American Folk Music
Rainbow Sign -> Tom Russell
| BERNICE JOHNSON REAGON |
Flying Fish 411 |
River Of Life/ Harmony One |
● CD $14.98 |
This is down home gospel sung by a member of the group,
Sweet Honey In The Rock. As Bernice says, "thank God for
technology." The listener can only say, "amen." She is the
only performer, but the multi-tracking studio turns this solo performance
into a gospel chorus. It's amazing it works. There are freedom ride songs,
gospel songs and more. And they are all fine. This is a wonderful album. We
Are Climbing Jacob's Ladder is inspired. This album is one great
"hallelujah." (DB)
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| BERNICE JOHNSON REAGON |
Smithsonian Folkways 40049 |
Give Your Hands To Struggle |
● CD $14.98 |
12 tracks, 48 min., recommended. The digital reissue of the
identically titled 1975 Paredon Records album, originally produced by
Barbara Dane, with the addition of one bonus track. The program features
Civil Rights Movement veteran and Sweet Honey in the Rock leader Reagon in
rich multi-tracked harmony with herself, occasionally accompanied by
simple percussion. Featured numbers include We've Come a Long Way to Be
Together, There's a New World Coming, Old Ship of Zion, Why
Did They Take Us Away, Freedom in the Air, I Won't Crumble
with You If You Fall, and the title number. Music of uncompromising
dignity, power, and beauty, offered here with a lengthy booklet containing
traditional liner notes, song annotations, complete lyrics, and a Reagon
discography. (DH)
|
| TOSHI REAGON |
Smithsonian Folkways 40095 |
Kindness |
● CD $14.98 |
10 tracks, 43 min., recommended Toshi Reagon is the daughter
of Bernice Johnson Reagon, original Student Non-Violent Coordinating
Committee Freedom Singer, civil rights activist, and cornerstone of Sweet
Honey in the Rock. Daughter, like mother, has a powerhouse voice and a
profound sense of conviction. But Toshi is not a straightforward
traditionalist in her approach; her music speaks of urban influences and a
90's sensibilities too. Numbers here include Misty Mountain, Mr.
Conductor Man, Land on the Shore, Where You Gon Be Standin',
and For Our Love. Potent music on the fringes of the folk camp,
offered here with impeccable sound quality, thorough notes, and an edge
that suggests both joy and anger. (DH)
|
| LEON REDBONE |
MCA 549 763 |
Up A Lazy River |
● CD $17.98 |
12 tracks, 35 min., good. Old-timey style tunes, grumbled
and slurred out by Leon Redbone. Includes a few old favorites like Up A
Lazy River/ Gotta Shake That Thing/ Mr. Jelly Roll Baker, plus a
handful of Redbone's own compositions. Plenty of bandoneons, violins,
banjos, dobros and tubas to liven up any party. Dr. John on piano heads a
cast of talented musicians. (PG)
|
| LEON REDBONE |
MCA 549 764 |
Red to Blue |
● CD $17.98 |
This is Leon's 6th release, and continues this
gravel-throated wonder's appreciation for jazz, blues, and country
standards of the 30s, 40s & 50s. We get 12 tunes with full
instrumental backing - piano, bass, drums, clarinet, other assorted reeds
and pedal steel on Diamonds Don't Mean a Thing and Think of Me
Thinking of You . There are some special guests too! Mac Rebennack
(aka Dr. John) adds piano on the aforementioned Diamonds , plus Steal
Away Blues, Nobody Cares If I'm Blue and Living The Blues . The
Roches warble on Reaching For Someone and Not Finding Anyone There.
Redbone's vocal gymnastics are of-the-cuff, similar to Tom Waits.
Recommended (SG)
|
| LEON REDBONE |
Warner Bros. 2888 |
On The Track |
● CD $11.98 |
The outstanding 1975 debut album with Lazybones/ My
Walking Stick/ Lulu's Back In Town/ Polly Wolly Doodle/ Ain't Misbehavin'
and others by one of the 70's greatest anachronisms.
