Sandy Denny - Gold Dust (Live At The Royalty) (CD 1998)

Back in the late 70s I got a sampler - 'Rock & Reggae, Derek & Clive' It included a studio recording of Sandy Denny singing 'For shame of doing wrong' 'From her her forthcoming album 'Gold Dust' and it was great! As far I know the promised album never came out. I thought this was it, but it isn't - this is a recording of a live concert - apparently held back for years to improve its quality and re-record some details. I don't think so! This CD is a very poor epitaph for a fine performer (apparently it was her last recording).

The initial live recording certainly lacked quality but it seems to me that the re-mixing was left to the kid on work experience with the Woolworths software CD and no manual! The sleeve notes appear to be written by a fan who 'never met Sandy' No criticism of her notes but surely.....!

You can listen to it and enjoy the bits that work but, ultimately, its an insult to one of our great female performers.

Presumably Island had a full set of tracks when they released the sampler. What happened to them? Lost? Who cares? They obviously didn't.

Roger Davie Webster

just a nice concert, last concert of sandy denny. Not that good, but a must have for all fans.
I bought it, just because of that.

I am a Fairport Convention's fan since a long time,expecially when Sandy was their singer, during their beautiful second and third album, in the late Sixties. So I was very curious to know Sandy as solist, expecially in a live album, particulary charming because, after a short time, she died in an incident at only 31. In more than an hour (77 minuts) played at Royal theatre/London, 27th november 1977, Sandy runs throught her career, singing from her two solo-album just like from late Fairport repertoire, when she come back with them for a few time. The band are all Fairport musicians, with Sandy's husband at acustic guitar. Result is very nice for me and, I hope, also for who doesnt know this musician, and quality of mastering exalts this work. The only fault I can find in it (but its not a real one) is Sandy's voice, naturaly no more shining like in her first works, a little bit lower, but alweys magnetic, stark and sweet at the same time.