Search - Joan Baez :: Very Early Joan

Lisa C. (cider) from DELRAY BEACH, FL
Reviewed on 4/29/2007...

Great, great CD of old and classic Joan Baez, recorded between 61 and 63.

A Heavenly Overview

bethtexas | United States | 01/25/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"There are two reasons to have this particular collection from the fabulous "voice of a thousand birds" Joan Baez. The first is that it gives a lovely overview of some of her famous renditions of folk songs. Call it "important to your Joan Baez education". Every fan of Joan or of folk music should have her famous "Last Night I had the Strangest Dream" and "Silver Dagger", for example. Those aren't actually my favorite of her songs for some reason, but they're famous and you need to have them.The other reason you need to have this album is this: "Where have all the flowers gone?" and "Pilgrim of Sorrow". Plain and simple - nobody should go through life without having heard her renditions of these two songs. They are superb.Where Have all the Flowers Gone is one of the most beautiful songs ever written. And Joan's version is THE version to hear. You could buy this album just for that song, and you'd feel you'd spent your money wisely, because you'd keep hitting "repeat" on your CD player to hear it over and over and sing along.Pilgrim of Sorrow, likewise, is shockingly powerful. Hearing Mahalia Jackson sing this song of Christian desperation is a spiritual experience. But hearing Joan Baez sing it is spectacular in its own way. Every startling note vibrates in your chest - her vocal range is unbelievable. The eruption of the notes themselves becomes the religious experience. It's incredible.Folk music fans who buy this album for the famous collection of classics will be richly rewarded by the spectacular treat of owning those two particular, irreplaceable songs."

A HISTORIC CD...

Lawyeraau | Balmoral Castle | 07/23/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

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This is a compilation of twenty-two songs culled from about fifteen of her early live concerts, which were recorded between November 1961 and August 1963. The original double album had twenty four tracks, but the back of the cd liner explains that, due to compact disc format time restrictions, some songs on the original album are not included on the cd. The notes in the cd liner itself were written by Ms. Baez's mother for the original album.



On this cd, the listener will, indeed, be treated to early Joan Baez, accompanying herself on the guitar. As the songs are culled from her live performances, the listener will note the discernible adulation of the audiences throughout. Whether Ms. Baez is singing a traditional folksong, a folksong with political overtones, a duet with Peter Seeger, or a rock-n-roll parody, it is clear that the slightly insouciant Ms. Baez is enjoying herself, and it is infectious.



The quality of the cd is what one may expect from such an early, live recording, as it suffers from occasional lack of clarity and uneven volume, with the clapping of the audience throughout being louder than the song tracks. Still, this is certainly a cd to which some historical significance has attached, and one that all devoted fans of Ms. Baez will want to include in their collection, if only for her beautiful rendition of Peter Seeger's "Where Have All the Flowers Gone".





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