・脳出血で倒れる2年前に発売されたアルバム。ペアズヴィル劇場における2008年のライヴ。だとすると当時57歳ぐらいになるが、歌声は力強く若々しい。何よりも素晴らしいのは、とてもリラックスしているのに十分な緊張感を保っていること。ジャニス・ジョプリンの持ち歌「Piece of My Heart」が嬉しい。
Phoebe Snow is one of the most under-rated singers of the past 40 years. I first heard of her when her first hit came out (Poetry Man). Three years later I was given a free ticket to her outdoor concert in Cookeville, Tennessee. I figured what did I have to lose? I liked the song I remembered her singing. It was a 3 hour concert because the band that was to open for her decided not to play. She came out and explained what happened and that she would give us a double concert because of it. I loved her from that Autumn night in 1977. She is the last of her kind. A great musician, songwriter and singer. A four octave range gave her the ability to sing whatever she wanted better than some other singers. A unique voice silent now far too young.
Phoebe Snow has one of the most glorious voices in modern pop. When she soars as on the lovely standard "It's All in the Game," it's musical ambrosia. On this live set, Snow starts rocking with "Shakey Ground," a song also recorded by Delbert McClinton & from Snow's It Looks Like Snow CD. "Something Real" that was the title track of a studio set has a beautiful jazz-inflected arrangement. Her classic "Poetry Man," the title track from her CD Natural Wonder and a great track from that set, "The Other Girlfriend," all shine in live performance. Her intro to the Janis Joplin/Big Brother & the Holding Company classic "Piece of My Heart" reflects her lovely sense of humor and then rocks mercilessly. (Don't call her "Ph!") "Rockin' Pneumonia & the Boogie Woogie Flu" has an offbeat intro in which she throws the audience off by saying this is a translation of a 16th century song about a tiny elf before she rocks the house. The set concludes with the Rodgers & Hart lovely classic "With a Song in My Heart" in which she bares & shares her breaking heart over the loss of her daughter in an amazingly emotional moment. "Live" is a lovely set with a great band recorded at the Bearsville Theatre in Woodstock, New York in July of this year. For her fans old & new, this is a class act, a real treat. Bravo!
I bought this primarily for one cut. I heard her cover of "Piece of My Heart" on an internet-radio broadcast and it touched me the way Janis Joplin's version did, so many years ago. Phoebe (or "Ph," if I may be so familiar) doesn't slavishly emulate Janis -- she makes the song her own. And yet, there are some places in the tune when you'd almost swear it's Big Brother playing behind her.
Okay, I love the CD for that one, but the rest is worth the purchase as well. If you're a long-time admirer of this lady's music, you'll enjoy hearing her re-makes of a few of her old hits -- time has not hurt her voice at all! And the music new to her opus is a delight.
there is nothing that compares to seeing/hearing pheobe snow in concert, but this cd comes close. she is backed by an incredibly talented band and her best, flawless self soars through every note. her commentary to the audience is hilarious (i heard similar riffs years ago at her concerts). this is a gem for any fan of hers and a great gift for the pheobe snow novice as well. good job, pheobe! (now won't you come to seattle?)