Customer Reviews

Evening in Austin

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

An evening in Austin was my favorite Kate Wolf Album. The songs are relaxing and catchy. An evening in Austin has all of my favorite Kate Wolf Titles. I am 13 years old and I went around for weeks after I heard Green Eyes played at a restaurant. It took me practically forever to find out that it was kate wolf, and I was amazed that so few people were farmiliar with her musoic, it is SO relaxing.

Kate's "Red Tailed Hawk" will always be inscribed on my brain its beauty its realness, its aptness, and the reality of the golden rolling hills of California. So perfect and beautiful even though I never had a tape or LP or a CD of it until 12 years after it came out, until after we lost Kate. Still its power comes to me as it did in 1977 on an old radio sitting in an Oakland apartment, the signal fighting its way all the way up from KFAT ("because we need the bucks) down in Gilroy.

The vision of California that Kate weaves on all her records is preciseless, unique real, and a treasure even if much of it is sweetened myth.
Even if you have her regular recordings, Kate's live recordings are always so special, with extra nuances of the song she's giving to the audience that she's feeling a different moments. Kate was so wonderful and she still is here and all her great recordings.

I feel so bad that I lived in San Fransisco and Oakland and travelled up and down California and the West Coast in the late 1970s and early 1980s when Kate was doing her best work and only saw her sing once.

There is something to her voice that gets through to me, something pure. Now that I sing and play guitar and banjo and fiddle, I tend to listen to any singer or player that I hear trying to scope them out learn something, evaluate, figure out how to put what they do into my performance. Even though Kate plays the kind of music I have always wanted to play, I just sit there and listen to the song and receive its thoughts in my heart and mind. Part of Kate's magic is the superb arrangements and backup that gets from the musical genius Nina Gerber her main accompaniest. Nina is now out there solo alot. If you like guitar and this kind music check out Nina too.
Oh Kate, why didn't we realize how much of a golden treasure you were when you were among us. In her memory think of a performer you might miss like we all miss Kate--well that isnt fair because thats a big ideal to measure up to--how about someone you would miss half or a quarter as much as I miss Kate, and make sure you go see them while you can, and maybe bring a friend, bring two.

This is my favorite album to listen to in every mood. Kate Wolf's voice is true and honest. She sings mostly her own stuff and the mood goes from exuberent to pensive. This was recorded for the program "Live at Austin City Limits" and like all good live albums includes the audience as participent in the music. Kate Wolf is under-recorded as a songwriter, but this album highlights some of her best stuff.

Austin City Limits was the first time I had heard Kate Wolf and I was hooked. I hadn't heard of her passing till a few years later when Mary of Peter Paul and Mary mentioned what a great talent she was. I have bought many of her CD's since that Austin show and a few of her Videos too and I get info from her website.

I have been a big fan of folk music ever since the "hootenanny" days back in the early 1960's. I don't know how Kate's beautiful voice and compelling lyrics passed by me but, they did, until just a few months ago, when I heard her song "Green Eyes" on "The Village" on XM radio. It was an immediate hit to my musical sensibilities so I purchased her CD "An Evening In Austin". Her music is so melodic and her lyrics are so universally meaningful that I regret not having known of her when she was alive. The world lost a gem when she passed on but fortunately she lives through her recordings for the world to continue enjoying. Thank you, Kate.

I'd heard a couple of Kate Wolf's songs on the "Folk Sampler" radio program. "Carolina Pines" was the hook, and now I have most of her recordings. I'd say that this live recording is a true gem. This CD has brought together all the qualities of what I enjoy in music. The sequence of songs flows with the artist's masterful rendering of imageries, pure voice, thoughtful reflections, emotional honesty, and tranquil yearning. Moreover, some between songs comments by Kate Wolf add a personal touch. This would be at the top of "if I were stranded on a desert island with a CD player" list.

This album has always been highly recomended by those who know. Now I do to!