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Best of the 5th Annual Brooklyn Folk Festival Live Album!

John Cohen

Best of the 5th Annual Brooklyn Folk Festival Live Album!

August 11, 2014 by admin Leave a Comment

Hello everybody –

Do you have your copy of the “Best of the 5th Annual Brooklyn Folk Festival” live album!?  This is a collection of nineteen incredible live recordings made at the 2013 Brooklyn Folk Festival and issued by Jalopy Records.  Performers include John Cohen of the New Lost City Ramblers, Jerron “Blindboy” Paxton, The Cactus Blossoms, Mamie Minch and Tamar Korn, Jeffrey Lewis and others…  Order your copy and listen to samples at CDBaby.com.

1. They Sailed Away from Dublin Bay / The Galtee Reel
Joey Abarta

2. Blues Stay Away from Me
Mamie Minch & Tamar Korn

3. Chickasaw Train Blues
Whiskey Spitters

4. When First Unto This Country
Jackson Lynch

5. Catfish Blues
Jerron “Blindboy” Paxton

6. Strawberry Blues
The Down Hill Strugglers

7. The Coo-Coo Bird
John Cohen of the New Lost City Ramblers

8. Stani Mi, Majchu (Traditional Bulgarian Song)

Posted in: Uncategorized Tagged: Blindboy Paxton, Brooklyn Folk Festival, folk muisc, Jalopy Records, John Cohen, New Lost City Ramblers

The Dust Busters CD Release Show… Sept. 6th…

September 3, 2012 by admin Leave a Comment

Brand new on the Smithsonian Folkways label: “Old Man Below”

CD Release Show – Thursday Sept. 6th at the Jalopy Theatre! 

With an opening performance by Blind Boy Paxton

Details:
Showtime 8:30pm
Cover $10
Jalopy Theatre
Brooklyn, NY
 www.Jalopy.biz

Posted in: Other Tagged: John Cohen, old time, Smithsonian Folkways, The Dust Busters

Some Crazy Magic: Meeting Harry Smith As Told By John Cohen

December 1, 2011 by admin 2 Comments

Hello everybody, check out this amazing film done by Drew Christie.  Its an animated interpretation of John Cohen’s first meeting with Harry Smith, the experimental filmmaker and animator who compiled the Anthology of American Folk Music on the Folkways label, probably the most influential collection of American Folk Music. Done for Greg Vandy’s American Standard Time blog.

Great job!  John Cohen says this is just how he remembers it…

Posted in: Video Tagged: Anthology of American Folk Music, Harry Smith, John Cohen, New Lost City Ramblers, new york

New Short Film on John Cohen

August 27, 2011 by admin 1 Comment

Here’ s a wonderful film made by KEXP DJ Greg Vandy and filmmaker Drew Christie in Seattle Washington, interviewing John Cohen, legendary photographer, film maker and musician.  I was out on tour on the West Coast with John and my old time string band The Dust Busters in February, we met up with Greg in Seattle, our fiddler Craig Judelman was able to make arrangements with Greg for filming and it all worked out!  This film was originally posted on Greg’s website American Standard Time, an awesome site, well worth checking out.  Also check out Greg’s radio show The Road House on KEXP radio in Seattle, WA.  Thanks to Greg and Drew for making this very well done and informative film.

Here’s the blurb for the film from the American Standard Time site:

“While mainly known as a founding member of the seminal folk revival group The New Lost City Ramblers, John Cohen is also a musicologist, photographer and filmmaker who is responsible for the documentation and recording of many great appalachian musicians such as Roscoe Holcomb, Dillard Chandler, EC Ball, Frank Proffitt, and Wade Ward among many others. John was photographing Bob Dylan and the Beats in New York in the late 50’s and early 60’s as well as producing and directing the legendary film The High Lonesome Sound. KEXP DJ Greg Vandy and filmmaker Drew Christie interviewed John about many of these topics and this short documentary is the result. The interview spanned 2 hours so much was left out of this cut, however, there will be an animated installment of the interview pertaining to John meeting the infamous Harry Smith- so keep your eyes peeled.”

