Live at Mccabe's [Live]

Amazon.com
Records like this one explain why Norman Blake fanatics usually creep up to the side of the stage just to get a glimpse of Blake's fingers in action. Apparently, most of those fanatics belong to the Flatpick-L Internet mailing list, because this reissue was actually inspired by an intense Flatpick-L e-mail campaign! As his career progressed, Blake tended to de-emphasize his incredible flat-picking prowess, but on this 1976 date at the famed Santa Monica venue (Blake's first-ever West Coast appearance), he gives the people exactly what they want. Just when you think the master can't top his last chorus, he does just that with an incredible arsenal of rippling runs. Wife (now ex-wife) Nancy joins him for a few stately guitar-cello duets, but it's the solo-guitar pieces that truly amaze. Those Net geeks sure know how to pick 'em! --Marc Greilsamer

Live at Mccabe's,Norman Blake,Takoma,Bluegrass,Country,Folk,Pop

Average customer rating: Two of the best

A Night of Ukulele Jazz Live at McCabe's Lyle Ritz & Herb Ohta Manufacturer: Flea Market Music ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Folk | Styles | Music General | International | Styles | Music Hawaii | Pacific Islands | International | Styles | Music General | Jazz | Styles | Music Swing General | Swing Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music Classic Big Band | Swing Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music Contemporary Big Band | Swing Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music General | Folk | Indie Music | Stores | Music General | Jazz | Indie Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: How About Uke? No Frills Uke of Ages Jumpin Jim's Ukulele Masters : Lyle Ritz Jumpin' Jim's Ukulele Masters: Lyle Ritz Solos: 15 Chord Solos Arranged by the Ukulele Jazz Master ASIN: B0009LQXO2 Release Date: 2005-05-05

Tracks:

1. Lulu's Back In Town
2. Triste
3. Where Or When
4. Tonight You Belong To Me
5. Bluesette
6. The Very Thought Of You
7. September Song
8. I'll Remember You
9. Song For Anna
10. Stompin' At The Savoy
11. Joy Spring
12. Fly Me To The Moon

Product Description

Lyle Ritz and Herb Ohta prove that in the right hands, the ukulele can swing! Certainly jazz is not the first kind of music people think of when regarding the ukulele, but the two ukulele virtuosi exceed all expectations and challenge the status quo with this rare performance. "A Night of Ukulele Jazz Live at McCabe's" is a must have for Jazz and ukulele lovers alike!

Customer Reviews:

Two of the best.......2006-10-09

This CD is two very good musicians playing swinging relaxed jazz. The fact that both use the ukelele as their main instrument has nothing to do with anything. Great musicians can use any instrument, and both of these fellows are great musicians. There is love and laughter here, too. Beautiful melodies, nice chord substitutions and just a happy, swinging set. Well worth the money if you like good music. This CD also has Ohta-San's wonderful song "Song for Anna" which he plays solo. I don't think there has ever been a more beautiful song, no matter what instrument is used.

Average customer rating: Freedy at his Intimate Best Quite good

Live at McCabe's Guitar Shop Freedy Johnston Manufacturer: Shout Factory ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Alt-Country & Americana | Country | Styles | Music Singer-Songwriters | Pop | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music General | Adult Contemporary | Pop | Styles | Music Adult Alternative | Pop | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music General | Live Albums | Rock | Styles | Music Singer-Songwriters | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music Similar Items: Another Fine Day Sky Blue Sky West Open Season Farewell to the World ASIN: B000FVBLLG Release Date: 2006-07-11

Tracks:

1. Introduction
2. The Farthest Lights
3. Radio For Heartache
4. Underwater Life
5. Moving On A Holiday
6. Pretend It's Summer
7. Evie's Tears
8. Gone Like The Water
9. You Get Me Lost
10. Two Lovers Stop
11. Wichita Lineman
12. Western Sky
13. This Perfect World
14. Bad Reputation

Album Description

Singer-songwriter Freedy Johnston rocketed to fame in the early '90s with the release of his second album, Can You Fly, which critic Robert Christgau called "a perfect album." He quickly signed to Elektra and recorded a string of albums, including This Perfect World, which spawned the Top 40 hit "Bad Reputation." This previously unreleased live concert, from April 25, 1998, contains not only that song, but also three others from that album, two songs from his at-the-time-unreleased album, Never Home, and his acclaimed cover of "Wichita Lineman" from the earlier Unlucky EP, among other fan favorites.

