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Post by Baldhead Selector on Mar 22, 2006 15:48:45 GMT
Dear RASsers
I'm sure that one of you can help me with an answer or point me towards a good resource.
Ian kindly gave me a really nice county/folk/blues compilation from way back which i'm listening to right now and really enjoying. I remember Ian telling me that there wasn't really any dividing line between blues and country music way back. But I'm also hearing some jazz in there too and I'm wondering if I can get hold of a good in-a-nutshell history of American musical roots as the stuff Ian did for me looks like it may have had a hand in spawning a number of musical styles.
Many thanks for any and all help as ever
Baldy
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Post by Baldhead Selector on Mar 22, 2006 15:49:18 GMT
BTW - Rosko - does this sound like something you might like?
Respect
Baldy
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Post by rosko on Mar 22, 2006 19:15:49 GMT
Definitely sounds very interesting.  If you're looking for a good book about the rise of blues etc., I recommend Alan Lomax' "The Land Where The Blues Began". A great history of the blues, and since it sprang from a similar area as a lot of folk and country, those genres get a mention as well. Also good is Robert Palmer's "Deep Blues". I also liked Robert Gordon's bio of Muddy Waters - "Can't Be Satisfied". And while both of the last two authors have the same name as famous singers... they aren't. |
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Post by Mrs Trellis on Mar 22, 2006 22:46:07 GMT
Hi Baldy,
Glad to hear you're enjoying the cd. I'm no expert but your right when you say you can hear jazz aswell. In the 20's, jazz musicians also played blues numbers, as you can hear on the Bessie Smith tune and the Eddie Lang & Lonnie Johnson collaboration.
I don't have any books on this period of American music, but can recommend a dvd called American Roots Music which is a 4 hour documentary charting the rise of blues, country, folk, gospel and cajun.
Also the Smithsonian Folkways 'Anthology of American Folk Music' a 6 cd compilation of late 20's and early 30's music also covering all the above categories. This box set also contains 2 huge booklets detailing all the songs and histories behind them and was originally released as 6 lp box set in the 1950's and became a must have for all the folk musicians of the 50's and 60's.
But significantly they both seem to miss out jazz as a form of itself instead just hinting at its influence. Maybe because jazz was and still is seen as a different art form despite the obvious overlapping of styles and musicians in that early recording period. (A mistake I also made when compiling that cd!!)
Hope that helps,
Ian
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Post by rosko on Mar 22, 2006 23:07:23 GMT
It's funny, after replying to the thread earlier, I had a tune stuck in my head: Bob Willis' Texas swing version of "Sittin' On Top Of The World".
I prefer Howlin' Wolf's version, but try to imagine a current country artist covering a blues dirge.
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Post by Mrs Trellis on Mar 22, 2006 23:21:29 GMT
Funny you should mention that tune rosko, as I'd put the Mississippi Sheiks version of it on that comp for Baldy!
A perfect example of country/blues crossover with fiddle and guitar accompaniment.
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Post by bmd on Mar 22, 2006 23:53:37 GMT
If you want to hear a Jazz and Blues and traditional cross over, Jesse Fuller is a good place to start.
With the various elements to American colonisation there is an amazing hybridization of music Stateside. Italian, Polish, German, Jewish, Irish, Native American Indian, Black and White Jazz, Latin, Cajun, Tex Mex,.. it's difficult to know where to start you off Baldy, Ian's Smithsonian suggestion is a good spot that's for sure. You listen to Texas Swing of the 30s and 40s and the Jazz is there for all to hear. Bluegrass was born out of a combination of White American (largely originally Irish), Italian and Jazz influences. English and Irish folksong is found echoing down the ages every step of the way, it's an amazing place for Roots, and so few people seem to realise it.
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Post by Baldhead Selector on Mar 24, 2006 21:31:19 GMT
Wow!
There is so much knowledge on this board - I love it.
Many thanks for all responses to the question I posed. I will follow them up in my usual 'leisurely' style.
Big respects all round.
Baldy
BTW - Rosko - -when I get it together I will forward copies of Ian's comp to you (assuming thats alright with you Ian?)
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Post by Mrs Trellis on Mar 24, 2006 22:14:26 GMT
Absolutely Balders.
Here's the tracklist, there's some classics on it that I love along with some personal favourites...
