I recently heard folk-blues singer-songwriter Ernest Troost’s new album “O Love” and loved it. I found myself drawn into the world of old screen doors and broken hearts being mended through the only thing that can heal, love. The only song from the album on YouTube is “Close” but please check out this album. The title track “O Love” is my favorite.
“The hope of a secure and livable world lies with disciplined nonconformists who are dedicated to justice, peace and brotherhood.” ~ MLK, Jr.
The year 2014 is upon us and as we come to terms with tragic consequences of global apathy, the creative mind and spirit of the earth and universe instills in us the will to live.
As the late great troubadour Pete Seeger, who passed away this week, said: “The key to the future of the world, is finding the optimistic stories and letting them be known.” May his spirit and legacy live through us. We lost another world legend this past year as well in Nelson Mandela. Both men that lived long and inspired lives fighting in their own way for justice, equality, and community. Let us move forth with the spirit of both.
Pharrell Williams needs no introduction. He’s a producer, songwriter, activist, filmmaker, interviewer, etc. His creative spirit knows no boundaries, so we will do well to listen to his words. “I just appreciate where music is right now…so many original artists…musicianship is now going to be back at all time high”:
On the topic of excellent musicianship, I recently downloaded this amazing jazz project by Bay Area musicians Cava Menzies and Nick Phillips, which is now in the top 15 of the jazz charts. (more…)
Do you ever hear a song while you’re in that ethereal phase between awake and sleep and it just bores right into your soul? That’s what happened when I heard the song, “The Reins” by Rhode Island folk-blues duo Brown Bird, MorganEve Swain and Dave Lamb. I sat up in bed and went straight to the internet to look them up. When I got to their webpage, it tells me that Brown Bird is on a hiatus while Dave Lamb receives treatment for leukemia. As a two-time cancer survivor myself – I’m blown away and felt compelled to share their music and story.
They toured most of 2012 with Trampled By Turtles, The Devil Makes Three, Yonder Mountain String Band and Horse Feathers until Dave was diagnosed with leukemia. Feeling a bit behind the times, Brown Bird has been releasing albums since 2010, and I’m definitely adding all of them to my library of top-notch tunes. It’s just simply stunning music – stripped down and raw while subtly sophisticated – informed by the roots traditions of blues & folk, rhythmic & melodic, and poetic lyrical content with a nod to literature and history.
Tennessee. So much history in terms of music and civil rights. The last time I’d been through was about 8 years ago as my sister and I drove cross-country, only staying in Nashville one night. This past weekend, I was in Middle Tennessee for a long weekend to explore some great music and explore the culture and history of the area. I not only roamed Nashville, but also spent some time in historic Franklin, part of Williamson County, which is about 30 minutes from Nashville.
On Saturday, I had dinner at a cute Irish Pub called McCreary’s with my new friend Leah who lives in Franklin. Leah is not only an amazingly creative and compassionate person, but a fabulous writer. She writes a poetic and inspiring blog you should follow called Edges Like Sea Glass where she shares her perspective on life and creativity. She also is a contributor to the Women You Should Know website, which is a collection of women’s writings on all interesting topics that matter to women.
Later we headed off to the main event of the evening, “Cross-County Lines,” a show put on by The Americana Music Association, hosted by Jerry Douglas and Alison Krauss in Franklin’s Liberty Theater at The Factory, featuring a ridiculously skilled all-star house band and a series of rotating übertalented guests including Amos Lee, Sarah Jarosz, Shawn Colvin, Teddy Thompson, and Angel Snow. The house band included Gabe Dixon on keys, Viktor Krauss on upright bass, Bryan Sutton on guitar, Andy Leftwich on fiddle and mandolin, and Shannon Forrest on drums. Look up any one of these artists and expect musical perfection.
Jerry Douglas is an ambassador of Americana, Country, and Roots Rock music as he hosts a BBC Scotland show called “Transatlantic Sessions,” which format he used to model Saturday evening’s show after. (more…)
Rocking the delta blues and roots rock with acoustic guitar, upright bass, and the cajon, Lance Canales & The Flood make me proud to be from California. Born and raised in the San Joaquin Valley, the agricultural heart of central California, Lance has those raw vocals that let you know he knows of what he sings. The real, down-home blues – that’s what I’m talking about. I heard about Lance Canales & The Flood through the blog of photographer Tudor Stanley, who shot this video below as well as the EPK for the trio. The video is a visual treat as well – stark like the emptiness between the notes in the blues. Here is “Clear Eyes, Straight Hands” and “Digging”:
I’ve wanted to share about this album for a couple of years. The album, Hadestown, is the creation of folk singer-songwriter Anaïs Mitchell (who has released a more recent album this year, Young Man in America, which is awesome too). Hadestown was released in 2010 on Righteous Babe Records (Ani DiFranco‘s label), and I loved it from the first listen. I also found the concept of a folk opera fascinating. The story is based on the ancient Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice.
According to Wikipedia, “Orpheus was a legendary musician, poet, and prophet in ancient Greek religion and myth. The major stories about him are centered on his ability to charm all living things and even stones with his music; his attempt to retrieve his wife, Eurydice, from the underworld; and his death at the hands of those who could not hear his divine music.”
It’s got a host of guests playing different parts of the opera including Ani herself, Iowa folk legend Greg Brown, Ben Knox Miller of The Low Anthem, The Haden Triplets, and Justin Vernon of Bon Iver. Anaïs plays the part of Eurydice and Justin that of Orpheus. From the album website: “…in Mitchell’s hands, the familiar saga is reimagined as unfolding in a version of the U.S. that simultaneously evokes our Depression-era past, the current financial disaster (though it was written before the stock market collapse), and a post-apocalyptic future. It’s a land where people hide behind walls in a misguided attempt to preserve their ‘freedom’ and protect their riches.” The album was also nominated for a Grammy for its cover art.
This opening track, “Wedding Song”, shows the love between Orpheus and Eurydice. I’ve posted this song before in my folk love song post, but it’s so good, it deserves a second play. I love Justin Vernon with his ethereal vocals.
Here is a live version of “Way Down Hadestown” from McCabe’s in Santa Monica. Why did I not know about this show?! I’m not sure who are the guests here. The album version of this song features Ani DiFranco, Justin Vernon, and Ben Knox Miller:
“Why We Build The Wall” featuring the gruff vocals of Greg Brown:
Dharohar Project, Laura Marling, and Mumford & Sons
Because it is so cool to hear cross-cultural combinations, I must post this song with English indie-folk musicians collaborating with traditional Rajasthani musicians. I wrote about Rajasthani music over a year ago. It’s about time to revisit!
Here is “Devil’s Spoke – Sneh Ko Marg”:
Again, here is a video of traditional Rajasthani music in Rajasthan:
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