Live at Blues Alley [Live, Original recording reissued]

Eva Cassidy | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (July 28, 1998)
• Original Release Date: 1997
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Live, Original recording reissued
• Label: Blix Street
• ASIN: B000009PO2
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (163 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #768 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #1 in Music > Indie Music > Folk > Singer Songwriters
  • #2 in Music > Indie Music > Folk > General
  • #11 in Music > Folk > Contemporary Folk > Singer-Songwriters

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

159 of 161 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect from start to finish, December 15, 2000

By 

Erik K (Austin, TX United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Live at Blues Alley (Audio CD)

You've heard people raving about Eva Cassidy, you've maybe heard some of her stuff, but which album to start with? This one. If you own an Eva album but not this one, what are you waiting for? This is her crowning glory, an album that starts with the swinging jazz of Berlin's Cheek to Cheek, wanders gently into more mellow territory with exceptional readings of Sting's Fields of Gold (until this album, I never realized what a great song this was) and Buffy St. Marie's Tall Trees in Georgia (a strong yet quavering vocal over a beautifully understated musical backing) and finishes off with the soulful Oh, Had I a Golden Thread (the only studio track on the album).

Her death was a great loss, as this album shows an artist entering true maturity. Though the other albums are good, they mostly pick over material that was left behind. There's not a bad performance or less-than-great song choice here. Her following is growing, though still not to the levels of other, less talented, female singers I could name. Buy this album. Spread the word.

75 of 76 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Singing the Range, April 27, 2002

By 

booknblueslady (Woodland, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Live at Blues Alley (Audio CD)

Live at Blues Alley is a cd which displays the gifts of the late singer Eva Cassidy. Eva possessed a voice which was capable of a wide range of emotions. She sang with a sweetness and purity which was suitable for a variety of styles. Her emotion filled voice was wonderfully adaptable and she could sing blues, jazz and folk with equal skill. Eva had a gentle wistful voice which was both pleasant to listen to and suitable for her chosen songs. Joel Siegel states in a biographical clip that Eva "viewed her talent as a gift and an obligation."

This cd consists of a variety of songs which Eva performed at Blues Alley a Washington DC club in which she frequently performed. The range of songs include the jazzy Cheek to Cheek, blues of Stormy Monday, folk Tall Trees of Georgia, modern pop of Fields of Gold. Each of these Eva performed with precision and emotion. Eva was capable of powerful and emotional vocals as can be heard in Stormy Monday and A Bridge Over Troubled Waters as well as sad and soulful in her version of Fields of Gold. Tall Trees of Georgia written by Buffie St. Marie was a favorite of Eva's and she sang it with a delicate, sweet voice which had a surprising strength.

If you have not discovered Eva Cassidy yet, take the time to listen to her and understand the great talent she possessed.

59 of 61 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars this cd will rarely leave your cd player, it's that good., June 19, 2000

By 

major music head (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Live at Blues Alley (Audio CD)

the first time i ever heard eva cassidy was 3 years ago, on a local dc jazz station (which, sadly, has since gone off the air). it was the song "what a wonderful world," which i normally find cloying. but eva's clear, strong, beautiful vibrato cut through my work day and made me sit back and listen. wow. when i went to buy the cd at the store i was looking for an african-american woman on the cover. i was shocked to see a blue-eyed blonde, looking folkie and meek, on the cover. but my god, the woman has the soul, depth and power reserved for the best of the best, including mahalia and 1960s aretha.

this cd, all covers, ranges from swinging jazz to traditional folk to blues. eva handles it all with incredible control and taste, with real singing and not the pyrotechno crap you hear on the radio these days. her range inspires awe, especially on "golden thread," in which she reaches a note that would give anyone else a hernia. her interpretation skills are amazing; she manages to breathe new life into songs that have been covered hundreds of times. particular standouts are "autumn leaves," "tall trees in georgia" and "fields of gold," all of which will make you cry; "golden thread," which is as spiritual as any hymn; and "fine and mellow" and "cheek to cheek," which are fun and sexy. the band is also in top form, keeping the sound tight and crisp while giving eva the spotlight.

eva's passing robbed her of what surely would have been a big, long career, and us of an enduring talent. buy this cd and you will not be disappointed.