha Live at Fillmore West<\/em> <\/a>as formative favorites that shaped her own vocal style and performance approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI marveled at Chaka\u2019s powerful singing,\u201d she says. \u201cIt allowed me to dream about singing and maybe one day work with her.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-aretha-franklin\">Aretha Franklin<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Aretha, meanwhile, inspired Goodman \u201cto belt and sing from the heart,\u201d particularly on the live version of \u201cRespect,\u201d which she calls \u201cspectacular.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Beyonc\u00e9 - Crazy In Love (Live At Coachella) 1080P\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/sFl7OS3WmA0?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">This version of \u201cCrazy in Love\u201d is just one of the <em>dozens <\/em>of highlights from the <em>Homecoming <\/em>album.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"background:#FDE9EC; padding:20px 24px; border-radius:8px; margin:24px 0;\">\n\n  <h2 style=\"margin-top:0; margin-bottom:18px;\">Author\u2019s Top 5<\/h2>\n\n  <p style=\"font-size:18px; line-height:1.7; margin-bottom:24px;\">\n    The album that kickstarted this article was an annual spinning of Bob Marley &amp; the Wailers\u2019\n    <a href=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/album\/5KXVSpRSGl544F0KKEaNxO?si=y7Mza0sQQ6CLY-vrDQdmIw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><em>LIVE!<\/em><\/a>\n    album, which is a great celebration of life and music. The first thing we hear him sing on the album is \u201cone good thing about music, when it hits, you feel no pain.\u201d\n    Here are a few of my own favorites, ranked chronologically because naming a single best live album feels impossible.\n    I also excluded anything that any other instructors included, such as <em>Field Commander Cohen<\/em> and <em>Cornell 5\/8\/77<\/em>.\n  <\/p>\n\n  <div style=\"display:grid; grid-template-columns:auto 1fr; column-gap:16px; row-gap:22px; font-size:18px; line-height:1.7;\">\n\n    <div><strong>1.<\/strong><\/div>\n    <div>\n      <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/album\/1u5Zzy6WufPaHHfzR49Vh1?si=830Go8skQ36YPIEZgllTPg&#038;nd=1&#038;dlsi=e06543edb34b453f\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><em>Live &amp; Dangerous<\/em><\/a><\/strong> by <B>Thin Lizzy (1978)<\/B>: I\u2019m not sure which is cooler, the fact that \u201cBluesy <a href=\"https:\/\/online.berklee.edu\/takenote\/huey-lewis-and-the-news-on-hearing-power-of-love-more\/?campaign_id=7010Z000001ZkQgQAK&#038;pid=&#038;utm_source=takenote&#038;tum_medium=blog&#038;utm_campaign=bol-gen-takenote-article-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Huey Lewis<\/a>\u201d is thanked on the album credits, playing harmonica on \u201cBaby Drives Me Crazy,\u201d or the seamless transition from \u201cCowboy Song\u201d into \u201cThe Boys Are Back in Town.\u201d Note: I gave myself a one-Irish-live-album limit, and it was tough to exclude Van Morrison and U2!\n    <\/div>\n\n    <div><strong>2.<\/strong><\/div>\n    <div>\n      <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/album\/06Ey2y54V4aGjP5EsovA2O?si=2QXlDrxGRjuiYhJeLvBUBQ&#038;nd=1&#038;dlsi=b16709c18e274bed\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><em>Rank<\/em><\/a><\/strong> by <B>The Smiths (1988)<\/B>: <em>Rank<\/em> captures the Smiths exorcising all the drama of their interband tension, from the air-raid-siren guitar tone of \u201cPanic\u201d to the melancholy sweep of \u201cI Know It\u2019s Over.\u201d\n    <\/div>\n\n    <div><strong>3.<\/strong><\/div>\n    <div>\n      <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/album\/26paS1Rzj1L0d3Zr1WBTIj?si=8aunTahORjyjtGhWZ0FJrQ&#038;nd=1&#038;dlsi=b525b4d80d224051\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><em>Live from the Muddy Banks of the Wishkah<\/em><\/a><\/strong> by <B>Nirvana (1996)<\/B>: I\u2019m in the second row during the performance of \u201cSliver,\u201d one of my faves from that night, and on the album. If you listen <em>realllly<\/em> closely, you just might hear me yell, \u201cPlay that one again!\u201d\n    <\/div>\n\n    <div><strong>4.<\/strong><\/div>\n    <div>\n      <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/album\/3YH2ZyKNuhphyixjJvtXul?si=-gcRGpInSGyob4Yv5tj5JQ&#038;nd=1&#038;dlsi=7539483a62174c3e\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><em>For Sale: Live at Maxwell\u2019s 1986<\/em><\/a><\/strong> by <B>The Replacements (2017)<\/B>: The famously sloppy Replacements are in peak form here, with the guitars of Paul Westerberg (left) and Bob Stinson (right) gloriously split across the stereo field.\n    <\/div>\n\n    <div><strong>5.<\/strong><\/div>\n    <div>\n      <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/album\/35S1JCj5paIfElT2GODl6x?si=6MVul5WdQyO5EO0op2NXKg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><em>Homecoming<\/em><\/a><\/strong> by <B>Beyonc\u00e9 (2019)<\/B>: It would be impressive enough that Beyonc\u00e9 reimagined her entire set to be accompanied by an all-star marching band from historically Black colleges and universities, but the fact that it was for only two shows is amazing. Any song on this 40-song set can hold its own next to the studio original.