Next year's Celtic Series promises to be a lively one, full of fantastic fiddlers and flying feet. These videos will show you what I mean!
The StepCrew
This amazing group of young dancers and musicians is bursting onto the Celtic music scene and leaving audiences spellbound wherever they go. Some of you got a taste of what's to come at this month's Chieftains concert: Jon and Nathan Pilatzke and Cara Butler, who danced with them, are members of The StepCrew. Here's a taste of Jon and Cara performing with Cherish the Ladies at a festival last summer.
Natalie MacMaster and Donnell Leahy
First of all, congratulations to Natalie and Donnell on February birth of their third child Claire Marie. Early next winter, the proud parents--both incredible Cape Breton fiddlers in their own rights--will be touring together for a few exclusive dates. This informal video was shot at the conclusion of the 2006 Leahy Music Camp.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uN96a1Z-AGk
Lunasa
This amazing Irish band is one of the best I've ever heard, hands down. Their CDs are great, but their live performances never cease to impress me. The audio on this recording is a bit low, so crank up your speakers, sit back and enjoy!
Monday, March 30, 2009
Friday, March 27, 2009
Hajdu On Strayhorn
Sitting at the center of the week of events honoring the legacy of Billy Strayhorn is the April 15 talk session between Detroit Free Press music writer Mark Stryker and Strayhorn biographer David Hajdu. A decade of research and over 500 interviews went into his 1996 biography Lush Life, which provided the first wide view on Strayhorn's life, music and connection to the vast legacy of Duke Ellington. Strayhorn's relationship with Ellington was complicated and it is still being sorted out.In addition to coming in to discuss Strayhorn in Dayton, Hajdu has provided an essay for the Cityfolk website. Here's a portion of it, focusing on the working relationship between the two men. Click here to read complete essay. The talk session will take place at the Loft Theatre, 126 N. Main Street in downtown Dayton at 7:30 PM. Admission is free.
That Ellington may not have needed the young man’s assistance would quickly become moot; they grew reliant upon each other. “His approval was like going out with your armor on instead of going out naked,” Ellington said. “We had a relationship that nobody else in the world would understand.” Though Strayhorn would ultimately be tempted by other offers, including an opportunity to join Frank Sinatra’s organization, he never ventured far from Ellington’s reach. The composers worked together from 1939 to 1967 -- often closely, occasionally one picking up where the other left off, perhaps one suggesting a single chord change, at times one simply smiling or chuckling in approval. Wherever in the world his orchestra was booked to perform, Ellington called Strayhorn, and they worked by phone virtually every day. Their collaborative output includes dozens of jazz masterworks, from songs such as “Day Dream” and “The Star-Crossed Lovers” and long-form jazz-orchestra pieces such as “The Deep South Suite” and “Suite Thursday” to the Broadway musical Beggar’s Holiday, the ballet Road of the Phoebe Snow and the scores to the films Anatomy of a Murder and Paris Blues.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
African American Quilters at the 2009 Cityfolk Festival
by Sara Cogswell, curator of the 2009 Material Culture area at the Cityfolk Festival
When Cityfolk asked me to curate the material culture exhibition for the 2009 Cityfolk Festival, I was very excited and honored. As a new resident, I was looking for ways to plug into the cultural arts in Dayton. Curating this year’s show on quilts was a delightful prospect. However, I knew there would be challenges, as I did not have the advantage of years of established contacts and networks within the arts community. Fortunately, Ohio has a strong network of quilters, quilting guilds and organizations, and numerous wonderful venues that are frequent sites for quilting exhibitions, both traditional and contemporary.
Another fortunate piece came when the Cityfolk staff encouraged me to contact African American quilter Dr. Carolyn Mazloomi. Dr. Mazloomi had participated in a previous material culture textile exhibition several years ago. I contacted Dr. Mazloomi, and shortly thereafter found myself in her West Chester home studio, awed by the beauty and creativity of her work, and enthralled by her depth of historical knowledge and wonderful storytelling. I came away from that delightful visit with my first exhibition participant.
