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Tune in: High Low

Sunday Street playlist for 02/01/2015

ArtistTitleAlbum (* = New Release)
Opening set
Dar WilliamsFebruaryMortal City
Lynn MilesThis Heart That Lives in WinterSlightly Haunted
Patricia BarberWinterModern Cool
Bop EnsembleCalifornia Dreamin'Between Trains
Set # 2: The Great American Songbook
Bob DylanWhy Try To Change Me Now?Shadows in the Night*
Dave Van Ronk & Christine LavinI Can't Give You Anything But LoveHummin' To Myself
Harry NilssonIt's Only A Paper MoonA Little Touch of Schmilsson in the Night
Willie NelsonStardustStardust
Set # 3
Jez LoweAusterity AlphabetThe Ballad Beyond*
James KeelaghanHouse of CardsHouse of Cards
Steve TilstonA Pretty PennyZiggurat
Set # 4
James McMurtyLong Island SoundComplicated Game*
Tom RussellConey Island MoonBox of Visions
Greg TrooperMary of the Scots in QueensIncident on Willow Street
Set # 5
The Falco BrothersWhen The Rain Fallssingle*
Barnstar!Delta RoseSit Down! Get Up! Get Out!*
Robert Earl KeenVincent Black LightningHappy Prisoner*
Set # 6
Bob DylanStay With MeShadows in the Night*
Bob DylanNot Dark YetTime Out of Mind
The PinesWhat Good Am I?A Nod to Bob 2
Set # 7Chris J. Connolly, Bryan Gallo and Pete Mancini in the studio
Chris J. ConnollyBravery (live)*
Bryan GalloKarma (live)*
Pete ManciniBlack and White Dreams*
Chris, Bryan and PeteI Shall Be Released (live)
Dylan
Bob DylanWhat'll I Do?Shadows in the Night*

Today's program featured several tracks from Bob Dylan's "Shadows in The Night," to be released this Tuesday. We spent time talking about the album, sharing our initial concerns when we heard about this project (which sent shivers of fearing something along the lines of "Christmas in the Heart.") However, this album works for us on several levels. Dylan's weathered voice is well-suited to these American standards and he has avoided the temptation to surround the singer's voice with heavy (Gordon Jenkins' like) orchestration. Instead, it is basically his touring band accompanying him and the sounds of some beautiful pedal and lap steel guitar serve to link many of these songs. Aside from a few tracks, he's avoided the usual chestnuts artists seize upon when they venture into the "great American songbook" territory and has included some more obscure works. Finally, the album serves to remind us of the great tradition of pre-rock and roll songwriting by ironically having one of the most noteworthy exponents of the singer/songwriter tradition which emerged in the 1960's use his distinctive voice to cast some light on this era that is an important (but increasingly overlooked) part of our musical heritage.