Bowery Songs [Live]

Bowery Songs [Live]

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
"Come back, Woody Guthrie," sings Joan Baez in Steve Earle's "Christmas in Washington," a lament for (among other things) the days when music really said and meant something. The song serves as the thematic linchpin of Bowery Songs, a live album that testifies to the power of music to transform, uplift, and heal. Baez not only revisits the spirits of Guthrie (on "Deportee") and "Joe Hill," she finds a renewal of such spirit in the contemporary songwriting of Earle (whose "Jerusalem" closes the album) and Natalie Merchant ("Motherland"). As one might expect from Baez in concert, she also mixes a selection of early Bob Dylan with traditional fare, bringing a lovely lift to the Irish balladry of "Carrickfergus" and soaring vocals to "Dink's Song." After more than four decades of recording, Baez's voice remains more impressive for its purity than expressive in range and depth (her pretty rendition of Dylan's "It's All Over Now, Baby Blue" seems to miss the bitter point). Except for a dedication to Michael Moore and a few thank-yous, the album eliminates all between-song patter, letting the material speak for itself. --Don McLeese

More Joan Baez

Joan Baez

Any Day Now

The Complete A&M Recordings

Product Description
Over four decades after her landmark live album, In Concert, Joan Baez returns with Bowery Songs--a new live album that captures her November 6, 2004, performance at the Bowery Ballroom in New York City. USA Today has called Baez "the matriarch of modern folk music" and Bowery Songs celebrates her career and legacy with both classic and previously unreleased material. It features four previously unrecorded songs: Bob Dylan's "Seven Curses," Steve Earle's "Jerusalem," the hymn-like "Finlandia," and the traditional "Dink's Song." Baez is supported on the album by her recent touring band, George Javori, Duke McVinnie, Erik Della Penna, and Graham Maby. The Washington Post recently said of Baez's live performances, "... still familiar after decades... she commanded newer compositions with grace and agility."

Bowery Songs,Joan Baez,Koch Records,Contemporary Folk,Folk,Folk & Traditional,Guitar,Political Folk,Pop,Singer/Songwriter,Traditional Folk,United States of America,Vocals

Average customer rating:

Bridging the decades, live

A Voice for All Times

Like A Fine Wine, She Gets Better With Age

All Things Old Are New Again

Not the voice she once had.....

Bowery Songs
Joan Baez
Manufacturer: Koch Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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
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ASIN: B000AA4IM6
Release Date: 2005-09-06

Tracks:

Finlandia
Rexroth's Daughter
Deportee (Plane Wreck at Los Gatos)
Joe Hill
Christmas In Washington
Farwell, Angelina
Motherland
Carrickfergus
Jackaroe
Seven Curses
Dink's Song
Silver Dagger
It's All Over Now, Baby Blue
Jerusalem

Amazon.com

"Come back, Woody Guthrie," sings Joan Baez in Steve Earle's "Christmas in Washington," a lament for (among other things) the days when music really said and meant something. The song serves as the thematic linchpin of Bowery Songs, a live album that testifies to the power of music to transform, uplift, and heal. Baez not only revisits the spirits of Guthrie (on "Deportee") and "Joe Hill," she finds a renewal of such spirit in the contemporary songwriting of Earle (whose "Jerusalem" closes the album) and Natalie Merchant ("Motherland"). As one might expect from Baez in concert, she also mixes a selection of early Bob Dylan with traditional fare, bringing a lovely lift to the Irish balladry of "Carrickfergus" and soaring vocals to "Dink's Song." After more than four decades of recording, Baez's voice remains more impressive for its purity than expressive in range and depth (her pretty rendition of Dylan's "It's All Over Now, Baby Blue" seems to miss the bitter point). Except for a dedication to Michael Moore and a few thank-yous, the album eliminates all between-song patter, letting the material speak for itself. --Don McLeese

More Joan Baez

Joan Baez

Any Day Now

The Complete A&M Recordings

Album Description

Over four decades after her landmark live album, In Concert, Joan Baez returns with Bowery Songs--a new live album that captures her November 6, 2004, performance at the Bowery Ballroom in New York City. USA Today has called Baez "the matriarch of modern folk music" and Bowery Songs celebrates her career and legacy with both classic and previously unreleased material. It features four previously unrecorded songs: Bob Dylan's "Seven Curses," Steve Earle's "Jerusalem," the hymn-like "Finlandia," and the traditional "Dink's Song." Baez is supported on the album by her recent touring band, George Javori, Duke McVinnie, Erik Della Penna, and Graham Maby. The Washington Post recently said of Baez's live performances, "... still familiar after decades... she commanded newer compositions with grace and agility."