Quilter, historian, author and curator, Dr. Mazloomi is among the most influential African-American quilt historians and quilting artists of our time. She produces awe inspiring bodies of work which are shown internationally, much of it containing references to African American life and history, as well as harkening back to a shared African ancestry. In 2003, Dr. Mazloomi was awarded the first Ohio Heritage Fellowship Award. Ohio Heritage Fellows are among the state’s living cultural treasures. She is also the founder of the Women of Color Quilters Network. The network supports its 1700 members‚ through presenting, providing venues for sharing technical information, grantwriting, and other services. It offers quilts and fiber art to museums for exhibition, and researches and documents African American quiltmaking. Another important component of the Network's activity is its use of quiltmaking in social and economic development projects.
In addition to Dr. Mazloomi, two other African American quilters, Carolyn Crump and Frances Turner, have agreed to be participants. The participation of Carolyn Crump, a nationally known quilter from Houston, Texas, is being sponsored by the Women of Color Quilters Network. Born in Detroit, Crump’s artistic talent was nurtured from the age of eight by family and friends. She received an art scholarship to the Cranbrook College of Art, and earned a degree in Advertising Design. Her stunning quilts – sewn canvasses that tell powerful stories – have been presented throughout North America and Europe in one-woman and group shows. Last year, her unique illustration style earned the national Gold prize from the Newspaper Association of America.
Frances Turner is a native Daytonian, though her family background is southern with deep African heritage. Ms. Turner is a seamstress and tailor with 47 years of experience and “a love of fiber and all natural things”, which evolved into establishing herself as a doll artist and quilter. Her favorite fabrics are those obtained directly from Africa, and her work incorporates beads, shells, and unusual things she finds in her endless scanning of her surroundings. Turner is a member of an outstanding group of artists, headed by Bing Davis, which produces an annual exhibition entitled “Dayton Skyscrapers”, held in the Schuster Performing Arts Center. Most recently, her work was included in the exhibition “Women in Art: Unheard Voices” at Wright State University.
Five additional quilters have been added to the diverse group of July participants. I have found infinite creativity in the way each artist approaches their work, incorporating their cultural influences and experiences, some from their culture of origin, others from a culture that has drawn them in. They include a quilter from Puerto Rico, an artist and teacher from Korea, a quilter from Laos working in the Hmong tradition, a traditional Appalachian quilter, and a quilter who incorporates fabrics that she has dyed using traditional Japanese techniques. To round out the exposition, there will likely be two traditional quilters added in the near future.
When Cityfolk asked me to curate the material culture exhibition for the 2009 Cityfolk Festival, I was very excited and honored. As a new resident, I was looking for ways to plug into the cultural arts in Dayton. Curating this year’s show on quilts was a delightful prospect. However, I knew there would be challenges, as I did not have the advantage of years of established contacts and networks within the arts community. Fortunately, Ohio has a strong network of quilters, quilting guilds and organizations, and numerous wonderful venues that are frequent sites for quilting exhibitions, both traditional and contemporary.
Another fortunate piece came when the Cityfolk staff encouraged me to contact African American quilter Dr. Carolyn Mazloomi. Dr. Mazloomi had participated in a previous material culture textile exhibition several years ago. I contacted Dr. Mazloomi, and shortly thereafter found myself in her West Chester home studio, awed by the beauty and creativity of her work, and enthralled by her depth of historical knowledge and wonderful storytelling. I came away from that delightful visit with my first exhibition participant.Quilter, historian, author and curator, Dr. Mazloomi is among the most influential African-American quilt historians and quilting artists of our time. She produces awe inspiring bodies of work which are shown internationally, much of it containing references to African American life and history, as well as harkening back to a shared African ancestry. In 2003, Dr. Mazloomi was awarded the first Ohio Heritage Fellowship Award. Ohio Heritage Fellows are among the state’s living cultural treasures. She is also the founder of the Women of Color Quilters Network. The network supports its 1700 members‚ through presenting, providing venues for sharing technical information, grantwriting, and other services. It offers quilts and fiber art to museums for exhibition, and researches and documents African American quiltmaking. Another important component of the Network's activity is its use of quiltmaking in social and economic development projects.
