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With 1970’s Benefit, Jethro Tull continued to refine their sound.    The blues/jazz fusion of the band’s debut This Was had already ceded to a more eclectic style on Stand Up; Benefit would edge Tull towards riff-rock while still maintaining the folk and jazz touchstones that set the band apart.  Benefit ultimately became a best-seller, setting the stage for 1971’s Aqualung and the even greater international successes that followed.  In 2013, Benefit was expanded as a 2CD/DVD set featuring new stereo and surround remixes by Steven Wilson.  Now, that set is itself getting expanded as part of the long-running hardcover book-style series of Tull reissues.

On November 5, Parlophone will reissue Benefit as a 4CD/2DVD set, The 50th Anniversary Enhanced Edition, featuring all of the material from the 2013 edition plus:

• Two previously released Steven Wilson remixes from Aqualung reissue in 2011 (“My God (Early Version)” and “Just Trying to Be”);
• Five original 1971 stereo remixes not included on the 2013 bonus disc;
• Two unreleased live concerts – one newly mixed by Wilson (Fillmore at Tanglewood 1970), one in mono (Live at the Aragon Ballroom, Chicago, 1970); and
• DVD of Fillmore at Tanglewood concert synced to Wilson’s stereo and 5.1 surround mixes commissioned in 2020.

Benefit featured Ian Anderson (flute, guitars, vocals), Martin Barre (guitars), Glenn Cornick (bass), and Clive Bunker (drums) plus John Evan on piano and organ.  While not yet an official member of the group, Evan’s contributions didn’t go unnoticed.  One print advertisement for Benefit even read: “the new album by J. Tull (and John).”  The album also marked the final appearance on a Tull album from Glenn Cornick.  The bassist was dismissed from Tull after completing the album’s tour.  Recording at London’s Morgan Studios (the same facility where they recorded Stand Up), producer Ian Anderson and executive producer Terry Ellis took fuller advantage of the studio’s capabilities.  The mood was darker than its predecessor, and the dense, deep lyrics pointed the way towards the more conceptual Aqualung.

There were some differences between the U.K. and U.S. releases; “Alive and Well and Living In” was dropped from the U.S. edition and an alternate version of “Teacher” with Anderson on flute was included.  In the U.K., “Teacher” was the flipside of the non-LP single “The Witch’s Promise” which became a No. 4 hit on the U.K. Singles Chart.  No fewer than seven unique mono and stereo versions of “Teacher” are on the box set’s CDs.  All told, Benefit was a top ten success in six countries including the U.K., Australia, and Germany, while it barely missed the top ten of the U.S. Billboard 200.

Benefit is housed within a 100-page book featuring an expanded version of Martin Webb’s 2013 essay, track-by-track commentary from Ian Anderson, Martin Barre, Glenn Cornick, and Clive Bunker, interviews with engineer Robin Black, Terry Ellis, Tanglewood film director Joshua White, and Steven Wilson.

This deluxe package is due from Parlophone and Rhino on November 5.  You’ll find the complete track listing and pre-order links below.

Benefit (The 50th Anniversary Enhanced Edition) (Parlophone/Rhino, 2021) (Burning Shed Store / Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

CD 1: Original album (1-10) and associated recordings (11-17) – Steven Wilson remixes

1. With You There to Help Me
2. Nothing to Say
3. Alive and Well and Living In
4. Son
5. For Michael Collins, Jeffrey and Me
6. To Cry You a Song
7. A Time for Everything?
8. Inside
9. Play in Time
10. Sossity; You’re a Woman
11. Singing All Day
12. Sweet Dream
13. 17
14. Teacher (U.K. Single Version)
15. Teacher (U.S. Album Version)
16. My God (Early Version)
17. Just Trying to Be

Tracks 1-15 originally released on Benefit (A Collector’s Edition) – Chrysalis R2 537449, 2013

• Original mixes of Tracks 1-10 originally released as Chrysalis ILPS 9123 (U.K.), 1970

