Hand her an acoustic guitar and let her sing along with those distinctive, gutsy pipes, and you've got yourself a respectable concert experience. Back her up with her band and it's an arena rock event. Either way, you're in for an unparalleled show worth hearing. This disc offers Ashley Cleveland and her hearty songs of faith, family, and love in both settings, singing her soul out solo and with her smoking band. Her husband, Kenny "monster guitar player" Greenberg, wails on electric and National guitars, and Phil Madeira guests on Hammond B-3, while the solid rhythm section of Michael Rhodes on bass and Chad Cromwell on drums drives everything along admirably. Plus there are special guests and some great new material amidst the live standards. About the only improvement you could make to this mix is the inclusion of a blistering, red-hot live version of "Better You Get Ready." But the jamming action of "He Is" and "You Are There," as well as the cover of Rolling Stones' "Gimme Shelter," nearly suffice. Among woman blues rock players, Ashley Cleveland is both peerless and near perfection.
4.5 tocks
Other coverage for this album
HM Magazine #75Reviewed by Brian Vincent McGovernThis soulful singer is back from a too-long break from recording, now with an album of various live tracks from the past few years. Still evident is Cleveland's semi-raspy croonings, and husband Kenny Greenberg's masterful guitar work. Included are Cleveland classics like "Henry Doesn't Care," and some rocked up versions of hymns like "Soon and Very Soon" and "Revive Us Again." If you like good…The Phantom Tollbooth 1999Reviewed by Chris ParksIt's always hard to know what to expect from a live album. Live recordings have the potential to be very good or very bad. A good live album will capture the performer's energy, spontaneity and interaction with the audience, showing depths to the performer that the rehearsed, overdubbed, choose-the-best-take environment of a recording studio will never show. The best live albums allow the…The Phantom Tollbooth 1998Reviewed by Trish PattersonAshley Cleveland's live album is finally out and, man, does it rock! Cleveland's bluesy/gutsy/passionate vocals give me goosebumps every time I hear this CD. At times she'll belt out with everything she's got, others, she softens her vocals to extend her emotional range. It's hard for me to imagine that anyone hearing Ashley Cleveland would not be moved. Listening to this project reminds me of…The Phantom Tollbooth 1998Reviewed by Linda T. StonehockerIf you haven't had the good fortune to catch an Ashley Cleveland show at Cornerstone, or seen her on tour with Rich Mullins, or bothered to track down her name as a back-up singer on oh so many recent albums, this CD will take you entirely by surprise. Cleveland has come into her own as a rich alto singer, and holds nothing back on this powerful live CD. Her delivery is worthy of a black gospel…