In addition to Dr. Mazloomi, two other African American quilters, Carolyn Crump and Frances Turner, have agreed to be participants. The participation of Carolyn Crump, a nationally known quilter from Houston, Texas, is being sponsored by the Women of Color Quilters Network. Born in Detroit, Crump’s artistic talent was nurtured from the age of eight by family and friends. She received an art scholarship to the Cranbrook College of Art, and earned a degree in Advertising Design. Her stunning quilts – sewn canvasses that tell powerful stories – have been presented throughout North America and Europe in one-woman and group shows. Last year, her unique illustration style earned the national Gold prize from the Newspaper Association of America.
Frances Turner is a native Daytonian, though her family background is southern with deep African heritage. Ms. Turner is a seamstress and tailor with 47 years of experience and “a love of fiber and all natural things”, which evolved into establishing herself as a doll artist and quilter. Her favorite fabrics are those obtained directly from Africa, and her work incorporates beads, shells, and unusual things she finds in her endless scanning of her surroundings. Turner is a member of an outstanding group of artists, headed by Bing Davis, which produces an annual exhibition entitled “Dayton Skyscrapers”, held in the Schuster Performing Arts Center. Most recently, her work was included in the exhibition “Women in Art: Unheard Voices” at Wright State University.Five additional quilters have been added to the diverse group of July participants. I have found infinite creativity in the way each artist approaches their work, incorporating their cultural influences and experiences, some from their culture of origin, others from a culture that has drawn them in. They include a quilter from Puerto Rico, an artist and teacher from Korea, a quilter from Laos working in the Hmong tradition, a traditional Appalachian quilter, and a quilter who incorporates fabrics that she has dyed using traditional Japanese techniques. To round out the exposition, there will likely be two traditional quilters added in the near future.
Friday, March 20, 2009
Occitan: Reviving a Dying Language through Music
Choosing to sing in a dying language might not be the savviest commercial move, but the members of La Cor de la Plana, an outstanding six-man vocal ensemble from Marseilles, the second largest city in France, have their reasons. Occitan, the language in which La Cor de la Plana sings, is spoken by only a few million people throughout the world, but if the group achieves its goal of reviving Occitan language and culture, that number will surely grow.
Occitan is a Romance language native to the south of France (a region that encompasses such important cities as Marseilles, Toulouse, Bordeaux and Nice), Monaco and small parts of Italy and Spain. It was the common spoken language of rural people in the south of France until early in the 20th century, but it is today a dying tongue. It’s difficult to enumerate precisely, as some Occitan speakers are defensive about it and don’t admit to knowing the language, but it’s estimated that there are fewer than 500,000 speakers of Occitan left in France. (There is also, oddly enough, a pocket of Occitan speakers in Valdese, North Carolina.) As is the case with most dying languages, the majority of Occitan speakers are elderly, with almost no one learning the language to replace those who die.
Reasons for Occitan’s precipitous decline abound. Though it was the language of European poets and troubadours in the 12th and 13th century (Dante considered writing The Divine Comedy in Occitan so his work could be read by more people), the French government has since the mid-1500s discouraged the use of Occitan in favor of French. The biggest decline in Occitan speakers came during and right after the French Revolution (1789-1799), when speaking regional dialects or languages was seen (and severely punished) as a threat to the Republic. The nail in the coffin came during the First World War, when Occitan-speaking soldiers from the south of France had to speak French to be understood by their comrades.
The revival of Occitan culture and language is closely tied to a political movement in the south of France that blends Marxist theory, rejection of what might be called domestic colonialism (the suppression of a region by the central government), ethnic pride, anarchy and a sense of the absurd. Musicians from Marseilles, particularly hip-hop musicians, are in the forefront of this movement; the hip-hop ensemble Massilia Sound System helped launch the Occitan cultural revival in the 1980s.
