Bob Dylan Jamming With Eric Von Schmidt (May 1964) [RARE COMPLETE TAPE]

TRACKLIST AND FASCINATING INFO BELOW

Remember on "Baby, Let Me Follow You Down" when Dylan was talking about the guy he learned the song from on the "green pastures of Harvard University?" This is Eric Von Schmidt! Dylan was very good friends with him for years. The photo in my video is, strangely, the only one I could find of both of them together, taken in 1962 at The Troubador Cafe in London, England (Dylan's first performance in Europe). He was only 20 years old! Richard Farina (Joan Baez's brother-in-law until he died in a tragic motorcycle accident) is on the left, a chubby Dylan is in the middle, and Von Schmidt is on the right.

Anyway, this is a jam session Dylan recorded with Von Schmidt in early 1964. The tape was lost for three decades until it was found in Eastern Europe, of all places, close to the Russian border! Here is a little information about it from the excellent website Searching For A Gem:

"Thanks to Katherine Kelly for letting me know the photo on the right was taken in Eric's studio at Siesta Key, FL, after he left the house at 532 Beach Road, then owned by her mother Kay Kelly, who was married to Eric for eight years. In his book "A Life In Stolen Moments - Bob Dylan Day By Day: 1941-1995" Clinton Heylin expresses doubts about the location and date - not only is it difficult to slot a visit to Florida into Bob's schedule for that period, but Eric, who died in 2007, told Clinton Bob never visited him at his house. This is confirmed by Katherine, who was 11-12 at the time and remembers folk stars such as Joan Baez (see the photo below right) and Geoff and Maria Muldaur visiting Eric and Kay in Siesta Key, but not Bob. On the Steve Hoffman Forum "Hollowhorn" thinks that the tape was more likely to have been recorded in New York state or New England. A woman's voice can be heard on the tape (identified in the "Telegraph" article as Kay Kelly), but Katherine says she has a Massachusetts accent and is not her mother or Joan Baez."

I ripped this recording from the limited edition vinyl release "The Copyright Collection 1964," then cleaned up the tracks with audio software. There are so many gems on this tape. It offers a unique insight into Dylan's persona when he was away from the stage. He laughs, jokes around, and seems very human in general. I highly recommend listening to this in full. Enjoy this gem while you can!

TRACKLIST:
0:00 - Bob And Eric Blues #1
6:37 - Black Betty
8:00 - Come All You Fair And Tender Ladies
12:47 - Florida Woman
15:46 - Johnny Cuckoo
19:33 - Money Honey
23:05 - More And More
27:04 - Mr. Tambourine Man [EARLIEST KNOWN RECORDING]
33:15 - Susie Q
38:52 - Harmonica Duet
41:18 - Glory, Glory (Lay My Burden Down)
44:27 - Dr. Stangelove Blues [HILARIOUS]
50:10 - Stoned On The Mountain 1
51:08 - Stoned On The Mountain 2 [HILARIOUS]
55:12 - Walkin' Down the Line
58:12 - Joshua Gone Barbados