|
| ANN REED |
Red House 24 |
Talk To Me |
● CD $14.98 |
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| PRESTON REED |
Flying Fish 70423 |
The Road Less Travelled |
● CD $14.98 |
|
| MALVINA REYNOLDS |
Smithsonian Folkways 40124 |
Ear To The Ground |
● CD $14.98 |
23 tracks, 62 minutes, recommended Considering the major
influence of her work on American folk music, it's hard to believe that
this is the first CD release of Marvina Reynold's recordings. Many of
these songs are true classics known to all folk fans - Little Boxes,
What Have They Done with the Rain, and It Isn't Nice to name a
few but many of us know them only through the recordings of other
performers. The period of these recordings, 1960 through 1978, coincides
with the greatest period of social turmoil and change of this century and
the songs found here were instrumental in defining and charting that
period. Reynolds sings in a voice that is raw and unpolished much of the
time, but full of wit and expression. These recordings were originally
released on the Pacific Cascade and Cassandra labels and are long out of
print. The arrangements feature quiet and unmemorable acoustic backup, but
the focus is on Reynold's singing and the material, as it should be. In
addition to the songs mentioned above the album includes On the Rim of
the World/ Little Red Hen/ Bury Me in My Overalls/ The Judge Said/ Rosie
Jane/ The Little Mouse, and 13 others. (DP)
|
| JIM RINGER |
Philo 1202 |
The Band Of Jesse James - The Best Of Jim
Ringer |
● CD $14.98 |
17 tracks, 53 min., recommended. Jim Ringer was a mainstay
of the California folk music community in the 1970's, and this collection
of tracks drawn from his various Philo and Flying Fish LP's shows why. His
fine song writing talent and the blend of his gruff voice with gentle
acoustic accompaniment and sometime female harmony makes for a winning
folk/country combination. Featured tracks include Streamlined
Cannonball, Good to Get Home, Saginaw Michigan, Rachel,
New Harmony, Amanda, Still Got That Look, Linda's
on Her Own, and Strawberry Roan. Music well worth hearing.
Sound quality is excellent, and the genuinely warm and appreciative notes
are written by Ringer's second wife and one time singing partner Mary
McCaslin. (DH)
|
| JEAN RITCHIE |
Tradition TCD 1058 |
Carols For All Seasons |
● CD $11.98 |
1964 album of Christmas and other carols.
|
| JEAN RITCHIE
& DOC WATSON |
Smithsonian Folkways 40005 |
At Folk City |
● CD $14.98 |
This was originally issued in 1963 - the reissue has four
unissued cuts recorded at the same time. These kinds of pairings were
common during the folk boom of the 60's; unlikely joinings that, often as
not, didn't really work out. Although Doc Watson and Jean Ritchie had
similar backgrounds, their music had little in common. Ritchie was a very
polished professional folksinger and dulcimer player, but I've always
found her approach a little too studied and self-consciously folkie. Doc
Watson, on the other hand, has always seemed to be as natural and open as
his music. Together they sound unnatural; the spontaneity needed to make
this idea work just isn't there. The solo cuts are the most successful,
such as Doc's Blue Ridge Mountain Blues/ Wabash Cannonball/ Spike
Driver Blues. Liner notes are comprehensive and well written. (RP)
|
| PAUL ROBESON |
ASV CDAJA 5047 |
Green Pastures |
● CD $11.98 |
Companion to
A Lonesome Road (ASV 5027) which contains Robeson's best known work. This
LP has 18 tunes recorded in London 1931-35, most done for HMV with backing
by Ray Nobel Orch. Includes show tunes, spirituals, pop tunes, etc. Shortnin'
Bread/ Fat Li'l Feller With His Mammy's Eyes/ All God's Chillun Got Wings
(GM)
|
| PAUL ROBESON |
Folk Era 1442 |
The Peace Arch Concerts |
● CD $14.98 |
A remarkable musical and historical document. In the 1950s
Robeson had his passport revoked and travel to Canada forbidden. In 1952
and '53 he performed two concerts singing from a flat bed truck located
one foot from the Canadian border at the Peace Arch Park in Blaine,
Washington attended by 40,000 Canadians and Americans. Includes speeches
and songs such as Evertime I Feel The Spirit/ No More Auction Block/
Love Will Find A Way/ Go Down Moses/ Joe Hill/ Scandalize My Name and
others. J.Edgar Hoover was probably apoplectic!
|
| PAUL ROBESON |
Folk Era 1447 |
Freedom Train And The Welsh Transatlantic
Concert |
● CD $14.98 |
This CD includes Paul's 1947 reading of the Langston Hughes
poem "Freedom Train" and a 1957 concert given by telephone for
miners in Wales when the US government denied Robeson a visa to travel
because of his political beliefs.
