Customer Reviews

One Fair Summer Evening

5 star:		(41)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I take back everything I ever said about Nanci's MCA era records being worse than her Philo or Elektra recordings. This is not just the best Nanci cd, it's among the best live concert recordings ever made.

From a "little song written by Mister Patrick Alger" ("Once in a Very Blue Moon") to the red brick floor that came "straight from the streets of Houston, swiped one night in a pickup truck..." there's not a false note on this album.

Her live versions of favorites like "Working in Corners" and "Trouble in the Fields" take the songs so far beyond what we ever knew they could be on the studio versions -- and they weren't half bad to begin with. The live version of "Working in Corners" is possibly my favorite song of all time.

Any true Nanci fan will tell you, though, that the best part of this cd is the patter -- classic Nanci stories, from the tale of Great Uncle Tootie in the intro to "Trouble in the Fields" to the traveler's guide to Woolworth's stores that leads in to "Love at the Five and Dime" -- "we were driving through central London and we came around the corner and by golly there was a Woolworth's store! And I wanted them to stop the car and let me out so I could go fill up my suitcase with unnecessary plastic objects!" -- this is about as close as you can come to seeing Nanci in concert yourself. Better, even, sometimes, because she plays all the old hits, tracks like "Roseville Fair" and "Deadwood, South Dakota" (a really marvelous Eric Taylor tune) that you almost never hear in shows these days.

There's not much to say, except that this is truly brilliant. If you own one Nanci cd, it should be this one. But then, if you own this cd, it won't be your last Nanci cd, I'd wager. ;) There's no reason not to own this cd. It's among the must-haves for any lover of folk music -- of good music! -- of the latter part of the 20th century.

I was first exposed to Nanci Griffith when I stumbled upon her music videos on CMT many years ago. This prompted me to buy a cassette of 'One Fair Summer Evening', and I liked it, but lost interest. Years later I stumbled on it again, and the fire was rekindled. Now I have almost all her works on CD, including several imports and a pirate CD or two.

This album is delicious in its mix of songs, made all the more delectable because it is a live album. What's interesting is how much Nanci's stage presence had developed by that time, and how much more it has done so since. Here she still has that timid little-girl voice during the conversations between songs. This has gone away in the proceeding years as she has matured.

Nanci has a huge following in the genre, most probably because of the depth of feeling in her songs, and the warmth that comes through.

This album would rate third or fourth on my list of her albums, preceded by 'Sound Of Loneliness' (a live-concert import from England) and Blue Roses From the Moons. However, I agree with a previous reviewer that I would be hard pressed to choose between them if I could only choose one.

I, too, have several copies of the album, managing over the years to acquire it on LP, CD, and cassette, as well as the video of the concert.

I must disagree with several of the other reviewers in comparing this album to 'Other Voices, Other Rooms'. While OVOR is an important work, and does contain excellent performances, 'One Fair Summer Evening' as a whole is a better reflection of what Nanci is about; where she comes from and where she is going. OVOR is not in my Top Five, and definitely would not be on my list for a desert island. '

I used to manage a record store and I could put this album on and sell a copy within minutes. Nanci Griffith appeals to all cultures and musical tastes-basically to anyone with a heart. I have personally given away three of these cd's to friends who now love her music.Utah phillips says that folk music is boring. That may be true, but not in the case of the wonderful Nanci Griffith here at her best. Trouble In These Fields...Roseville Fair...I still cry hearing these songs. These are songs that bring you to a place of hope and humor and a sense of tradition that just isn't that common nowadays. If you only buy one more album ever, make it this one. You won't regret it...

This recording by Ms. Griffith exemplifies the axiom that "less is more," and if I were told that I could only listen to five CD's for the rest of my life, this one would be included. While I've enjoyed her studio recordings, this CD stands alone as a window into the heart and soul of this remarkable artist.

First, let me say that my favorite band in the world is Pearl Jam. What does that have to do with this album? Absolutely nothing- that's my point. When I first dropped the needle down on this puppy, it blew my mind. The vocal delivery of these meaningful songs is stupifying, and never ceases to bring a lump into my throat. I've played "Love at the Five and Dime" for my wife on many a late night, with the same effect of a boquet of flowers- catch my drift? Seriously, this is powerful stuff, from a powerful artist. If you liked this, then don't check out "Black" or "Release" on Pearl Jam's "Ten"- you probably won't like it. However, this type of emotive singing of an intelligent lyric is cousin if not sisters. Of course, if you're in the South, then the difference is a moot point, eh? Oh yeah, one more thing; this disk should be big, black, and vinyl to really get the hair on your neck to stand up like it should..