Formed in 2001, La Cor de la Plana (the name means The Heart of La Plaine, the bohemian section of Marseilles) consists of Denis Sampieri, Sebastien Spessa, Benjamin Novarino-Giana, Rodin Kaufmann, Manu Bathelemy and Manu Theron, the group’s founder, leader and spokesman. Accompanied only by hand drums—the bendir, a North African frame drum similar to an Irish bodhrán, and the tambourine-like tamburello and pandeiro—and “picaments” (foot stomping) and “bataments” (hand clapping), the group whips up a swirling torrent of “dance songs that take you away into a smiling trance” (Le Monde).
Learn more about the alphabet and pronunication on the Easy Occitan website. Hear this beautiful language when Lo Cor de la Plana performs in Dayton on March 31.
Occitan is a Romance language native to the south of France (a region that encompasses such important cities as Marseilles, Toulouse, Bordeaux and Nice), Monaco and small parts of Italy and Spain. It was the common spoken language of rural people in the south of France until early in the 20th century, but it is today a dying tongue. It’s difficult to enumerate precisely, as some Occitan speakers are defensive about it and don’t admit to knowing the language, but it’s estimated that there are fewer than 500,000 speakers of Occitan left in France. (There is also, oddly enough, a pocket of Occitan speakers in Valdese, North Carolina.) As is the case with most dying languages, the majority of Occitan speakers are elderly, with almost no one learning the language to replace those who die.Reasons for Occitan’s precipitous decline abound. Though it was the language of European poets and troubadours in the 12th and 13th century (Dante considered writing The Divine Comedy in Occitan so his work could be read by more people), the French government has since the mid-1500s discouraged the use of Occitan in favor of French. The biggest decline in Occitan speakers came during and right after the French Revolution (1789-1799), when speaking regional dialects or languages was seen (and severely punished) as a threat to the Republic. The nail in the coffin came during the First World War, when Occitan-speaking soldiers from the south of France had to speak French to be understood by their comrades.
The revival of Occitan culture and language is closely tied to a political movement in the south of France that blends Marxist theory, rejection of what might be called domestic colonialism (the suppression of a region by the central government), ethnic pride, anarchy and a sense of the absurd. Musicians from Marseilles, particularly hip-hop musicians, are in the forefront of this movement; the hip-hop ensemble Massilia Sound System helped launch the Occitan cultural revival in the 1980s.
Formed in 2001, La Cor de la Plana (the name means The Heart of La Plaine, the bohemian section of Marseilles) consists of Denis Sampieri, Sebastien Spessa, Benjamin Novarino-Giana, Rodin Kaufmann, Manu Bathelemy and Manu Theron, the group’s founder, leader and spokesman. Accompanied only by hand drums—the bendir, a North African frame drum similar to an Irish bodhrán, and the tambourine-like tamburello and pandeiro—and “picaments” (foot stomping) and “bataments” (hand clapping), the group whips up a swirling torrent of “dance songs that take you away into a smiling trance” (Le Monde).Learn more about the alphabet and pronunication on the Easy Occitan website. Hear this beautiful language when Lo Cor de la Plana performs in Dayton on March 31.
Monday, March 16, 2009
YouTube Favorites: St. Patrick's Day Edition
There are some incredibly talented Irish dancers in the Dayton area. Here's some of their best work for your St. Patrick's Day enjoyment!
Richens-Timm Academy of Irish Dance performing a reel medley in Indianapolis last summer.
A group of dancers from the Dayton Celtic Academy perform to the "Moore Street Girls" by The Elders at last year's Dayton Celtic Festival.
And finally, a 6-hand reel from the McGovern Ceili Dancers, also from the 2008 Dayton Celtic Festival.
Richens-Timm Academy of Irish Dance performing a reel medley in Indianapolis last summer.
A group of dancers from the Dayton Celtic Academy perform to the "Moore Street Girls" by The Elders at last year's Dayton Celtic Festival.
And finally, a 6-hand reel from the McGovern Ceili Dancers, also from the 2008 Dayton Celtic Festival.
