Roy Orbison And Friends (a.o. Tom Waits) – A Black And White Night Live (1989)

This remarkable recording from September 1987, the only commercially released live album of Roy Orbison's career, is a source of great joy as well as comfort to this Roy Orbison fan. None of us knew that this recording which ushered in the second coming of rock music's most remarkable voice would soon also stand as a powerful tribute to a man who was to be taken from us far too soon. With the success of this remarkable live album and the posthumously released Mystery Girl, Roy Orbison went out on top, restored to the level of popularity and immense musical respect he deserved but had not enjoyed during the preceding couple of decades. Looking back on it now, the last sixteen months of Roy's life could hardly have been scripted any more fittingly.
Roy was not alone on the stage for these incredible Coconut Grove sessions. Around him were a number of superstars in their own right, each of them more than happy to play even a small part in what truly is a great tribute to one of music's undeniable legends. These included Bruce Springsteen (who once said he wished he could write like Bob Dylan and sing like Roy Orbison), T Bone Burnett, Elvis Costello, Tom Waits, Jackson Browne, K.D. Lang, and Bonnie Raitt. As for Roy, he was in stellar form. His voice may not have reflected the power of its youth, but every word from his throat came out mellifluously, and he proved he could still nail the high notes in songs such as Crying and Running Scared. His voice, to my ears, was incredible and simply ageless; he had not sounded so good in many, many years. As for the songs, they run the entire gamut of his career, from Move On Down the Line, the first song he ever wrote, to The Comedians and (All I Can Do Is) Dream You, two incredible tracks from the studio album that would turn out to be his last, Mystery Girl. Many of his classics are here. No one touched the human heart the way Roy did with classic ballads such as Only the Lonely, In Dreams, Leah, Crying, and Running Scared. Of course, one can also never forget such rocking classics as Dream Baby, Ooby Dooby, Mean Woman Blues, and Oh Pretty Woman. Then there is It's Over, perhaps the most moving song of Roy's career and easily my favorite. A Black and White Night Live is the ultimate tribute album to a legendary performer, and the fact that this is the only legitimate live recording of Orbison's career makes this album special beyond words. I still can't listen to this album without thinking about Roy's passing, but I am comforted at the same time with the knowledge that A Black and White Night Live is really and truly a glorious celebration of this legendary singer's life and career.

Personnel:

Roy Orbison - lead vocals, guitar, harmonica
Tom Waits - electric organ, acoustic guitar
Glen D. Hardin - piano
James Burton - lead guitar
Jerry Scheff - upright bass
Ronnie Tutt - drums
Jackson Browne - backing vocals
T Bone Burnett - acoustic guitar
Elvis Costello - acoustic guitar, electric organ
k.d. lang - backing vocals
Bonnie Raitt - backing vocals
J.D. Souther - backing vocals
Steven Soles - backing vocals
Bruce Springsteen - guitar, vocals
Jennifer Warnes - backing vocals

Tracklist:

01. Only the Lonely
02. Dream Baby (How Long Must I Dream)
03. Blue Bayou
04. The Comedians
05. Ooby Dooby
06. Leah
07. Running Scared
08. Uptown
09. In Dreams
10. Crying
11. Candyman
12. Go, Go, Go (Down The Line)
13. Mean Woman Blues
14. (All I Can Do Is) Dream You
15. Claudette
16. It s Over
17. Oh, Pretty Woman

Produced by T Bone Burnett
Recorded by Record Plant Mobile
Engineered by Richard "Rik" Pekkonen
Mastered by Bernie Grundman

Sound Quality: 8/9