Colin Linden: Sad & Beautiful World, 1975-1999

Colin Linden compilation with several guest appearances from Band members, released by Sony Canada in 2000. See the review and track list below for details.

You might notice that many of these songs are graced by the harmony singing of my favourite harmony singer ever- the great Rick Danko. Rick was a great friend to me for many years. He made me feel good about singing in a way that nobody else did, and gave me so much time and support through good times and bad. I'll miss him as long as I live, and I'd like to dedicate this anthology to him.
--Colin Linden, from the production notes

Review

by John Valenteyn, Toronto Blues Society

Colin Linden the producer, the songwriter, the band member is so much in the limelight these days that we needed a reminder of his solo career. His success at all of these roles is what has made him such a central figure in our community. A career retrospective, surely justified even at this stage of his career, is just best thing the doctor could have prescribed.
It could simply have been a "Best Of" compilation but courtesy of Rob Bowman, there is much more here than songs from his four solo albums on Columbia/Sony (When The Spirit Moves was originally on A&M Records and acquired by Sony in 1997). Of the seventeen songs, just ten are from those albums. One of those albums, South At Eight North At Nine (a line from "Black Horse Blues", a Blind Lemon Jefferson song on that album), won the Blues/Gospel JUNO in 1994, and was specifically intended as a blues album. It is the high point of his overt blues content as, with these "mature period" albums, he blended his talent for blues into a more wide-ranging roots style.
His guide for this blend was, and remains, the music of The Band, whose trailblazing all those years ago will continue to amaze. He had been listening to their music for years and when he happened to be on a bill with three of them in 1987, he asked them if they would help out on When The Spirit Moves. He would soon repay the favour by giving them their highest-charting song ever, "Remedy" (co-written with Band guitarist Jim Weider) which opened their first post-Robbie Robertson Jericho album of 1993. His own recording of the song is here, previously only available as a non-CD B-side.
Much of South At Eight North At Nine was recorded at the Band's Bearsville studio and Rick Danko, Garth Hudson & Levon Helm appear on several of the songs. Danko and Linden became especially close and Sad & beautiful world is dedicated to his memory. The ten songs, from Through the storm through the night and Raised by wolves as well, alone would have made for a fine "best of" album indeed and they also benefit here from being heard outside of their previous context, something a good compilation must do.
This brings us to the six remaining gems and why you must acquire this even if you have the other four: "They're Red Hot", an unrehearsed but just fine performance of the Robert Johnson song by a 15-year-old Linden from a 1975 CBC Touch The Earth show; "Mean Ole' Frisco", from an undeservedly obscure Sam Chatmon LP he played on that was produced by Terry Wilkins in 1979; his "New Matchbox", recorded live at Larry's Hideaway (remember that club?) (taken from Colin Linden Live, his first LP); "Whispering Pine", a slide version of the lovely Band song (from a Rykodisc CD Everybody Slides); "Just Like I Treat You", the highlight of the Grammy-nominated Howling Wolf Tribute (on Telarc) and "Vale Of Tears", representing his work with Blackie & The Rodeo Kings. I would have liked something from National Steel with Colin James but I don't know what I would delete to make room for it. I think that's an indication of the fine job Rob Bowman and Linden have done here.
I hope someone (are you busy, Rob?) is preparing a further CD of songs he has produced and/or performed on, it would greatly enhance our appreciation of our roots music history - Bowman's superb liner notes already provide the framework. Visit colinlinden.com and stay informed about a remarkable career.