Friday, March 13, 2009
Strayhorn Takes Over Jazz Night on WYSO In March
As part of the run up to "Celebrating Billy Strayhorn" WYSO's weekly jazz program Jazz Night will feature the music of pianist/composer/arranger Billy Strayhorn on March 17, 24 and 31 from 8-10 PM.Join me this Tuesday night. I will start with the 1939 recording of "Something To Live For" done with the Ellington band in March of that year. Hour two of the first week will feature a documentary on Strayhorn titled "Lush Life", produced at WBGO in Newark.
The two succeeding weeks will include works from a variety of settings with Ellington including suites and film soundtracks, dates recorded under Strayhorn's leadership, complete Strayhorn scores recently excavated by musicologist Walter van de Leur and recorded by the Dutch Jazz Orchestra, and interpretations of his music by a range of artists including Ella Fitzgerald, Art Farmer, Steve Lacy, Stan Getz, Sarah Vaughan and many others.
Jazz Night airs Tuesday nights between 8 and 10 PM on WYSO 91.3 FM or can be streamed at wyso.org.
Find more information at Cityfolk's Celebrating Billy Strayhorn website and at these past Inside Cityfolk blog posts.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Bill Frisell: Unclassifiable, Versatile Guitar
Grammy-winning guitarist Bill Frisell views himself as a jazz musician, but I think a better tag for what he plays is “ultimate Americana”—eclectic, imaginative, unclassifiable music that draws from jazz, country, blues, roots rock, bluegrass, gospel, swing, world music and more. Frisell has recorded in just about every imaginable style, producing a body of deeply rooted, genre-crossing instrumental music that’s “modern in the best sense of the word” (Musician).Born in Baltimore and raised in Denver, Frisell first made his mark in New York City in the late 1970s, playing with John Zorn and other avant garde musicians and recording as a leader and as house guitarist for the jazz label ECM. He has since recorded and performed with a truly dazzling an array of artists including Paul Motian, Elvis Costello, Ginger Baker, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Suzanne Vega, Loudon Wainwright III, Rickie Lee Jones, Ronald Shannon Jackson, Marianne Faithful, John Scofield, Jan Garbarek, Vernon Reid, Julius Hemphill, Robin Holcomb, Jerry Douglas, Ry Cooder, Jim Hall and Fred Hersch.
It can be tricky to get a handle on Frisell’s music because of his range and versatility. “I feel real uncomfortable being put in any kind of label,” he says, and his music is definitely hard to pigeonhole. What is without question is his stature as a guitarist. “Frisell is a revered figure among musicians,” notes the Philadelphia Inquirer. “His signature is built from pure sound and inflection; an anti-technique that is instantly identifiable.” The New York Observer went even further: “Frisell belongs to a post-bop generation of jazz guitarists that have made the instrument sing by making it strange.”
Frisell’s extraordinary guitar playing gets most of the attention, but Frisell is also a very gifted composer. His compositions span the stylistic gamut—what a surprise!—but Frisell says that when he writes, “It just sort of comes out. I’m not thinking, ‘Now I’m going to write a cowboy song.’ It just happens. When I sit down to write something in a certain style, it doesn’t work. I don’t know if that’s important or if it doesn’t matter. I don’t care. I’m just thankful something comes out.”
Bill Frisell won a Grammy Award in 2005 for “Best Contemporary Jazz Album” for the Hal Willner-produced Unspeakable
. In 2006, Frisell was named a USA Rasmuson Fellow and received a grant from United States Artists, a privately funded organization dedicated to the support of America’s finest living artists. The man casts a big shadow indeed: the BBC says that Frisell stands at “the very epicenter of modern American music.” Frisell’s duet partner for his show at Canal Street Tavern on March 17 is Greg Leisz, a Los Angeles-based multi-instrumentalist known for his work with k.d. lang, Emmylou Harris, Dave Alvin, Willie Nelson, Beck, Gillian Welch and Lucinda Williams. Leisz is a master of a variety of string instruments, including pedal and lap steel guitar, dobro, National steel guitar, Hawaiian Weissenborn guitar and mandolin. He plays on several of Frisell’s albums including Blues Dream
, Good Dog, Happy Man
and The Intercontinentals
.Monday, March 9, 2009
More YouTube Gumbo
Red Stick Ramblers
The Red Stick Ramblers' last CD, Made In the Shade is a favorite of mine. Here's the title track. Great Cajun music.
