Jesse Colin Young

Hailing from Greenwich Village in the early ’60s, Jesse Colin Young first made his mark in the Youngbloods and their "Get Together” became a rallying cry for granola-crunching folkies/hippies everywhere. This loving retrospective reveals 34 tracks that stand the test of time very well, clearly depicting Young’s surprisingly soulful vocals and wisdom in surrounding his slightly country-hued folk rock with expert musicianship, giving his music longer legs. "Darkness, Darkness” continued the Youngbloods’ run until Young took control over his destiny, steaming ahead with a solo career despite the trends of the various majors who loved him and left him. Young was a survivor and continued to tour and reissue his sizeable catalogue of music, adding to his populist vision of Paradise as it took him from Marin County to his coffee farm in Kona, Hawaii. Fans of mid-period Van Morrison will thrill to the arrangements on much of this song selection as Young graduated from folkie to full-fledged arranger as he grew musically. Recommended for fans of ’70s singer-songwriter fare but also for his maturing sounds through the ’90s.