Judy Collins is a National Treasure! Amazing!
by WeenFan on 3/19/10The Canyon - Agoura HillsShe is beautiful inside and outside. Her song choices were wonderful and her voice is still so uplifting and lyrical.
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JUDY COLLINS IN CONCERT:
Legendary singer-songwriter Judy Collins has lent her iconic voice to an impressive range of genres over her five decade career, from her beloved folk work to acclaimed forays into rock and show tunes. Whether she's taking fans down memory lane with nostalgic performances of "Both Sides, Now" or breaking hearts with "Send in the Clowns," Collins never fails to imbue her material with the wistful romance that makes her performances so moving. Back on the road with a diverse collection of classic material, she is set to stun on her upcoming tour dates.
BACKGROUND SNAPSHOT:
Born in Seattle, Collins grew up studying classical piano under the rigorous tutelage of acclaimed pianist Antonia Brico. After being exposed to folk music in her teens by her radio DJ father, she made a shift towards lyric-based guitar music. Immersing herself in Greenwich Village's folk scene, Collins worked as a street performer and played small clubs before eventually attracting the attention of Elektra Records and releasing her 1961 debut A Maid of Constant Sorrow. While her early albums offered a straightforward folk sound, she branched out on 1966's In My Life, recording songs by artists as diverse as Leonard Cohen and Jacques Brel and incorporating lush orchestration -- a bold move for a folk artist at the time. The stylistic shift proved a success, earning her a Grammy in 1968 for "Both Sides, Now" and setting the tone for much of her later work. Collins continues to be a consummate performer, stunning fans around the world with her continued grace and charm in concert.
FANS WHO BOUGHT TICKETS SAY:
"For those of us who remember Judy in the 70's, this was like stepping back in time. Her voice is as beautiful as it was then. Her persona is warm and engaging. What a treat."
"Judy Collins is an amazing talent; and her voice sounds as clear and crisp as it did 50 years ago.
Loved her storytelling and anecdotes too!"
"Cannot believe what a marvelous voice at age 74. A truly spectacular performance by a vital artist!"
She is beautiful inside and outside. Her song choices were wonderful and her voice is still so uplifting and lyrical.
We went with no particular expectations. The show was adequate in length although late in starting, with Kenny White performing first followed by a very long bathroom break (necessary with the limited rest room accomodations). The show itself was almost as much reminiscence as music, and the references were stuck in the early 60's with a lot of what amounted to name-dropping of selected, big-name friends. No mention of the almost fifty years of great songwriters in between, with the exception of one recent-antiwar song--which hardly matches many others written in the intervening years by everyone from Pete Seger to Blaze Foley to John Gorka or the Dixie Chicks. There was some humor in the ramblings but her veneration of the Washington Square scene seemed designed to reduce the number of songs sung and was both egotistical and wistfully melancholy at the seem time. And yes, her voice is going; she is better off not jumping from high to low notes, since she often misses the mark. She is also quite unpredictable on song interpretations--some of her efforts bringing out the lyrics well, while others, including Send In The Clowns, seemed tired and have been better sung by Catherine Zeta Jones in her current Broadway run. Moreover, her reference to Susan Boyle was snarky if not flat-out catty, and I would rather have heard the song sung by MS. Boyle or Patti Lupone. Picky though it may seem, her hair-flipping and overall appearance (facelift?) are dstracting and only mark the passage of time on a striking but haggard and bony face, best seen in profile at the piano--where her skills were really well demonstrated in spite of the criticisms noted about her singing. She seemed more comfortable on the piano bench! Would not go again
The opening act, pianist/ guitarist, soloist Kenny White was a superb combination of Paul Simon meets Randy Newman. His lyrics and mastery of the piano were outstanding. Judy Collins was breathtaking. She interwove songs amid a casual conversation. When she sang, I felt myself thinking "How do such amazing sounds emanate from a human body?" I surprised my husband with the tickets. He didn't know where we were heading that evening. What a tremendous surprise for him, made even more spectacular by the amazing talent displayed that night! Many thanks and kudos to the two artists!
Just delightful - Judy's wit and wisdom and friendly interaction is always a delight.
Judy Collins voice blew us away with how beautiful it is. She sang many of her classics, some new songs, and other people's songs. She also played the piano and was great at that as well.
Was it a physically dynamic show? no. It was a wonderful evening, well spent, in the company of an amazing artist who walked us through time in a musical format. The names, the places - awesome. Openned with "Both Sides", Closed with "Clowns" and great stuff in between. Would have been a perfect HBO or PBS show, also! And - the voice - awesome. Cracked a tad, slightly off at times, but still better than most will ever be!
A gala return to Town Hall where she starred over 40 years ago, filling the hall with her wonderful voice and list of favorite songs. I could have stayed all night!
The concert was a truly incredible experience. Judy Collins will go down in history as being one of the best female vocalists of the times. Her voice and her songs filled us with so much emotion. Her back up pianist was fantastic. Judy Collins shared her musical life experience with fun stories and the evening just flowed. I can't wait for the release of her CD, Paradise.
The whole show was great - including the warm-up act with Kenny White. Judy Collins weaves her story among her songs and it was all fantastic. A class act!
Judy Collins is an American treasure. Her singing, guitar playing, and piano playing are of another world. She made me laugh and cry and filled me with so much lovely music.
For a woman of her age, her voice is still clear as a bell. What a fantastic evening!
My wife and I brought our 23 year old daughter to the show. We were all blown away by the lasting beauty of her voice. (She's still great to look at too.) My daughter is a graduate student at Sarah Lawrence majoring in theatre. She would love to speak to Judy if she had a chance. Any suggestions about how to contact Ms Collins?
my unbiased opinion of the concert, as a guy who has been in love with judy collins since the 60s, and her song book is my song book, her performance was everything i hoped for and more.
She was in excellent voice and was incredibly comfortable on the stage, weaving stories and songs from her childhood, Irish ballads, a show tune or two and, of course, some folk classics. Some were sang with the audience.
Great concert! A little rough in spots, but she still has what it takes. Her sidekick Kenny was not impressive!
My husband and I were very impressed with the quality of this performance. Judy Collins' voice is amazing!
She still has an incredible voice and looks terrific for her age!
Judy Collins' voice is amazing - she is down to earth and funny too!
Judy Collins gave an exceptional performance. Her voice at age 70 is as strong as when she was 25 years old. The clarity and range of her voice is unbelievable. She also was a terrific on-stage personality -- elegant, beautiful, humorous, down-to-earth, always smiling. It was an unforgettable performance.
Love her voice - still pure and strong. She is a great storyteller as well. I was entracned all night by my favorite solo artist.