Such a voice: warm, inviting, and mysterious, like a lamp glowing in some dark, distant window. When Sandy Denny died in 1978, she left unfinished one of the most intriguing chapters in the history of rock & roll and folk music. This concert, recorded five months before her death, is a suggestion of all the power her voice and vision promised and a picture of Denny at her musical and vocal peak. While her final studio albums for Island possessed fine songs, the production and arrangements were mostly unfocused. But on this night in London, everything falls into place. Denny's vocals are expressive, verging into jazz complexity; the band, including the remarkable Dave Mattacks on drums, Pat Donaldson on bass, Pete Wilsher on pedal steel, and Trevor Lucas and Jerry Donahue on guitars, is sympathetic and rocks when necessary. And the set list features the cream of Denny's compositions. Quite simply one of the most exciting records of the year. --Roy Kasten