Customer Reviews:

Freedy at his Intimate Best.......2007-01-09

Fans of Freedy Johnston such as me will revel in this delightful, intimate live performance. I have seen Freedy perform five times over the past twelve years in such varied venues as larger music halls (where he was accompanied by a full back-up band) to small coffeehouses (where he was either unaccompanied or worked with another guitarist.) I have preferred the latter more intimate performances, and that is just what you get with "Live at McCabe's Guitar Shop".

The disc is heavy on songs Freedy was recording for his soon-to-be released CD at the time "Blue Days Black Nights" (including a lovely rendition of "Radio For Heartache", which ultimately was left off the "Blue Days..." CD due to technical studio issues and later released on "Right Between The Promises".) Freedy is in fine form throughout the perfomance captured here; his voice and guitar/banjo playing are dead on, the sound quality is top-notch and his relaxed banter in between songs make the listener feel as if he/she is actually in attendance at the show.

Every song here is a keeper, with my current personal favorites being the aforementioned "Radio...", "Evie's Tears" and frequent Freedy concert cover "Wichita Lineman". Perhaps the finest attribute of this CD is its versatility - in addition to being essential for all Freedy Johnston fans, it is also a great place to start for anyone unfamiliar with the music of a truly underrated songwriter and performer.

Quite good.......2006-11-18

Excellent acoustic versions of many of Freedy's best & a couple of covers, with trademark humor of his live sets between songs

Average customer rating: Tom Paxton performing live at McCabe's Guitar Shop back in 1991

Live at McCabe's Guitar Shop Tom Paxton Manufacturer: Shout Factory ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music General | Folk | Styles | Music General | Live Albums | Folk | Styles | Music Singer-Songwriters | Pop | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music General | Live Albums | Rock | Styles | Music Similar Items: I Can't Help But Wonder Where I'm Bound: The Best Of Tom Paxton Live In The UK Best of Friends Looking for the Moon Under American Skies ASIN: B000FVBLLQ Release Date: 2006-07-11

Tracks:

1. Introduction
2. Ramblin Boy
3. If I Pass This Way Again
4. Forest Lawn
5. When Annie Took Me Home
6. My Last Love Song
7. I Am Changing My Name To Chrysler
8. Did You Hear John Hurt?
9. Bottle Of Wine
10. Home To Me (Is Anywhere You Are)
11. Billy Got Some Bad News Today
12. It Aint Easy
13. One Million Lawyers
14. My Favorite Spring
15. We All Sound The Same
16. The Ballad Of Gary Hart
17. Yuppies In The Sky
18. The Last Thing On My Mind

Album Description

Tom Paxton started out in the Greenwich Village folk scene as a contemporary of such folk greats as Bob Dylan and Phil Ochs. Though he released a string of albums on Vanguard, Elektra, Reprise, Sony, Flying Fish and Rounder, he is best known for his live concerts and his songwriting. His biggest hit, "The Last Thing On My Mind," has been covered by Neil Diamond, Willie Nelson, Peter Paul & Mary, Joan Baez, Glen Campbell and countless others. Live at McCabe's Guitar Shop, recorded on February 23, 1991, contains his biggest hits and most-scathing political songs, including "The Last Thing On My Mind," "Bottle Of Wine," and "Yuppies In The Sky."

Customer Reviews:

Tom Paxton performing live at McCabe's Guitar Shop back in 1991.......2006-09-10

I saw Tom Paxton in concert last night at the Big Tent Chautauqua next door in Wisconsin, along with a rare reunion of the original Chad Mitchell Trio. In trying to keep the feelings of the evening going this live recording of Paxton certainly suffices. While the album was released this year, "Live at McCabe's Guitar Shop" was recorded in the popular Santa Monica folk venue in 1991, not that you can really tell we are fifteen years down the roads at this point. After all, that is but a fraction of the time that Paxton has been one of the premier troubadours in the great tradition of Woody Guthrie. You really have to look at Pete Seeger to come up with somebody who has been a part of the folk scene longer than Paxton, although certainly he would be more associated with the Greenwich Village tradition, for which he would be the elder statesman. After all, he is a few years older than either Phil Ochs "the singing journalist" or Bob Dylan, the poet laurette of the Sixties.

