Dylan disc dynamite

This album, so long only accessible to hardcore Dylan fans, is finally available to the public. And that is a very, very good thing. \nThe first thing which pops out on this album is the crystal-clear sound quality. The two-disc set is a recording of a 1964 concert at Philharmonic Hall, and it's so clear you can hear Dylan's lips hit the microphone. The audience yells out suggestions, Dylan laughs and asks, "'Mary Had a Little Lamb,' is that a protest song?" When Joan Baez joins Dylan onstage midway through the second disc, the two forget the words to "Mama, You Been On My Mind" and chuckle through the choruses. \nThe high point of the live performance is the guitar on "It's Alright, Ma (I'm Only Bleeding)," as it captures a delicacy absent from the studio version. And the discs contain the best of Dylan's well-known oeuvre: "The Times They Are A-Changin,'" "Mr. Tambourine Man" and "Don't Think Twice, It's All Right." Baez sings "Silver Dagger" solo in her beautiful soprano, and she joins in on "It Ain't Me, Babe." \nLive 1964 is 103 minutes of magic, and a one-way ticket to the '60s. It's a must-have, not just for Dylan fans, but for anyone with ears.