Bob Dylan - Jewels And Binoculars

Label: Vigotone, VT-192-217

Herein on 26 CD's are all the extant recordings of the Bob Dylan / Hawks 1966 World Tour (apart from those still locked away in the vaults), along with interviews, alternate studio performances and mixes, and even some informal hotel room recordings. In addition, this set contains an exact reproduction of the rare 1966 tour program as well as a 100 page book of text and photos documenting the tour and Bob Dylan in 1966.

The 1966 Dylan / Hawks World Tour is the stuff of legend. But unlike most legends from a bygone era, the goods are here to back this one up. Right here, in this boxed set. Listen and enjoy.

The 1966 Dylan / Hawks World Tour is the stuff of legend. But unlike most legends from a bygone era, the goods are here to back this one up. Right here, in this boxed set. While knowing the historical context of these performances will no doubt increase the listener's enjoyment of them, it's not crucial to the understanding of why they are so exalted. All one needs to do is LISTEN.

Herein are all the extant recordings of that tour (apart from those still locked away in the vaults), along with interviews, alternate studio performances and mixes, and even some informal hotel room recordings. Even a cursory listen to them will reveal one clear truth -- that Dylan was ON every night (and every day) in 1966. "On" both in terms of performing splendidly and his bringing his art to new levels, but also "on" in the sense that he was DYLAN (not Bob or Bobby, and surely not Robert Zimmerman) every single moment, on stage and off. From his biting put down of an Australian journalist ("are YOU successful?"), to his clever ways of dealing with audience hostility ("if you wouldn't clap so hard") to his weary yet triumphant "thank yeeeeew" that ends the famed Manchester concert, he was INSIDE everything he did, with every ounce of his being.

Except for some brief flashes during the 1979/80 "Born Again" Tour, and a few magical nights of the "Never-Ending Tour", Dylan (or any other rock performer, for that matter) has never again achieved this level of intensity, or challenged his audience so greatly while not being pretentious, condescending or boring. It's clear that the quality of the performances were in direct relationship with the hostility coming from the crowd, but it was more than that. Dylan just KNEW he was right about the quality of his music, and nothing could (or did) sway him. And even if Dylan's motorcycle crash in the summer didn't bring this era to a close, something else (burnout? drug OD?) WOULD have. Levels of brilliance of this sort are not designed to be maintained. But the residue is still with us. So listen up!

Mr. Jones
June 2000