Nitty Gritty Dirt Band: Live 25 Anniversary Package [Live]

Nitty Gritty Dirt Band | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (July 16, 1991)
• Original Release Date: July 16, 1991
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Live
• Label: Capitol
• ASIN: B000002UVK
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #28,839 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

The band really stretches out on some of these live tracks recorded in Canada in '91. A nearly 11-minute Ripplin' Waters joins their country hits Fishin' in the Dark; Long Hard Road; High Horse; I've Been Lookin' ; their pop smash Mr. Bojangles , and more!

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great album, December 11, 1999

By 

Ken Schoonover, Jr. (Springdale, AR United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Nitty Gritty Dirt Band: Live 25 Anniversary Package (Audio CD)

Until my tape of Live Two Five wore out, I listened to it constantly. I think the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band enjoyed making this record, and it showed.

The highlights are numerous. My favorite cut is "Mr. Bojangles". Jeff Hanna sang great on NGDB's 1970 version, which is on the band's Uncle Charlie album. The song in my opinion sounds even better live. In addition to Hanna's singing, Bob Carpenter's stellar piano and accordion work highlights this track. Another older Dirt Band tune which is featured is Jimmy Ibbotson's "Ripplin' Waters", which originally appeared on NGDB's 1975 album Dream. This is a well-written, excellent song which in my opinion is often overlooked. On the live version, the Dirt Band plays all of their instruments except the accordion. Also, Ibbotson and Hanna both do some fine lead guitar work on this one, and Carpenter contributes a piano solo which had me mentally exclaiming, "Awesome!" the first time I heard it. The live version of "Ripplin' Waters", in my opinion, sounds better than the original studio version--and the original was a great song to begin with.

A third highlight is "El Harpo", an instrumental featuring Carpenter on piano and Jimmie Fadden on harmonica. Fadden's harmonica is heard frequently on Live Two Five, but on "El Harpo", a rollicking, bluesy number, he especially shines. Carpenter and Fadden practically outdo themselves on this one.

Besides the three previously mentioned songs, the Dirt Band does a lot of their other classic hits, among them "High Horse", "You Ain't Goin' Nowhere", "Fishin' In The Dark", "Long Hard Road", "Cadillac Ranch", and "Partners, Brothers and Friends". They sound to me as if they are really enjoying themselves.

I have been a Nitty Gritty Dirt Band fan ever since I was in college in the 1970s. The guys in the Dirt Band make excellent music and have fun doing it--and when they get on stage, as they did when they made this record, they are awesome. From start to finish, Live Two Five is a great album.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the Greatest Live Recordings...Of All Time!, August 15, 2008

By 

PHILIP S WOLF (SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, CA. USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Nitty Gritty Dirt Band: Live 25 Anniversary Package (Audio CD)

If I were to list my Ten Favorite Live Albums of all time, "Live Two Five" would be on that list. Recorded in Red Deer, Alberta, Canada on March 13, 14 & 15, 1991. We find The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, at the top of their game, in-front of a happy crowd that are soakin' all this Music in. During their 25th year Anniversity, they are out on tour, business as usual. But what business this is: "Mr. Bojangles","Make A Little Magic", "Fishin' In The Dark","You Ain't Goin' Nowhere" , "High Horse", "Dance Little Jean", "Ripplin' Water" and "I've Been Lookin'. Sixteen Songs here, and everyone of them...Great. With only four players on stage, Jeff, Ibby, Rob and Jimmy, they pick up and play 12 different instruments and do they play, oh yeah! With a 'Short' version of: "Ripplin' Waters", that clocks in slightly under 11 Minutes, everyone solos here, Harp, Acoustic Guitar, Piano {Majestic Piano!}, Electric Guitar and Bass Guitar right into a big,BIG finish..This is incredible music.

This Band is 'Tagged' as a Country Group, but I like to call them a Band that plays: "American Music". I say that because I can hear: Rock, Pop, Jazz, Bluegrass, Blues, R & B, Classical, Ragtime AND Country music being played here and it's ALL Good.

I can't say enough about this CD, I have a lot of The Nitty Gritty on Disc, and this one called: "Live Two Five" is by far my favorite of the bunch. This CD was a big deal for me in 1991 and it is still a big deal today. I have sat in that NGDB Audience three times, and by the end I was standin' there Whoopin' it up with eveybody else, these Guys are great, and this is the CD to own.
FIVE STARS !!!

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding!, July 6, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Nitty Gritty Dirt Band: Live 25 Anniversary Package (Audio CD)

I got this cassette at one of their concerts and played it until it wore out. It helped me through some tough times in my life...I listened to it each night when I went to bed and their songs, especially 'Stand a Little Rain', helped me face each new day. If you haven't made the Dirt Band a part of your life, this collection is a great place to start. A must-have!