Customer Reviews

Essential

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This item has a really fun cover so that you can't miss it if you run across it somewhere.

Not to be confused with the recent company doing retrospectives of many artists, including Pete Seeger, under the same title "Essential Pete Seeger."

This volume seems to be the complete concert that some tracks for the recent "Essential" were selected from, including Wimoweh. While this concert does feature some hits that Seeger himself had with the Weavers like Wimoweh aka Mbube aka The Lion Sleeps Tonight, its not intended as a hits collection but is true to Seeger's preference for showcasing other people's songs: songs by his friend and old band mate Woody Guthrie, African American folk songs, mountain songs, world songs.

It is Essential Seeger in that it gives a faithful idea of what Seeger's like in concert: its just him and his banjo, which he plays beautifully; and the folk tradition of getting the audience to laugh and sing along. Sounds like an entertaining night was had by all.

Should you get it? Depends on what you're after. Don't expect Weavers studio recordings.

The Essential Pete SeegerThe music here presents Pete in his early years. Most of the songs are recorded live & unlike his later concerts he does not prompt the audience to sing along.
The BIG problem that I had with this recording was that it was NOT REMASTERED WELL, the volume is up to 12db low. I needed to re-record the entire CD, pumping up the volume individually on each track (excluding the clapping...) so that the songs played at a reasonable volume.

This is a fine introduction to the work of Pete Seeger. In order to understand the Folk Movement, you need to own this one and "We Shall Overcome."

Some of Pete Seeger's edgier songs I had never heard of before with a couple of exceptions. Interesting mix but not my favorite.