Contemporary Rootsy Americana-y Type Stuff

[AllenLowe]

Maria Muldauer still sounds good.

[medjuck]

BTW A few years ago I heard Peter Goralinick (sp?) say that one of the few contemporary bluesmen he liked was Geoff Muldaur.

[Van Basten II]

Will have to mention Joanna Newsom, although she's far from typical rootsy

[AllenLowe]

Geoff Muldauer was from the original Jim Kweskin Jug Band, I think it was. And some years ago he did a Bix album, which I never saw, but I heard was very good.

Edited April 3, 2010 by AllenLowe

[medjuck]

Geoff Muldauer was from the original Jim Kweskin Jug Band, I think it was. And some years ago he did a Bix album, which I never saw, but I heard was very good.

Yes he was. Met Maria there. The Bix cd is very nice. New orchestrations and some compositions that Bix never recorded himself.

[six string]

I've been curious about Patty Loveless for a while now but haven't made the plunge yet.

As far as Geoff Muldauer goes, I've seen him a couple of times and own a few of his albums and I think he's extremely talented as a singer and a guitarist. The Secret Handshake and Beautiful Isle of Somewhere, the latter a solo recording from a concert in Germany are both excellent.

I've seen Maria many times too and her Richland Woman Blues is an acoustic blues showcase with many guest musicians helping out in a very cohesive way.

[A Lark Ascending]

I've been curious about Patty Loveless for a while now but haven't made the plunge yet.

Most of her albums have that rather 'big' production Nashville sheen - I find I have to listen past it. She usually picks great songs (has record a few of Richard Thompson's) and has a marvellous voice. The two bluegrass albums and the recent one she did of more honky-tonk type material - 'Sleepless Nights' - probably fit in this thread better than her other albums.

I wonder if, with so much competition from younger singers, she's chosen or been steered to appeal to we old foggies and the post-Oh Brother audience. I believe she started in this area.

The album cover of 'Sleepless Nights' could hardly be a more blatant pitch at the 'things ain't what they used to be' market:

But it's an enjoyable record.

[six string]

So my instinct (combined with whatever I've read in the past) about Patty Loveless was pretty dead on I guess. I knew there was something that kept me away from her. I'm not a big fan of that Nashville production. I've heard her harmonies on albums by Emmylou, Buddy and Julie Miller and I think Jim Lauderdale too and I've liked her voice well enough. I may dip my toe in and try Sleepless Nights.

Re: Jim Lauderdale

I have around eight or so albums by him and I find them very consistent. I think he's known in Nashville more for his writing than his solo albums but like Buddy Miller he's got a cult following including a lot of top musicians in the genre. He's always got great talent on his albums and there's no Nashville sheen on any of the albums I've heard.

I saw him about a year ago play a solo gig and as great a songwriter as he is, he really knocked me out with his singing.

[A Lark Ascending]

You might like to try out this one if you can find it on one of the streaming sites:

My favourite of her 'mainstream' records - includes a wonderful duet with George Jones on 'You Don't Seem To Miss Me' (a Jim Lauderdale song, it so happens!). The sort of 'star' guest appearance that can be the curse of records like this - but the performance here is thrilling.

[seeline]

I really like C.J. Chenier's zydeco playing - that said, "The Desperate Kingdom of Love" *isn't* zydeco. He recorded it not long after Hurricane Katrina hit, and it's (mostly) in a quiet, reflective mood/vein/whatever...

There's also Bruce "Sunpie" Barnes - he plays in a variety of styles, including zydeco and (I guess) what a lot of people call "swamp pop." His music is very engaging, and I like his voice a lot. His albums are available on Emusic.com.

Edited April 3, 2010 by seeline

[JSngry]

Stiall wondering if Laura & Lana Cantrell are related in some way. Anybody know?

[Quincy]

Stiall wondering if Laura & Lana Cantrell are related in some way. Anybody know?

I don't. But Lana is Australian while Laura is from Nashville, so if they are, it's probably not too closely related.

[JSngry]

Well, yeah, but then again, Lana spent a lot of time in the US..maybe not mother/daughter but maybe cousins or second cousins once removed or however that works... just wondering if there was a connection between the two at some leve, no biggie.

Did find this about Laura on AMG:

In 1996, Cantrell released her first solo recording, a locally distributed EP called Hello; by this time, Cantrell was supporting her enthusiasm for music by working in the New York offices of Bank of America, where she rose to the position of Vice President of Equity Research (making her that rare musician who can actually understand an accounting statement from her record company).

Working at Bank of America myself (since they bought Countrywide), I must say that I'm more than a little, uh...impressed that any musician could rise that high in the BOA Corporate Culture. Now, them are some real skills!

[kenny weir]

Commander Cody and the Lost Planet Airmen - the original group, which included Andy Stein, the best jazz fiddler in the world (he's now on Prairie Home Companion). Also had Bill Kirchen, a great guitarist. How could you not love a band that sang a song called Mama Hated Diesels?

Yes, all great players.

Harking back to previous comments: Like BB Steve I had access to some western swing (those Old Timey comps, the double LP on Bob Wills that really had a big impact) when I was digging these guys, but WS was just part of what they were about.

Haha - Mama Hated Diesels! Were they for real? Was it a joke? Does it matter? Nope!

************

I've had limited encounters with the extended family of the Holy Modal Rounders gang. Fascinating one of a kind collective madness, but can be necessarily sloppy on record.

