On 9th January 1997, David Bowie celebrated his 50th birthday in style on stage in New York’s Madison Square Garden with Lou Reed, Robert Smith, Sonic Youth, Frank Black and a few other guests. Two months earlier, the Thin White Duke had rehearsed for the event with bassist Gail Ann Dorsey, guitarist Reeves Gabrels and keyboardist Mark Plati. Nine tracks from their rehearsals were recorded. The BBC broadcast them on the 8th January 1997 - the star’s birthday. And now they’re finally available on record: ChangesNowBowie. The album essentially consists of acoustic versions of songs from his huge repertoire. With great finesse and sensitivity, Bowie covers classics like The Man Who Sold The World, Quicksand and Aladdin Sane, as well as the slightly lesser-known tracks The Supermen (from The Man Who Sold The World), Repetition (from Lodger) and Shopping For Girls (from Tin Machine’s second album). There’s also an anxiety-inducing cover of White Light/White Heat by The Velvet Underground, where Gabrel’s guitar part is pyrotechnic. All throughout ChangesNowBowie it’s Bowie’s impeccable voice that hits you. On several tracks he even deigns to share his mic with Gail Ann Dorsey, a resident in Bowie’s band since his 1995 tour… This release is another wonderful testimony to add to the expansive discography of a constantly-evolving genius. © Marc Zisman/Qobuz