A lively helping of oddball private-press Americana from short-lived 70's California country combo The Homestead Act, two of whom; Elmo & Patsy, cashed-in years later and recorded the infamous downhome-styled holiday smash "Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer". The cover tracks on here are dynamite, with heady swirls of killer steel guitar licks abundant throughout. And FYI, the red hot session band features the oft-revered Steve Young at the top of its marquee. Vinyl rip by yours truly.
"From the end of the Civil War until the '30s, these islands enjoyed a period of isolation from mainland life. During these years, a further cultural blend took place between the descendents of two sets of former slaves: the Afro-Americans and a huge group of former slaves from the Bahamas who traveled there following the abolishment of slavery in the British empire.
The Sea Islanders, having suffered captivity, enjoyed the release of their bonds and created a music of endurance and freedom utilizing the unique dialect of the islands. There was a strong influence of the Bahamas in this music. And although all American folk music has been influenced by various types of African music, the African content of the Georgia Sea Islands is of a much purer variety; the result is a style of music unlike any other in America or the world.
Jones became a shining representative of this musical heritage, singing in a Bahamian accent accompanied by wild, outrageous African handclap rhythms. In the '60s, she helped form the Georgia Sea Island Singers, recording both with them and as a soloist. The material in both cases includes both songs and a selection of musical games for children that she recalled from her past. These performances brought audiences face to face with a distinct culture from another century. Jones published a book entitled Step It Down, which is a collection of such children's games as well as various stories from her life. Her performances, recordings, and educational programs earned many awards, including a National Heritage Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts. Like all great folk artists, her voice has continued ringing on since her death. She perhaps may not have had much in common with the rap and techno music of the '90s, but the techno recording artist Moby chose to sample her voice on his recordings." (Eugene Chadbourne, All Music)
So, my lovely and discerning girlfriend Alley picked up this fantastic LP a couple of weeks ago, during our first visit to the newly opened Little Axe Records here in Portland. Great shop. And thanks for lending this, Alley! These tracks were all recorded live on July 30 # 31 at the St Simons Island Church of God in Christ, in GA, by Bruce Kaplan & Bill Nowlin. 320 Vinyl rip by yours truly. FYI, there are many streams of Bessie Jones with Alan Lomax currently available via the Lomax archive at the Association for Cultural Equity. Dig it.
"Over coffee and liqueurs we would sometimes listen to John Jacob Niles' recordings. Our favorite was 'I Wonder As I Wander,' sung in a clear, high-pitched voice with a quaver and a modality all his own. The metallic clang of his dulcimer never failed to produce ecstasy. He had a voice which summoned memories of Arthur, Merlin, Guinevere. There was something of the Druid in him. Like a psalmist, he intoned his verses in an ethereal chant which the angels carried aloft to the Glory seat. When he sang of Jesus, Mary and Joseph they became living presences. A sweep of the hand and the dulcimer gave forth magical sounds which caused the stars to gleam more brightly, which peopled the hills and meadows with silvery figures and made the brooks to babble like infants. We would sit there long after his voice had faded out, talking of Kentucky where he was born, talking of the Blue Ridge mountains and the folk from Arkansas..." --Henry Miller, Plexus pp. 366-367
Niles is in classic form on this spectral cycle of American ballads released by RCA Camden in 1956. Can't find much of anything written about this one. I'm wondering if its simply a volume of earlier recordings resourced into a collection. Maybe you've noticed that I'm not including a scan of the back cover. That's because its really just a catalog of Classical and Light Concert LPs available from Camden at the time. Nothing helpful. FYI, Niles is in fact the songwriter of the seminal classics Black Is The Color Of My True Love's Hair & Go Way From My Window. Never knew that until today. Had simply assumed anonymous authorship on both counts. 320 vinyl rip by yours truly. Enjoy.
