The label Revolution Beats specializes in finding vintage and obscure concert or studio sessions from artists of the 1970s and 80s. This 10 disc set is a real treasure, as it focuses on Tom Waits, who during the 1970s was a mix of Jack Kerouac, Mose Allison and Oscar Brown, writing and singing songs about the undusted corners of life. His insights on urban life, urban love and urban hide-aways is unparalleled. Banded together, in chronological order, are a series of broadcasts/interviews/performances with Waits in either solo, duo (with drummer) or small group format. You can feel his musical, vocal and lyrical progression, with the albums ranging from Closing Time to Blue Valentine being presented here.
The earliest sessions, from 1973, have Waits in a more folksy mood, with tunes such as “Ol’ 55” and “The Heart of Saturday Night” sounding relaxed and casual. Broadcasts from Minnesota and California later on included “San Diego Serenade” and a rare take of “Fumblin’ With The Blues”. His voice starts to get more Armstrong gravelly by 1977, as on “Muriel” and a cozy read of “Standin’ On The Corner” and he blows vocal smoke rings on the classic “Small Change”. By 1977’s recording from Wisconsin, Waits is comfortable in his roll as a raconteur, spewing out a noirish “Burma Shave” .
After these years, Waits changed musical directions and became more of a vaudeville barker, so this is collection serves as a summary of the years when Waits still took on the roll of Dooley Wilson.