There are seventeen songs making up the eighteen tracks because the "Intro" is a separate track because this is one of those CDs where the songs start at the beginning of the track and Paxton's introduction is at the end of the previous track. You will find that a few classic Paxton tunes anchoring the album, beginning with "Ramblin' Boy," with his big sing along "Bottle of Wine" in the middle and his most popular song, "The Last Thing on My Mind" providing the benediction to the evening. One of the joys here is listening to his introduction of "Did You Hear John Hurt?", which tells listener most of what they need to know about the legendary blues singer Mississippi John Hurt before Paxton does a song written in that style.

Most of the "recent" material stems from the period when Paxton had started his own label, Pax Records, in the late 1980s (e.g, "If I Pass This Way Again," "It Ain't Easy"). Another hallmark of a Tom Paxton concert are the topical songs (last night we heard a lament entitled "You'll Always Be a Planet to Me," dedicated to the "new" dwarf-planet Pluto), and in that regard this album is a bit dated when Paxton launches into "The Ballad of Gary Hart." But "One Million Lawyers" certainly rings true today, and neither "I am Changing My Name to Chrysler" and "Yuppies in the Sky" are not exactly exercises in pure nostalgia (too bad he only sings "Forest Lawn" in southern California). Paxton's self-depreciating sense of humor sets his audience at ease, and his explanation that when you buy his cassettes and CDs that he needs to sign them so that they will be correctly activated speaks volumes on his relationship with his adoring audience.

Average customer rating: "Nobody heard his dying words ... " Near the end... Feels Like Voyeurism, In A Bad Way Great live show at end of career Not for first timers

Live at McCabe's Townes Van Zandt Manufacturer: Return to Sender ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Country | Styles | Music Outlaw & Progressive Country | Country | Styles | Music General | Live Albums | Country | Styles | Music Contemporary | Bluegrass | Country | Styles | Music General | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music General | Folk | Styles | Music General | Live Albums | Folk | Styles | Music Singer-Songwriters | Pop | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music General | Live Albums | Rock | Styles | Music General | Country | Indie Music | Stores | Music ASIN: B00005Y7FN Release Date: 2001-12-18

Tracks:

1. The Hole
2. Pueblo Waltz
3. Pancho & Lefty
4. Short Haired Woman Blues
5. Shrimp Song
6. Snowin' On Raton
7. Katie Belle
8. Dollar Bill Blues
9. A Song For
10. Banks Of The Ohio
11. Wallbash Cannonball
12. Marie

Customer Reviews:

"Nobody heard his dying words ... ".......2007-02-04

At times it's almost painful to listen to this, but in a good way. Townes near the end of his life, with his voice cracking and straining. As other reviewers have said, it's not the best place to hear him first, but all in all it's a moving way to listen to him go.

Near the end..........2003-05-01

If you know Townes'work well, you should probably own this album; if not, try "Live At The Old Quarter" for glimpse of a true giant at the height of his powers...While in a state of serious deterioration at McCabe's, Townes still expressed, maybe exposed is better, in croaks & jokes the real heart of his all American low down blues.

Feels Like Voyeurism, In A Bad Way.......2002-03-26

TVZ was a gifted and troubled soul; and you definitely hear both in this recording. Sadly, I found there was too much of the latter for me to enjoy this. When you hear this performance, it becomes obvious that this was a human being completely swamped by his pain. On this recording, it is obvious he had lost the battle to hold things together, and that robs him of his dignity. Ultimately, maybe one needs to hear this too to see where the stories he tells actually end in the real world. I am not sure. All I know is that this is too much for me.

Great live show at end of career.......2002-03-06

TV Zandt fans will love this pristine soundboard recording of a show from 1995, near the end of his life. I've heard several shows from this period on imports and bootlegs, and this captures perfectly what went down in these performances--his casual rapport with the audience and his stark, moving delivery. The sound quality is perfect.

Not for first timers.......2002-02-22

This is a difficult one to review.....it's great for serious TVZ fans. It appears to be a complete recording at a small music shop with just a few people as audience. Very typical of TVZ concerts.
It is a funny, sad and ultimately satisfying performance. But I don't recommend this as an introduction....TVZ is frequently off-key and a first-timer is likely to get turned off. I'd recommend the outstanding live album Rear View Mirror or the 2-CD anthology. Another outstanding album is the tribute to TVZ 'Around Townes' by Jonell Mosser. Superb album in which she interprets TVZ songs in her own style of hard-hitting country blues style.