\n    <\/div>\n\n  <\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Whatever the genre or venue size, good live albums can make you feel like you missed a really good night, but the best live albums can make you feel like you were there.<br><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>We asked Berklee Online instructors to share the live albums they live for. Some chose legendary recordings, like Coltrane, the Dead, Aretha, and the Allmans, but others went for deeply personal picks tied to specific rooms, moments, and memories.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":27740,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1,9590,9593],"tags":[10095,10072,10114,10117,10101,10070,10104,10076,10097,10075,10100,10098,10074,10077,10071,10103,10115,10118,10105,10099,10086,10081,8707,9542,108,10063,10069,10068,10090,10092,7274,7272,10112,10107,8057,10079,10111,10089,386,10059,8015,10110,10106,8552,10113,10108,657,742,10083,10058,10066,10061,818,6178,10073,10096,10082,10121,10109,10085,10120,10078,10094,10060,10080,1089,7356,10091,10102,10067,10116,5967,1270,10093,8859,10119,10084,10062,10065,1424,10088,10064,6189,1468,1471,1531,9876,10087,7589],"class_list":["post-27741","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-articles","category-performance-articles","category-professor-playlists-articles","tag-baby-drives-me-crazy","tag-catfish-blues","tag-heart-with-no-companion","tag-killing-me-softly-2","tag-panic","tag-rim-shot","tag-sliver","tag-blak-and-blu","tag-cowboy-song","tag-dont-owe-you-a-thang","tag-i-know-its-over","tag-the-boys-are-back-in-town","tag-when-the-sun-goes-down","tag-ahmad-jamal","tag-gary-clark-jr","tag-nirvana-2","tag-roberta-flack-2","tag-rufus","tag-the-replacements-2","tag-van-morrison-2","tag-10086","tag-a-night-at-the-village-vanguard","tag-abbey-lincoln","tag-amanda-davis","tag-aretha-franklin","tag-at-fillmore-east","tag-baduizm","tag-baduizm-live","tag-barton-hall","tag-betty-cantor-jackson","tag-beyonce-2","tag-bob-marley-the-wailers","tag-bob-metzger","tag-bob-stinson","tag-chaka-khan","tag-chicago-revisited","tag-cohen-live","tag-cornell-5-8-77","tag-danny-morris","tag-david-carroll","tag-erykah-badu","tag-field-commander-cohen","tag-for-sale-live-at-maxwells-1986","tag-gabrielle-goodman","tag-henry-lewy","tag-homecoming","tag-huey-lewis","tag-john-coltrane","tag-keith-jarrett","tag-ken-pooch-van-druten-2","tag-kid-rock","tag-leanne-ungar","tag-leonard-cohen","tag-linkin-park","tag-live","tag-live-dangerous","tag-live-at-birdland","tag-live-at-fillmore-west","tag-live-at-leeds","tag-live-at-the-harlem-square-club","tag-live-from-the-muddy-banks-of-the-wishkah","tag-live-in-paris-1996","tag-live-2","tag-matt-smith","tag-music-is-the-magic","tag-paul-mccartney","tag-paul-westerberg","tag-phil-lesh","tag-rank","tag-road-to-revolution-live-at-milton-keynes","tag-s-o-u-l","tag-sam-cooke","tag-sean-slade","tag-siriusxm-grateful-dead-channel","tag-sonny-rollins","tag-stompin-at-the-savoy","tag-sun-bear-concerts","tag-the-allman-brothers-band","tag-the-band","tag-the-beatles","tag-the-grateful-dead","tag-the-last-waltz","tag-the-smiths","tag-the-who","tag-thin-lizzy","tag-u2","tag-wings","tag-wings-over-america","tag-yoron-israel"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v25.8 (Yoast SEO v25.8) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>The Best Live Albums\u2014According to Berklee Online Instructors - Berklee Online Take Note<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/online.berklee.edu\/takenote\/the-best-live-albums-according-to-berklee-online-instructors\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The Best Live Albums\u2014According to Berklee Online Instructors\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"We asked Berklee Online instructors to share the live albums they live for. Some chose legendary recordings, like Coltrane, the Dead, Aretha, and the Allmans, but others went for deeply personal picks tied to specific rooms, moments, and memories.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/online.berklee.edu\/takenote\/the-best-live-albums-according-to-berklee-online-instructors\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Berklee Online Take Note\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/berkleeonline\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-05-18T16:18:25+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-05-19T21:56:05+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/online.berklee.edu\/takenote\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/instructors_favorite_live_albums_article_image_2026.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1920\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1200\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Pat Healy\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@berkleeonline\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@berkleeonline\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Pat Healy\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"10 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/online.berklee.edu\/takenote\/the-best-live-albums-according-to-berklee-online-instructors\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/online.berklee.edu\/takenote\/the-best-live-albums-according-to-berklee-online-instructors\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Pat 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