Tulsa World: Family fun: Music

Newspaper View Print this story

Comment

RSS

Bookmark

Family fun: Music

By JENNIFER CHANCELLOR World Scene Writer
Published: 9/7/2009 2:22 AM
Last Modified: 9/7/2009 6:29 AM

Uncommon folk: a few classic outtakes

David Crosby, Stephen Stills and Graham Nash formed one of America's first rock supergroups.

Born from influential acts such as The Byrds, The Hollies and Buffalo Springfield, Crosby, Stills and Nash helped define the Woodstock generation with its peerless harmonies and songwriting and commitment to socio-political issues.

More than 40 years later, in June, the trio was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, launched a national tour — and a rebirth.

CSN also later broke wide open into a new music format: FM radio. Its folk-enriched rock sound still radiates with emotion and relevance today. Rhino records, in conjunction with Atlantic, recently released a rare collection of the band's earliest works.

"Crosby, Stills and Nash Demos" is just that — a collection of 12 tunes recorded from 1969-71.

In reality, many demos are "test" recordings. They lack quality sound and song structure.

Not these tunes. All harmonized. All perform together. They also perform alone in stark solo with simple guitar or piano. More than half of these songs developed lives of their own and grew into larger projects in later years: "Love the One You're With," "Singing Call," "Almost Cut My Hair" and more.

Neil Young also appears on this album of previously unreleased gems (he joined the group in 1969).

The band's second gig together was a "baptism by fire" at the legendary Woodstock music and art festival that year. The show was a defining moment in the band's career, and CSN's music has since become synonymous with social activism and the peace movement.

The songs on "Demo" some four decades ago are chillingly bare, thoroughly moving and still eerily potent today.

Crosby, Stills and Nash Demos

Artist: Crosby, Stills and Nash

Available: online and retail

Release date: June 2

Rating: 98 (out of 100)

Download: “Marrakesh Express,” “Long Time Gone,” “Almost Cut My Hair,” “Chicago”

By JENNIFER CHANCELLOR World Scene Writer

Newspaper View Print this story

Comment

RSS

Bookmark

Reader Comments

Show: Most Recent Comment First

Add your comment

0 comments have been made on this story so far. Tell us what you think below!

Reporting Comments

If you see a comment that violates our terms and conditions, please help us by clicking the "Report this Comment" link next to a comment. That will alert the web staff to review the comment. Thank you. -- Web Editor Jason Collington

Add Your Comment
In order to post a comment on this article, you must sign in to Tulsaworld.com. If you do not have a site account, you can create an account for free.

Post Your Comment