Monthly Archives: May 2009

Son House – At Home: The Legendary Rochester 1969 Sessions

Posted on May 30, 2009 by grapewrath

Don’t worry, blues fanatics! I have not abandoned ye in favor of banjo-plunking cornheads. I still love crazed, semi-intelligible, barely-enunciated, heart-wrenching, soul-aggrivating, gut-churning blues from repentant revenants renewing their contentious creed through full-bodied antiharmonies. I have not forgotten you, though … Continue reading →

Posted in Blues, Roots, seeds | 6 Comments

Fred Geiger – Fred Geiger

Posted on May 29, 2009 by grapewrath

Yet another mysterious progressive banjo album from the 70’s! I don’t know much more about Fred Geiger than I did about D.W. Griffiths or Larry McNeeley. But he sounds something like the two of them, and this is a very … Continue reading →

Posted in banjo, bluegrass, fruits, jazz | 3 Comments

Vintage Hawaiian Treasures, Vol. 7: The History Of Slack Key Guitar

Posted on May 26, 2009 by grapewrath

It’s past time I posted some Hawaiian music. I love this stuff, though I know very little about it so I’ll leave the writing to the better-informed. I’ll just add a note about its particular magic. It would be impossible … Continue reading →

Posted in Guitar, Roots, world | 13 Comments

Harry Smith’s Anthology of American Folk Music, Volume Four

Posted on May 23, 2009 by grapewrath

Now, I’m assuming that you’ve all heard Harry Smith’s Anthology of American Folk Music, volumes 1-3, released by Smithsonian Records in 1952 and re-released on CD in 1998. It’s THE essential primer on American roots music. If you haven’t heard … Continue reading →

Posted in folk blues, old-time, Roots | 4 Comments

Munir Bachir – In Concert in Paris

Posted on May 21, 2009 by grapewrath

Until his death a dodecade ago, Munir Bashir was considered by many to be the greatest oud player alive. Or, rather the best musician who plays the oud. Quite frankly, even now most would argue he was the best of … Continue reading →

Posted in oud, seeds, world | 5 Comments

New England Contra Dance Music

Posted on May 19, 2009 by grapewrath

As requested, here is Kicking Mule’s 1977 LP New England Contra Dance Music, generously provided by BanjoReinhard. For those of you who have never gone to a contra dance before, I highly recommend it. The music’s great and the dancing … Continue reading →

Posted in old-time, Roots | 3 Comments

From Smithsonian Folkways

Posted on May 13, 2009 by grapewrath

Greetings from Smithsonian Folkways Recordings, Smithsonian Folkways Recordings is the nonprofit record label of the Smithsonian Institution, the national museum of the United States. We are dedicated to supporting cultural diversity and increased understanding among people through the documentation, preservation, … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 9 Comments

request from a reader

Posted on May 13, 2009 by grapewrath

Greetings. I like your blog very much…both the writing and the music. I have an incredible album on vinyl that I am wondering if you have heard. It is called New England Contra Dance Music originally issued by Kicking Mule … Continue reading →

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D.W. Griffiths – Workingman’s Banjo

Posted on May 11, 2009 by grapewrath

Hello folks, for today’s Banjo-related post, we have something of a mystery. I found this album in some dark, recessed corner of the internet years ago. No cover or information accompanied it, and subsequent searches have yielded next to nothing … Continue reading →

Posted in banjo, fruits | 5 Comments

reposts

Posted on May 11, 2009 by grapewrath

The files for The Great Clarence White Bootleg Tapes, discs 2 & 4 (to be found in The Last Great Post) and for the Lionel Belasco post have been re-uploaded. Yes, that means that now as I’m back in the … Continue reading →

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