Except for a few small differences, Nanci Griffith: One Fair Summer Evening replicates the country/folk singer's 1988 live album of the same name, recorded at the Anderson Fair in Houston, Texas. Backed by the three-piece Blue Moon Orchestra--serving up occasional keyboards and backing vocals--the nightingale-voiced Griffith draws from her six previous albums (and adds a couple of new tracks: the caustic pro-Native American "Deadwood, South Dakota" and the lovely ballad "I Would Bring You Ireland") in this 11-song, too-brief set. Standouts include "From a Distance" (later covered by Bette Midler), the beautiful "Love at the Five and Dime" (Griffith shares a good Woolworth's story to boot), the toe-tappin' "Spin on a Red Brick Floor," and the DVD-only childhood friendship ode "There's a Light Beyond These Woods (Mary Margaret)." Presented in DTS, Dolby Digital 5.1 and stereo, the audio is absolutely sparkling, but the video quality is awful, full of grain and digital artifacts (the liner notes claim that "this DVD uses the absolute original source and is presented as intended by the artists and producers," but this appears to be code for "we didn't want to spring for a nice transfer"). DVD extras include five bonus music videos, including the moving song about tolerance "It's a Hard Life Wherever You Go" and a cover of Buddy Holly's "Well…All Right," performed with the Crickets. The excellent songwriting and pitch-perfect singing ultimately outweigh the short running time and terrible visual quality, making this a strong optional purchase. Aud: P. (R. Pitman)
Nanci Griffith: One Fair Summer Evening…Plus!
(1988) 44 min. DVD: $14.98. Universal Music & Video (avail. from most distributors). Color cover. Volume 20, Issue 3
Nanci Griffith: One Fair Summer Evening…Plus!
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