|
| PAUL ROBESON |
Vanguard 117/18 |
Ballad For Americans |
● CD $15.98 |
|
| EARL ROBINSON |
Flying Fish 483 |
Songs Of The Working People |
● CD $14.98 |
|
| JUDY RODERICK |
Vanguard VMD 79197 |
Woman Blue |
● CD $13.98 |
17 tracks, 59 min., recommended The digital reissue of
Roderick's identically-titled LP from 1965, with four nice bonus cuts from
the same sessions, and a particularly welcome addition to the growing
roster of vintage folk/blues re-releases. Unlike many of her
contemporaries, her taste ran to the blues and her approach was nicely
understated, lacking the raw power of a Joplin or a Henske, but possessing
some of the subtlety that such powerful singers often lack. Program
highlights include Someone to Talk My Troubles To, Rock Me Baby,
Young Girl's Dream, Louisville Lou, Country Girl Blues,
Black and Blue, You Were on My Mind, Mama Keeps Her Man
at Home, and Long Old Road. All offered in impeccable stereo
sound, with both the original and new liner notes. (DH)
|
| SALLY ROGERS |
Flying Fish 70409 |
The Unclaimed Pint/ In The Circle Of The |
● CD $14.98 |
|
| STAN ROGERS |
Fogarty's Cover FCM 10 |
Home In Halifax |
● CD $16.98 |
Recorded live in 1982 with Garnet Rogers, Paul Mills &
Jim Morrison. Includes live versions of some of his most famous songs - Field
Behind The Plow/ Free In The Harbor/ The Mary Ellen Carter/ Barrett's
Privateers, etc
|
| SALLY ROGERS
& CLAUDIA SCHMIDT |
Flying Fish 425 |
Closing The Distance |
● CD $14.98 |
Sally Rogers & Claudia Schmidt harmonize beautifully in
this first collaborative effort. Howard Bursen joins in a couple of the
traditional songs - Ezekiel Saw The Wheel/ Appalachian Round , for
some well-crafted part singing. Traditional songs and spirituals alternate
with contemporary pieces including three new Claudia Schmidt compositions,
performed with exuberance. Malvina Reynold's merrily acid Gentlemen Of
Distinction In The Army is the one topical piece. The album ends with
the arresting, hypnotic round Hey Hey Watenay/ I Walk In Beauty , a
medley of an Ojibway lullaby and a Navajo poem arranged by Sally Rogers.
The Singing is nicely supported by Claudia's and Sally's mountain
dulcimers, and by occasional fiddle, mandolin, cello & bass. Claudia's
deluxe pianolin also graces a couple of the songs.. (BC)
|
| TOM RUSH |
Elektra 74018 |
The Circle Game |
● CD $11.98 |
|
| TOM RUSH |
Fantasy 24709 |
Blues, Songs, And Ballads |
● CD $15.98 |
23 tracks, 78 min., recommended Here, at the beginning of
his recording career in 1963, is New England's own Tom Rush - a fine
guitarist, a fine singer, and a collector of songs ranging from blues to
Child ballads. He is accompanied by Fritz Richmond, of Jim Kweskin and the
Jug Band, on washtub bass. Selections include Duncan and Brady, I Don't
Want Your Millions Mister, Big Fat Woman, Diamond Joe, Joe Turner, More
Pretty Girls, Pallet on the Floor, Barb'ry Allen,
and Baby Please Don't Go. Eclectic traditional music, Boston style, from the height of the 60's
folk revival, sung with the conviction that then prevailed, and presented
this time around with excellent sound quality, a vintage cover photo, and
lofty critical notes by Peter Knobler of Crawdaddy Magazine. The digital
reissue of all of "Got a Mind to Ramble" (Folklore 14003) and most of
"Folk
Songs and Blues" (Prestige 7374). (DH)
|
| TOM RUSSELL |
Hightone 8099 |
The Man From God Knows Where |
● CD $14.98 |
New album from this popular performer is a song cycle drawing on
his family history originating in Ireland and Norway and in fact this set
was recorded in Norway with Tom accompanied by Norwegian musicians and
some guest vocalists including Iris DeMent, Dolores Keane, Dave Van Ronk
and others. Deluxe packaging.
|
| TOM RUSSELL |
Philo 1158 |
Box Of Visions |
● CD $14.98 |
12 tracks, 50 mins., recommended. Russell is a very American
singer-songwriter, weaving songs about all sorts of people and all sorts
of dreams, and singing in a style sometimes reminiscent of John Prine,
sometimes of Greg Brown, but more often staunchly original. There's
something authentic, positive, and hopeful about Russell's lyrics, whether
he's singing about Middle America dead-end towns or street punks or
wistful remembrance of past love. He writes clever lines but doesn't play
them for laughs, providing memorable snapshots from lives of regular
people. He's backed here by a particularly rocking band featuring the fine
guitar work of Andrew Hardin and with one or two cameo appearances
including David Hidalgo on accordion. (DC)
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Back To American Folk Index |
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