Average customer rating: Great work Long ago but still fresh One of the finest flatpicking albums ever A super performance

Live at McCabe's Norman Blake Manufacturer: Takoma ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Country | Styles | Music General | Traditional Country | Country | Styles | Music General | Bluegrass | Country | Styles | Music Contemporary | Bluegrass | Country | Styles | Music Traditional | Bluegrass | Country | Styles | Music Bluegrass | Live Albums | Country | Styles | Music General | Folk | Styles | Music Traditional Folk | Folk | Styles | Music General | Live Albums | Folk | Styles | Music General | Country | Indie Music | Stores | Music Bluegrass | Country | Indie Music | Stores | Music General | Folk | Indie Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: Whiskey Before Breakfast The Fields of November/Old and New Back Home in Sulphur Springs Blake & Rice Norman Blake and Tony Rice 2 ASIN: B00000JQKT Release Date: 1999-07-20

Tracks:

1. Introduction By Nancy Covey
2. Nine Pound Hammer
3. Sweet Heaven When I Die
4. Introducing Nancy Blake
5. Border Widow
6. 'G' Medley: Green Leaf Fancy/Fields Of November/Fort Smith
7. Dry Grass On The High Fields
8. John Hardy
9. Arkansas Traveler
10. Medley: Bully Of The Town/Bonaparte's Retreat/Richland Avenue Rag
11. Harvey's Reel

Amazon.com

Records like this one explain why Norman Blake fanatics usually creep up to the side of the stage just to get a glimpse of Blake's fingers in action. Apparently, most of those fanatics belong to the Flatpick-L Internet mailing list, because this reissue was actually inspired by an intense Flatpick-L e-mail campaign! As his career progressed, Blake tended to de-emphasize his incredible flat-picking prowess, but on this 1976 date at the famed Santa Monica venue (Blake's first-ever West Coast appearance), he gives the people exactly what they want. Just when you think the master can't top his last chorus, he does just that with an incredible arsenal of rippling runs. Wife (now ex-wife) Nancy joins him for a few stately guitar-cello duets, but it's the solo-guitar pieces that truly amaze. Those Net geeks sure know how to pick 'em! --Marc Greilsamer

Customer Reviews:

Great work.......2005-02-13

Nine pound hammer is absolutely a masterpiece for acoustic guitar and a very hard piece to play. Overlooked guitarist

Long ago but still fresh.......2004-04-03

I was in the audience the night of this performance, and I've owned the vinyl version for, holy cow, has it been twenty-five years? It is by far my favorite recording of Norman Blake's, simply because of the warmth that can come only from a live performance. With his wife accompanying him on cello, every note filled the little room with a clarity at once deep and sharp. Beautiful. Inspiring. If you get only one Norman Blake CD, get this one.

One of the finest flatpicking albums ever.......1999-09-22

This album is up in the rarified air of the very finest flatpicking albums ever recorded; in the same class as Dan Crary's "Guitar" or "Doc Watson On Stage". The playing is sensational, unbelievable. This is Norman Blake with flatpicking as his primary interest, unlike later material which focused on ensembles and then on recreating old time music. The musicianship is dizzying; experimental, vibrant, flashy, lyrical, audacious; it doesn't have the polish of a studio album, but has a wonderful live ambience. It is astonishing what a real master can do with well-known material. This album will rightly be one of the standards by which flatpicking is measured.

A super performance.......1999-09-03

This live performance recording of Norman Blake, solo and with his ex-wife Nancy, should be essential to your collection of acoustic recordings. This is vintage Norman, captured in an intimate setting almost 25 years ago, just being himself. The recording quality is excellent for a live performance, the between-songs banter is preserved and adds to the laid-back ambience, and the picking is superb. The mix of traditional and original songs melds perfectly. If you haven't had a chance to see Norman live, this is as close as it gets. Highly recommended for old-time, bluegrass, and acoustic music lovers.

Average customer rating: Henry Rollin's: Storyteller Check out the Immortal story... I LOVE YOU AND YOU HIT ME..... More "Dynamite Hack" from Hank Rollins Tells It Like It Is!!