1. You Got To Cross That Lonesome Valley 2:49
2. The Lass From The Cow Countree 2:33
3. Black Is The Color Of My True Love's Hair 2:10
4. Go 'Way From My Window / One Morning in May 3:13
5. The Wife Of Usher's Well 3:22
6. The Death Of Queen Jane 2:45
7. Little Mattie Groves 8:20
8. The Gypsy Laddie 3:27
9. My Little Mohee 2:16
10. I Wonder As I Wander Out Under The Sky 2:16
11. Lulle Lullay 2:25
12. The Seven Joys Of Mary 4:52
13. The Ballad Of Barberry Ellen 4:57
A wealth of autumnal glory. The reflective third volume in our Holy*Ghost mixtape continuum. Spectral folk traditions from the British Isles, and beyond. And beyond the beyond...At 120 minutes, Owl & I ran the gauntlet from joy to sorrow (and back again) to get this magic right. We do hope you enjoy it.
1. David Hammond ~ Tis Pretty to Be in Ballinderry, 1959
2. Sweeney's Men ~ Willy O' Winsbury, 1968
3. Martin Carthy ~ The Wind That Shakes the Barley, 1965
4. A.L. Lloyd & Alf Edwards ~ The Unfortunate Rake, 1960
5. Edith Perrin ~ When I Die, 1941
6. Michael Coleman ~ Tarbolton, Longford Collector, The Sailor's Bonnet, 193x?
7. Fred and Finvola Redden ~ The Banks of Claudy, 1956
8. Shirley Collins ~ The Irish Girl, 1959
9. Peggy Seeger ~ The Three Ravens, 1967
10. John Sheridan ~ Killarney, Believe Me If All Those Endearing Young Charms, 1928
11. Deirdre Ní Fhloinn ~ Seotholó Thoil (Hush-a-by My Dear), 1958
12. Dave Swarbrick ~ My Singing Bird, 1976
13. Peter Bellamy ~ A-Roving On A Winter's Night, 1979
14. Jean Ritchie ~ One I Love, 1965 15. Aidan Coughlan ~ In My Youth, 2005
16. Planxty ~ Sí Bheag, Sí Mhór, 1973
17. Nic Jones ~ Farewell to the Gold, 1980
18. Jack Armstrong, Chevy Chase ~ The Cott 19xx?
19. The McPeake Family ~ Will Ye Go Lassie, Go, 1963
Ramblin' Jack Elliott is a legend who learned his craft from Woody Guthrie and has profoundly influenced everyone from Bob Dylan and Mick Jagger to Beck. Early Sessions was recorded in England in the mid-1950s. Ramblin' Jack Elliott and Derroll Adams toured Europe from 1955 to 1961 during which time they recorded the songs on this album. Ramblin' Jack's style has had a lasting impact on many artists such as Mick Jagger and, even more profoundly, on Bob Dylan. (Amazon)
Jack Elliot & Derroll Adams' play it loose & carefree in these early folk sessions. I'm certain I recollect from the long-lost liner notes that these tracks were generally put down in single takes, with a shared bottle of whiskey on the table between them. Nothing but solid, good-time renditions of folk standards. "Cigarettes & Whiskey" is perennial favorite amongst friends, as this disc made for perfect poker music back in my night-owl years. A fine sounding 192kbps; as its an oldie from the hardrive archive. Enjoy.
Banjo, Vocals – Derroll Adams Guitar, Vocals – Jack Elliott
1 More Pretty Girls Than One 2:00 2 Roll On Buddy 2:30 3 Death Of John Henry 2:29 4 Salty Dog Blues 2:47 5 Talking Blues 2:32 6 I'm Gonna Walk The Street In Glory 1:46 7 Cigarettes & Whiskey 2:00 8 Danville Girl 2:44 *Anyone know what the "Danville Curl" is all about? 9 Worried Man Blues 3:31 10 San Francisco Bay Blues 1:56 11 Roll In My Sweet Baby's Arms 2:31 12 I'm Going Down The Road 2:03
A 1972 private-press country-folk outing from Link Wray's older brother, Vernon. This record was apparently self-recorded on 8-track in a Tucson shack- featuring ample contributions from all the Wray brothers- and released in an original edition of 400. Brings to mind a Waylon-type Highwayman cutting a handful of lonesome, stoned-out 70s demos with ocassional help from the likes of, say, Lee Hazlewood. This record was originally upped on Headlamp Shovel, but the link is dead. I'm unclear on whether this is their rip. Wasted was recently reissued on LP in limited quantities by Nashville imprint Sebastian Speaks. Some are still available: Get 'em while they're hot.