Posted in: Video Tagged: bio, film, John Cohen, New Lost City Ramblers

On the West Coast… with John Cohen! Feb. 26th-March 12th…

February 24, 2011 by admin 1 Comment

[The Dust Busters with John Cohen, Fall 2010.]
About to head out on tour with The Dust Busters again!  We are very very pleased to be doing a tour of the West Coast with our friend from New Lost City, John Cohen.  John Cohen is a founder of the legendary old-time string band The New Lost City Ramblers, one of our very favorite bands and big inspirations.  John Cohen is a musician, photographer and film maker who has released more than 16 documentary films.  His latest is entitled “Roscoe Holcomb: From Daisy, Kentucky.”  The film follows Roscoe Holcomb, the singer, banjo and guitar player, construction worker and coal miner whom John encountered in 1959 while doing field work in Eastern Kentucky.  John befriended Roscoe and through John, Roscoe Holcomb was able to tour and play shows around the United States and in Europe, becoming known as one of the truly unique and essential voices of American folk music. It’s a beautiful film and a wonderful tribute to Roscoe Holcomb.  We will be touring up the West Coast from Berkeley all the way up to Vancouver, BC, playing shows and screening the film.  See below for all the dates and information.

“Roscoe Holcomb: From Daisy, Kentucky” recently premiered at the Margaret Meade Film Festival at the American Museum of Natural History together with a retrospective of John’s work and also just won the award for Best Documentary Short at the Woodstock Film Festival.

Below are the dates for our upcoming tour.  See ya out in the world!

Sat. Feb 26th, 2pm
Instore appearance at Down Home Music Store
10341 San Pablo Ave
El Cerrito, CA – 94530
(510) 525-2129

Sat. Feb 26th, 5pm
Workshops at The Freight & Salvage
2020 Addison Street

Berkeley, CA 94704

Info:
Old Time 5-String Banjo Workshop w/ John Cohen – Saturday, February 26, 5:00-6:00 pm ($25**)
Old-Time Country Fiddle Workshop w/ Craig Judelman – Saturday, February 26, 5:00-6:00 pm ($25**)
Old-Time Guitar Workshop w/ Eli Smith & Walker Shepard – Saturday, February 26, 5:00-6:00 pm ($25**)
Old Time String Band Sounds & Styles w/ John Cohen, Craig Judelman, Eli Smith, & Walker Shepard – Saturday, February 26, 6:15-7:15 pm ($25**)

**There is a discounted fee of $40 if you sign up simultaneously for one of the 5:00 workshops and the 6:15 Old Time String Band Sounds & Styles.

Mon. Feb 28th, 7:30pm
Show at The Freight and Salvage
2020 Addison Street

Berkeley, CA 94704

– The show starts at 7:30pm with a showing of John’s new Roscoe Holcomb film, then at 8pm the great Bay Area bluegrass band Kleptograss and then The Dust Busters with John Cohen.  We will also be joined on this show by our friend Frank Fairfield!

Tuesday March 1st, 9pm

Posted in: Other Tagged: John Cohen, movie, Roscoe Holcomb, The Dust Busters, tour, west coast

Roscoe Holcomb: From Daisy, Kentucky

February 2, 2011 by admin 1 Comment

Just a word to let everyone know that John Cohen’s new film, “Roscoe Holcomb: From Daisy, Kentucky” is out now!  It has been released by Shanachie Video and is available for purchase by CLICKING HERE.

The film has been packaged by Shanachie as “The Legacy of Roscoe Holcomb.”  The DVD includes John’s new film about Roscoe as well as his classic 1962 film about Holcomb, “The High Lonesome Sound.” You get both!

“Roscoe Holcomb: From Daisy, Kentucky” recently premiered at the Margaret Meade Film Festival at the American Museum of Natural History together with a retrospective of John’s work and also just won the award for Best Documentary Short at the Woodstock Film Festival.