Country Folk Blues
01 - Leadbelly - Irene (1935)
02 - The Bently Boys - Down On Penny's Farm (1929)
03 - Blind Willie McTell - Let Me Play With Yo' Yo-Yo (1935)
04 - Blind Boy Fuller - Step It Up And Go (1940)
05 - Eddie Lang & Lonnie Johnson - Guitar Blues (1929)
06 - Jimmie Rodgers - Frankie And Johnny (1929)
07 - Mississippi Sheiks - Sitting On Top Of The World (1930)
08 - Blind Willie Johnson - John The Revelator (1930)
09 - Blind Willie McTell - Searchin' The Desert For The Blues (1932)
10 - Clarence Ashley - The Coo Coo Bird (1929)
11 - Bessie Smith - Empty Bed Blues Pt.1 (1928)
12 - Son House - Pearline (1965)
13 - Sleepy John Estes - Expressman Blues (1930)
14 - Roy Acuff - Living On The Mountain, Baby Mine (1939)
15 - Mississippi Sheiks - I've Got Blood In My Eyes For You (1931)
16 - The Carter Family - Keep On The Sunny Side (1928)
17 - Woody Guthrie - Talking Dust Bowl Blues (1940)
18 - Eddie Lang & Lonnie Johnson - Deep Minor Rhythm (1929)
19 - Jimmie Rodgers - Blue Yodel (T For Texas) (1927)
20 - Ken Maynard - The Lone Star Trail (1930)
21 - Mississippi John Hurt - Candy Man Blues (1928)
22 - Rev. Gary Davis - Time Is Drawing Near (1957)
23 - Blind Willie Johnson - Dark was The Night (1928)
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Post by ekki on Mar 24, 2006 23:25:39 GMT
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Post by rosko on Mar 25, 2006 2:05:12 GMT
Looks like a great collection. "Dark Was The Night" is a truly chilling song. Thanks guys.
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Post by ekki on Mar 25, 2006 11:27:04 GMT
I ain't gonna work on Penny's farm no more...
;D
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Post by Mrs Trellis on Mar 25, 2006 13:45:51 GMT
Here's another release for all your shopping lists. It's a brand new 5cd box set release of rare old timey music... www.fonotone.comThere's 60 sec clips of every tune on this site aswell and not only is the music superb it sounds amazingly good quality too considering they're yonks old. |
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Post by dmc on Mar 25, 2006 14:54:03 GMT
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Post by dmc on Mar 25, 2006 15:02:05 GMT
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Post by rosko on Mar 25, 2006 17:49:22 GMT
That is a great collection. I'd share it, but I have it on pre-recorded cassettes.
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Post by consciouspilot on Mar 26, 2006 16:43:45 GMT
That's a great collection of music on that Fonotone CD Ian...never heard of any it, but the quality is top drawer, thanks for that,
Cheers mate,
Pilot
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Post by consciouspilot on Mar 26, 2006 16:52:58 GMT
Ian, have you already ordered one of those Fonotone collections? I reckon Ise gonna have to get me one, just wanted to check how the order had gone etc,
Ta,
Pilo
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Post by Mrs Trellis on Mar 26, 2006 17:57:29 GMT
No not yet, I only read about it the other day. I'll have a look for it next time I'm down the west end to see if its in the shops.
I've also realised that I read it wrong before, as I thought these were old 30's songs but I think from that site its saying that this guy recorded these tunes and released them on 78rpms in the late 50's and 60's, hence the better sound quality, but from the samples it sounds like a great collection. Even the band names are worth the price of admission. 'Jolly Joe's Jug Band' and one for zoki... 'Back Alley Boys' ;-)
Hope alls good with you Monsieur Pilot, any plans on heading over to these shores for a short jolly?
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Post by consciouspilot on Mar 27, 2006 10:02:45 GMT
Yes mate, these are almost certainly all 50s to early 70s recording on sound quality alone...that and the fact that one of the artists is one of the numerous blues monikers of John Fahey. I had a listen and thought the ten or so tunes I put on were all excellent, high quality folk/country music. It's undoubtedly a very good collection. I'm actually over in the UK in two weeks time visiting Liverpool and then off to Scotland to play a guitar workshop with Martin Stephenson...can't wait for that one, last year was great...visit some family etc. No time to reach London unfortunately, but soon come I hope,
Cheers,
Hugh
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Post by matt on Mar 27, 2006 10:12:27 GMT
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Post by Baldhead Selector on Apr 10, 2006 11:23:27 GMT
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Post by Mrs Trellis on Apr 10, 2006 17:22:42 GMT
Thats a good tv series Baldy. It was first shown a couple of years ago and introduced me to some of these artists for the first time and I've bought some wonderful music since then.
btw, is this on BBC2 or BBC4?
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Post by Baldhead Selector on Apr 10, 2006 17:33:20 GMT
Its on BBC4 Ian.
I can probably copy for you if you don't get this channel.
Just let me know.
Respect
Baldy
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Post by james on Apr 11, 2006 12:10:36 GMT
A couple of good comps out there called "American Primitive" Raw Pre-War Blues and Gospel - charts the overlap between folk/ early blues and gospel... full of weird, otherworldly tunes, well worth hearing.
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