Joan Baez

The Essential Joan Baez/From the Heart [Live], released primarily in Asia, is a single-CD abridgement of the Joan Baez album From Every Stage, recorded at concerts held in July and August 1975 and initially issued as a double-LP by A&M Records in January 1976. The original version contained 20 tracks and ran over 80 minutes, just a little too long for one CD; this one contains 15 tracks and runs a little over an hour. Baez's performances of "(Ain't Gonna Let Nobody) Turn Me Around," "Blessed Are," "Stewball," "Natalia," and "Joe Hill" have been jettisoned, and the remaining tracks have been re-sequenced, with the first ten described as "the electric tracks" -- even though they include the a cappella "Swing Low Sweet Chariot" -- and the last five "the acoustic tracks." The new sequencing takes what was the end of the concert and puts it at the beginning, so that, oddly, Baez performs "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down" and then bids her audience good night after what, here, is only the first song! Still, the album contains excellent performances of many Baez staples, including five Bob Dylan songs, played by an accomplished backup band that includes famed Motown bass player James Jamerson, drummer Jim Gordon, and keyboard player David Briggs. Of course, the full-length version in its original sequence is preferred. ~ William Ruhlmann, All Music Guide