Folksy Lady

Paula Brown 02/25/2009 6:16:00 PM

OK, I'm a rocker at heart, but I wish there were more gigs like this, legendary, immaculately played, and right in my neighborhood. Joan Baez brings 50 years of music history to the stage and, unlike many worn out artists who make themselves plod through one more gig doing the same old songs so they can survive, Baez still enjoys it and, in fact, set herself off laughing a time or two. Baez is still plugged in and vital. Her material ranged from her first album to her newest, paying homage in between to America's essential folk/bluegrass/harmonic pioneers, The Carter Family, and reaching back centuries to UK folk influences with "Rose of Sharon." Her latest CD draws material from producer, Steve Earle, as well as Elvis Costello/T-Bone Burnette. Baez, of course, has a hippie chest full of historic originals, and for some of them she dispensed with the considerable musical talent of her band, sending them on break, and brought them to us in purest form, just her and her 12-string. For me, the high point of the show was the musical/lyrical/historical "Diamonds and Rust," a song that surely came straight from her soul. I have seen thousands of concerts, but I don't remember ever hearing such a richness and fullness of sound coming from one lone acoustical guitar and its player before. It was really a treat to be able to spend an evening with someone so talented and entertaining and who will always be considered a pillar of American music and history.