Jackson Browne - Solo Acoustic, Vol. 1

Presenting twelve songs culled from Browne's extensive and critically acclaimed solo acoustic concerts around the world over the past few years, the disc also captures both spirited and humorous exchanges between Jackson and his audiences, making for a truly intimate listening experience. This new comp, produced by Browne and Paul Dieter, is Jackson's first live release since his 1977 multi-platinum "Running On Empty" album. It also marks the recording debut of a three decades old track, "The Birds Of St. Marks", not previously released in any form. "Solo Acoustic" reaches back to Browne's early years with "These Days" and "Take It Easy", and spans his entire career with other highlights such as "Fountain Of Sorrow", "For Everyman", "The Pretender", and "Looking East". A stirring version of "Lives In The Balance", the title track from Jackson's powerful 1986 album, will be this record's lead single. Album Description

 Jackson all alone
If you didn't buy solo acoustic volume 1, shame on you. This guy is just more than a good singer, he is also a good entertainer as far as I'm concerned. Just listen to the short speech bylines before some of the songs and you'll know what I mean. He seems to be able to deal with any verbal comments the crowd makes in a very eloquent(?) way. Jackson Browne is more than just a band who was really good musically, He, himself, is a person in himself a good musician and vocalist. I'm not bucking for a freebee from Amazon or anybody else, but if you buy this one, buy solo acoustic volume 2, I think you will be pleasantly surprized. May 9, 2008

 a companion through the years
I'm waiting for volume two of "solo acoustic" to arrive and the waiting is a weird delight because I know I can't be disappointed. This knowledge means that the waiting is not an exercise in impatience but the opportunity to engage in looking forward to something fine. Volume 1 has been a constant companion at home and whilst travelling due to the exquisite quality of the recording and the simple fact that the songs are masterpieces. As a result friends in Cuba are totally devoted to these live solo performances and thanks to "Jackson Browne Canciones Cielo Azul y Negro" by Alberto Manzano: (Celeste Ediciones, Madrid: 1997) all the songs, even Los pájoros de St.Mark (The Birds of St. Mark), have been translated into Spanish so that Brownes' texts can do their full work. The fact that Jackson Browne (and Bonnie Raitt) have discovered that great son of La Habana, Carlos Varela and performed with him, simply serves to endear Jackson Browne all the more to them.
Buy this recording and experience how an artist treats his work even after thirty or more years. May 7, 2008

 Nice!
This is my kind of music. I've now purchased Vol 2 and love them both. They are number one on my list. Very nice to listen too. May 2, 2008

 Difficult to know if I want to buy...
Amazon did a very poor job in choosing selections from tracks for our listening pleasure. This is provided, I assume, to help us determine that indeed we love the snippets we have heard and will buy the album. Several of these clips were intros to songs only. It's nice to know that they are live recordings, but it would be nice to hear some of the music... I gave 3 stars because I had to provide something, but the real rating is [???-no idea] March 18, 2008

 Superb!
This live acoustic set beautifully showcases some of Jackson Browne's very best material, and is complemented by truly outstanding production. It's a long time since I enjoyed a new album this much, and it's an absolute 'must' for any admirer of JB.

It's a justifiable simplification to say that JB's first five albums are the best known, and seven of the twelve songs on this album originate from those albums. These new live versions are beautiful, and give a refreshing new take on classics such as 'For a Dancer' and 'These Days'. Other tracks - such as the beautiful 'The Birds of St Marks' - are less well known, but are invariably excellent. Tracks like 'For Everyman' were first recorded more than thirty years ago, but sound just as good (or perhaps even better; certainly different) here. JB's vocals are just as good as ever.

This is a beautiful live set which any admirer of Jackson Browne's work will enjoy again and again. March 18, 2008

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