The Tucson Tapes: First Set

For those born any time after the American folk revival, a name like Travis Edmonson probably draws a blank. Edmonson, once part of the duo Bud & Travis, plowed the fertile rows of folk music between 1960-1965. By 1966, however, the team had busted up, and both parties sought their fame and fortune as solo acts. The Tucson Tapes: The First Set captures Edmonson playing a solo set to a polite hometown audience. Unlike a number of folk purists, Edmonson freely mixes popular and traditional material, and seems happy in both modes. In the middle of "Walkin' Down the Line," for instance, he switches to "The Games People Play," sings a stanza or two, and then returns to the original song. He also performs a number of Mexican-American pieces like "Malaguena Salerosa" and "Sabras Que Te Quiero," adding another dimension to his music. Edmonson's formal vocals work well on pop standards like "It Was a Very Good Year," but seem less inspired on folk-tinged pieces like "The Last Thing on My Mind." Overall, the acoustic format of The Tucson Tapes gives the impression that the folk scare didn't end in 1965. While the recording quality is primitive, the historical importance of the set outweighs fidelity concerns. For fans of Bud & Travis, or for anyone who fondly recalls the folk revival of the early '60s, The Tucson Tapes provides a 60-minute time capsule. ~ Ronnie D. Lankford, Jr.