Live at McCabe's Henry Rollins Manufacturer: Quarter Stick ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Live Albums | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music General | Poetry, Spoken Word & Interviews | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music Spoken Word | Poetry, Spoken Word & Interviews | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music General | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music General | Comedy | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music Country Comedy | Comedy | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music General | Alternative Rock | Indie Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: A Rollins in the Wry The Boxed Life Sweatbox: Spoken Word 1987-1988 Big Ugly Mouth Think Tank (Spoken Word) ASIN: B0000037MS Release Date: 1992-06-01

Tracks:

1. Exhaustion
2. Misunderstanding
3. I Wish Someone Had Told Me
4. Travel Tips

Customer Reviews:

Henry Rollin's: Storyteller.......2003-03-04

Henry Rollin's the poetry shouting, story telling, heavy metal grinding, music and movie star is best known on two fronts, his music albums and his spoken word albums. While you may have heard that his spoken word albums are comedy CDs, that is a little exagerated (at least the earliar ones anyway). Henry's stories bring some thought to ponder of his rather hard life experiences, gigs on the road and eventually his own thoughts on everyday events, and most of them are given a humorous spin to make the experience more enjoyable and funny. LIVE AT MCCABES is one of these CD's.

The first track is Hank's story about making trips across the world to various jobs and music events and the people he sees such as vagrents in the subways and stewardess's on planes. the second track called Misunderstanding is a little strange. A story about two cops shooting a young man in his apt over a misunderstnading is glossed over to get to a story about his own misunderstanding in punching out a rude fan in Yugoslavia. Henry is a guy who in several of his spoken word albums talks of his HATE of the police, and here a perfect example for him to is skipped over. Hank is probably upset about what he did to a fan and ignored it. It's a little out of character for him. I was expecting one of his outbursts about the cops, and we didn't get it. Oh well, no big deal. I Wish Someone Had Told Me is the third track and it is one of Hank's most powerful tracks and harkens back to the earliest CD's of pure storytelling and life lesson learning. Hank tells us that while in a boys school he finally finds interaction with girls and most of his encounters end in failure due to his ignorance of women. When his crazy mother throws him out of the house, he is left with no money and no where to go to get information to help himslef, he needs to scrape buy and his problems get worse. It is a great track, but it seems to end abruptly. The final track is Travel Tips. Hank as a young boy goes on a trip with his aforementioned crazy mom to Greece and is the near victim of a molester. Not Hank's most engaging track I must say, but worth listening to once. Henry Rollins has better spoken word albums such as SWEATBOX and BOXED LIFE. Both are twice as long and have more stories, which are also just as funny and at times a little more insightful (never mind the poor sound qualities at times). LIVE AT MCCABES is good but there are enough little nuonces to give it a star short of greatness. LIVE AT MCCABES though is a decent place to start if your interested in hearing some of Rollin's story telling.

Check out the Immortal story..........2000-11-28

This is probably the best spoken word album by Henry. It's not as rough as the previous albums (Big Ugly Mouth & Sweatbox), and it's a little bit more polished. But, it's still Henry--honest, straight-forward, and future rockstar.

This was originally released on his 2.13.61 label before he broke big on MTV. I suspect the original tape version has more stuff on it, since it was jammed to 90 minutes. It was also his first spoken word recording to feature a whole show instead of just snipets. There's a little bit of everything on this album--the stories of his travels, his depression, his poetry, and his over-the-top self-awareness.

Highly recommended.

I LOVE YOU AND YOU HIT ME............2000-07-10

"I AM PUNK ROCK", "YOU ARE MY FAVORITE SINGER", "I PLAY YOUR DISCS AT BAND PRACTICES". THIS STUFF IS CLASSIC. THIS GUY HAS HAD MORE ADVENTURES IN ONE NIGHT THAN I HAD IN TEN YEARS. SOME OF THEM ARE DARK, BUT HE IS LIVING A FULL LIFE AND OBVIOUSLY IS THINKING IT OVER, WORKING IT OUT, AND TAKING NO PRISONERS. COMMENTS WELCOME AT nick82e@hotmail.com

More "Dynamite Hack" from Hank.......2000-03-14

This record contains some of the most intense stories I have heard Rollins tell. Stories about the difficulty of dealing with sex when you're young, the vaccuum that forms for some people who find themselves with no one they can talk to on a personal level.

