Martin Simpson Live was recorded at a sell-out solo concert in the Holywell Music Room, Oxford, on Saturday 15th October 1994. And Martin is in superb form - highlights include previously unrecorded tracks ranging from John B. Spencer's Forgotten the Blues, the traditional English Betsy the Serving Maid and Martin's own sombre Lilith to an eight-minute instrumental medley which incorporates his composition Santa Cruz. You will also find moving interpretations of established favourites, from Lord Gregory, Hard Love and The Company You Keep to a high-adrenaline version of Broke Down Engine that is played at astonishing pace - even by Martin's own standards. MARTIN SIMPSON LIVE was nominated by several experts in the Folk Roots poll of the Albums of 1996 and is now out in the United States on the Redhouse Label RHR CD 106.

The total playing time is over 70 minutes.

What the critics have said...
'Proves that Simpson is one of the finest fingerpickers and slide players of our time. He has an uncanny ability to make traditional British and American songs sound vital and contemporary, while drawing us into the historically rich lyrics and poignant melodies,'
Guitar Player magazine (USA)

'All quite stunning,'
Dirty Linen magazine (USA)

'Entirely excellent... detached analysis is hardly an option in the face of such musical intensity. When finally typing up a review, I usually skip through snatches of the tracks as an aide-memoire but with this record there was no choice but to let go the button, shut my eyes and listen to the whole thing again,'
Folk Roots magazine

'Captures one of the world's best guitarists on top form'
The Living Tradition

'Essential listening, capturing, perhaps for the first time, the charged atmosphere and sheer tension of Simpson in full flight,'
Taplas magazine

'Recorded at Oxford's Holywell Music room, this is one of the great live acoustic guitar albums.... It took the New World to seal his reputation. It took dreaming spires to preserve the reality,'
Ken Hunt, freelance writer for Q , Mojo and Folk Roots.

'LIVE is a great album that goes a long way in proving that Martin Simpson is indeed one of the most exciting guitarists on the scene today. Simpson fans will love this. Those discovering him for the first time will be simply amazed.'
Porthole magazine (USA)

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