Customer Reviews:

Bridging the decades, live.......2007-01-08

Recorded while Joan was touring to support her excellent "Dark Chords on a Big Guitar," there is a range of terrific material on "Bowery Songs." While there may be those who carp that some classics are not here ("Diamonds and Rust," "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down"), there is plenty to fall in love with. She seems to have found a kindred spirit in Steve Earle, who is represented twice. "So come back Woody Guthrie...rise up old Joe Hill..." she sweetly sings as reminders of times before the song was even written. To balance that, she includes both "Deportee" and "Joe Hill," plus three Bob Dylan songs. "It's All Over Now Baby Blue" is the highpoint of that trio.

Of the newer songs, Joan brings poignancy to Natalie Merchant's "Motherland." You could imagine hearing this song from the 1990's being sung at Woodstock, as Joan brings out the timelessness of the words. Same goes for "Rexroth's Daughter."

Joan's touring band gives her sympathetic backing. With four men standing behind her (including former Joe Jackson band member Graham Maby!), the arrangements flow from full band accompaniment to just guitar and vocal (and opens with the voice-only "Finlandia"), allowing the songs their best foundations. Far better than many probably expected at this late a date, Joan Baez's "Bowery Songs" concert shows a still vital artist willing to play within her comfort zone while finding new ways to voice it.

A Voice for All Times.......2006-04-13

It's very clear from this album that Joan Baez is in her element when she's performing in front of an audience. It's hard to get a true feeling of her personality from studio albums, but this live recording shows her as a warm, open person who loves what she does and puts all she's got into it. The songs, mostly songs she has previously recorded, are old favorites that still sound fresh and new. The years have been good to her voice. True, she probably can't hit the high notes she used to nail with ease (has anyone heard Joni Mitchell lately?), but the warmth and emotion is still there. The first track on this disc, "Finlandia", struck a chord with me since that melody was adapted as the alma mater from my high school. As for the other tracks, there is little I can add from other comments here. I'm a lifelong Joan Baez fan, and will continue to be. Now, if only it had been a multichannel SACD...

Like A Fine Wine, She Gets Better With Age.......2006-02-27

I found Bowery Songs to be the best JB album since Dia-
monds and Rust. I saw her perform the songs in concert and liked them then. However, I did not really get to listen
in depth until I got the CD. Rexroth's Daughter is my favorite
song. I just wish I hand more information of what it's about.
Christmas in Washington is classic Joan vs. the Nazis. De-
portee strikes quite a chord with what's happening with this
Minuteman crap. I think Jerusalem is so relevant with what
is happening there now and with the release of the movie,
Munich. I love any Dylan songs she sings and this one has
three. Yeah, she's older now, but so am I and most of the
rest of her fan base. I'm not just a 10 year old kid now, in love with a beautiful young lady and the voice of a generation
but a middle aged grandfather, in love with a beautiful voice
and the lady of a compassionate and caring generation.

All Things Old Are New Again.......2005-12-22

Now into her fifth decade as a recording artist and performer Baez's voice is not what it once was, but remains far better than most around. Here the ballads like 'Seven Curses' and 'Carrikfergus' show it off at it stunning best. Fresh arrangements on 'It's All Over Now Baby Blue' and 'Joe Hill' make these highlights of her repetoire worth a new listening while the politically loaded 'Deportee' prove her as unafraid as ever to challenge her audience to think beyond themselves. Perhaps the most telling thing about the CD however is the absence of her classic chart hits 'There But For Fortune' 'The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down' and 'Diamonds and Rust'. It is as if Ms. Baez is showing her large and enduring audience that there are more important matters at the moment than a trip down the memory lane of success. The search for peace, social justice and fairness reflected in what was included reminding us that the issues she championed long ago are all to new again in this old world of ours.

Not the voice she once had............2005-12-04

As a contemporary of Joan Baez (age-wise), I loved her early music and the power of her incredible voice. I even empathize with much of her politics, but unfortunately it's time she rested on her laurels.

Her voice on this CD is quite far removed from what she was once capable of, and in fact I would have to say that there is no comparison between her vocal ability on Bowery Songs, and her earlier quality.

Like some professional athletes, she seems to not know when to quit....