There is some humor on this record, most notably "Misunderstanding", which describes one of Rollins' many culture-clash experiences. "Travel Tips" is another tough one; although told with humor, it makes you feel bad for the young Henry, a kid with boundless energy and no one in his family willing to help him work it out or deal with him like he was a human being.

Henry came out of it OK, and we his listeners are the winners; every record he releases shares a little bit more of experience and life with us. Keep it up.

Rollins Tells It Like It Is!!.......1999-03-12

Don't be fooled by the limited number of tracks on this disc. Rollins rants on for 76 minutes about Love, Hate, Depression, and the lovely young Fran who got away. My favorite is I wish Someone Would have Told Me. We get to see the early Rollins growing up feeling so different from all of his peers, and finding out the mystery about woman. Love him, hate him, He will always be Rollins, and I think that this is one of his best discs. Misunderstanding starts off way dark, but finishes up with a great rant about a punker fan who has an odd way of expressing his love for his favorite singer!! Enjoy it LOUD!!!

Average customer rating: Like Being Live With the Doc... The best of ol' time country music

Live at McCabe's Guitar Shop, 2.11.01 Ralph Stanley & the Clinch Mountain Boys Manufacturer: Dcn Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Folk | Styles | Music Traditional Folk | Folk | Styles | Music General | Bluegrass | Country | Styles | Music Traditional | Bluegrass | Country | Styles | Music Bluegrass | Live Albums | Country | Styles | Music Bluegrass | Country | Indie Music | Stores | Music General | Folk | Indie Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: Shine On Ralph Stanley Alison Krauss & Union Station - Live ASIN: B00005Y1TW Release Date: 2002-02-12

Tracks:

1. Intro
2. Orange Blossom Special
3. Ralph Introduces James Alan Shelton
4. Sunny Side of the Mountain
5. Ralph Introduces Jack Cooke
6. Sittin' on Top of the World
7. Ralph Introduces Steve Sparkman
8. Clinch Mountain Backstep
9. Ralph Introduces James Price
10. Jesus Savior, Pilot Me
11. Pretty Girls, City Lights
12. Ralph Introduces James Price
13. Cacklin' Hen
14. Ralph II Introduces His Father
15. Man of Constant Sorrow
16. Daddy's Wildwood Flower
17. Intro to Oh Death
18. Oh Death
19. I'll Wear a White Robe
20. Daybreak in Dixie
21. Will You Miss Me
22. Rocky Island
23. Rank Strangers to Me

Amazon.com

Now that the world knows Ralph Stanley thanks to the ubiquitous O Brother soundtrack, it's time we got to know his band. When they're on, as on this February 2001 evening in Santa Monica, the Clinch Mountain Boys can fill a room like a bluegrass orchestra--two banjos, two guitars, fiddle, bass, and three- and four-part gospel harmonies--and trade leads like old friends telling stories. Some Stanley hits are here, but so are more rarely performed gems like "Daddy's Wildwood Flower" and the sprint-from-the-gate instrumental "Daybreak in Dixie." Even Ralph II, a sometimes nasal singer, effortlessly nails the lead on "Rank Strangers." And while Dr. Ralph steals the show with the blazing clawhammer of "Rocky Island" and a spike-up-the-spine version of "Oh Death," it's his road-wizened band that brings these songs to life. --Roy Kasten

Album Description

This live album from Grammy Award winner Ralph Stanley features live versions of Stanley's hit songs from O Brother Where Art Thou? USA Today says, "If you want to know how a 75-year-old beat out Tim McGraw, Johnny Cash and Willie Nelson for a Grammy, your answer is right here."

Customer Reviews:

Like Being Live With the Doc..........2002-06-12

I'm a young lad and although most of my peers had never heard of Ralph Stanley until "Oh Brother" made its debut I've been a devotee of bluegrass and old school country from way back. If you're into today's psuedo-country, flat-bellied, line-dancing, disco, top-40 junk you'll definately want to shy away from this record. On the other hand, if you're into true music performed and sung by real musicians then this is right up your alley. In February of 2002 I had the rare opportunity to hear the good Doc and his band play live in Jacksonville, Arkansas. Listening to this CD is almost like being back at that concert. The play list is largely similar (the recording was made within a month or so of the performance I heard) and features some great vocals, original songsmithing, and dandy clawhammer banjo picking. Having seen Dr. Stanley and the Clinch Mountain Boys in person I can visualize each performer as the good Doc introduces them on the album- from the wizened old boy that plays the upright bass ("the ex-mayor of Norton, Virginia") to the giant of a man that saws the fiddle ("He TOOK first prize"). As a fan of live albums, this one ranks among my favorites. The audience is small enough that the applause doesn't overpower the music and the clarity and quality of the recording is great. If you're new to Dr. Stanley or a follower from way back this is a great album to get and one that I would highly recommend.

