I've bought and listened to Nanci Griffith's music now for 20 odd years, I guess what initially attracted me to her and her music was my inability to pigeon-hole her. Always admire those who plough their own furrow. She can effortlessly play pure country, soft rock & roll, folk or pop so long as it's melodic, all mixed up to keep you on your aural toes. But also for me she must be the most genuine artist out there, and probably as close as I'll ever come to accepting any form of political correctness is from her.
This concert was recorded live in 2002 at the Knoxville Theater, Tennessee, her repertoire veering between anti war, gentle nostalgia for lost innocence, love of people or country, or simple sad wonder at the phenomenon of terrorism. Goodnight New York is delivered very movingly with a little vocal help from Emmylou Harris guesting, but all of the dozen or so songs show her and her tightly-knit Blue Moon Orchestra at the top of their game. They and the ever-beautiful Nanci are growing old together extremely gracefully singing and playing such a fine mixture - including At the speed of loneliness, There's a light, Listen to the radio, Gulf Coast Highway and the old Phil Ochs number What's that I hear. Why can't we all be as patient, charitable, compassionate and understanding as Nanci?
For an hour of varied gentle music by and in the company of a bunch of good folks looking for a good time, you can't do better than this.
