Background The A – Z Recordings

kelly performing - z shows in new york city, september 2011. rolling stone s david fricke @ performance, live alphabetical retrospective of kelly s life s work australia s bob dylan , elvis costello combined, in narrative candor, trap-door wit , devotion rock s country, folk , blues roots .

the – z recordings originate series of acoustic concerts australian rock musician, paul kelly starting in december 2004 100 songs performed alphabetically on 4 nights @ famous spiegeltent in melbourne. in november–december 2006 kelly undertook – z tour @ brisbane powerhouse, melbourne s spiegeltent, , @ sydney opera house. on – z tours, on subsequent years 2010, kelly accompanied nephew, dan kelly, on guitar , vocals , then-girlfriend, sian prior, on clarinet , vocals. of north american shows, cut performance 1 or 2 nights, speed-dial version . kelly provide anecdotes or background each song, led writing memoir, how make gravy (named song of same name), issued in september 2010. book contains chapter per song lyrics supplied followed kelly s description of varied topics. according rolling stone s jason cohen, kelly might creating world s longest cd liner notes @ 568 pages. released in tandem z recordings, 106-track, eight-cd boxed set culled kelly s now-trademark z live performances . boxed set issued on 24 september 2010 gawd aggie records in australia , universal import in north america. in october year, book , boxed set packaged , issued how make gravy: – z recordings.

in january 2011 sydney morning herald s bernard zuel caught first 2 nights of 4 night set, disputed accepted wisdom acoustic performances test of song s lasting quality , preferred when kelly s nephew dan add[ed] colour guitar or vocals particular songs or when prior provided scattered furnishings , playing clarinet, briefly bringing operatic vocals party , noticeably brightening proceedings . zuel felt first night lacking energy, vocal , physical , show s highlights came in purely solo songs or perspective of women . kelly s – z tours continued until march 2012.