The best of ol' time country music.......2002-03-30

This is a wonderful, upbeat album with the "feel" of a live performance by this outstanding group pf musicians. My favorite tracks are Orange Blossom Special (the best performance I've ever heard) and I'll Wear a White Robe, as beautiful a song as Angel Band. There is some down home humor between the songs. In short, this is the best album I've heard in a long, long time.

Average customer rating: Townes' last stand... Live concert from the aging troubadour A Note From The Producer

Live At McCabe's Townes Van Zandt , and Townes Van Zandt Manufacturer: Varese Sarabande ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Country | Styles | Music Outlaw & Progressive Country | Country | Styles | Music General | Traditional Country | Country | Styles | Music General | Live Albums | Country | Styles | Music Contemporary | Bluegrass | Country | Styles | Music General | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music General | Folk | Styles | Music Traditional Folk | Folk | Styles | Music General | Live Albums | Folk | Styles | Music Singer-Songwriters | Pop | Styles | Music Similar Items: Live at the Jester Lounge: Houston, Texas 1966 Live and Obscure A Gentle Evening with Townes Van Zandt Roadsongs Rear View Mirror, Vol. 2 ASIN: B0000E64TU Release Date: 2003-11-18

Tracks:

1. Pueblo Waltz
2. Pancho And Lefty
3. Short Haired Woman Blues
4. Shrimp Song
5. Snowin' On Raton
6. Katie Belle
7. Dollar Bill Blues
8. Lungs
9. Banks Of The Ohio - Kelly Joe Phelps
10. Wabash Cannonball - Kelly Joe Phelps
11. Two Girls
12. Marie
13. To Live's To Fly
14. I'll Be Here In The Morning

Customer Reviews:

Townes' last stand..........2006-01-24

I get mixed feelings as I listen to this late career recording of Townes Van Zandt at McCabe's Guitar Shop in Santa Monica, CA on February 10, 1995. His guitar skills had deteriorated considerably since his early recordings and his voice was showing the wear from years of alcohol abuse and constant touring. It saddened me that his once precise fingerpicking skills were nonexistent and that at times he seemed to be barely able to strum his guitar. His voice was also occasionally reduced to a croak. While some songs aren't exactly easy on the ear and have a somewhat sloppy feel (which is fitting I guess, considering the laid back feel of the performance), other songs do benefit from Townes' vocal style and guitar arrangements. In particular, Townes' version of "Two Girls" touches my heart each time I hear it, much moreso than the studio version. His gruff voice really adds to the wistful melody of the song. "Lungs" is another song that he really nails on this disc. Especially noteworthy is "Marie", one of his later songs, which is also one of the bleakest songs I've ever heard. When one hears Townes sing of the narrator's life on skid row, without a job and struggling with poverty, you can't help but feel that his lyrics on this song were partially autobiographical. The haunting end of the song is chilling. On a more upbeat note, "To Live's To Fly" is a song that benefits from Townes' road worn voice and the sparse guitar part included, and remains his eternal statement of hope. His duet with Barb Donovan on "I'll Be Here In The Morning" is also a standout. Overall, this CD is one that I wouldn't recommend to those unfamiliar with Townes' recorded work, but if you are a fan of TVZ this is a valuable document of his playing from the year prior to his death.

