Banjo

This Weekend!

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Saturday Nov. 20th at The Jalopy Theater!

My string band The Dust Busters will be playing with John Cohen to celebrate the release of a new book about John’s band entitled, “Gone to the Country: The New Lost City Ramblers and the Folk Music Revival.”  The books author, Brooklyn College Folklorist Prof. Ray Allen will make a presentation about the book and the night will be topped off with a performance by John and the Dust Busters with Peter Stampfel of the Holy Modal Rounders.  Should be fun!
Look out for a full interview about the book with Prof. Allen coming up soon on Down Home Radio…

Gone to the Country: The New Lost City Ramblers and the Folk Music Revival by Ray Allen
Saturday, November 20
Show starts at 8:30pm

“Gone to the Country: The New Lost City Ramblers and the Folk Music Revival,” is a new book by Ray Allen that chronicles the life and music of the New Lost City Ramblers, a trio of city-bred musicians who helped pioneer the resurgence of southern roots music during the folk revival of the late 1950s and 1960s. Formed in 1958 by Mike Seeger, John Cohen, and Tom Paley, the Ramblers introduced the regional styles of southern ballads, blues, string bands, and bluegrass to northerners yearning for a sound and an experience not found in mainstream music. Tonight, Ray Allen will show rare and fantastic photos of the band, while telling the story of the band and it’s impact on music everywhere.

Friday Night at 25CPW Gallery

November 19, 6-9pm We’ll be playing at 8pm with John Cohen as part of this wonderful art opening…

Films-Photographs-Kinetic Sculpture-woodcarvings
Stringband MusicEXHIBITION OPENING AND LIVE PERFORMANCES
On exhibit until November 28th

JOHN COHEN of The New Lost City Ramblers performing with The Dust Busters
BOB POTTS of the Highwoods Stringband
JOHN SPECKER of the Correctone Stringband
with additional photographs and video by Bess Greenberg

25CPW Gallery
25 Central Park West
New York, New York
10023
ph. 212.203.0250

More info below:

Interview with Jody Stecher

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[Jody Stecher (R) with Hank Bradley (L) at the Berkeley Old Time Music Convention 2006.  Photo by E. Smith]

On today’s show I speak with one of my all time favorite musicians, Jody Stecher.  Jody is a master of many instruments- banjo, guitar, fiddle, mandolin, oud, sarod and sursingar and is a very fine singer.  I caught up with him at his apartment in San Francisco where he lives with his wife and singing partner Kate Brislin.  Since I recorded this interview I’ve had several listeners write into the show requesting an interview with Jody and I’m happy to finally be bringing it out on Down Home Radio! Jody Stecher is originally from Brooklyn, NY and was involved from a young age in the folk music scene in Greenwhich Village back in the early 60’s.  Since the late 1960’s he has lived in the Bay Area where he remains a very active and respected musician in the world of folk, old-time and bluegrass music as well as Indian classical music.  He currently plays with Peter Rowan in Rowan’s bluegrass band and has just this year released a new album with Kate.  Its great!  Check it out.

On the show we discuss Stecher’s influences, his time in the old Village folk scene, his musical activities out in California and more!  Jody was a student of Down Home Radio founder Henrietta Yurchenco when she taught Ethnomusicology at City College back in the 60’s.  Jody accompanied Henrietta on a field recording trip to Michoacan, MX in 1965 which resulted in the classic album “The Real Mexico” on the Nonesuch Explorer Series.  In the same year Stecher traveled together with Peter K. Siegel to Nassau Bahama to record Joseph Spence and the Pinder Family which resulted in another classic album “The Real Bahamas,” also for the Nonesuch Explorer Series, check ’em out!

Big thanks go to Steve French for editing this interview for airplay.

return_cover_resized.jpg
Check out Jody and Kate’s new CD

Some photos:

Interview with Jake from The Cangelosi Cards

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The Cangelosi Cards

On today’s show I speak with the bandleader, guitarist and banjoist from The Cangelosi Cards, Jake Sanders.  Here’s what I said about the Cards several years, ago and I stand by this statement now:

“The Cangelosi Cards are one of the best bands I’ve seen anywhere. They have a great live show, perfect for dancing! I envy any one who has not yet seen them because you now have the chance to see them for the first time! They keep it strictly real, playing traditional Old Time style jazz, but continue to see at as a living tradition- and as such bring in influences from ‘outside’ the cannon, such as country, blues, and early popular music. Tamar is an amazing singer and the level of musicianship is brilliant, bring your dancing shoes.”

Jake catches us up on what The Cards have been up to, including tours of Europe and Asia, a studio album and a brand new EP.  Definitely worth picking up their records, great stuff!  Check them out at www.losmusicosviajeros.net .
The Cangelosi Cards
[Giant polaroid of The Cards taken by Aperture Magazine!]

