Has Joan Baez improved with age?

Certainly, at 67, celebrating half a century in music, she can still spellbind a crowd within seconds of starting a song. Her current album, Day After Tomorrow, produced by Steve Earle, rates as one of her best and, at a packed Albert Hall, her voice was warmer and sweeter than in her 1960s heyday.

In keeping with the stripped-down sound of the album, Baez was accompanied by an acoustic trio, who joined her in a line along the front of the stage, switching between guitar, banjo, fiddle, mandolin and accordion. A no-frills set - there was no backdrop or light show, and the only prop was a little table to which she occasionally turned to sip peppermint tea - began with Lily of the West, a traditional folk ballad Baez originally recorded in 1961.

“I have 50 years to cram into one concert,” she joked, then began a run of new songs, including a cover of Elvis Costello's Scarlet Tide and a sublime God is God, written specifically for her by Earle. If there was one complaint, it was about the crowd, mainly well-dressed women who hung on her every word. Their silence during songs, polite applause and forced laughter whenever Baez half-cracked a joke - getting her bangle caught in her guitar wasn't actually funny - gave the concert the rarefied air of a sombre recital.

Still petite, her hair short and grey, in a red robe and matching scarf over wide, black trousers, Baez looked as classy as she sounded. Old Gospel Ship, sung partly a cappella, was positively spiritual and when she dismissed her band and broke into Swing Low, Sweet Chariot, her pure, high vocals were simply astonishing. When she turned to sing, unamplified, to the poor souls who were sold seats behind her, she deserved a riotous cheer, though none was forthcoming.

Towards the end of the set, Baez lost her way a little and making out her words became increasingly tricky. Still, she did Bob Dylan - Love is Just a Four Letter Word was superb, With God on Our Side just so-so - and proved that her retirement remains a long way off.

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