Ry Cooder - Into The Purple Valley Live

Into the Purple Valley Review by Bob Gottlieb

Ry Cooder is known as a virtuoso on almost every stringed instrument, and on Into the Purple Valley, he demonstrates this ability on a wide variety of instruments. The main focus of the music here is on the era of the Dust Bowl, and what was happening in America at the time, socially and musically. Songs by Woody Guthrie, Leadbelly, and a variety of others show Cooder's encyclopedic knowledge of the music of this time, combined with an instinctive feel for the songs. 'Phenomenal' is the descriptive word to describe his playing, whether it is on guitar, Hawaiian "slack key" guitar, mandolin, or the more arcane instruments he has found. This is a must for those who love instrumental virtuosity, authentic reworkings of an era, or just plain good music.

Release Date

1971

Ry Cooder

Virtuoso roots guitarist who was steeped in the blues, yet has spent his career exploring new musical worlds from Tex-Mex to Cuban boleros.

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Live - A Compilation

Ry Cooder Into The Purple Valley

1. Billy The Kid (Cooder & Lindley, August 25, 1990; French's Camp-Eel River, Piercy, California) 2. Money Honey (September 13, 1989; NOAAH Benefit, Municipal Auditorium, New Orleans) 3. FDR In Trinidad (December 15, 1976; Great American Music Hall, San Francisco) 4. Teardrops Will Fall (Cooder & Nick Lowe, June 18, 2009; Royal Theatre Carre, Amsterdam, the Netherlands) 5. Denomination Blues (May 7, 1982; Royal Theatre Carre, Amsterdam, the Netherlands) 6. On A Monday (Jerry Douglas, March 7, 2020; Felton Music Hall, Felton, California) 7. Hey Porter (Cash & Cooder, November 3, 2019; The Met Philly, Philadelphia) 8. Great Dream From Heaven (May 20, 1974; Ebbets Field, Denver) 9. Taxes On The Farmer Feeds Us All (July 28, 1979; Cambridge Music Festival, Cambridge, England) 10. Vigilante Man (October 18, 2018; Cadogan Hall, London)