Townes Van Zandt - A Gentle Evening With Townes Van Zandt

His studio albums were tricky affairs generally cursed with overproduction, but Townes Van Zandt's solo live recordings (and his influential songwriting) have made him a Texas music legend.

A Gentle Evening with Townes Van Zandt captures the enigmatic performer alone at a 1969 Carnegie Hall concert, sounding a little tentative but still cracking the occasional joke. His set list consists of material from his first two albums, including classics Tecumseh Valley, Like a Summer's Thursday, and She Came and She Touched Me.

Talking KKK Blues, heard here for the first time on record, bears a striking resemblance to the songwriter's Fraternity Blues and shows Van Zandt's biting wit. Aptly titled, it's a subdued affair, but it's still essential for anyone who wants to hear the performer in his youthful prime. ~ Jason Verlinde

• Talking KKK Blues
• Rake
• Like A Summer's Thursday
• Second Lover's Song
• She Came And She Touched Me
• Lungs
• Tecumseh Valley
• A Joke
• Talking Thunderbird Wine Blues
• The Ballad Of Ira Hayes