Robert Baird

As I sit down to write a year's-end musical retrospective, I feel that the old column-writing joke between Stereophile editor John Atkinson and myself about first needing a subject and, second, needing it to make sense, will not be a problem this time out. For me, the music and almost everything else about 2001 have been dwarfed in importance by the mayhem wreaked on New York on September 11.

<B>HANK WILLIAMS: <I>Timeless</I></B><BR> Lost Highway 088 170 239-2 (CD). 2001. Luke Lewis, Mary Martin, Bonnie Garner, prods.; Bob Brockman, Michael Hopkins, Mark Johnson, others, engs.; Hank Williams (no relation), mastering. AAD. TT: 43:19<BR> Performance <B>****</B><BR> Sonics <B>*****</B>

<B>BOB DYLAN: <I>"Love and Theft"</I></B><BR> Columbia (85975) (CD). 2001. Jack Frost, prod.; Chris Shaw, engs. Jeremy Welch, asst. eng. AAD? TT: 57:35<BR> Performance <B>****1/2</B><BR> Sonics <B>****</B>

<B>JANE MONHEIT: <I>Come Dream With Me</I></B><BR>N-Coded Music NC-4219-2 (CD) 2001. Joel Dorn, prod.; Carl Griffin exec. prod.; Todd Parker, eng.; Steve Mazur, asst. eng.; Gene Paul, sonic supervision. AAD? TT: 52:49<BR>Performance<B>****</B><BR>Sonics<B>*****</B>

<B>RODNEY CROWELL: <I>The Houston Kid</I></B><BR>Sugar Hill SUG-CD-1065A (HDCD). 2001. Rodney Crowell, Peter Coleman, Steuart Smith, Jim Dineen, prods.; Hank Williams, eng. AAD? TT: 47:01<BR>Performance <B>*****</B><BR>Sonics <B>****</B>

<B>Geminiani: <I>Concerti Grossi</I></B><BR> Concerto 1 in D, Concerto 2 in B-flat, Concerto 3 in C, Concerto 4 in F, eight others.<BR> Andrew Manze, Academy of Ancient Music; Alison McGillivray, cello; Richard Egarr, harpsichord.<BR> Harmonia Mundi HMU 907261.62 (2 CDs). 2000. Robina G. Young, prod.; Geoff Miles, Mike Clements, engs. AAD? TT: 2:24:19<BR> Performance <B>****?</B><BR> Sonics <B>****?</B>

<B>ROBERT WALTER'S 20TH CONGRESS: <I>Money Shot</I></B><BR> Fog City FCCD 004 (CD). 2000. Dan Prothero, prod., eng.; Kevin Ink, asst. eng. AAD? TT: 59:24<BR> Performance <B>****?</B><BR> Sonics <B>****?</B>