John Denver - An Evening With John Denver (2CD)

List Price: $13.02
Our Price: $12.98
You Save: $2.97 (19%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $10.91 (click here)
Category: Music CD
See more CD details

CD Details

Music reviews of An Evening With John Denver (2CD)

Music Review: It will leave you wanting more!
Rating: 4 Stars

On "An Evening With John Denver," John is just as we remember him: warm, disarming, engaging - a gifted storyteller. His voice is strong and unmistakably unique. The song selection ranges from sunny ballads (Mother Nature's Son; Grandma's Featherbed), to catchy new entries (Annie's Other Song; Pickin' the Sun Down) to humorous observations (Forest Lawn; Saturday Night in Toledo, Ohio) to the obvious soaring hits (Take Me Home, Country Roads; Rocky Mountain High). It is indeed 80 minutes of listening pleasure.

On the other hand...

As nifty an idea that is the bonus cut, I only wish these could have been chosen a bit more carefully. For instance, why was it necessary to include a second version of "Saturday Night in Toledo, Ohio?" Side note: Why was the song renamed "Toledo" when the album first came out on CD, and why is it presented here under two different titles? Nitpicking aside, the Red Rocks version, in my opinion, is actually better than the Universal Amphitheater version. However, "Intro" simply means John saying "Good evening!" A nice touch would have been to include the oft-told story about the three folks from Toledo who once paid John a visit back stage after a concert.

"Follow Me / Leaving On a Jet Plane" is a pleasing medley that presents probably the prettiest versions yet of these heartfelt songs.

"City of New Orleans" benefits from a funny insight into the origin of the song. It is an infectious, lively rendition and immediately engages the audience. Only one problem, however - John flubs a line! Arrgghh! You will no doubt hear it coming every time, just like a *pop* on an old LP.

The "Zachary and Jennifer / For Baby (For Bobbie)" medley lends itself well to this collection. John invites the audience to sing along for the last verse of "Baby."

"I'd Rather Be a Cowboy," maybe the best cut on Farewell Andromeda, is tailor made for a concert venue. In this case, however, while John's voice comes through crystal clear, it sounds as if the orchestra was recorded with the Dolby B switched on! Also, true Denverphiles will catch the single word miscue in the second verse.

The most surprising cut of all, though, was saved for last. "Amsterdam," while not generally thought of as a Denver staple, is a powerful, moving, albeit far from glowing testimonial to a forsaken seaport. It is John at his best and should have brought the house down.

Do I recommend the record? Yes. Could it have been better? You bet. In fact, for me it raises the questions: How much more unreleased concert footage is out there, and will it ever make its way to a true box set complete with outtakes, studio sessions, alternate takes, etc? Boy, would that be something!

Description of An Evening With John Denver (2CD)