Tracks 16-17 originally released on Aqualung (40th Anniversary Special Edition) – Chrysalis 50999 08799 2 0, 2011

• Original mix of Track 17 originally released on Living in the Past – Chrysalis CJT 1/2 (U.K.), 1972

CD 2: Additional associated recordings (+ not originally released on 2013 collector’s edition)

1. Singing All Day (Mono)
2. Sweet Dream (Mono)
3. 17 (Mono)
4. The Witch’s Promise (Mono)
5. Teacher (Mono Single Version)
6. Teacher (U.S. Mono Album Version)
7. Inside (Mono Single Edit)
8. Alive and Well and Living In (Mono)
9. A Time for Everything? (Mono)
10. Sweet Dream (Stereo)
11. 17 (Stereo)
12. The Witch’s Promise (Stereo)
13. Teacher (U.K. Stereo Single Version)
14. The Witch’s Promise (U.S. Stereo Promo Version) +
15. Teacher (U.S. Stereo Album Version)
16. Singing All Day (1971 Stereo Remix) +
17. Sweet Dream (1971 Stereo Remix) +
18. The Witch’s Promise (1971 Stereo Remix) +
19. Teacher (U.S. Album Version – 1971 Stereo Remix) +
20. Benefit Radio Spot #1
21. Benefit Radio Spot #2

Tracks 1 and 10-11 originally released on Benefit (A Collector’s Edition) – Chrysalis R2 537449, 2013
Tracks 2-3 originally released as Chrysalis U.K. single WIP 6070, 1970
Tracks 4-5 and 12-13 originally released as Chrysalis U.K. single WIP 6077, 1970
Tracks 6 and 15 originally released on U.S. pressing of Benefit – Reprise RS-6400, 1970
Tracks 7-8 originally released as Chrysalis U.K. single WIP 6081, 1970
Track 9 originally released on “Inside” U.S. single – Reprise 0927, 1970
Track 14 originally released on Reprise U.S. promo single 0899, 1970
Tracks 16-19 originally released on Living in the Past – Chrysalis CJT 1/2 (U.K.), 1972
Tracks 20-21 originally released on Reprise U.S. promo PRO-395, 1970

CD 3: Live at Tanglewood 1970 (Steven Wilson Stereo Remix) (previously unreleased)

1. Introduction and Tuning
2. Nothing is Easy
3. My God (incl. Flute Solo)
4. With You There to Help Me/By Kind Permission Of
5. Dharma for One (incl. Drum Solo (edited))
6. We Used to Know
7. Guitar Instrumental
8. For a Thousand Mothers

All tracks recorded live at Tanglewood Music Center, Lenox, MA – 7/7/1970

CD 4: Live at The Aragon Ballroom, Chicago 1970 (Mono) (previously unreleased)

1. Introduction and Tuning
2. My Sunday Feeling
3. My God (incl. Flute Solo)
4. To Cry You a Song
5. With You There to Help Me/By Kind Permission Of
6. Sossity; You’re a Woman/Reasons for Waiting
7. Nothing is Easy
8. Dharma for One (incl. Drum Solo)
9. We Used to Know
10. Guitar Instrumental
11. For a Thousand Mothers

All tracks recorded live at The Aragon Ballroom, Chicago, IL – 6/5/1970

DVD 1 (originally released on Benefit (A Collector’s Edition) – Chrysalis R2 537449, 2013)

• Steven Wilson’s 2013 remix of the album and 5 extra tracks in DTS and Dolby AC 3 5.1 surround and stereo 96/24 LPCM
• Flat transfers of the original U.K.+U.S. LP master in 96/24 LPCM & additional tracks “Sweet Dream,” “17” & “The Witch’s Promise”

DVD 2 (previously unreleased)

• The 1970 Fillmore at Tanglewood Concert on video with Steven Wilson’s 2020 audio remix in stereo and 5.1 surround