A receptive audience is all a performer needs to feel galvanised. To be listened to, those ideas heard out in public with a trusted friend, for the first time, is a difference maker. It is here we find the line of genius and mania. Folksinger’s Choice, a compilation of the Cynthia Gooding recordings, is a worthy historical footnote. She once suggested Bob Dylan’s audience would find themselves close to catching the songwriter out, just moments away from unravelling this story or that song, before he would distract them with more moving, monumental work. Such is the case for this collection of recordings. Gooding plays the role of the audience, almost finding her way into the truth and beauty which befalls the lyrics Dylan has. We never make it there, not because Gooding is not a sharp member of the crowd, but because Dylan is skilled when it comes to shadowy meaning. No better way to listen to those tapes, this interview, than this unofficial bootleg.
These are the early performances of an artist who would push the envelope of folk music months later. Opener Lonesome Whistle Blues is a delight. A deeper octave, a throatier charm to Dylan’s voice can be found here, switched out not soon after for those nasally best bits. These are songs which will no doubt be well known to the frequent Dylan listener. Those who have gone out of their way to seek these early works will no doubt know the likes of Fixin’ to Die and The Death of Emmett Till. There is a fine quality to them here, scrubbed up well for this unofficial bootleg. Folksinger’s Choice keeps the chatter between songs intact – these crucial moments where more is revealed of Dylan not as a performer, but a person. Early years indeed, and it is hard to pinpoint a moment in the last few years where Dylan, or anyone in the know for that matter, has spoken so openly of his character.
Muddled and slow to his thoughts, the chatter Dylan gives in between performances, especially after Fixin’ to Die, is delightful. Talk of Howlin’ Wolf, of John Lee Hooker, but here is an insight into how Dylan gets around the pressing questions. He talks of his joy in performing with heroes, in finding the wonderful detail in those collaborators, but not of why he does or does not play this way or cover that song. He glides through those questions well, he must, as it keeps the mystique alive, especially now. There are some great later recordings featured on Folksinger’s Choice, too. This is not just a bootleg showcasing the obvious pieces which are thrown around so frequently. Rarities like Rocks and Gravel are in the mix, and sound incredible.
This is a fantastic indicator of how Dylan would play in those early folk years, the finger-plucked style and the intensity of a new voice on the scene. That is what makes Folksinger’s Choice such a rewarding listen, not just the history involved in its making. Not just one for those who want a better read on the historic songwriting charms but a definitive look at the earliest years of Dylan as a rising performer. Hearing the flickers of intensity in his performance, the conviction that he carries and the slow build of an image which would mystify and entertain fans for generations, is a compelling experience. Folksinger’s Choice is an outstanding compilation, a piece which puts into play a historied career. You can hear flickers of these early moments still today, the joy for performance, the interest in musicians of the modern day, and how he can incorporate those into his sound.
