Sunday Street

Sunday Street

One of the chief instigators of the late-‘50s Greenwich Village folk revival, Dave Van Ronk had become a legendary figure by the time he released Sunday Street in 1976. Fortunately, his gruff vocals and salty sense of humor hadn’t mellowed with the years. On this album, Van Ronk dives into a mixed bag of traditional and contemporary tunes with his usual rakish gusto. His bear-like growl and comedic timing are in fine form on “That’ll Never Happen No More” and “Jivin’ Man Blues.” His softer side comes through on poignant readings of “Jesus Met the Woman at the Well” and “That Song About the Midway.” Equally impressive is his nimble acoustic guitar on “Maple Leaf Rag” and “The Pearls.” Evident throughout is Van Ronk’s ability to radically shift moods and wrench extremes of emotion from his songs. From the yowling playfulness of “Would You Like to Swing on a Star?” to the lonesome grace of “Mamie’s Blues,” Sunday Street finds Van Ronk at the height of his formidable powers.

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