As you might have noticed, I enjoy live albums. Not that they're my sole musical interest, but I am prone to spend periods engrossed primarily with live recordings, and during the past couple of weeks/months that's been the case. Some of my favourite records across all genres were recorded live: when a great performer is feeling it just right and is paired with the right occasion, they can author their songs in new and interesting ways, fuelled by the crowd and the vibe.
Recorded and released before his breakout 2004 debut Get Lifted (back when Mr Legend was still Mr Stephens), this album features John in a small venue with just a piano, delivering stripped-down solo renditions of the best songs from that album. Both the writing and vocals thrive in a live context, and this recording effectively rendered that studio debut obsolete for me. The soul in the music is amplified in the intimate setting, and John delivers with passion and finesse. He is joined by a couple of guests, including Kanye West for a great version of All Falls Down, but most of the show is just him and the piano, and it's all the better for it.
01. Introduction (by J Ivy)
02. Let's Get Lifted
03. Do What I Gotta Do
04. She Don't Have to Know
05. Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood
06. Sun Comes Up
07. Stay With You
08. So High (ft. J Ivy)
09. If This World Were Mine (ft. Imani Uzuri)
10. All Falls Down (ft. Kanye West)
11. Motherless Child
12. Refuge (When It's Cold Outside)
13. Must Be the Way
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