Since his desperately early death in May 1997, there's been an inevitable mythologising about the life and music of Jeff Buckley. Perhaps it's not surprising that in the posthumous rush to acknowledge his genius, memories have been clouded or, retrospectively, given a silver lining.

The quiet, uncertain foundations of his reputation were laid on a solo tour of Europe three years earlier, in March 1994 - and, in particular, during one day. On the 18th March, Buckley was scheduled for a photo shoot (with Kevin Westenberg), an appearance on BBC GLR and his first proper London concert, at a folk club called Bunjies.

In 'The Grace of Jeff Buckley', those who were there speak for the first time about the man and his music: Buckley's American manager Dave Lory, his UK tour manager Steve Abbott, booking agent Emma Banks and photographer Kevin Westenberg share intimate memories that have so far not featured in the Buckley biography.

And the programme also includes rare archive: the GLR radio session that has not been heard since that live broadcast in 1994 - including an astonishing version of 'Grace' - and, exclusively, a private interview that Buckley recorded on the eve of this tour but decided not to release.

Together, these glimpses offer a portrait of a young man whose voice and musicianship, as well as his irresistible charisma and the trauma of his early death, touched millions.

Produced by Alan Hall.
A Falling Tree production for BBC Radio 4

BBC Radio 4 - The Grace of Jeff Buckley (July 5, 2014)

A full recording of this is unreleased as far as I know.

Jeff Buckley - Eternal Life (rare live clip)

I Never Asked To Be Your Mountain (RAREST Tim Buckley cover 1991)

Jeff Buckley - Theme from Land of the Giants TV Show (The Fez, NYC, June 19, 1994)

This Live performance happened on December 17, 1995 on Idiot's Delight w/ Vin Scelsa on WXRK K-Rock-NY just after Glen Burtnik was promoting the Bottom Line X-Mas show.  This recording is from my personal DATs and equipment.  The Air Personality, Vin Scelsa, is heard as bleed-through from the voc & Instru. mics.  This is 2nd of 2 songs he performed that day and was never recorded in the studio.

19951217 ID Jeff Buckley - Woke Up In A Strange Place

The story of the day Jeff Buckley arrived on the UK music scene, March 18th 1994, from a photo shoot with Kevin Westenberg in the morning, a live appearance on GLR in the afternoon and a gig at Bunjies folk club that was so over-booked that a second concert was arranged for later that evening at the 12 Bar.  Told by those who were there: manager Dave Lory, booking agent Emma Banks, photographer Kevin Westenberg and tour manager Steve Abbott.  With exclusive interview and music recordings featuring Jeff.

"Truly great singers all have moments at the start of their career when they were raw, pure, still within reach, yet already with one foot on another planet. That tingly intimacy courses through this memory of Jeff Buckley’s 1994 UK tour." - Radio Times, July 2014

"It was terrific, rich in detail and shot through with a melancholy of what would come later." - The Independent, 10th July 2014

First broadcast on 5th July 2014 BBC Radio 4
Produced by Alan Hall

The Grace of Jeff Buckley

Jeff Buckley stories - Jeff Buckley: Fall in Light, 1999

Jeff Buckley - "My feet are too big"

Jeff Buckley
La Laiterie, Strasbourg, France 14 February 1995

Jeff Buckley - Valentine's Day Improvisation

Jeff Buckley - Let's Bomb The Moonlight

recorded Aug. 16th 1991 Krypton Studios NYC
written by Jeff Buckley and Gary Lucas
Gary--guitars
Jeff--voice, lyrics, harmonica
Jared Nickerson--bass
Tony Lewis--drums
engineered by Johnny Byrne
photo by Chris Buck
this version contains the infamous "hardcore coda", which was deemed too radical to include when it came time to record the definitive version for the "Grace" album at Bearsville Studios in Woodstock Fall of '93

"Mojo Pin" Studio Demo --Jeff Buckley and Gary Lucas

gary@garylucas.com

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