Nightbird (Eva Cassidy album)

Nightbird is a 2-CD plus 1-DVD live album by American singer Eva Cassidy, released posthumously in November 2015, nineteen years after her death. The album was recorded at the Blues Alley club in Washington, D.C. in January 1996. Some of the tracks had previously been released on the 1996 album, Live at Blues Alley. The recordings have been remixed and remastered from the original tapes. Of the 31 songs, 12 are previously unreleased, including the title track "Nightbird" (written by Doug MacLeod), as well as the jazz standards "It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)" and "Fever". Of the 12 unreleased tracks, eight are previously unheard songs.[2] The DVD which accompanies the 2 audio CDs contains 12 songs from the same set, of which 9 were previously included on the 2004 DVD release "Eva Cassidy Sings" and the remaining 3 are released for the first time.

Nightbird
Live album by
Eva Cassidy
ReleasedNovember 13, 2015
RecordedJanuary 3, 1996
GenreBlues, jazz, folk
Length2:19:54[1]
LabelBlix Street
ProducerEva Cassidy
Chris Biondo
Eva Cassidy chronology
The Best of Eva Cassidy
(2012)		 Nightbird
(2015)

Critical reception

Matt Adams of The Herts Advertiser wrote: "An exceptional release, offering fresh insights into perhaps one of the greatest female vocalists of all time. Highly recommended."[3]

Michael Bailey of All About Jazz said: "Nightbird reveals a modern song stylist not unlike Frank Sinatra. Cassidy's interpretative skills had few, if any, peers. She was equally at home with the Box Tops ("The Letter") and Bobby Troup ("Route 66"); Peggy Lee ("Fever") and Aretha Franklin ("Chain of Fools"). Her repertoire outside of the jazz standards and blues lay easily in the memory of anyone coming of age in the 1980s and '90s. Nightbird is a singular event to be savored and a talent too great to have experienced for such a short time."[4]

Colin Morris of Stuff.co.nz said: "'Not without its flaws, there are some drop-outs, and I'm sure Cassidy would not approve of some tracks. A tad strident, wrongly paced and boasting the occasional misreading of the composer's intentions, it is nevertheless a wonderful reminder of a talent lost too soon – her voice is simply remarkable and emotional."[5]

Track listing
CD 1
  1. "Blue Skies" *
  2. "Ain't Doin' Too Bad"
  3. "Ain't No Sunshine"
  4. "Fields of Gold" *
  5. "Baby I Love You"
  6. "Honeysuckle Rose" *
  7. "Route 66"
  8. "Bridge over Troubled Water" *
  9. (Eva introduces the band)
  10. "Chain of Fools"
  11. "Fever"
  12. "Autumn Leaves" *
  13. "Fine and Mellow" *
  14. "Cheek to Cheek" *
  15. "It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)"
  16. "Late in the Evening"
  17. "Next Time You See Me"
  18. "Waly Waly"
CD 2
  1. "Take Me to the River" *
  2. "Nightbird"
  3. "People Get Ready" *
  4. "The Letter"
  5. "Son of a Preacher Man"
  6. "Stormy Monday" *
  7. "Tall Trees in Georgia" *
  8. "Something's Got a Hold on Me"
  9. "Time After Time"
  10. "Over the Rainbow"
  11. "You're Welcome to the Club"
  12. "Caravan"
  13. "You've Changed"
  14. "What a Wonderful World" *
  15. "Oh, Had I a Golden Thread" *

– * = previously available on "Live at Blues Alley"

DVD
  1. "Cheek to Cheek" **
  2. "Nightbird"
  3. "Honeysuckle Rose" **
  4. "Autumn Leaves" **
  5. "People Get Ready" **
  6. "Stormy Monday" **
  7. "Tall Trees in Georgia" **
  8. "Take Me to the River"
  9. "Bridge over Troubled Water"
  10. "Time After Time" **
  11. "Over the Rainbow" **
  12. "You've Changed" **

– ** = previously available on "Eva Cassidy Sings" (DVD); "What A Wonderful World" from that collection is omitted here.

Personnel
  • Eva Cassidy – vocals, acoustic guitar, electric guitar
  • Chris Biondo – bass
  • Hilton Felton – Hammond organ
  • Keith Grimes – electric guitar
  • Raice McLeod – drums
  • Lenny Williams – piano

Chart positions

See also

Release history
Country Date Format Label Catalogue
Worldwide[11][12] November 13, 2015 CD + DVD, LP, digital download, vinyl box set Blix Street G2-10209

References
  1. "Eva Cassidy Nightbird". AllMusic. Retrieved June 18, 2016.
  2. "Eva Cassidy – Nightbird Eva Cassidy". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved June 18, 2016.
  3. "CD Review: Nightbird by Eva Cassidy". The Herts Advertiser. November 6, 2015. Retrieved June 19, 2016.
  4. "Eva Cassidy: Nightbird". All About Jazz. January 6, 2016. Retrieved June 18, 2016.
  5. "Album Review: Eva Cassidy, Nightbird". Stuff (company). November 26, 2015. Retrieved June 19, 2016.
  6. "Dutchcharts.nl – Eva Cassidy – Nightbird" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved June 18, 2016.
  7. "Lescharts.com – Eva Cassidy – Nightbird". Hung Medien. Retrieved June 18, 2016.
  8. "Offiziellecharts.de – Eva Cassidy – Nightbird" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved June 18, 2016.
  9. "Eva Cassidy | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved June 18, 2016.
  10. "End of Year Album Chart Top 100 – 2015". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 26, 2020.
  11. "iTunes Music – Nightbird by Eva Cassidy". iTunes Store (Australia). Apple. Retrieved May 13, 2016.
  12. "Eva Cassidy (Nightbird – CD/DVD". JB Hi-Fi. Retrieved May 13, 2016.
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