Great solo performances on record

Subject: Great solo performances on record
From: alanabit
Date: 26 Aug 01 - 04:30 AM

A couple of weeks ago, on the "Dylan overrated? You must be kidding" thread, I got into a good online discussion with Whistle Stop - and others - about the merits and demerits of Bob Dylan's guitar playing. I have always admired it, but I had to concede some ground, because as Whistle Stop pointed out, there are plenty of others who have greater claims to fame for their playing.

One of the qualities which I like about Dylan, is that he is able to sustain interest for song after song with the most minimal of arrangements. This is not so dificult on stage, where most of us can keep an audience's attention by using whatever bag of tricks we have. However, I feel it's very rare for performers to make it work on record - even some very good ones. I had a crack at doing it with just guitar and voice a couple of years ago and the results were disastrous. It was soon back to the click track and the digital overdub!

If this thread takes off, it is bound to be very subjective. Who do you think still sounds exciting for song after song on record with the most minimal of arrangements?

Subject: RE: Great solo performances on record
From: GUEST
Date: 26 Aug 01 - 05:52 AM

Joseph Taylor

Subject: RE: Great solo performances on record
From: Midchuck
Date: 26 Aug 01 - 08:44 AM

Joan Baez's first album on Vanguard.

Doc Watson's (ditto).

Ian and Sylvia's first through albums on Vanguard.

Rosalie Sorrells' first album on Folk-Legacy.

But probably most people here don't remember that far back.

Oh, for the days when every "folksinger" who cut an album didn't feel it was necessary to bring in twenty or thirty sidemen!

Peter.

Subject: RE: Great solo performances on record
From: alanabit
Date: 26 Aug 01 - 09:32 AM

Can you tell me more about Joseph Taylor, Ian and Sylvia and Rosalie Sorrell? I'm not really a fan of the big production job either. It's just that (in my humble opinion) there are not many who can pull off a truly "solo" album...

Subject: RE: Great solo performances on record
From: GUEST
Date: 26 Aug 01 - 09:37 AM

Joseph Taylor

Subject: RE: Great solo performances on record
From: Mike Regenstreif
Date: 26 Aug 01 - 10:56 AM

Peter,

Rosalie Sorrels only did one album on Folk-Legacy, but it wasn't her first, there were previous albums on Folkways and Prestige and one put out by the Unitarian Universalist Church.

Also, Rosalie's Folk-Legacy album, "If I Could Be the Rain," wasn't solo. Her voice and guitar were backed up by Mitch Greenhill's guitar playing. It's a wonderful album and I'd love to see Folk-Legacy reissue it.

Mike Regenstreif