Description
Al Stewart With Dave Nachmanoff – Uncorked – Al Stewart Live With Dave Nachmanoff – Double Vinyl Records
Uncorked: Al Stewart Live with Dave Nachmanoff, released in 2009, is a warm, intimate live album that captures Al Stewart—best known for his intelligent, literate folk-rock classics like “Year of the Cat” and “Time Passages”—in a stripped-down acoustic setting alongside longtime collaborator and accomplished guitarist Dave Nachmanoff. The album was recorded during a series of small-venue performances and offers a refreshingly unpolished, engaging portrait of Stewart’s live persona: witty, reflective, and musically agile.
Rather than replicating the lush, radio-ready arrangements of his 1970s studio hits, Uncorked leans into storytelling, acoustic interplay, and spontaneity. Stewart’s distinctive voice—slightly weathered but still sharp and expressive—remains central, and his historically rich lyrics come into even sharper focus in this live context. Nachmanoff’s guitar work, which combines technical precision with emotional subtlety, is a perfect complement, often filling in harmonies and textures that hint at the fuller arrangements of Stewart’s classic recordings.
The setlist spans Stewart’s career, including well-known tracks like “Year of the Cat,” “Carol,” “Time Passages,” and “Warren Harding”, as well as fan favorites and deeper cuts like “Palace of Versailles” and “News from Spain.” Stewart also includes amusing, insightful anecdotes between songs, sharing background on the writing of certain tracks or offering historical tidbits that reveal his signature fusion of folk-pop and history-based songwriting.
What makes Uncorked special is its sense of ease and camaraderie. It’s not just a performance—it feels like a conversation with the audience, drawing them into the songs and the stories behind them. Stewart and Nachmanoff clearly enjoy playing together, and their chemistry shines throughout, from the tasteful solos to the subtle rhythmic interplay.
Uncorked is a charming, stripped-back live album that highlights Al Stewart’s enduring skills as a songwriter, storyteller, and performer, while showcasing Dave Nachmanoff’s superb musicianship and supportive presence. It’s a must-listen for longtime fans, offering a more personal and organic take on Stewart’s catalog, and a great introduction for new listeners drawn to narrative-rich, acoustic-driven folk-rock with intelligence and heart.
Brand new, never played and still sealed in the factory plastic
Track Listing
Last Days Of The Century / Constantinople / Last Days
Coldest Winter
Warren Harding
News From Spain
Bedsitter Images
Midas Shadow
Running Man
Palace Of Versailles
Auctioning Dave (Story)
Princess Olivia
Life In Dark Water
Carol
Old Admirals
Hidden Story
