Live at the Old Quarter, Houston, Texas

Infobox Album
Name = Live at the Old Quarter, Houston, Texas
Type = Live album
Longtype =
Artist = Townes Van Zandt


Released = 1977
Recorded = July 1973
Genre = country, folk, singer-songwriter
Length = 92:40
Label = Tomato
Producer = Earl Willis
Reviews =
*"Best of Country Music" (favorable) John Morthland, "Review: "Live at The Old Quarter" - Townes Van Zandt", "The Best of Country Music", Doubleday Books, 1984, ISBN 038519192 ( [http://www.lonestarwebstation.com/tvzrec/r_latoq.htm link] )]
*"Cosmik Debris" (favorable) Shaun Dale, "Review: Townes Van Zandt: "Live At The Old Quarter, Houston, Texas", "Cosmic Debris", 2002 ( [http://www.cosmik.com/aa-june02/reviews/review_townes_van_zandt.html link] )]
*"Crescent Blues" (favorable) Michael Pacholski, "Crescent Blues Music Views: "Live at The Old Quarter" - Townes Van Zandt", "Crescent Blues E-Magazine", Volume 5, Issue 4 ( [http://www.crescentblues.com/5_4issue/mu_zandt_old.shtml link] )]
*"Folk World" (favorable) "Folk World CD Reviews", folkworld.de Issue 26, October 2003 ( [http://www.folkworld.de/26/e/cds1.html link] )]
* "Goldmine" (favorable) Bruce Sylvester, (Reviews of "The Best of Townes Van Zandt"; "Live at the Old Quarter, Houston, Texas"; ""; "Together at the Bluebird Cafe"), "Goldmine", 28:14:573, July 12, 2002, p. 65-66]
*"Music Box" Rating|5|5 John Metzger, "Review: Townes Van Zandt - "Live at The Old Quarter, Houston, Texas", "The Music Box", 10:2, February 2003 ( [http://www.musicbox-online.com/tvz-live.html link] )]
*"PopMatters" (favorable) Andrew Gilstrap, [Review of seven 2003 reissues of Van Zandt albums] , "PopMatters", March 25, 2003 ( [http://www.popmatters.com/music/reviews/v/vanzandttownes-reissues.shtml link] )]
*"Rolling Stone" Rating|5|5 Anthony Decurtis, [http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/townesvanzandt/albums/album/126626/review/5945364/live_at_the_old_quarter_houston_texas "Album reviews: Townes Van Zandt - "Live at the Old Quarter"] , "Rolling Stone", 911, November 19, 2002]
Last album = "The Late Great Townes Van Zandt"
(1972)
This album = "Live at the Old Quarter, Houston, Texas
(1977)
Next album = "Flyin' Shoes"
(1978)

"Live at the Old Quarter, Houston, Texas" is a double live album by Texas singer-songwriter Townes Van Zandt. The recording captures Van Zandt in a series of July 1973 performances in an intimate venue early in his career. The Old Quarter was a small venue (18 by 38 feet) operated by Rex "Wrecks" Bell Today Bell operates a similar venue in Galveston, Texas, [http://www.galvestontexas.com/oldquarter/ The Old Quarter Acoustic Cafe] ] and Dale Soffar that could comfortably accommodate 60 patrons. More than 100 jammed into the room on the night of these recordings.Earl Willis, liner notes, March 30, 1977 ( [http://www.lonestarwebstation.com/tvzrec/liveline.htm link] )]

The recording was first released in 1977 by Tomato Records and has frequently gone in and out of print under various labels (see below). There is a strong critical consensus that this recording is among the most exemplary of Van Zandt's career. Since the singer's death in 1997, live recordings have become an important part of his catalog, and "Live at the Old Quarter" has become the meter against which similar recordings are compared.Andrew Gilstrap, "Review: A Gentle Evening with Townes Van Zandt", "PopMatters" ( [http://www.popmatters.com/music/reviews/v/vanzandttownes-gentle.shtml link] )]

The liner notes describe the recording as the "Rosetta Stone" of Texas music. One can hear Van Zandt's influences in covers by artist like Bo Diddley, Texas bluesman Lightnin' Hopkins, and country picker Merle Travis. One can also hear Van Zandt's most famous works, songs like "If I Needed You" and "Pancho and Lefty" played to an audience not already familiar with these songs.

The album is also noted for the intimacy of the performance. Van Zandt takes the stage alone and accompanies himself on guitar as he did thousands of times during his career.

Track listing

All lyrics and music by Townes Van Zandt except where noted.

Disc 1:
# "Announcement" – :44
# "Pancho and Lefty" – 4:08
# "Mr. Gold and Mr. Mud" – 3:40
# "Don't You Take It Too Bad" – 2:57
# "Two Girls" – 3:51
# "Fraternity Blues" – 3:07
# "If I Needed You" – 3:18
# "Brand New Companion" – 4:20
# "White Freight Liner Blues" – 3:26
# "To Live Is to Fly" – 3:20
# "She Came and She Touched Me" – 4:09
# "Talking Thunderbird Blues" – 2:33
# "Rex's Blues" – 3:05
# "Nine Pound Hammer" (Merle Travis) – 3:06

Disc 2:
# "For the Sake of the Song" – 4:48
# "Chauffer's Blues" (Lightnin' Hopkins) – 4:33
# "No Place to Fall" – 3:08
# "Loretta" – 2:26
# "Kathleen" – 2:54
# "Why She's Acting This Way" – 5:42
# "Cocaine Blues" (Traditional) – 3:21
# "Who Do You Love?" (Ellas McDaniel) – 3:44
# "Tower Song" – 3:47
# "Waiting 'Round to Die" – 2:35
# "Tecumseh Valley" – 4:30
# "Lungs" – 2:34
# "Only Him or Me" – 2:42

Release history

Credits

Music

* Townes Van Zandt – acoustic guitar, vocals

Production

* Produced by: Earl Willis
* Recorded at: The Old Quarter, Houston, Texas
** Engineer: Earl Willis
* Mixed & Edited at: Northwestern Sound Studios, Lima, Ohio
** Engineer: Benny Young
* Mastered at: Media Sound Studios, New York, N.Y.
** Engineer: Ray Janos
* Reissue production coordination by Kevin Calabro and Katja Maas
* Remasted by Paul Zinman

Artwork/liner notes

* Liner notes by Earl Willis, Chet Flippo, and Arthur Wood
* Edited by John Tobler
* Cover design by Milton Glaser
* Photography by Steve Salmieri

Notes and sources