A1 Facing All The Same Tomorrows A2 God Is Color Blind A3 Reaching Out To Touch A4 Lonely Son B1 Tailpipe B2 Faces In The Crowd B3 When I Start Drinkin' B4 Prologue B5 Sycamore Tree B6 Prison Song
A slow-burning acoustic song-cycle recorded on dictaphone by Aidan Coughlan in 2011. This collection stands as a work in progress- Here are the first five songs. Additions will be upped, in edits to this post, just as quickly as they come in. My sister Kendall thinks that most of these sound like lullabies, which makes sense: They have all been written and cut in Aidan's living room after his young ones have been put to bed. He feels that most of what he's writing betrays a current sense of new-parental exhaustion & intellectual atrophy. As for the chosen process: He'd say he's taking his cues from Finnegan's Wake, and publishing these "fragments from a Work in Progress" as the songs are developed. And, as for the final product: Aidan's looking toward collections like Leadbelly's Library of Congress Recordings, for example, in offering a simply recorded document of the songs he's writing & playing at this given moment. No more, and no less.
Here's a rare and coveted early CD-R from brilliant American Primitive guitarist, Jack Rose. (R.I.P.)
First edition limited to 60 numbered copies and packaged in slimline [CD single style] jewel case. The second edition of 60 numbered copies were packaged in regular size jewel cases. Recorded live at the Salle de Bain. Mastered at Parlor West.
1 Teoc 2:57 2 Gage Blues 3:11 3 Old Country Rock (Bill Moore) 1:51 4 Buckdancer's Choice (Sam Mcgee) 2:23 5 Knoxville Blues (Sam Mcgee) 3:29 6 Flirtin' With The Undertaker 3:05
A new discovery for me. Suni McGrath's mystically-influenced folk guitar rates up there with Fahey, Basho, Sandy Bull & the like...Big thanks to Aidan for the tip on this.
"Blue Isfahan" stands alone on the album, as its the only track using an electric guitar or tabla accompaniment. Its eastern modes will likely appeal to all those newfound Omar Khorshid fans.
From the Liner Notes:
"The music on this record is my attempt to explore and further the american acoustic guitar. I have four sources for the musics here presented: Bulgarian music for rhythmic modes and ideas, also modulation of melodic modes and harmonies; Hindustani for subtle melodic graces and ideas of variation; Fahey for the conception of the art; Bartok for modal harmonies analogous to conventional western harmony, and treatment of themes.
Cornflower Suite is a set of variations on a theme never completely stated. It is named for that most wondrous weed, the blue cornflower that blooms like little bits of mirror reflecting a perfect summer sky. It includes an earlier piece known to some as sassafras tea..."
My buddy Greg made a great Cleoma Falcon compilation a few months back, after he realized there really wasn't one out there already. Nice work, buddy. And thanks. You've done us all a great service.
1. Ma Meillure Valse 2. La Valse de Crowley 3. C'est un Peche De Dire Une Mentrie 4. Lulu Revnue Dans L' Village 5. Mon Bon Vieux Mari 6. La Valse de Marais Bouleur 7. Prends Donc Courage 8. Jai Passe Devant ta Porte 9. Ils Ont Vole Mon Traineau 10. C'est Si Triste 11. Mes Yeux Bleus 12. Leve Tes Fenetres Haut 13. Mon Couer T'Appelle 14. Le Vieux Soulard et sa Femme 15. Quand Je Suit Partis Pour le Texas (with Joe Falcon & Ophy Breaux) 16. Poche-Town (with Joe Falcon & Ophy Breaux) 17. Vas y Carrement (with Amedee & Ophy Breaux) 18. Ma Blonde est Partie (with Amedee & Ophy Breaux) 19. Les Tracas du Hobo (with Amedee & Ophy Breaux) 20. Aimer et Redre (Joe Falcon) 21. Egan One-Step (Beaux Freres) 22. T'as Vole Mon Chapeau (Beaux Freres) 23. Home Sweet Home (Beaux Freres) 24. Le One-Step a Martin (Beaux Freres) 25. La Valse du Bayou Plaquemine (Beaux Freres) 26. Tiger Rag Blues (Beaux Freres)
