Several of Travis Edmonson's live performances surfaced during 2001-2002. These tapes, dating back to 1966, offer a time capsule to an era when rock was quickly overtaking folk. Edmonson had been part of the duo Bud & Travis in the early to mid-'60s; after ten albums and hundreds of performances, the duo split in 1965. Live @ UC Santa Barbara 5/9/66 finds Edmonson pursuing a solo career, performing his first show since the duo's breakup. The setup is so simple -- Edmonson's dynamic vocals accompanied by guitar -- that listeners will never guess that folk-rockers like the Byrds were making waves in the music industry. The song choices, however, are too diversified to pigeonhole his music to folk music's past. Like a pop balladeer, Edmonson seems just as happy singing "Joey, Joey, Joey" and "It Was a Very Good Year" as he does traditional fare. He also introduced the self-penned "All of My Life" at this show, a song that blends well with the other material. Live @ UC Santa Barbara 5/9/66 includes a number of Mexican-American songs like "La Bamba" and "Angelico," giving Edmonson's music an ethnic edge missing from most revival repertoires. While Live @ UC Santa Barbara 5/9/66 is similar to 2001's The Tuscan Tapes, the album offers a good intro to Edmonson's solo work and a fine addition to hardcore fans' collections.
© Ronnie D. Lankford Jr. /TiVo