Tim Buckley - Live at the Electric Theatre Co Chicago, 1968 '2019

Tracks list

 It sometimes seems there must have been some indefatigable taper who
followed Tim Buckley anywhere and everywhere he performed during his
all-too-short lifetime, recording his shows with the determination of the most
obsessed Deadhead. Ever since the release of Dream Letter: Live in London 1968
in 1990, long-lost archival recordings of Buckley on-stage have been surfacing
with remarkable frequency, and coming from a performer who jumped stylistic
borders with the ease and elan of Buckley, its not surprising that most of the
tapes have a distinct personality of their own. Live at the Electric Theater Co,
Chicago, 1968 is a document of a concert Buckley played in the midst of the
protracted efforts to record his 1969 LP Happy Sad, and while one can hear vague
stirrings of that albums jazzy sensibility in this performance, the sound and
approach of this music is something rather different. On this night, Buckley
accompanied himself on guitar with help from percussionist Carter C.C. Collins
and a bassist whose name has been lost to history. Buckley was no stranger to
improvisation on-stage, and here he lets his muse run free, dancing about his
vocal register as if it was another instrument, weaving in and out of elemental,
hypnotic guitar runs, and interpolating bits and pieces of other songs as the
melodies flow through his mental slipstream. If youre hoping to hear an evening
of Tim Buckley delivering a focused and coherent program of his best songs, this
is most certainly not what you have in mind. But theres something fascinating
and occasionally thrilling in this recording that sets it apart from a more
professional concert, and while it sometimes feels like Buckley has gotten lost
as he navigates a path known only to him, most of the time the music takes him
(and us) to a place worth a visit. The recording sounds good, capturing the
ambience of the theater and the patient buzz of the audience, and hearing the
artist so much in the moment is a fascinating experience. Casual observers and
folks unfamiliar with Tim Buckleys work would be best off steering clear of Live
at the Electric Theater Co, Chicago, 1968, but for those steeped in his musical
ideas, its a rare treat and a worthwhile addition to his body of recorded work.
:: TRACKLIST ::

CD1
1. Sing a Song for You (Live) (2:36)
2. Danang (Live) (4:14)
3. Improvisation On Roll on Rosie (Live) (8:50)
4. Hi-Lili, Hi-Lo (Live) (3:48)
5. Improvisation On Sally Go Round the Roses (Live) (4:38)
6. Big River (Live) (7:48)
7. Look out Blues (Live) (4:10)
8. Gypsy Woman (Live) (3:52)

CD2
1. Dolphins (Live) (7:12)
2. Looks Like Rain (Live) (8:29)
3. Green Rocky Road; Hush, Little Baby (Live) (8:22)
4. Happy Time (Live) (3:41)
5. The Father Song (Live) (3:12)
6. Wayfaring Stranger (Live) (16:49)

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