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Discs 10 and 11 contain the Teaser and Private Eyes albums, but again, demos steal the show. Teaser's “Savannah Woman” is presented as a piano/vocal duet—gut-wrenching raw. Disc 12 is the Studio Jams: Bolin warming up for the Private Eyes tour by jamming with Jeff Beck and Jan Hammer in New York. The chemistry is volcanic. -Extra Quality- Tommy Bolin 1966 1976 Fever Box Set 15 Cdsl
Disc 13: The Miami Rehearsals (March 1976) – This is the centerpiece of the box. Recorded three months before his death, Bolin is playing with his final touring band (including bassist Reggie McBride). The sound quality is "soundboard" grade. He plays “Post Toaste” at double speed, laughing between verses. He forgets the words to “Wild Dogs” and improvises a haunting new verse about "the needle and the damage done."
Discs 14 & 15: Live at the Miami Jai-Alai Fronton (December 3, 1976) – The final show. Sixteen days before his death. Previously circulated as a muddy audience recording, Fever uses the newly unearthed master cassette from the venue’s sound booth. The mix is incredible. You hear Bolin’s fingers squeak on the strings during the intro to “Homeward Strut.” You hear the crowd murmur. You hear the band falter during “Lotus,” then recover. The final “Stratus” is a 17-minute death spiral of genius—every note feels like a gamble. When the tape cuts, you are left in silence, mourning what rock music lost. You need this box set if:
The middle third of the box set is the most painful and exhilarating. Disc 6 captures the James Gang’s Miami sessions. Bolin had just replaced Joe Walsh, and the pressure was immense. You hear him smoking a cigarette, counting in “Midnight Man,” and then delivering a slide guitar line that is pure regret masquerading as rock.
But the crown jewel is Deep Purple’s Come Taste the Band studio outtakes (Discs 8 & 9) . For forty years, rumors persisted of a lost Bolin album buried inside the Mk. IV Purple sessions. Fever confirms it. The backing tracks for “Owed to ‘G’” (the instrumental that became “Dealer”) are presented with David Coverdale’s guide vocals removed. You hear Bolin comping chords behind a drum fill—a ghost in the machine. The version of “Drifter” here runs 11 minutes, with a middle section that dips into Eastern modes, proving that Bolin, not Blackmore, was the innovator by 1975. You might skip it if:
Title: Fever: 1966–1976 Artist: Tommy Bolin Format: 15 CD Deluxe Box Set Release Context: A definitive archival collection celebrating the life and work of the guitarist virtuoso Tommy Bolin, spanning from his early days in Colorado to his tragic passing in 1976.