Recorded in 1973 and reissued in 2007 with a slew of bonus tracks,
When I Leave Berlin finds cult folk guitarist
Wizz Jones in rude creative health -- easygoing performances and dryly gentle wit place him in a spot where his contemporaries would have been someone like
Leo Kottke rather than
Dan Fogelberg. Certainly his many admirers in his home country agreed, and guests include Lazy Farmer, who back him up on four songs, and
Bert Jansch, who duets with
Jones on the concluding track of the original album, the hilariously cutting "Freudian Slip." Said song is one of three originals featured, while the remainder cover standards and covers by fellow travelers such as
Robin Williamson, whose "First Girl I Loved" is a perfect choice in its study of paths not taken, for
Jones' wry though not downbeat singing style as much as for his excellent instrumental performances.
Woody Guthrie's "Pastures of Plenty" is a standout, Lazy Farmer's understated backing, highlighted by
John Bidwell's lovely flute work, turns
Guthrie's Depression classic into an intriguing fusion of American West imagery and a bucolic rural England. Meantime, the
Jones-written title track tackles a more recent event, a temporary opening of the Berlin Wall in 1972 for a literal two days that
Jones witnessed; its upbeat pace, backed again by Lazy Farmer, belies the conflicting sentiments of joy and separation. Track for track
Jones' talent is evident, his voice light but never strained or forced, his fingerpicking a precise, sparkling delight. The 2007 reissue is stellar, excellent sound complemented further by detailed liner notes and reminiscences from
Jones, as well as six bonus cuts from the time period, all covers. Besides an alternate version of
Alan Hull's "Winter Song," also featured on the album itself, selections include songs by
Big Bill Broonzy and
Lightnin' Hopkins. [A six-track bonus edition was released in 2007.] ~ Ned Raggett