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Richie Havens - Wishing Well Audio CD

A fair review of the Richie Havens "Wishing Well" Audio CD. Please note that the below review is the views of the authors, and authors only. You can get a complete list of all Richie Havens reviews here, or go back to the Richie Havens tabs.

Richie Havens Band: Richie Havens
Title: Wishing Well
Rating:
Release Date: 2005-06-14
Media: Audio CD

Tracks: 1: Well 2: Handouts in the Rain 3: Love Is Alive 4: You'll Never Know 5: Slow Down 6: On the Road to Calvary 7: Stardust & Passion 8: Paradise 9: Alone Together 10: On the Turning Away

Havens is a musical category unto himself...
Well, what can I say about Richie Havens after all these years? For one, he is as good today as he ever was. . and that is REAL GOOD. And for another, he is so satisfying to my sensibilities. I have met Richie several times at various gigs. . . even hung out with him back in '05 after a very hot set at the Towne Crier in Pawling NY. My long time buddy and lead vocalist, TR and I (along with the wives) talked it up for quite a long time after that gig. And that is typical of Richie. Man, he is truly a "people person". The guy is so damn likable it is astounding. Both "he" and "his music" have stood the test of time.

Now getting to the task at hand, and that is to review "Wishing Well". Firstly, it is very nice to see Richie eschewing the attempts to over-produce his recordings. His output from 1982 to around 2000 has suffered from a post-disco, post-new wave treatment, which I am sure, was not at the urging of Richie himself. "Wishing Well" harkens back to a simpler time. While it is not as solid as "Richard P. Havens, 1983", it is a step back in that direction. And by "back" I mean "back to the future" hopefully. Richie also utilizes a smaller back up band here. His perennial acoustic is back up front where it belongs. The songs he chose are standouts. I especially like "Paradise Is A Hard Place To Find" by someone named, "Mescall (?)". Others of note are "The Road To Calvary" by Havens and "You'll Never Know", also by Richie.

Richie does not really need a band or even a lone sideman to back him up. He is a one-man orchestra. His voice and guitar are seemless at times. He is so in tune with himself that beats and melodies pour off of him like beads of sweat. The man is a human metronome. This CD is a welcome return to the essence of Richie Havens.

I only wish that Richie would take his strong cover tunes from over the years ("Live At The Cellar Door" did not achieve the greatness that Richie is capable of) and re-record them now that he is in full-stride once again. Songs such as: LADY MADONNA, HERE COMES THE SUN, GOD BLESS THE CHILD, STRAWBERRY FIELDS, HIGH FLYING BIRD, etc etc. . . and the one that I suggested to him at the Towne Crier (a song that TR and I cover in Dreamland Choo Choo). . . I am speaking of Curtis Mayfield's PEOPLE GET READY. This song is a natural choice for Richie.

Well, as you may have guessed, I like this record. It will have to hold us until Richie makes the next one. . . (The Grace of the Sun, not withstanding)and one that will get back to where Richie belongs. . . stamping great cover tunes with his unmistakable brand of art.
peace
Vince "Lucie" DeLucia, Nov. 2007.


You can see a complete list of all Richie Havens discography, or go back to the Richie Havens tabs. There is also a good guide on how to read guitar tabs here.

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