_One Fair Summer Evening_ is the finest live CD I've ever heard. It's about the finest CD of any type I've ever heard, for that matter, except for possibly another Nanci CD like _Other Voices, Other Rooms_. Nanci has brought me back to my roots (my people hail from the head of a holler near Hazard, KY), something I was taught by mainstream society to be ashamed of. This CD opens up your heart and gets you singing. I finally found someone I can sing to in my *native tongue*, as Nanci puts it. This woman is a major talent and I'm shocked that it took me so long to find her. This CD is a good one to start with if you're just getting to know Nanci Griffith. Included are spoken introductions by her to the songs, and most of what she says is a hoot. She's just a plain ol' country gal with an intelligence of the heart that you rarely see. The music on this CD has gotten me through some rough times. What are you waiting for? So many people have taken the time to write reviews about this CD, so that tells you something. Nanci is a Goddess. Even if you collect all her other CDs with these songs, you won't beat this live version.

A moving series of songs intertwined with Nanci's set up stories, from first to last this is a great CD. The pace and tempo of songs ebbs and flows carrying you on Nanci's well crafted journey. From the romantic "More Than a Whisper" and the enchanting "I Would Bring You Ireland" culminating in the fast paced, toe-tapping, vibrating "Spin on a Red Brick Floor", this is a collection to enjoy and treasure.

God this is a great album. Nanci Griffith is a national treasure.

Emerging on the wobbly legs of a foal in the late 70s, with anonymous production from people who didn't understand how to package her mousy persona, what MCA sold us was a cutesy, virginal, perky gal. This is not where Nanci's presence is now. If I play one of the early MCA CDs for someone, I know the first question will be "Are you sure this is the right speed?" because she has a high, nasal delivery. Griffith hung in there and has become a deeply affecting & personal singer-songwriter. Without changing terribly much about her voice, and singing the same songs at her live shows, and on this cd, Griffith has transformed both herself and the material. A tribute to taking your licks and developing your delivery/voice at live shows.

Usually live versions of studio songs suffer by comparison. Not here! Stripped of the earlier folky instrumentation and resung as a wiser, older woman, some of these songs become astonishing. In other hands, her standard topics (spinsters, wallflowers, living alone) would be ruminating or miserable, but Nanci's talent is to make anyone love these songs; witness Pearl Jam fan below, and I'm a young urban guy.

She pulls emotional devastation out of the one-two punch of "Working in Corners" and "More than a Whisper" in newly austere, stripped down versions. Both of them embody a "hanging in there despite my pain & regret" mood. I have a hard time getting to the other songs, which are almost all great, in deference to these two; over and over.

My favorite cds complement her voice with minimal, calm orchestrations. When a producer steers her back to over production, I've not enjoyed them as much. I allow myself to forget this CD (and Flyer) every now and then, so that I can rediscover them again. The impact of a fresh listen has never diminished. Both provide a rich pick me up.

Nanci Griffith is profound without being pompous. After a listen you want to write her a thank you note.

(Note: This review focuses on her emotional depth, but she's also darned funny & charming on this cd.)

If you think you don't like music with folk or country themes, try this album. Ms. Griffith confidently walks a line between folk and pop without worrying how her music will be categorized. Her voice is expressive, her words powerful and wonderful. If you only know her later albums, you know about her unending curiousity for good literature, and historical and world events. But this earlier album deals with a simpler and sweeter time. It's a Hard Life Wherever You Go is an homage to her grandparents. Other songs, such as Once in a Very Blue Moon, Looking for the Time, and Red Brick Floor are simply a lot of fun.

Buy this CD today. Nanci Griffith has many terrific albums in her lexicon. But how she manages to connect with a live audience is something special. Fourteen years after hearing this album for the first time, it still charms me, just as I am sure it did the folks at Andersen Fair in Texas, who saw her live.

This CD will leave you "Spinning on a Red Brick Floor" (the final track, and my personal favorite on the album). There is a nice mix of styles and speeds...covering a wide range of emotions. The live performance of favorites is simple and heartfelt. The introductions to each song make me feel like we're having a conversation as Nanci entertains a small group of friends. Nanci's voice is unique...and may need to "grow on" unfamiliar listeners. But this is the album to buy whether you're trying her for the first time or find her to be a familiar friend.