A Visit with Joe Thompson

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[Photos by E. Smith]

On a beautiful day in early June my band The Dust Busters paid a visit to the home of Joe and Polly Thompson.  Joe Thompson is 91 and lives outside of Mebane, NC.  He has been playing fiddle since he was 5 years old, way back in 1923 and is perhaps the very last traditionally schooled African-American fiddler in the world. Joe is a World War II veteran and is long retired from his job at a furniture factory.  He continues to play music at home and at gigs including taking his music to Carnegie Hall in New York City, the National Folk Festival and the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., and the International Music Festival in Brisbane, Australia.  In 2007 Joe Thompson was honored with the National Heritage Fellowship award from the National Endowment for the Arts.  The Carolina Chocolate Drops have spent a lot of time with Joe and have learned a lot from him.  They continue to present many of his tunes in their performances.  We met Joe at the 2nd Black Banjo Gathering, held in Boone, NC in March of this year.

Joe Thompson with The Dust Busters Joe Thompson with The Dust Busters

We sat around the Thompson’s picnic table in the field behind their house and played a number of tunes as Joe recalled his musical family and his upbringing.  Joe and Polly were tremendously nice and hospitable and we were really touched and honored to spend time with them.  Here are some excerpts from the long afternoon that we spent at the Thompson’s home.

Big thanks go to Joe and Polly’s friend Larry Vellani for bringing us to their home that day, and a shout out goes to our friend Steve Kruger who joined us with his banjo and guitar.

Here’s the songs we played that you’ll hear on this recording:

I Shall Not be Moved
John Henry
Dona Got a Ramblin’ Mind
Goin’ Down the Road Feelin’ Bad
Lights in Valley
Georgia Buck
Molly Put the Kettle On
Ladies on the Steamboat
Molly Put the Kettle On
I’ve Got Oil in my Vessel
Careless Love

More photos below:


And don’t forget to check out our friends at the Old Time Herald Magazine – www.oldtimeherald.org – lots of great articles, reviews and more!

Elektra Old Time Banjo Project LP

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Greetings!  I’m back from Dust Busters summer touring and I’m ready to get back on the job here at Down Home Radio.  Its gonna be a great Fall season, with lots of excellent material waiting in the wings, ready for posting here on DHR.

Here’s my first offering- I’ve had several requests for this LP, and am happy to finally be bringing it out on Down Home Radio.  This is a relatively forgotten but definitely classic record from the 1960’s New York City folk scene featuring performances by a number of its key participants.  There’s great music on here!  I had a hard time laying my hands on a copy of this record, but I did and here it is.

Musicians on this record include John Cohen, Peter K. Siegel, Alan Block (owner of the famous sandal shop), Bob Siggins, Winnie Winston, Hank Schwartz and Bill Vanaver all playing old-time style banjo.

CLICK HERE to download.

Hope you will enjoy.  See below for liner notes and track information.

And if you like the Elektra Old Time Banjo Project LP you might also like my recent album with Old Time Banjo Project contributor Peter K. Siegel, his first recorded offering since that Elektra record came out many years ago!

12x2front by you.
“Twelve Tunes for Two Banjos” is a CD of old-time banjo duets played and sung by Peter K. Siegel & Eli Smith, using mostly 5-string but also 4 and 6-string banjos.

To Order: Go to http://cdbaby.com/cd/siegelsmith where you can order online.  Its also on iTunes.


And don’t forget to check out our friends at the Old Time Herald Magazine – www.oldtimeherald.org – lots of great articles, reviews and more!

Photos From the Festival

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[Radio Jarocho at The 2010 Brooklyn Folk Festival.  Photo E. Smith]

Well, the 2010 Brooklyn Folk Festival has come and gone, and I can tell you that it was a great success!  It sold out every night, the new outdoor stage was a huge success and people had a great time!  The whole thing was professionally recorded by Don Fierro and we look forward to the release of at least one Brooklyn Folk Festival 2010  CD/LP probably over the winter on the brand new Jalopy Records label.  The music that was played at this festival was to put it plainly AMAZING.  I knew it would be good, but didn’t realize just how good.  As the organizer and MC I was very emotionally moved by the whole proceeding!  Truly.  Already planning for next year… well maybe I’ll take a break.  But I’m already excited!

Below are some photos I took at the festival.  All of my photos from the event can be seen at this link. Look out in the reasonably near future for some films from the festival shot by filmmaker Chris Low.  I’ll be posting up a bunch of those plus audio and some videos I took, etc.


[The Calamity Janes.  Photo E. Smith]


[Feral Foster.  Photo E. Smith]


[Rashad Brown performs at the outdoor stage.  Photo Susan Heske]


[Clifton Hicks (R) The Dough Rollers (L)  Photo E. Smith]


[The Tillers. Photo E. Smith]


[John Cohen.  Photo E. Smith]


[John Cohen screens his new film “Roscoe Holcomb From Daisy Kentucky.” Photo by E. Smith]


[Brotherhood of the Jug Band Blues.  Photo E. Smith]

To see all my photos from the 2010 Brooklyn Folk Festival Click Here. And check back for audio and video from the festival coming soon…

The Brooklyn Folk Festival is Here!