Jimmy Martin
Jimmy Martin was a legend of bluegrass music and one of the great characters, too. This is a video of him performing his trademark song, "Freeborn Man."
Lo Cor de la Plana
Now for something completely different...The band Lo Cor de la Plana is an a cappella ensemble from Marseilles, France, that performs an ancient style of music in the southern French language of Occitan. And you can experience this live (minus the drinks, I'm afraid) when Lo Cor de la Plana performs in the final concert of our World Rhythms Series at UD's Boll Theater on Tuesday, March 31. I saw the band live in New York, and it's hard to capture the excitement on a video. But this gives a good taste of what's in store.
The Red Stick Ramblers' last CD, Made In the Shade is a favorite of mine. Here's the title track. Great Cajun music.
Jimmy Martin
Jimmy Martin was a legend of bluegrass music and one of the great characters, too. This is a video of him performing his trademark song, "Freeborn Man."
Lo Cor de la Plana
Now for something completely different...The band Lo Cor de la Plana is an a cappella ensemble from Marseilles, France, that performs an ancient style of music in the southern French language of Occitan. And you can experience this live (minus the drinks, I'm afraid) when Lo Cor de la Plana performs in the final concert of our World Rhythms Series at UD's Boll Theater on Tuesday, March 31. I saw the band live in New York, and it's hard to capture the excitement on a video. But this gives a good taste of what's in store.
Friday, March 6, 2009
Review: Rhythm in Shoes Never Disappoint
by Matt Dunn, secretary of Cityfolk's Board of Trustees and long-time fan of the arts in Dayton
I’ve never been disappointed by a Rhythm in Shoes (RIS) performance so it was with great expectation that I looked forward to tonight’s show, especially since I don’t know how many more shows they’ll be doing over the next year.
Tonight’s performance met all expectations as the performers connected immediately with the crowd as if we were family and friends. Experiencing the colorful costumes to the toe-tapping music and rhythms, along with beautiful vocal harmonies, the audience was immediately transported into a cultural experience that harkened to another time and place, while being a part of the heritage many in the audience can call their own. A particularly enjoyable treat at this performance was the appearance by Shoe 2, consisting of youngsters who have been taking lessons from the full-time troupe.
The special guests, Dallas Chief Eagle and his daughter Jasmine Pickner, brought their own heritage to the stage as they alternated sets with RIS and performed Hoop Dancing. The first piece they did struck me as the hoops became an extension of them and formed wing-like appendages. As they raised their arms and their “wingspan” broadened I couldn’t help but think they were leaving the ground.
The neat thing about this performance was how the two cultures shared the stage, sharing similarities and differences both in movement and sound. The movements were effortless, the hoops were one with Dallas Chief Eagle and Jasmine Pickner just as tap shoes are one with RIS dancers!
Chief Dallas Eagle narrated portions of the show, explaining the hoop dancing traditions (see Jon Hartley Fox's explanation here). Poignant was the circle of life theme, and balance, and interconnectedness, particularly as each hoop he danced with seemed to be one more extension of himself and connecting to the space around him. The finale drove the point home as audience members were invited on stage. Without any words being spoken they took Chief Dallas Eagle’s lead and in a synchronized way moved across the stage and among each other both separately and sometimes clinging to each other’s rings as though they were all links in a chain. We were all connected…even if we were still sitting in our seats.
This was a show to not be missed. I hope you have a chance to see it for yourself!
[Editor's Note: You have one more chance to see this great concert, tonight at 8 PM! All the details are here. Rhythm in Shoes photo by Andy Snow.]
I’ve never been disappointed by a Rhythm in Shoes (RIS) performance so it was with great expectation that I looked forward to tonight’s show, especially since I don’t know how many more shows they’ll be doing over the next year.Tonight’s performance met all expectations as the performers connected immediately with the crowd as if we were family and friends. Experiencing the colorful costumes to the toe-tapping music and rhythms, along with beautiful vocal harmonies, the audience was immediately transported into a cultural experience that harkened to another time and place, while being a part of the heritage many in the audience can call their own. A particularly enjoyable treat at this performance was the appearance by Shoe 2, consisting of youngsters who have been taking lessons from the full-time troupe.
