Search - Eva Cassidy :: Live at Blues Alley

This cd will rarely leave your cd player, it's that good.

major music head | USA | 06/19/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"the first time i ever heard eva cassidy was 3 years ago, on a local dc jazz station (which, sadly, has since gone off the air). it was the song "what a wonderful world," which i normally find cloying. but eva's clear, strong, beautiful vibrato cut through my work day and made me sit back and listen. wow. when i went to buy the cd at the store i was looking for an african-american woman on the cover. i was shocked to see a blue-eyed blonde, looking folkie and meek, on the cover. but my god, the woman has the soul, depth and power reserved for the best of the best, including mahalia and 1960s aretha.this cd, all covers, ranges from swinging jazz to traditional folk to blues. eva handles it all with incredible control and taste, with real singing and not the pyrotechno crap you hear on the radio these days. her range inspires awe, especially on "golden thread," in which she reaches a note that would give anyone else a hernia. her interpretation skills are amazing; she manages to breathe new life into songs that have been covered hundreds of times. particular standouts are "autumn leaves," "tall trees in georgia" and "fields of gold," all of which will make you cry; "golden thread," which is as spiritual as any hymn; and "fine and mellow" and "cheek to cheek," which are fun and sexy. the band is also in top form, keeping the sound tight and crisp while giving eva the spotlight.eva's passing robbed her of what surely would have been a big, long career, and us of an enduring talent. buy this cd and you will not be disappointed."

DC's hottest CD is available nationally now

booknblueslady | 09/28/1998

(5 out of 5 stars)

"When "Live at Blues Alley" was released in the spring of 1996, it because an immediate bestseller in the Washington DC area, and everyone who heard it knew -- not thought, KNEW -- that Eva Cassidy was going to be a big star. Only weeks later, however, she was diagnosed with melanoma and she died in November. It's a sad story, but this is not a sad CD, and "Live at Blues Alley" is probably the most upbeat of her albums. If you pass this one by because you already have a few of the songs (on "Songbird") you will miss out on the best recording ever of "What a Wonderful World" as well as a terrific down-home-gospel version of "Bridge Over Troubled Water," a blithe and sunny "Honeysuckle Rose," and an eclectic bunch of others. There's definitely a live album ambiance, as the title suggests. Eva introduces "What a Wonderful World" with a dedication to her parents -- particularly poignant when you know that "What a Wonderful World" was eventually the last music she sang in public, at a benefit concert the local music community held to help with her medical bills.One of our local record stores had this apt summation: "Some artists have spent their entire careers in search of one good album -- Eva nailed it on her first try." This CD won many awards at the "Wammies" (Washington Area Music Association awards) including Album of the Year and Artist of the Year for Eva.My opinion? Eva Cassidy is STILL going to be a big star, even though it's posthumously. Somebody in Hollywood is going to have the vision to use her heart-stopping performances in a romantic "date movie" (probably starring Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan), and maybe soon after that some of her unreleased studio recordings will make it onto another Eva album. Cross your fingers, and if you know anyone in the movie business, spread the word!"

Words Cannot Describe...

Tim Meixner | Brighton, MI United States | 08/19/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"...the impact that Eva Cassidy has had on my life. After seeing a nightime news magazine feature on this incredible talent, I had to purchase a CD to experience her unbelievable voice. I ended up buying 4 CD's, Time After Time, Eva By Heart, Songbird, and Live at Blues Alley. They are indeed magnificant in the way they present perhaps the best female vocalist ever, however, the pure vocal artistry and unbridled energy and passion of Eva Cassidy comes through best on the Live CD. Her powerful sweeping vocal lines soar above mere music to heights which only angels should dare to attempt. Ms Cassidy takes incredible artistic and vocal risks, but never loses control. When her human limits are reached, as in the final note on "Autumn Leaves", she simply weaves the results into the beautiful musical tapestry she has created and we are all enriched by witnessing yet another magnificent Eva moment. Like air bubbles in hand blown glass, these "imperfections" add character, beauty, and Eva Cassidy's own stamp of genius on the tune as well as our souls. I have owned this CD for less than a month, but it is the first thing I reach for when I get in my car, and I am rarely dry-eyed when I arrive at most of my destinations. If good music - the kind that has the power to change lives forever - is important to you, you MUST experience Eva."