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Brooklyn Folk Festival Logo by you.

The Brooklyn Folk Festival has arrived again!
May 21-23rd, 2010 at the Jalopy Theater!

Down Home Radio is proud to announce the 2nd annual Brooklyn Folk Festival.  This festival will feature the best in old-time music, blues, pre-blues, jug band music, New Orleans jazz, folk style songwriting, Greek, African and Mexican folk music and dance with concerts, workshops, and a Sunday afternoon square dance.  Thirty-one musical acts over 3 days! Come down and check it out, its gonna be fun!

–See below for the complete schedule–

*This festival is brought to you by Down Home Radio, and will be MCed by Down Home Radio host Eli Smith.

Pricing:
$15 per day for the main stage evening concerts and workshops or $40 for all three evenings.
$5 per day for Saturday afternoon concerts and Sunday afternoon outdoor stage, square dance included!  What a deal!

Contact The Jalopy Theater to buy advance tickets.

The Jalopy Theater
315 Columbia Street
Brooklyn, NY 11231
(718) 395-3214
www.Jalopy.biz

Schedule:

Friday May 21st at Jalopy:
7:30pm – Hubby Jenkins – Blues and folk songs
8:15 – George Stavis – Original improvised banjo music
9pm- Salieu Suso – Gambian Kora player
9:30pm- Calamity Janes – Oldtime String band
10:15pm- The Dust Busters – Oldtime string band
11:15pm- Blind Boy Paxton – Blues guitar, stride piano, old time banjo
12am – Ernie Vega – Blues, folk and original songs

Saturday May 22nd at Jalopy:

The Dust Busters on Woodsongs

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While out on tour back in March my old-time string band The Dust Busters appeared on the Woodsongs Old-Time Radio Hour.  Woodsongs is a radio/TV show filmed weekly at the Kentucky Theater in Lexington (KY).  Thanks to Michael Johnathon and all the folks at Woodsongs for having us, it was a fun show!  Here is our appearance on that program:

And be sure to check us out, Friday May 21st, 10:15pm at the Brooklyn Folk Festival.

Interview with Clifton Hicks

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On today’s show I speak with Clifton Hicks, a great young banjo player originally from Florida and Georgia who now resides in Boone, NC.  I’ve known and known about Clif for a while now, ever since he sent in his home recordings to Down Home Radio.  I was blown away by his singing and playing and was very happy to finally meet him when I was in Boone at the Black Banjo Gathering in March.  Hicks is a protege of George Gibson and was kind enough to set up an interview for me with George which we heard on the last installment of Down Home Radio.  In this interview Clifton speaks about his family background and introduction to the music, gives some thoughtful notes on his style and technique as a musician and plays a bunch of tunes live on the show.  He also speaks about his experiences as a soldier in Iraq which led him to oppose the war and get involved with IVAW (Iraq Veterans Against the War).  Clifton Hicks is one of my favorite musicians and it was great to finally get him on the program.  He will be appearing at the Jalopy Theater on Saturday May 22nd as part of the Brooklyn Folk Festival.  Check it out!

Below are some videos:

Interview with George Gibson

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(George Gibson [L] with Clifton Hicks [R]. Photo by E. Smith.)

On today’s show I speak with Eastern Kentucky banjo player George Gibson.  I was lucky enough to catch up with George when we were both participating in The Black Banjo Gathering at Appalachian State University in Boone, NC in March.  George hails from Knott County, Kentucky where he learned to play old-time banjo from his neighbors as well as from his father back in the early 1950’s.  One of the local banjo players that George met growing up was “Banjo” Bill Cornett, one of my favorite musicians, so it was a thrill to get to hear a personal account of Banjo Bill.  George Gibson is a wonderful banjo player and singer and is also a noted banjo collector and historian of the music from his region.  He has served as a bridge between the old generation of musicians such as Banjo Bill, who’s music and culture was dying out when George Gibson was growing up and a new crop of young Southern old-time musicians who are coming up today.  George has gathered around him and served as mentor and teacher in an informal sense to a number of very talented young musicians from around the South including Clifton Hicks (Boone, NC), Brett Rattiff (Knott Co, KY), John Haywood (Knott Co. KY), Matt Kinman (Bethel, NC) and Jesse Wells (Knott Co. KY).  Check out the 2008 Interview I did with Brett Ratliff here in the Down Home Radio archives.

And  be sure to check out George’s album, “Last Possum Up the Tree” on the Appalshop label.  Below are some of George Gibson’s excellent notes to that album: