At the Purple Onion
| At the Purple Onion | ||||
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| Live album by Lenny Breau | ||||
| Released | November 16, 2004 | |||
| Recorded | August 1962 at the Purple Onion, Toronto, Ontario, Canada | |||
| Genre | Jazz | |||
| Label | Art of Life Records | |||
| Lenny Breau chronology | ||||
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| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |
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| JazzTimes | (equivocal) |
At the Purple Onion is a live album by guitarist Lenny Breau with Don Francks and Eon Henstridge, recorded in 1962 and released in 2004. Breau, Francks and Henstridge performed as a trio called Three.
Breau's former manager kept the original tapes of this live performance for over 40 years before they were re-discovered. It features Breau, Francks, and Henstridge with Joey Hollingsworth — one vocal and also tap dancing — performing at the Purple Onion club in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Liner notes and commentary by Francks, Hollingsworth, George B. Sukornyk and Ron Forbes-Roberts are also included.
Allmusic critic Ken Dryden describes the release as "Although fans of Lenny Breau are likely to be interested in all of his previously unreleased recordings, the focus is primarily on Francks... All fans of Lenny Breau will want to check out this previously unreleased CD, though some listeners may feel a bit overwhelmed by the emphasis on Francks' comedic vocals and narratives." In reviewing the release for JazzTimes, critic Russell Carlson wrote Breau's "comping hangs in the background on this less-than-even recording. But when Breau gets space to himself, he uses it like a Breau fan wants him to... Serious Breau collectors and fans of wacky jazz theater (do any exist?) will invest wisely in this; those uninitiated in Breau's artistry should turn to Art of Life's previous The Hallmark Sessions."
Production notes:
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Wikipedia