REVIEW: Larry Campbell & Teresa Williams Live At Levon’s!:

By: Dan Forte

The term "versatile" is laughable when it comes to Larry Campbelll. An handful of the artists he has recorded, produced, and toured with includes Bob Dylan, Cyndi Lauper, Keith Richards, Judy Collins, Jorma Kaukonen, Paul Simon, David Bromberg and Rosanne Cash.

In this set, featuring vocals by his wife, Teresa Williams, Campbell sings and plays guitar, mandolin and fiddle. His Tele digs into Johnny Cash's "Big River", backs Williams with Piedmont ragtime-y picking on a spirited rendition of Rev. Gary Davis' "Let Us Get Together, " and delivers Stax soul and tremolo guitar on "When I Stop Loving You."

Pedal steel? No sweat, as evidenced by Louis Prima's boppin' "Yeah, Yeah, Yeah." Along the way, the duo hopscotches through Bill Monroe, Flatt & Scruggs, a touching reading of the Lovin' Spoonful's "Darling Be Home Soon," and excellent originals like the epic "Angel Of Darkness."

But it's Campbell's tour-de-force on "Caravan" from Duke Ellington's repertoire that's the dazzling head-turner-like a young Chet Atkins in overdrive. And this is all live, recorded at the Woodstock studio of another frequent Campbell collaborator, the late Levon Helm. Impressive stuff.