The special guests, Dallas Chief Eagle and his daughter Jasmine Pickner, brought their own heritage to the stage as they alternated sets with RIS and performed Hoop Dancing. The first piece they did struck me as the hoops became an extension of them and formed wing-like appendages. As they raised their arms and their “wingspan” broadened I couldn’t help but think they were leaving the ground.The neat thing about this performance was how the two cultures shared the stage, sharing similarities and differences both in movement and sound. The movements were effortless, the hoops were one with Dallas Chief Eagle and Jasmine Pickner just as tap shoes are one with RIS dancers!
Chief Dallas Eagle narrated portions of the show, explaining the hoop dancing traditions (see Jon Hartley Fox's explanation here). Poignant was the circle of life theme, and balance, and interconnectedness, particularly as each hoop he danced with seemed to be one more extension of himself and connecting to the space around him. The finale drove the point home as audience members were invited on stage. Without any words being spoken they took Chief Dallas Eagle’s lead and in a synchronized way moved across the stage and among each other both separately and sometimes clinging to each other’s rings as though they were all links in a chain. We were all connected…even if we were still sitting in our seats.
This was a show to not be missed. I hope you have a chance to see it for yourself!
[Editor's Note: You have one more chance to see this great concert, tonight at 8 PM! All the details are here. Rhythm in Shoes photo by Andy Snow.]
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Tribute to Henry Glover of King Records
“Black history” now has its own month, but like all of our shared history, it should be explored and celebrated year-round. In that spirit, here’s a brief introduction to one of my personal heroes, Henry Glover, on the 50th anniversary of his moving to Ohio. Henry Glover is one of the unsung heroes of American music. Glover (1921-1991) was a musician, arranger, songwriter, record producer and, from 1949-1959, Artists & Repertoire (A&R) Director for King Records in Cincinnati. He was the first black producer in country music and only the second black man to hold an executive position with a record company in the U.S. Glover helped make King the powerhouse record company it was in the 1940s and 1950s.
Glover was born in the resort town of Hot Springs, Arkansas, and was playing piano and cornet by his teenage years. He attended Alabama A&M on a music scholarship. After graduating with an education degree, Glover enrolled in a master’s program at Wayne State University in Detroit, but when bandleader Buddy Johnson offered the young musician a job, Glover jumped at the chance. He lasted only a few months playing trumpet and arranging for the Johnson band, but subsequent gigs with Willie Bryant, Tiny Bradshaw and Lucky Millinder further honed his skills.
Glover was playing in Millinder’s band when King founder Syd Nathan approached him at a gig and asked Glover to supervise some recording sessions. Glover enjoyed his first success as a producer with his Millinder band-mate Benjamin “Bull Moose” Jackson, who had such big R&B hits as “I Love You, Yes I Do,” “All My Love Belongs To You” and “I Want a Bow Legged Woman.” Glover also produced numerous R&B hits by Wynonie Harris, Little Willie John, Earl Bostic, Bill Doggett and others.
Shortly after Jackson’s first hits, Nathan asked Glover to work in the studio with King’s country artists, including Grandpa Jones, Moon Mullican and the Delmore Brothers. Glover had especially productive relationships with Mullican, with whom Glover co-wrote “I’ll Sail My Ship Alone,” and the Delmores, for whom Glover co-wrote and produced “Blues Stay Away from Me,” the biggest country hit of 1949.
Glover was a pioneer who integrated the post-WWII record industry, but he always downplayed that aspect of his career. “Even when I traveled in the south recording country people,” Glover said, “[there was] never a big deal about it. They took it as something altogether different, not me trying to integrate or anything like that. They saw that I had something to offer. I knew what I was doing, and people had me there because I could be of benefit to the artist.”
His modesty notwithstanding, Henry Glover made history with King Records in Cincinnati. He was involved with scores of hits, and he broke down many barriers in the music business. He fully deserves a spot in both the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and the Country Music Hall of Fame. That he’s not a member of either is just plain wrong.
Glover was born in the resort town of Hot Springs, Arkansas, and was playing piano and cornet by his teenage years. He attended Alabama A&M on a music scholarship. After graduating with an education degree, Glover enrolled in a master’s program at Wayne State University in Detroit, but when bandleader Buddy Johnson offered the young musician a job, Glover jumped at the chance. He lasted only a few months playing trumpet and arranging for the Johnson band, but subsequent gigs with Willie Bryant, Tiny Bradshaw and Lucky Millinder further honed his skills.
Glover was playing in Millinder’s band when King founder Syd Nathan approached him at a gig and asked Glover to supervise some recording sessions. Glover enjoyed his first success as a producer with his Millinder band-mate Benjamin “Bull Moose” Jackson, who had such big R&B hits as “I Love You, Yes I Do,” “All My Love Belongs To You” and “I Want a Bow Legged Woman.” Glover also produced numerous R&B hits by Wynonie Harris, Little Willie John, Earl Bostic, Bill Doggett and others.Shortly after Jackson’s first hits, Nathan asked Glover to work in the studio with King’s country artists, including Grandpa Jones, Moon Mullican and the Delmore Brothers. Glover had especially productive relationships with Mullican, with whom Glover co-wrote “I’ll Sail My Ship Alone,” and the Delmores, for whom Glover co-wrote and produced “Blues Stay Away from Me,” the biggest country hit of 1949.
Glover was a pioneer who integrated the post-WWII record industry, but he always downplayed that aspect of his career. “Even when I traveled in the south recording country people,” Glover said, “[there was] never a big deal about it. They took it as something altogether different, not me trying to integrate or anything like that. They saw that I had something to offer. I knew what I was doing, and people had me there because I could be of benefit to the artist.”
His modesty notwithstanding, Henry Glover made history with King Records in Cincinnati. He was involved with scores of hits, and he broke down many barriers in the music business. He fully deserves a spot in both the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and the Country Music Hall of Fame. That he’s not a member of either is just plain wrong.
Monday, March 2, 2009
YouTube Gumbo
When Holly asked me to put together a collection of YouTube clips for the blog, I tried to think of a clever theme to tie everything together. But in the end, I decided to go with what has worked for Cityfolk for 28 years: throw a bunch of great and diverse music into a pot and stir. So this week and next, you will see a few of my favorite clips as of late:
Oscar Peterson Quartet with Joe Pass
One of the great jazz pianists with one of the great jazz guitarists playing a great tune ("You Look Good to Me"). For me, this is the top of the line.
Joao Gilberto
Joao Gilberto was the father of the Bossa Nova, and a giant of Brazilian music. He exemplifies that elegant restraint that I love in Bossa Nova music. Here he's playing "Desafinado."
Choro from Brazil
Speaking of Brazilian music, Choro is another great musical form that sprang from Brazil. The video is not the greatest quality, but it really captures the atmosphere in which the music is often played. And the guitarist, Douglas Lora, is a good friend of ours, having played at the Festival with Rob Curto's group in 2007, and as half of the Brasil Guitar Duo that was part of this year's World Rhythms series. These guys can really play!
Oscar Peterson Quartet with Joe Pass
One of the great jazz pianists with one of the great jazz guitarists playing a great tune ("You Look Good to Me"). For me, this is the top of the line.
Joao Gilberto
Joao Gilberto was the father of the Bossa Nova, and a giant of Brazilian music. He exemplifies that elegant restraint that I love in Bossa Nova music. Here he's playing "Desafinado."
Choro from Brazil
Speaking of Brazilian music, Choro is another great musical form that sprang from Brazil. The video is not the greatest quality, but it really captures the atmosphere in which the music is often played. And the guitarist, Douglas Lora, is a good friend of ours, having played at the Festival with Rob Curto's group in 2007, and as half of the Brasil Guitar Duo that was part of this year's World Rhythms series. These guys can really play!
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