"DOWN HOME" #30 Sunday, December 6, 1998
Hosted by Chuck Taggart (e-mail chuck) |
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BR5-49 - There Goes My Love [BIG BACKYARD BEAT SHOW/BMG-Arista] One of my fave "new country" bands' newest; this one's a Buck Owens song. BARE JR. - Patty McBride [BOO-TAY/Sony] This is what I get for listening to "Topsoil" over the net. I had never heard of these guys until I heard Steve play them this morning (and had to search through back emails for even the barest mention of them), and then I had to run right out and get it. They rock, and they twang. At least half of the "guitar solos" are really mountain dulcimer fed through a distortion pedal. Yeah you rite! RALPH STANLEY with GILLIAN WELCH - Gold Watch and Chain [CLINCH MOUNTAIN COUNTRY/Rebel] Another of the stellar collaborations of a stellar album. TOM, BRAD AND ALICE - Shortnin' Bread [BEEN THERE STILL/Copper Creek] This has been out for a few months now, and I never got a copy even though I asked twice, so I went out and bought it today. Oh well. It was completely worth it. Very fine American oldtime and traditional music from Tom Sauber, Brad Leftwich and Alice Gerrard. DICKENS, JONES and HAWKER - Love Me or Leave Me Alone [HEART OF A SINGER/ Rounder] Another new arrival. That's Hazel, Carol Elizabeth and Ginny, in case you were wondering. I'm still working through this one, but I like it so far. This one was first done by Rose Maddox. CLARENCE ASHLEY - Dark Hollow Blues [OLD-TIME MOUNTAIN BALLADS/County] Recorded in October 1929, this old song has made its way in various versions from oodles of folks from Cordelia's Dad to the Grateful Dead. DWIGHT DILLER - Shady Grove [NEW PLOWED GROUND: WEST VIRGINIA MOUNTAIN MUSIC/Yew Pine Mountain Music] Dwight's most recent, featuring members of Cordelia's Dad, though not on this track. CORDELIA'S DAD - Imaginary Trouble [SPINE/Appleseed Records] A 200+ year old song, learned from the singing of Lena Bourne Fish of New Hampshire, with a new tune composed by the band. EMMYLOU HARRIS, DOLORES KEANE and MARY BLACK - The Grey Funnel Line [BRINGING IT ALL BACK HOME/BBC Records] From the soundtrack of the legendary Irish music series. BILLY BRAGG & WILCO - Another Man's Done Gone [MERMAID AVENUE/Reprise] Jeff Tweedy on lead vocals, providing a new tune to Woody Guthrie's lyric PATRICK STREET - Tom Joad [NO. 2 PATRICK STREET/Green Linnet] Another new tune to a Woody Guthrie lyric. Woody was and remains a major influence on Andy Irvine's songwriting. DERVISH - I Courted a Wee Girl/Josefin's Waltz [LIVE IN PALMA/Kells] A traditional song with an absolutely gorgeous tune written by Röger Tallroth of the Swedish folk band Väsen. As I was driving home after my shift, I heard Roz and Howard play this on "Folkscene" ... great minds think alike! ;^) DERVISH - The Killavil Jigs [LIVE IN PALMA/Kells] This double-CD live set is just out in a domestic release, and is wonderful. Dervish will be in performance on Friday, December 11 at the new Performing Arts Center at Cal State Northridge at 8pm. For information call (626) 791-0411. Don't miss it! BOURQUE, BERNARD et LEPAGE - La Suite des Trois Rubans [MATAPAT: MUSIQUE TRADITIONNELLE DU QUÉBEC/Borealis] Wonderful new Quebécois release I got in the mail this week. I have to say that I'm totally spoiled by La Bottine Souriante, but this one grew on me quickly. This track was a traditional love song with three new tunes by Benoit Bourque. ROSE PRATT - La Guignolée [I'M OLD BUT I'M AWFULLY TOUGH: TRADITIONAL MUSIC OF THE OZARK REGION/Missouri Friends of the Folk Arts LP] An unaccompanied song from the French-speaking region of Missouri. THE CHIEFTAINS and LA BOTTINE SOURIANTE - Le Lys Vert [FIRE IN THE KITCHEN/ BMG] This album is 4 months old, and I have no idea how I missed it. The Chieftains this time join forces with several Canadian musicians: Celtic, Maritime, Quebecois and more. This astonishing track finishes the album with a bang. TASSO - Laissez les Bons Temps Rouler (Let The Good Times Roll Waltz) [THE OLD TIMEY WAY/Swallow] Three young Cajun musicians - Randy Vidrine, Mitchell Reed and Philip Allemond - making old-time traditional Cajun music and sounding like a bunch of old men. That's high praise, by the way. THE BALFA BROTHERS - 'Tit Galop Pour Mamou (Little Canter to Mamou) [LES HARICOTS SONT PAS SALES/Cinq Planètes] Amazing informal sessions and field recordings from a 1972 French documentary on Cajun music, and only issued here this year. Most of the musicians within have since passed on, and this is an astonishing, wonderful document. CHRIS ARDOIN and DOUBLE CLUTCHIN' - Les Barres de la Prison [TURN THE PAGE/ Rounder] The latest from the fourth generation of Ardoins to make Creole and zydeco music. Chris' older brother Sean takes the lead vocals for this version of Canray Fontenot's old song. DR. JOHN - Sweet Home New Orleans [ANUTHA ZONE/Virgin] His newest, and his most low-down and funky in a long time. This one made me homesick (it doesn't take much). COREY HARRIS - God Don't Ever Change [FISH ARE BITIN'/Alligator] Solo acoustic blues from young Mississippi bluesman; a terrific record. This one was learned from Blind Willie Johnson. HOWARD ARMSTRONG - New State Street Rag [LOUIE BLUIE/Arhoolie] I had the privilege to see Howard (who's a few months short of 90) perform at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival this past year, and he was wonderful - probably the last living musician of the black string band tradition. May he live to be 100 and beyond. MEMPHIS MINNIE - Frisco City [BEYOND THE BLUES, VOL. 3: THE EARLY AMERICAN BLACK MUSIC SCENE/Yazoo] Listener request. LONNIE PITCHFORD - Old Dog Blue [THE HARRY SMITH CONNECTION: A LIVE TRIBUTE TO THE ANTHOLOGY OF AMERICAN FOLK MUSIC/Smithsonian-Folkways] A cover of the performance by Jim Jackson on the Anthology. Lonnie was dedicated to reviving early Delta blues, but sadly passed away last month of complications of HIV at the age of 43. ROBERT PETE WILLIAMS - Church on Fire #2 [I'M AS BLUE AS A MAN CAN BE/ Arhoolie] Recorded at the Angola State Penitentiary in Louisiana in 1959. WOODEN LEG - Sweet Lies [WOODEN LEG/East Side Digital] A 1993 spinoff roots-rock spinoff project of former Blood Orange Mark Spencer. CONTINENTAL DRIFTERS - Highway of the Saints [CONTINENTAL DRIFTERS/Monkey Hill] New Orleans-based roots-rock band fronted by Peter Holsapple; debut release of 1993. HONKY TONK CONFIDENTIAL - Honky Tonk 101 [HONKY TONK CONFIDENTIAL/Too Many Dogs Records] Washington, D.C.-based band who only play two kinds of music ... country, and Western! |