Live concert from the aging troubadour.......2004-06-28

This live recording was made at McCabe's in Santa Monica, CA, on February 10, 1995, less than two years before Townes' untimely demise. The artist was only 50 at the time, but his voice is heavy with the wear and tear of years of hard living. You really feel the passion of Townes here and the banter between songs is charming (though occasionally difficult to hear and a bit too self-deprecating). In addition to a good mix of his newer and older material, he plays some folk classics ("Banks of the Ohio" and "Wabash Cannonball"), as well as a track penned by one of his musical idols, Lightnin' Hopkins. Brent J. Brown's "Shrimp Song" provides some light moments. The contrast between Townes' weathered, deep voice and Barb Donovan's fresh, clear alto on the bonus track "I'll be here in the morning" is almost by itself worth the price of the album. This said, I would recommend "Live at McCabe's" for seasoned Townes Van Zandt fans, as the roughness of some of the cuts may turn off the first time listener. For an introduction to Townes, I highly recommend "Live at the Old Quarter", the two-CD set that was recorded in 1973, when Townes was in his late 20's. Once you've grown accustomed to the beauty of his poetry as expressed by the young, exuberant Townes, the tired, idiosyncratic sound of the mid-90's Townes will be better appreciated and more endearing.

A Note From The Producer.......2004-02-13

Townes Van Zandt's plaintive compositions are among the most affecting ever put down by a songwriter. Their raw emotion cuts deep and thick, right to the bone. The immediacy of his lyrics has appealed to a substantial audience and a remarkable cross-section of fellow musicians. The intimate environment of McCabe's was perfect for this 1995 performance, an engaging blend of some of his best-known classics, then-recent compositions and well-chosen covers. Versions of his trademark songs "Pancho And Lefty," "To Live Is To Fly" and "Pueblo Waltz" reveal the songs aging beautifully, the years and Townes' weathered voice improving their initial power. As presented here, the raw honesty of newer songs such as "Katie Bell Blues" and "Marie" show they can stand alongside any of the standards Van Zandt has written. A special bonus studio cut included on this release is Van Zandt's "I'll Be There In The Morning," a duet with Barb Donovan, one of Austin, Texas's most renowned artists and Van Zandt's favorite female singer-songwriter. The studio track initially was recorded for a compilation CD intended to be given away with the German edition of Rolling Stone and was released on New Year's Day, 1997-the day Van Zandt passed away.

Average customer rating: a little more difficult to understand, but still a great rec

Deep in the Neon: Live at McCabe's John Stewart Manufacturer: Homecoming Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music Singer-Songwriters | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music General | Folk | Styles | Music Traditional Folk | Folk | Styles | Music Contemporary Folk | Live Albums | Folk | Styles | Music General | Live Albums | Folk | Styles | Music Singer-Songwriters | Pop | Styles | Music Soft Rock | Pop | Styles | Music General | Adult Contemporary | Pop | Styles | Music Singer-Songwriters | Live Albums | Pop | Styles | Music Folk Rock | Rock | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music General | Folk | Indie Music | Stores | Music Singer Songwriters | Folk | Indie Music | Stores | Music Adult Contemporary | Pop | Indie Music | Stores | Music Singer-Songwriters | Pop | Indie Music | Stores | Music Soft Rock | Pop | Indie Music | Stores | Music ASIN: B000008L5Q Release Date: 1998-09-15

Tracks:

1. Strange Rivers
2. Runaway Train
3. The Man Who Would Be King
4. American Nights
5. Paths Are Many
6. The Wheel Within The Clay
7. Irresistable Targets
8. July You're A Woman
9. She Believes In Me
10. Grace Of Rain/Dealing With The Night
11. Day Dream Believer
12. Never Goin' Back Medley: Do You Wanna Dance/All The Lights
13. Shady Grove
14. Escape Of Old John Webb
15. Where Have All The Flowers Gone
16. California Bloodlines

Customer Reviews:

a little more difficult to understand, but still a great rec.......2000-11-14

This is the first recording of John Stewart I have gotten hold of and I think it is over all a great recording. Some of the songs such as "Strange rivers," and "The Man Who Would be King" are somewhat difficult to understand in that I have trouble figuring out what they are talking about. However, he has a great sense of humor and his inclusion of the audience in songs like, "Daydream Believer," "Where Have All the Flowers gone," and "California Bloodlines" make for an extremely positive recording. If you have not listened to any of his recordings in the past, this is a good place to start. If you already listen to some of his recordings and you want to add to your collection, this is an esential recording.

Music Album:

1. Live at the Fabulous Satellite Lounge [Live]
2. Lone Wolf
3. Mood Country
4. Natural Bridge
5. New Country Classics: New Jukebox Classics
6. New Country Classics: Rockin' Country
7. New Fire
8. Not at One
9. Ol' Country Singer - Live At Billy Bob's Texas [Live]
10. Pee Wee King's Country Hoedown

Music Album