Customer Reviews

Live at Wolf Trap

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Treasured singer/songwriter Judy Collins shines once again with tasteful and well produced recording of her twenty-first annual summer concert appearence at the Wolf Trap Center for the Performing Arts in Virginia."Live at Wolftrap," is a strong effort which carefully captures the rare magic of one of Judy's legendary summer concert performances. What makes this recording so special you might ask? Well, besides Judy's fine choice of material---Someday Soon, Both Sides Now, Mountain Girl, Gypsy Rover, as well as an excellent version of She Moves Through the Fair, etc.---is her use of a backing band. Her line up of musicians is headed by Russell Walden, and features, Eric Weissberg, Tony Beard, Mark Egan, and Morris Goldberg--This is a treat for Collins fans as in recent years her concert appearences have been scaled down acoustic affairs which musically meander from time to time---Hearing Judy with a band adds a certain levity or grounding force to her often ethereal grace and lyrical overtone---And on this recording, Judy and her band mates are a match made in heaven. Also to note is the silvery strength and clarity of Judy's voice---sure and confident, as so movingly evident in her incredibly moving cover of Sandy Denny's "Who Knows Where the Time Goes"---It is such a pleasure to hear Judy singing such well written gems once again. I highly recommend this new and worthwhile Judy Collins concert recording. Judy's back in fine form!

I'm thrilled Judy brought along her band, including Eric Weissberg, for her 21st Wolf Trap appearance recorded June 18, 2000. Songs like SOMEDAY SOON, CITY OF NEW ORLEANS, and long awaited live versions of BIRD ON A WIRE and WHO KNOWS WHERE THE TIME GOES, just come to life with the mix of instruments and Judy's illustrious voice! CITY OF NEW ORLEANS, for example, on this CD cooks and is the best version I've heard with instrumental solo's from the band. And it's clear Judy is having alot of fun here, too.

Also, the new front cover photo of a proud Judy playing the guitar is one of the most beautiful I've ever seen! The sound is also spectacular, thanks to Judy's long-time audio/sound designer George Williamson; The mix of Judy's spectatular voice and the instruments sparkle and sound like your right there at the venue, where you want to be! In addition to favorites already listed, other classics are included like, BOTH SIDES NOW (band), MY FATHER (piano and synthesizer solo), SEND IN THE CLOWNS and AMAZING GRACE. The newer cuts, MOUNTAIN GIRL (with the band), GYPSY ROVER (upbeat with a chorus singing along!), a haunting and sparingly beautiful SHE MOVES THROUGH THE FAIR, MY FUNNY VALENTINE (piano), KERRY DANCERS (acapella, and oh how Judy's holds that note!), and DANNY BOY (stunning).

I'm drawn to the "meditative" songs, so the final track is my all time favorite; Judy pays tribute to Sandy Denny with a long, slow, haunting and poignant WHO KNOWS WHERE THE TIME GOES. Thank you Judy for resurrecting this masterpiece and including it here! The final performance on the CD, WKWTTG leaves you spellbound and wanting more, but alas, the concert is over. Judy has captured a truly splendid performance! Everything feels so right with this release, and I highly highly recommend!

I love all of Judy's music. I have sent this CD to all my relatives in Ireland.When I listen to Judy's rendition of "Danny Boy" I become nostalgic and homesick. This is one of the best recordings of this beautiful song I've ever heard,and being Irish I have heard many. She does a magnificent job on "The Kerry Dances" and on "She Moved Through the Fair". Thank you Judy for keeping in touch with your Irish heritage.

Judy Collins is a pleasure to hear in concert, and this CD is a wonderful collection of freshly interpreted favorites (and a new song or two, too). While her voice has of course changed since her 60's heyday (now that she is in her 60's), Collins remains a musical treasure and first class singer. The choice of songs is first-rate. A good listen overall for any Collins or folk fan.

5 stars for:# the beautiful mellifluous voice # the classic songs # Judy's seemingly effortless ability to combine 2 singing types, ie to tell a story really well AND be incredibly musical - her choice of notes and phrasing conveys a spontaneous improvisational feel and much emotional and musical personality # the warm spiritual quality of the concert conveyed so well by this recording: playing this CD when feeling a bit down/stressed calms and inspires every time.

The DVD was great. This CD of her, live at Wolf Trap, was a good idea. A must if you are a Judy Collins fan.

