Joan Baez The Complete A&M Recordings
Released: September 23, 2003 Origination Year: 2003 Time: 312:00 Tracks: 77 - 4CD Produced by: Various Style: Studio/Live Format: CD Enhancement: Remasters Label: A&M Records Website: www.joanbaez.com

Those lucky enough to have caught Joan Baez’ most recent North American tour can attest to the power and command her timeless music has retained. This outing coincides with the Complete A&M Recordings (1972 -- 1976) box set containing Come From The Shadows (1972), Where Are You Now My Son? (1973), Gracias A La Vida (Here’s To Life) (1974), Diamonds And Rust (1975), Gulf Winds (1976) and From Every Stage (1976). Also are a trio of 45-rpm b-sides making their digital debut on this compendium, including a cover of Bob Dylan’s “Forever Young”, and Baez originals “Where’s My Apple Pie” and “Johnny I Hardly Knew Yeh”.

After a dozen years on Vanguard Records, her first effort for A&M was the politically-charged Come In From The Shadows. The album became notable not only for its’ heavy Nashville influence, but also for the bold “Song Of Bangladesh,” her open letter to Dylan on “Bobby,” as well as the cover of John Lennon’s “Imagine”.

This was followed by Where Are You Now My Son?, which quickly became controversial due to her strident viewpoints on the continuing conflicts in Southeast Asia. The title track is a 26-minute semi-biographical epic, with ambient sounds documented by Baez in Hanoi, Vietnam during the final weeks of 1972. Its’ brutal honesty did not sit well with many, although it re-established her as a key political and musical conduit.

This was followed by Gracias A La Vida (Here’s To Life) which took an artistic detour as it was recorded in Spanish. It became no less of a controversial statement, containing a version of the Pablo Neruda poem “No Nos Moveran (We Shall Not Be Moved)”. The government of Spain banned the work and it was deleted from subsequent pressings.

The brilliant and mostly non-political Diamonds & Rust became not only a touchstone for Baez, but was also considered essential listening in the mid 1970s. It remains resonant with the Dylan-influenced title composition, and the covers of Janis Ian’s “Jessie,” Jackson Browne’s “Fountain Of Sorrow,” the Allman Brothers’ “Blue Sky” and John Prine’s “Hello In There.”

Her last studio offering for A&M was Gulf Wind. It yielded considerably lighter fare, reflecting much of the same escapism and ennui America was concurrently enduring. One of the most outstanding elements is the plethora of strong originals. Chief among them are “Oh Brother!” -- an admitted response to Dylan’s “Oh Sister” -- and the picturesque title song, which Baez claims as having been influenced by an experience during Dylan’s all-star Rolling Thunder Review tour.

Although technically From Every Stage was issued before Gulf Winds, for the sake of continuity the double-LP live collection concludes The Complete A&M Recordings (1972 -- 1976). Baez is spotlighted in both acoustic as well as band settings. Her repertoire at the time included tunes dating back to her days on Vanguard -- such as “Stewball” and “Blessed Are ..” as well as a few that had yet to be recorded by Baez before. Among them were the civil rights anthem “(Ain’t Gonna Let Nobody) Turn Me Around,” and a reading of “Blowin’ In The Wind” which would be used in the film Forrest Gump during the March On Washington scene.

The sound is spectacular as all 80 tracks have been thoroughly remastered. The accompanying 32-page booklet is replete with rarely publish photos, as well as reminiscences from the artist herself and faithful reproductions of the LP liner notes.