One Night

The 1982 concert preserved here marked the first time that Red House Records founder Bob Feldman ever saw Greg Brown. He was so taken by the show that he rented a 1,400-seat theater so the singer could reach a wider audience. Then he formed Red House, reissued Brown's first two albums, and began his long association with the artist. One listen to this recording, which was unavailable for years, and you're bound to hear what excited Feldman. The album — beautifully remastered and augmented with five tracks that were omitted from the original vinyl release for space reasons — finds Brown's talent in full bloom. The warmth, humor, deft phrasing, and compelling lyrics that his later albums display are all here. Brown was already a great storyteller, a fine observer of the human condition, and a folk singer to be reckoned with. If you like his later recordings, this is a very safe purchase. And if you're new to Brown, it's as good a place to start as any. [The CD was also released with bonus tracks.]