Tracks

Love Everyone
from Raised by Wolves recorded 1997
Produced by Colin Linden & John Whynot
Drums, Percussion: Gary Craig
Bass: John Dymond
Organ: Richard Bell
Saxophone: Roderick Paulin
Saxophone: Alonzo Bowens
Trombone: John Touce
Percussion: John Whynot
Backing Vocals: Colin Cripps, Tom Wilson
Guitars & Vocals: C. L.
When the Spirit Comes
from When the Spirit Comes, recorded 1987
Produced by John Whynot w/ Colin Linden
Drums: Gary Craig
Bass: Shane Adams
Acoustic Guitar: John Whynot
Handclaps: C.L. & Janice Powers
Keyboards: Garth Hudson
Duet Vocal: Rick Danko
Electric Guitar & Vocal: C.L.
When the Carnival Ends
from Through the Storm though the Night, recorded 1994/1995
Drums: Gary Craig
Bass: John Dymond
Organ & Horn Arrangement: Richard Bell
Percussion: Miche Pouliot
Trumpet: Chris Whiteley
Saxophone: Jody Golick
Saxophone: Perry White
Trombone: Stephen Donald
Harmony: Rick Danko
Guitars & Vocal: C.L.
No Rest for the Wicked
from Through the Storm though the Night, recorded 1994/1995
Drums: Gary Craig
Bass: John Dymond
Piano & Organ: Richard Bell
Featuring the Fairfield Four:
- Walter Settles
- Wilson Waters
- James Hill
- Issac Freeman
- arranged by Mark Prentice
Guitar & Vocal: C.L.
Go wherever You Want to
from South at Eight North at Nine recorded 1992
Gary Craig: Drums & Percussion
Terry Wilkins: String Bass
Colin Linden: Guitars, Voice
John Whynot: Organ
Curtis Driedger: Violin samples
Blair Packham, Scott Dibble, Colin Linden: Harmonies
They're Red Hot (R. Johnson)
from Best of Touch the Earth recorded 1975
Produced by Paul Mills
Harmonica: Jim "Doctor Limbo" MacLean
Guitar & Harmony: Chris Whiteley
Guitar & Vocal: C.L.
Just Like I Treat You (W. Dixon)
from A Tribute to Howlin' Wolf recorded 1998
Drums: Sam Lay
Bass: Calvin Jones
Piano: Henry Gray
Electric Guitar: Hubert Sumlin
Harmonica: James Cotton
Acoustic Guitar & Vocal: C.L.
Raging River (C. Linden/C.James)
from Raised by Wolves recorded 1997
Produced by Colin Linden & John Whynot
Drums: Gary Craig
Bass: John Dymond
Organ: Richard Bell
Percussion: John Whynot
Harmony: Colin James
Guitars & Vocal: C.L.
The Way Heaven Feels
from South at Eight North at Nine recorded 1992
Drums: Gary Craig
Bass: John Dymond
Organ: Richard Bell
Harmony: Rick Danko
Guitars & Vocal: C.L.
Whispering Pines (R.Manuel/R. Robertson)
from Everybody Slides recorded 1992
Drums & Percussion: Gary Craig
Bass: John Dymond
Piano & Organ: Richard Bell
Guitars: C.L.
Love's Like Rain (C.Linden/ J. Weider)
from Raised by Wolves" recorded 1997
Produced by Colin Linden & John Whynot
Drums: Gary Craig
Bass: John Dymond
Piano & Horn Arrangement: Richard Bell
Trumpet: Jamil Sharif
Saxophone: Roderick Paulin
Saxophone: Alonzo Bowens
Trombone: John Touce
Harmony: Colin James
Guitars & Vocal: C.L.
Vale of Tears (Janice Powers)
from Kings of Love, Blackie & The Rodeo Kings, recorded 1999
Drums & Percussion: Gary Craig
Bass; John Dymond
Keyboards: Janice Powers
Acoustic-Electric Guitar & Vocals: Tom Wilson
Electric Guitar & Harmony: Stephen Fearing
Electric Dobro & Lead Vocal: C.L.
Homesick in My Own Backyard from Through the Storm Through the Night, recorded 1994-1995
Organ & Horn Arrangement: John Whynot
Trumpet: Chris Whiteley
Saxophone: Jody Golick
Saxophone: Perry White
Trombone: Stephen Donald
Guitar & Vocal: C.L.
Mean Old Frisco (arr. Sam Chatmon)
from Sam Chatmon & His BBQ Boys, recorded 1979
Produced by Terry Wilkins
Harmonica: Jim "Doctor Limbo" MacLean
Guitar: C.L.
Guitar & Lead Vocal: Sam Chatmon
New Matchbox
from Colin Linden Live!, recorded 1980
Drums: Bucky Berger
Bass: David R. Hayes
Saxophone: Jody Golick
Guitar & Vocal: C.L.
Sad & Beautiful World
from Through the Storm Through the Night, recorded 1994-1995
Same personnel as "When The Carnival Ends"
Remedy (C.Linden/J. Weider)
from CBC Live Recording/ B-Side of single "Out Of The Wilderness" recorded 1995
Produced by Danny Greenspoon
Drums: Gary Craig
Bass: John Dymond
Keyboards & Horn Arrangement: Richard Bell
Trumpet: Chris Whiteley
Saxophone: Jody Golick
Saxophone: Perry White
Trombone: Stephen Donald
Harmonies: Ken Whiteley & John Mays
Guitar & Vocal: C.L.

Colin Linden - Sad & Beautiful World - 2000 - Sony CK 80522

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