The Raconteurs with Ricky Skaggs and Ashley Monroe
What is folk music? If we’re gonna use the term we need a definition, don’t we? According to Wikipedia:
“The original meaning of the term ‘folk music’ was synonymous with the term ‘traditional music’… the term ‘traditional music’ was given its more specific meaning to distinguish it from the other definitions that ‘folk music’ is now considered to encompass. Folk music can also describe a particular kind of popular music which is based on traditional music … In American culture, folk music refers to the American folk music revival…”
While Fiddlefreak prefers the original meaning, many people think folk music is ANY music played on acoustic instruments, especially by singer-songwriters (most of which is anything but traditional). In any case, if you lock it up in a museum, trad music will wither and die from lack of water and sunlight.
Rock band the Raconteurs and Warner Brothers have just released a video of them recording their song “Old Enough” live on acoustic instruments with bluegrass mandolinist Ricky Skaggs and country singer Ashley Monroe. Jack White (with the hat and black hair) never ceases to amaze me, from the White Stripes to Cold Mountain to Loretta Lynn. Yeah, it’s a rock song, but dang it, this is also cool folk music, so here you go. (Thanks to the Bluegrass Blog for turning me on to this one!)
Songs:illinois recently posted a new song from William Elliot Whitmore, off his new release Animals in the Dark, which will hit the streets on 2/17/09 on ANTI- Records. Whitmore is a white farm boy from Iowa who sounds (in a good way) like an aging black blues man from Alabama. I’ve been a fan for a while now, and while the new record sounds a bit more refined, with more instrumentation and new-found political overtones, Whitmore has not strayed from the southern blues back roads he has always traveled. Banjo is not usually used to accompany the bues, but hey, why not? The banjo has roots in Africa, and so does the blues. It just works.
Here’s a sneak preview MP3 for you, and a bonus video as well:
Last weekend I made a cross-country trek with my band to attend the Northeast Regional Folk Alliance music booking conference, or NERFA. The event was held for three days at a hotel/resort in the Catskills, a couple hours drive north of NYC. While my primary goal there was shameless self-promotion, I was also able to meet, hear, and jam with some up-and-coming bands that are worthy of the Fiddlefreak Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval. Keep an eye on these guys!
Blue Moose and the Unbuttoned Zippers
A unique blend of Swedish, old-time American, and original fiddle-based groove music, with nyckelharpa. Web site here.
Nathan Rogers
The son of legenday Canadian folksinger Stan Rogers, Nathan carries the flag of his father with pride and grace. Web site here.
Creaking Tree String Quartet
If your musical tastes lean to acoustic newgrass-jazz, check out this virtuosic string band based out of Toronto. Web site here.
Tripping Lily
This Cape Cod-based combo caught my ear with their jazzy folk-pop hooks featuring ukulele, mandolin, and fiddle. Web site here.
Peter Feldmann is a bluegrass picker from Los Olivos, CA who has been a stalwart of the Central Coast music scene for many years. A recent post on his music blog Pete’s Word outlines the differences between old-time and bluegrass music. I’m not sure of its original source but he got it from Bruce Thompson and Wayne Shrubsall. This is serious stuff. Thou shalt not confuse the two! (Of course I have my own thoughts on the matter, but that will have to wait til next time.)
Excerpts follow:
BG band members wear uniforms, such as blue polyester suits and gray Stetson hats. OT bands wear jeans, sandals, work shirts and caps from seed companies.
The audience claps after each BG solo break. If anyone claps for an OT band it confuses them, even after the tune is over.
Fig. B: An Old Time Band
A BG band has between 1 and 3 singers who are singing about an octave above their natural vocal range. Some OT bands have no singers at all.
BG bumper stickers are in red, white and blue and have stars and/or stripes on them. OT bumper stickers don’t make any sense (e.g. “Gid is My Co-Pilot”)
Why is it that I keep hearing so much about Sacred Harp and shape-note singing lately? Everywhere I turn, there is an article in the the press or someone I know is going to a singing. Could there be a renaissance of this gorgeous, almost-lost art happening, or is it just one of those things where once you’re aware of it, you see it everywhere—like dandruff?
Moira smiley & VOCO have just released an 8-song EP of old tunes and new spirituals, recorded live in Bloomington, Indiana last May titled “circle, square, diamond and flag.” (From the names of the shapes traditonally used to notate Sacred Harp hymns.) It’s a brilliant collection of modal gems that reflect Moira’s obsession with ancient world harmonies and contemporary creativity. As an example, compare this VOCO track with Tim Eriksen’s version of the same song, from my previous post:
I tend to steer away from live recordings, because so many don’t hold up to repeated listening as well as studio albums do. “Circle, square, diamond and flag” is the exception to this rule—in fact, I think the natural reverb of the venue helped to create a stately and spiritual overall vibe to this release. And I dig the interplay of cello and banjo. Here are two more samples—enjoy! And don’t forget to visit her site and buy it if you like it.
Fiddlefreak is a music blog dedicated to exposing good folk music: the music of the people. Please don’t hesitate to contact us with new music. MP3 samples are provided for preview purposes only. Please support folk musicians by buying the music you enjoy.(note: If you're linking to individual posts: the title of each post is the permalink, or permanent URL of that post. )
