Several of
Travis Edmonson's live performances surfaced during 2001-2002. These tapes, dating back to 1966, offer a time capsule to an era when
rock was quickly overtaking
folk.
Edmonson had been part of the duo
Bud & Travis in the early to mid-'60s; after ten albums and hundreds of performances, the duo split in 1965.
Live @ UC Santa Barbara 5/9/66 finds
Edmonson pursuing a solo career, performing his first show since the duo's breakup. The setup is so simple --
Edmonson's dynamic vocals accompanied by guitar -- that listeners will never guess that
folk-rockers like
the Byrds were making waves in the music industry. The song choices, however, are too diversified to pigeonhole his music to
folk music's past. Like a
pop balladeer,
Edmonson seems just as happy singing
"Joey, Joey, Joey" and
"It Was a Very Good Year" as he does
traditional fare. He also introduced the self-penned
"All of My Life" at this show, a song that blends well with the other material.
Live @ UC Santa Barbara 5/9/66 includes a number of Mexican-American songs like
"La Bamba" and
"Angelico," giving
Edmonson's music an
ethnic edge missing from most revival repertoires. While
Live @ UC Santa Barbara 5/9/66 is similar to 2001's
The Tuscan Tapes, the album offers a good intro to
Edmonson's solo work and a fine addition to hardcore fans' collections. ~ Ronnie D. Lankford Jr.
