Live : at the Great American Music Hall, Aug. 31-Sept. 1, 2011, San Francisco

"Ryland P Cooder's first full live album since the classic Showtime back in the mid 1970s (...) with a band that includes his son Joachim on drums, long-time vocal sparring partner Terry Evans, plus guest appearances from the great Flaco Jimenez and ten-piece Mexican brass ensemble La Banda Juvenil. Twelve career-spanning tracks ... No, this isn't an album of innovation, nor does it have the "ripped from the headlines" urgency of his recent politicised recordings. What it doees have is some fine playing from most involved (...) and a general air of joie de vivre".