...and the tin pan bended, and the story ended...

is the title of the CD of Dave Van Ronk's final concert, recorded on October 22, 2001. Dave had received his cancer diagnosis the day before and knew it would be his last gig before beginning treatment. As heard on the CD, it is a magnificent performance filled with 14 songs and lots of stories. The playing, and singing, are superb, and
Dave's stories, about old blues masters like Clarence Williams, Mississippi John Hurt and Josh White, about his early years in Greenwich Village, etc. are riveting. I've been listening to the CD constantly since receiving my advance copy. It'll be released for sale next Tuesday June 29, the day before the naming ceremony for Dave Van Ronk Street on Sheridan Square in the Village.

Dave was a good friend for many, many years. He was one of my favorite people to sit up with all night, alternately listening to music and talking books and politics. Never both at the same time. One of the things that I learned from Dave, maybe 30 years ago, is that if the music is worth listening to, you give it your total attention. This new CD demands that total attention.