Customer Reviews

At Carnegie Hall 2

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The group that really lit off the folk explosion of the late 50's and 60's was the Weavers. They were the definitive folk group. With Pete Seeger, Ronnie Gilbert, Fred Hellerman and Lee Hayes, the Weavers created a new musical idiom and set an entire generation singing and playing guitars. When Pete Seeger left the Weavers, there was unbelievable dismay among their fans - me included. Then, in April of 1960, I went to to Carnegie Hall to a concert of the re-constituted Weavers - with Erik Darling replacing Pete Seeger. I could not believe what I was seeing and hearing. With Erik, the Weavers had actually become BETTER!!! The musical selections, the harmonies, and especially Erik Darling's banjo and guitar playing. (Within a week I had gone out and found a 5-string banjo in a Bronx pawn shop which I bought. I didn't have the faintest idea of what to do with it and there weren't many banjo players in the Bronx but 40 years later, I'm still playing.) The Weavers were the BEST. With Erik Darling they were even better - the BEST of the BEST. THis CD captures the essence of those magical days. This is the only recording I have ever thought enough of to give as a gift to people I really care about. I have only had one person not thank me profusely after listening to it (I married her - but not for her musical tastes). Listen to Erik's guitar on "Bill Bailey"and his banjo on "Bowling Green". IMHO, this is the best recording to come out of the folk genre. Kick back, sing along and enjoy.

What can you say about the Weavers that has not already been said? Traditional, fun, entertaining, educatioinal, humorous and for us baby boomers: nostalgic. Because of this album, I am a professional bluegrass banjo musician. I used to stand in front of a mirror and pretend that I was playing the five string banjo to Erik Darling's "Bowling Green" when I was only 16 yrs. old. Later my fraternity Brothers and I would practice the harmonies and sing "Virgin Mary" over and over again. All of these songs on this album are prescious and deserving of high compliments and praise. The best praise I can give it is: This CD is better than the record, and when I close my eyes and listen to the songs, I am sixteen years old again. This is a must have for any folk song enthusiast, it just does not get any better than this. The audience clapping, and singing along and the pure sounds of those beautiful harmonizing voices, and the fantastic instrumentals. BUY THIS CD AND BE HAPPY-HAPPY-HAPPY.

Yes, sweet as wine indeed. The instrumentation, the arrangements and the harmonies are all superb. Here each part shines, and each song a gem. They should go along with the classical music. Despite the fact they had got older, I find the second Carnegie Recital even better. It's really a shame that such music should ever get dusted. I also bought some Peter Seeger's solo album, not quite as interesting. Fans of Peter, Paul & Mary should be delighted to hear them if they haven't hear them.

I listened to the Carnegie Hall Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 LPs as a child and was not disappointed in these recordings as CDs. Vol. 1 has a more "folk music-y" flavor, no doubt from the influence of Pete Seeger, who tends to channel "pure" folk music in all its variants, from raw to rollicking. Vol. 2 songs are more typically melodic in their arrangements, although still definitely folk, and feature the musically interesting, husky yet pleasing voice of Eric Darling, with amazingly high-quality sound.