However, there is one famed outing that is not just a bona fide Americana masterpiece but in my minds stands right up there with the Blanton-Webster band, Charley Patton, Kind Of Blue, Elvis on Sun, Hot 5/7s, whatever else you care to mention:

Simply amazing. The fact that someone somewhere once upon a time took the time to record tracks such as Midnight In Paris, Jackknife, Sweet Lucy, Weep Weep Weep and Hoodoo Bash makes the world seem a better place whenever I think of it!

Have you heard this album, Bev?

If not, I'd certainly recommend that you check out some samples first. Most of the people I've lent this to over several decades have either:

a) Not got it at all and hated it.

or

b) Got it and STILL hated it.

The Michael Hurley catalogue, quite substantial these days, I have no handle on at all. Anyone got any tips in that regard?

***********

Great stories and info on these cats here:

http://www.jeffreyfrederick.com/text/menu.htm

Edited April 4, 2010 by kenny weir

[JSngry]

Well then, if were're ok to go back to the revious decade, and if we're defining "Americana" as America in all its forms as performed by all its peoples (something that the current "brand" does not really seem to do, at least not from where I've seen it...), one would be remiss if one did not note this album, which is actually a Johnny Otis project (note the label its on!) based on a form of American folklore that is every bit as real as any other:

http://www.systemrecords.co.uk/johnny-otis-show-snatch-poontangs-cold-shotsnatch-poontangs-p-991525.html?currency=EUR

[kenny weir]

... if we're defining "Americana" as America in all its forms as performed by all its peoples (something that the current "brand" does not really seem to do, at least not from where I've seen it...)

Not from where I've seen it, either. In fact it seems quite limited in its scope.

I remember owning and liking that project many years ago - but never quite thought it lived up to its legend. And, yup, part of a long and venereal ... ahem, venerable tradition.

[paul secor]

A lot of Michael Hurley's best recordings are out of print. One of his Rounder recordings remains in print - Snockgrass - http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?pid=1003071

Not a bad intro, but Hurley's web site has a pretty complete collection of CDRs of his o/p recordings. http://www.snockonews.net/buy_stuff.htm

I'd recommend Watertower as an excellent introduction to Michael Hurley's unique vision of the world.

Whether you like him or not, Michael Hurley's music is REAL. Can't say that about a lot of music being made these days.

[JSngry]

... if we're defining "Americana" as America in all its forms as performed by all its peoples (something that the current "brand" does not really seem to do, at least not from where I've seen it...)

Not from where I've seen it, either. In fact it seems quite limited in its scope.

I remember owning and liking that project many years ago - but never quite thought it lived up to its legend. And, yup, part of a long and venereal ... ahem, venerable tradition.

Dude, what could live up to a legend like that?!?!?!

Seriously, that's shit that today is taken for granted, but in 1969 was, like, waaaaaaayyyyyyyy underground to the "mainstream" of America...but the "mainstream" of America almost always seems to discover all its "roots" from the perspective of several levels of branches up.

Don't know that there's any way to avoid that, or that it should really be otherwise. I'm just sayin'...that thing was sold mostly in adult bookstores (and deep in the hood) back in 1969...a few years before Rudy Ray Moore (who was not shy about crediting the "folkloric" sources of much of his material, btw) started recording, so a big part of the legend is being "the first" of its kind. That, and the music is so damn good on it too. Maybe not "great" per se, but definitely damn good!

Then again, Johnny Otis has always had a strong sense of his chosen culture's heritage & culture, no doubt in part because he chose to live that life instead of being born into it or coming to it as an object of curiosity/fascination/etc. He came, he saw, and he stayed.

[seeline]

Two of the best Arhoolie "Sacred Steel" releases (imo) -

I haven't heard this one, which is on Ropeadope - it has some live cuts. I think all of the folks who recorded for Arhoolie's series of discs are represented.

[JSngry]

Ropeadope, eh? Isn't that Charlie Hunter's label? Or am I thinking of something else?

[seeline]

Yes, it's his label.

[JSngry]

Charlie Hunter seems like a pretty hip guy all the way around.

[AllenLowe]

nobody asked, but personally Ive been working on music which is only Americana - compositionally and performance-style wise.

here's some sound samples from the last album I did:

http://www.allenlowe.com/projects.html

also, I was the first jazz person to record a,version of Blind Willie Johnson's Dark Was the Night Cold was the Ground (American Song Project, released Music and Arts, circa 1993?) -

currently working on an all-blues program.

I mention all of this to avoid the old adage about "those who can....." or "those who criticize..."

in about 1992, 1993, I had a meeting with the head of Enja, Matthias Wincklemann (sp?) to plan a recording project we did (and which eventually became my Woyzek album); I told him I wanted to do a hillbilly record, and I got the blankest stare I ever received in my entire life. Oh well.

Edited April 4, 2010 by AllenLowe

[Big Beat Steve]

...that thing was sold mostly in adult bookstores (and deep in the hood) back in 1969...a few years before Rudy Ray Moore (who was not shy about crediting the "folkloric" sources of much of his material, btw) started recording, so a big part of the legend is being "the first" of its kind. ...

Ehhh .... Rudy Ray Moore's recording career started waaay back deep in the 50s.

See here ...

http://www.cduniverse.com/search/xx/music/pid/1072107/a/Hully+Gully+Fever.htm

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

Well then, if were're ok to go back to the revious decade, and if we're defining "Americana" as America in all its forms as performed by all its peoples (something that the current "brand" does not really seem to do, at least not from where I've seen it...), one would be remiss if one did not note this album, which is actually a Johnny Otis project (note the label its on!) based on a form of American folklore that is every bit as real as any other:

http://www.systemrecords.co.uk/johnny-otis-show-snatch-poontangs-cold-shotsnatch-poontangs-p-991525.html?currency=EUR

Hell YEAH!!!!

MG