While Art Podell is a familiar name of the folk era (as singer/songwriter, as part of the highly respected Greenwich Village duo Art & Paul [with Paul Potash] and as a charter member of the New Christy Minstrels), his finest moments in the recording studio came 50 years later on this superb album.

    His voice has taken on a rich texture, reflecting his laps around the sun, and it serves him well on every track. The latent hit on the album is "But Then You Smile," a favorite in his recent concerts that's just waiting for a Bublé cover version; but there are many highlights. "Dink's Song" is a charming ode to his much-missed German shepherd. "Tony's Poem" is a wistful recollection of his life as a songwriter in Laurel Canyon. Perhaps, the most fascinating track is "Time and the River," which expresses some bitter disappointment about his times with the New Christy Minstrels, a group he considered rich with sadly unrealized (suppressed) potential.

    The sole track that links back to his halcyon days is "You've Heard My Voice" (a.k.a., "You Know My Name"), which was recorded by the Minstrels, Glenn Yarbrough, Barry McGuire and others. It's nice to have, at long last, the definitive performance of this classic by the writer himself. Art's melodies are haunting and his lyrics are rich with sensitivity and human insight.

    The album is a gem -- a warm, mellow listening experience, well-suited to quiet evenings at home listening to a captivating talent.