Personnel: Dave Van Ronk (guitar, strings); Erik Frandsen (vocals, guitar); Frank Christian (vocals, acoustic guitar, electric guitar); Samuel Charters (vocals, washboard); Christine Lavin (vocals, background vocals); Chris Lowe, David Massengill, Peri Lyons, Andrea Vuocolo, Heather Wood, Jenny Schuessler (vocals); Paul Geremia (guitar); Dakota Dave Hull (acoustic guitar); Bill Ferns (harmonica); Anne DeMarinis (accordion); Keith Ingham (piano, organ); Murray Wall (acoustic bass); Dave Conrad (electric bass); Arnie Kinsella (drums); Eve Silber, Shelly Thompson, Ada Dyer (background vocals).
Liner Note Author: Dave Van Ronk.
Recording information: Kampo Studio, N.Y.C., NY (06/1993-08/1994); Magic Shop, N.Y.C., NY (06/1993-08/1994); The Magic Shop, New York, NY (06/1993-08/1994).
Photographers: Nora Charters; Samuel Charters.
Unknown Contributor Role: Anne de Matinis.
Arrangers: Dakota Dave Hull; Keith Ingham; Samuel Charters.
Since his 1959 debut, folk music fans have considered Dave Van Ronk to be one of the genre's greatest interpreters of other people's songs. Like the two volumes of A CHRESTOMATHY, the two-disc collection TO ALL MY FRIENDS IN FAR-FLUNG PLACES moves away from Van Ronk's usual folk, blues, and jazz influences into poppier territory.
Disc one starts with a well-executed performance of Bob Dylan's "Subterranean Homesick Blues" that's done without mimicry or parody. The album's other 27 songs range from surprisingly successful oddities like Randy Newman's "Simon Smith and the Amazing Dancing Bear" and Tom Waits' "Jersey Girl" (which Van Ronk makes his own, topping both Waits' and Bruce Springsteen's previous versions), to somewhat obscure but artistically intriguing choices by longtime Van Ronk favorites, like Paul Simon's "Punky's Dilemma" and Joni Mitchell's "Song to a Seagull." Van Ronk's originals are equally impressive. minimize