| Live at the BBC | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Box set by | ||||
| Released | September 2007 | |||
| Recorded | Between 1966–1973 for the BBC | |||
| Genre | Folk rock | |||
| Label | Island (UK) 984 992-8 | |||
| Producer | various | |||
| Sandy Denny chronology | ||||
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Live at the BBC is a four disc compilation of British folk singer songwriterSandy Denny's BBC sessions from 1966 to 1973 and contains almost all her solo work for the corporation. Disc 4 of the set is a DVD of Denny performing three songs on the music programmeOne in ten in 1971: the only surviving solo footage of her. This compilation superseded the earlier one-disc set issued on the Strange Fruit label in 1997 that due to rights issues was withdrawn on the day of release thereby creating a highly collectable disc up until the release of this comprehensive set.
The set contains early solo sessions during her time withAlex Campbell andJohnny Silvo, as well as her solo sessions postFairport Convention and postFotheringay comprising performances forBob Harris,John Peel, Sounds on Sunday andThe Old Grey Whistle Test promoting her solo albumsThe North Star Grassman and the Ravens,Sandy andLike an Old Fashioned Waltz. A seven song concert broadcast from London's Paris Theatre is also included which captured her at the peak of her powers. The collection is supplemented by a rare and insightful interview with Denny for the BBC's World Service programmeTomorrow's People with Clive Jordan.[1]
The set was issued in a 5.5 x 7.5 inch package that was designed by Phil Smee using lyrics and illustrations from Denny's notebooks and photos from her personal collection, many of which had not previously been published.
It has long been asserted amongst fans of Denny's work that her solo acoustic performances showed her work in its best light with the immediacy of her voice and acoustic accompaniment showing the real quality of her vocal style and compositions. When the Live at the BBC boxset came out in September 2007 it was rapturously praised wherever it was reviewed including theSunday Express who also ran a two-page spread on Denny's career.[2] The set gained 5 star reviews inUncut,Record Collector andMojo, whose critic Jim Irvin asserted in his review that "(The set) provides more evidence that she's among the finest singer-songwriters who ever sang and wrote".[3] This favourable critical response did much to continue the resurgence of interest inSandy Denny's work.
A one-disc highlights edition of the boxset was issued in April 2008 calledSandy Denny: The Best of the BBC Recordings.
