2 LPs on 1 CD: THE KINGSTON TRIO (1958)/FROM THE HUNGRY I (1958).

The Kingston Trio: Dave Guard, Bob Shane (vocals, guitar, banjo); Nick Reynolds (vocals, guitar, bongos, conga).

Recorded at Capitol Studio B, Los Angeles, California and live at The Hungry I, San Francisco, California in February & June 1958. Originally released on Capitol (996) and Capitol (1107). Includes liner notes by Ben Blake.

2 LPs on 1 CD: THE KINGSTON TRIO (1958)/FROM THE HUNGRY I (1958).

The Kingston Trio: Dave Guard, Bob Shane (vocals, guitar, banjo); Nick Reynolds (vocals, guitar, bongos, conga).

Recorded at Capitol Studio B, Los Angeles, California and live at The Hungry I, San Francisco, California in February & June 1958. Originally released on Capitol (996) and Capitol (1107). Includes liner notes by Ben Blake.

All tracks have been digitally remastered.

The Kingston Trio's self-titled debut album, recorded in early 1958, had been successful in capturing their range, but not the excitement or the good humor that the group generated on-stage. Their second LP, recorded live at the Hungry i in San Francisco on August 15 and 16, 1958, just a few days after the debut LP's release, captured a better picture of their total act, distilling down a major chunk of their live act to vinyl. Dave Guard, Nick Reynolds, and Bob Shane obviously are all having a great time, and they're in top form musically, which brings the crowd (and the rest of us) along. Among the established parts of their current and future recorded repertoire represented here are "Zombie Jamboree" (identified as "the song that killed calypso") and "The Merry Minuet," interspersed with suitable live material, including "They Call the Wind Maria," featuring Shane in a breathtakingly beautiful take on the song from Paint Your Wagon. The recording was about as fine as any live music document of this period -- the microphone placement seems almost miraculous in terms of capturing the voices, guitars, banjo, bass, and bongos, plus the crowd reactions, and the only flaw (not perceived as such at the time) was that the show was recorded only in mono, which would eventually doom the album to deletion after more than a decade. There have since been other live recordings by the group unearthed from this period, and within a year they would record a concert in stereo, but ...From the "Hungry i" is still the album by which most original fans first came to take in their sound, especially as its release coincided with the rise to the top of the charts of the single "Tom Dooley." ~ Bruce Eder

Like the Weavers before them, the Kingston Trio set the pace for the folk revival of the late '50s and early '60s. Bands like the Highwaymen, the New Christy Minstrels, and Peter, Paul & Mary were inspired by the group's complex harmony, song choices, and general sunny disposition. The Kingston Trio, the band's first studio effort, unleashed the smash hit "Tom Dooley" upon an unsuspecting world. The record garnered a Grammy, sold six million copies, and stayed on the charts for almost four years. To put it plainly, Dave Guard, Nick Reynolds, and Bob Shane created quite a stir. Together, these three young men sang pleasant harmony to reinterpret folk classics like "Hard, Ain't It Hard," "Sloop John B.," and "Little Maggie." They also had an affinity for Mexican folk songs like "Banua" and "Santo Anno." The second LP, ...From the "Hungry I," captures the band live, singing vibrant versions of "Tic, Tic" and "They Call the Wind Maria." Because of the acoustic arrangements and professionalism of the band, this live performance easily matches the quality of the group's studio work. The difference lies in the humorous introductions, interaction with the audience, and enthusiastic applause. ...From the "Hungry I" and The Kingston Trio make good companions, especially since their original running lengths were between 30 and 35 minutes. With the four bonus tracks, the album runs 73 minutes. So whether one wishes to take a nostalgic trip back in time, or wishes to know what caused such a big fuss way back in 1958, The Kingston Trio/...From the "Hungry I" is a bargain ticket. ~ Ronnie D. Lankford Jr.

Capitol's From the "Hungry I"/Kingston Trio combines the group's first two albums on this excellent single disc. Among the highlights are "Bay of Mexico, " "Tom Dooley, " "Fast Freight, " "Hard, Ain't It Hard, " "Scotch and Soda, " "Wimoweh" and "New York Girls." ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine