Folk Show Forum

Folk Music or Cough Suppressant?

2010-03-18T10:12:28Z

They’re not as heavily promoted as Hall’s or Ricola, but the small dark lozenges with the distinctive flavor—Fisherman’s Friend— do the job. Will the sea shanty band from Cornwall do as well for Universal Music? It’ll be fun to watch what happens!

(AP) – 1 hour ago
Singing Cornish fishermen sign major-label deal.

LONDON — After singing soldiers and harmonious priests, a group of English fishermen is the latest unorthodox band to sign a major-label recording contract.

The Fisherman’s Friends come from Port Isaac in England’s southernmost county of Cornwall and specialize in traditional sea shanties.

Universal Music said Thursday that it had signed the 10-member band after a producer spotted them performing in a local pub. They will release an album of traditional tunes and folk songs next month.

Universal’s other artists include Lady Gaga and Amy Winehouse, but the label also is home to less mainstream acts including the military band of the Coldstream Guards.

Other unusual acts to enjoy chart success include singing servicemen The Soldiers and clerical combo The Priests.

Copyright © 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

Student’s reviews of Flogging Molly and Bela Fleck

2010-03-16T08:34:32Z

I saw 2 entries on the Blue Robot Blogg that may be of interest to some listeners:

Flogging Molly’s recent show: http://wpsu.org/bluerobot/comments/flogging_molly_brought_the_spirit_of_ireland_to_psu

ans Blea Fleck at Eisenhower:
http://wpsu.org/bluerobot/comments/fleck_brings_sounds_of_africa_to_eisenhower

Kevin Burke THIS SATURDAY live at the WPSU Studios, on WPSU-TV, and WPSU-FM RADIO

2010-03-15T13:56:27Z

Lots of behind the scenes planning has been underway to bring this first-of-its-kind event to WPSU, and everything is falling into place nicely, including a show yesterday on Fiona Ritchie’s Thistle and Shamrock that highlighted Celtic Essentials—those performers who have earned a place at the core of this music. And guess who Fiona gave the top spot to in her broadcast:

Kevin Burke!

Fiona started the show and ended the show with the performer we are featuring this Saturday, March 20: KEVIN BURKE

You don’t have to take our word that this is a must-see (or at least hear) concert if celtic music is something you enjoy, and you have three different ways to partake:

Live at the WPSU studios at the Outreach Bldg in Innovation Park
Doors open at 6:15, with the audience seated by 6:45. (Late arrivals will be seated between songs)
Live on WPSU-TV
Broadcast begins promptly at 7:00 pm with opening set by Simple Gifts
Live on WPSU-FM
Broadcast begins promptly at 8:00 pm with Kevin Burke and Cal Scott

And if you need one more reason: Listen for Kris Allen’s interview with Kevin Burke on Wed during Morning Edition at 7:33 and 8:33 AM on WPSU-FM

What’s Your Favorite Folk Fest ? (and have you been to the National Folk Festival?)

2010-03-11T11:35:15Z

The recent warm sunny days in Central PA have got me thinking about a couple of things: planting the garden, and attending a few Folk festivals. My two favorites are Merlefest in NC, and Old Songs in NY, and if it were closer Lunenberg in Nova Scotia. But I came across a festival today that I’d never heard about that sounds terrific. The National Folk Festival. If you’re as clueless about it as I was, I’ve copied it below. And if you’ve been before and can provide some on the grounds details, I bet a bunch of folks would like to hear about it.

The History of The National Folk Festival.

First presented in St. Louis in 1934, the National Folk Festival is the oldest, longest-running and most diverse festival of traditional arts in the nation. Championed in its early years by Eleanor Roosevelt, it was the first event of national stature to put the arts of many nations, races and languages into the same event on an equal footing.

Some of the artists presented at the first festival are now legendary and the recordings and other documentation made possible by the National are precious. W.C. Handy’s first performance on a desegregated stage was at the 1938 National. It was the first national event to present the blues, Cajun music, a polka band, a Tex-Mex conjunto, a Sacred Harp ensemble, Peking opera - the list goes on and on.

Now entering its 72nd year, the National Folk Festival is still produced by the same organization that created it, the National Council for the Traditional Arts (NCTA). It is a traveling event produced in partnership with communities around the country, where the “National’s” three-year stay in each host city is intended to lay the groundwork for locally produced festivals and events that continue after the National moves on. To date, the National Folk Festival has been presented in 26 communities around the nation. Musicians and craftspeople from every state in the Union and most U.S. territories have participated in this “moveable feast of deeply traditional folk arts,” which is now attracting the largest audiences in its history.

Folk Legend Jean Ritchie recovering from stroke

2010-01-07T14:36:49Z

Even casual Fans of folk music will likely know the name Jean Ritchie and a little something about her role in popularizing the traditional ballads of her Kentucky family and ancestors, as well as the lap dulcimer. She was recorded by Alan Lomax in Hazard KY in the 30’s, and by the mid 40’s (after graduating from college) she had moved to NYC and met Oscar Brand, Leadbelly, Pete Seeger and others.

In Sept 2005, the debut of a theatre piece about Jean Ritchie’s musical life SINGIN’ THE MOON UP: THE VOICE OF JEAN RITCHIE debuted in State College. The cast included Susie Glaze in the lead role, and Kenny Kosek on fiddle. An original cast recording was later released and continues to be played during the Folk Show. Web visitors can hear an interview with Susie Glaze about the play by clicking the INTERVIEWS tab at the home page.

In late Dec 2009, Jean Ritchie suffered a stroke and is now rehabillitating at a nursing home in Long Island.

John Platt from WFUV in New York, passes on this info, and invites fans to mail get-well cards via his address below:

Keep Jean Ritchie and her family in your prayers. I visited her on Monday at
a nursing home on L.I., where she’s rehabilitating from a stroke she
suffered in December. Some days are better than others. It may be a long
recovery, but she comes from strong Kentucky stock - and she’s an American
treasure.

John Platt
Dir. of Communications & Special Projects/
“Sunday Breakfast” host
WFUV
Fordham University
441 E. Fordham Rd.
Bronx, NY 10458

Blues Show Saturday March 6 hosted by Adam

2010-03-06T23:23:55Z

Great lines from the host describing a song played in the first set, it was “so slimy.” (A good thing!). And then the description in a forward announcement of a song that will “melt your face.”

I think I like the DJ commentary as much as the music. Great job filling in for Max! Two great Blues hosts. You guys make it seem easy but I know otherwise.

Art’s folk show tonight was superb too. Maybe it is the night, the bourbon, the great headphones.

Bela Fleck: the Africa Project

2010-03-04T01:59:24Z

Bela Fleck had the main billing for the show, and I don’t question that. The musicians from Tanzania and Mali made the concert what it was, though, thanks to the graciousness of the famous Bela Fleck. He of course contributed his incredible musicianship and skill on the banjo, but consistently kept the lion’s share of the focus on his collaborators. What a concert! The rhythms and melodies of Anania Ngoliga on the thumb piano, John Kitime on guitar, and Bassekou Kouyate on ngoni (backed up by several other ngoni players and two percussionists, as well as the vocals of his wife Ami Sacko were just amazing. What an evening of music!

Caroline Chocolate Drops on Fresh Air Tonight at 7pm!

2010-03-01T13:45:22Z

Tune into WPSU tonight at 7pm to hear an interview by Terry Gross with the Caroline Chocolate Drops. It’s a lively, fun session, covering Cow Bones, Ant Hills, Kazoo, Opera, and everything in between. The CCD have a new album out: The Genuine Negro Jig.

And listen to the Folk Show this weekend for some songs from the Carolina Chocolate Drops !

Trucks of Pennsylvania

2010-02-20T21:20:31Z

Playing in just a few minutes…

This is a great song from a very interesting band, the Harlem Parlor Music Club—and the whole CD is a lot of fun but I wanted to play this song to see what you think…

What do you think is happening in this song? What is the significance of the “familiar eyes”?

Favorite songs about horses and horseracing?

2009-05-01T15:10:34Z

What are some of your favorite songs about horses and/or horseracing? (Perhaps this thread should be in misc?) While I’d rather be on two wheels than four legs, I’ve always been rather fond of:

Bill Staines, Just for Love

Garnet Rogers, Small Victory

Robert Earl Keen Jr.‘s take on Stewball

Garnet Rogers, Denbrae

hmm, strikes me that there’s something by Archie Fisher I might be missing…