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This CD features Woody performing live at three venues (in this order): Eugene’s in SF in August 1968; The Shadows in Washington, DC in April 1965, and Mr. Kelly’s in Chicago in March 1964. I know. I know. These performances are 50 years old! Trust me. They stand the test of time.
I was just beginning my stand-up comedy career when I purchased this CD. Truth be told, it almost discouraged me from continuing. Why? Because Woody Allen uses words to such perfection and because he has more "laugh lines" on the first track than I ever got in an entire set.
For me, the first three tracks of the 1968 performance are the hook. As a joke writer myself, I have no idea how he could have come up with the premises. It’s the most brilliant stand-up I have ever heard.
The 1965 show was only moderately funny. It was a bad recording and contained too many over-the-top scenarios like the moose at the costume party. But "Unhappy Childhood" and "European Trip" are standout tracks.
I thought that the 1964 performance was the freshest sounding of the three. The audience seemed very close to the mic and they loved him. The first track "Private Life" was brilliant. Most of the other tracks are excellent, too--especially “Brooklyn”, “My Grandfather" and "N.Y.U."
As you listen, take note of how many brilliant SENTENCES there are--never mind jokes. The punchline of the joke about the dog from the damaged pet shop is so damn brilliant-- yet no one had ever said it before Woody.
I don't let Woody's controversial private life cloud my judgment of his comedy. Woody Allen was a brilliant stand-up. He could have become a very wealthy man if he remained a stand-up. Instead, he let us into his clever mind through film instead.
There are some great comedians today. In my opinion, Louis CK is the best. But no modern comedian could pull off what Woody Allen does on this CD. The sheer volume of jokes coupled with his delivery nuances are impossible to duplicate.
This CD is very hard to find now. Rhino Entertainment took ownership of the recording in 1999. Try buying it used on Amazon.com.
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