I love this recording. Judy Collins is an incredible singer and musician. If you are unconvinced, listen to her performances of "My Funny Valentine," "Danny Boy," and "Kerry Dancers." I was always fascinated by her artistic development through the years and how her choice of material reflected these changes. The overall program is representative of many of her career phases, but features several songs from what is widely considered to be her most artistically successful album, "Who Knows Where The Time Goes." She is a gifted interpreter of songs by Leonard Cohen, Sandy Denny, and Joni Mitchell. The song I admire the most on this album is her own composition "Mountain Girl." It is presented in a slower arrangement than the original studio version that highlights the song's haunting lyrics. If you haven't listened to Judy Collins' music in awhile, this is the perfect recording to reaquaint yourself with an artist who continues to grow, and exceeds expectations.

I picked up a copy of this recording while out of town and listened to it as I drove from one state back to my home state. I was definately pleased with the efforts put through on this recording. The clarity is there, the musicianship is there and Ms. Collin's wonderful voice range is there. All adds up to a winner in my book!

As I listened to it, it brought back many memories of times past. With each track, I could connect Ms. Collin's music with a memory and a time in my life.

Ms. Collin's writing of the lyrics are just as meaningful today as the day she wrote them so long ago. I was pleased to here the Celtic/Irish tunes she added to this concert and am always amazed when I hear her sing a song acapella. The range and clarity of her voice when acapella can send chills through me.

The love that Ms. Collins has for her music and her fans are very much evident, which making listening to this cd all the more of a delight. From reading her autobiography, "Trust Your Heart", I am always amazed how much Ms. Collins has over come and prevailed through adversities. She's a wonderful example on never giving up and always striving to achieve one's next dream that is further to grasp.

The only thing I found lacking in the concert, was the omission of "Born To The Breed" but that is a personal preference and not one to be take as anything "wrong" with the concert and recording.

I would recommend this to anyone's music library that appreciates the range of songs Ms. Collins can cover and better yet, her own songs!

How in God's name does Judy Collins release a live album without including the great song "The Blizzard." If anyone has seen her in concert they would know what I mean. It's a show stopper. Other than that, it's a great album.

Judy's voice is wonderful. Unfortunately, she seems too comfortable in this venue with this audience on this day to pay any serious attention to her performance. Most notably, she shows no sense of timing in this live concert. We're not talking about holding onto notes a bit too long ... but ... way ... too ... long. For a sample of this embarrassingly poor vocal technique, click the sample of "Clouds" in this listing.

Besides that complaint, there are unwelcome lyric changes. Of course you would expect a live album to have some variance, but since Judy often understates emotion, listeners must rely on lyrics to identify on an emotional level with what the story-teller is saying. The subtle combination of astonishing vocals with understated emotion is what makes her music work, so changes to lyrics tend to undermine that experience.

Here's one example of lyrical butchery contained in this effort (represented by sample, as well):

In "Someday Soon," Judy sings, "My parents they can't stand him because he works the rodeo," although in the original studio version she sings "My parents cannot stand him,{pause} 'cuz he rides the rodeo." It is a million times more likely that you will win the Irish sweepstakes the day after your house burns in a fire caused by your neighbor's cousin's best-friend's pet cat than the likelihood that any cowgirl on this or any other planet has ever or will ever think or say or sing "My parents they" anything. Rather, it sounds like something Alan Greenspan would say to the opposite of progress (i.e., Congress). By the way, Greenspan has successfully used the same formula as Judy, but without the astonishingly beautiful voice.

But seriously, successful rodeo cowboys think themselves brave and invincible (or they just couldn't do the dangerous things they do). Those characteristics are what attracts young girls to them. To "ride the rodeo" is such a wonderful lyric, expressing an insider view of rodeo as a macho game (much like a gladiator sport with losers and champions). Cowboys don't ride broncs, they ride the rodeo. A champion rider is not on top of a horse but on top of his game.

So, to change "ride the rodeo" to "work the rodeo" means to reduce the brazen young stud to a scorekeeper or something like that. You tell me, what coming-of-age cowgirl worth her boots would pine after anything less than someone really in the game?

Also, what parents would take a position that they "cannot stand him 'cuz he works the rodeo?" Yes, most loving parents would object strongly to their daughter wanting to be with a man that has a reliable, safe, steady job ... right? Of course not. Still, all parents would worry to "loose their daughter when she goes with him someday soon," but would they hate the suitor because he is employed at a rodeo? I think not. But then again, I know parents want their little girl to find a doctor or lawyer and such (thanks Waylon and Willie).

To sum up, this is a disappointment in sheep's clothing. However "Forever: An Anthology" is a serious alternative and though it is a studio recording rather than a live one, it is not vocally dead. You could also select the album "Colors of the Day" but it does not contain the pleasant hypnotic-like-railroad-tracks-clicking number "The City of New Orleans" and the popular dreary tune "Send in the Clowns," which personally, I can't relate to - unless perhaps, if they are rodeo clowns.

Scottie

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