Also, a very nice piece about John Cohen and the new film just aired on NPR’s Weekend Edition: CHECK IT OUT

Here’s a synopsis that I wrote for the program guide of the Woodstock Film Festival:

“John Cohen explores the life, philosophy and music of Eastern Kentucky banjo player, coal miner and construction worker Roscoe Holcomb. Holcomb has been injured on the job and forced into early retirement. He discusses his life and music and plays a number of traditional songs from his region. Using intimate footage of Holcomb at home as well as footage of his family, community and region, Cohen presents a remarkable and visually beautiful portrait of Roscoe Holcomb, a man who despite economic hardship and changing times has maintained a powerful and authentic personal music and philosophy.”

John used old footage from the early 60’s that he couldn’t use for “The High Lonesome Sound” because the technology didn’t exist at that time to put the film footage and audio into sync.  But now that is possible and was accomplished in expert fashion.  For this new film John also used really awesome color footage that he took of Holcomb and his family in the 197o’s.  It’s a beautiful film and a wonderful tribute to Roscoe Holcomb.

[Roscoe Holcomb with John Cohen, 1964]

Recent  reviews of the  film “Roscoe Holcomb: from Daisy, Kentucky.”
———————
Posted in: Articles, Other, Reviews Tagged: Banjo, Daisy Kentucky, John Cohen, new film, old time, Roscoe Holcomb, Roscoe Holcomb from Daisy Kentucky

This Weekend!

November 18, 2010 by admin Leave a Comment

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:

Posted in: Other Tagged: 25cpw, Banjo, gone to the country, John Cohen, New Lost City Ramblers, old time, ray allen, The Dust Busters

Elektra Old Time Banjo Project LP

September 10, 2010 by admin 9 Comments

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!

Posted in: Out of Print Records Tagged: Alan Block, Banjo, Bob Siggins, Elektra, Greenwhich Village, Hank Schwartz and Bill Vanaver, John Cohen, old time, peter k. siegel, Winnie Winston

Interview with John Cohen

November 25, 2009 by admin 2 Comments

http://celestialmonochord.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/fullcircle.jpg
On today’s show I speak with musician, photographer, filmmaker and folk-musicologist John Cohen of the New Lost City Ramblers. At the time of this interview, conducted in the summer of 2008, John had just come out with a new CD of old recordings called “Berkeley in the 1960’s” on the Field Recorders Collective label. This is a great record label, definitely check them out.

On the show we discuss this excellent new album, but also range over topics including his earliest field work in Kentucky and Peru, his influences as a guitarist, favorite photographers and his advice/anti-advice to students, stemming from his experience as a professor of art. John also demonstrates Hobart Smith’s piano style, which I’ve never heard anyone else tackle before and offers his reflections on his friend Roscoe Holcomb.  Recordings John mentions are played throughout.

Apparently whenever the New Lost City Ramblers would go to Berkeley, CA through out the 1960’s, they would have a big jam at a house on Colby Street.  John was so impressed by this gathering of musicians at that place and time that in 1970 with the help of Vanguard Records he flew to California to record this sound.  They used the left over tape from the Grateful Dead’s Working Man’s Dead sessions at Pacific High studios and recorded some great stuff, but one thing and another it didn’t come out, until now! Musicians on the record are Jody Stecher, Larry Hanks,  Sue Draheim, Holly Tannen, Hank Bradley, Sue Thompson, Eric Thompson, Kenny Hall and Bob Potts, Mac Benford and Walt Koken who would later form the Highwoods Stringband.

I’ve been trying to bring this interview out for over a year! Many thanks to Carly Nix for volunteering to edit this interview for airplay, otherwise it might have never got done. Thank you!

Sadly, I would also like to note the recent passing of Field Recorder’s Collective founder Ray Alden.  He was a great guy who did really important work.  I him met on a couple of occasions, but only briefly and without time to really talk or do an interview.  Now its too late, but I hope to do a piece about him as soon as possible.

And – Thanks go to the Old Time Herald magazine for being super cool and running our advertisement.  Check it out in the magazine!

Posted in: Shows Tagged: Field Recorders Collective, Hobart Smith, John Cohen, New Lost City Ramblers, old time, Piano, Robert Frank, Roscoe Holcomb

Banjo Workshop with John Cohen

June 9, 2009 by Eli Smith 6 Comments

Banjo Tunings and Styles Workshop with John Cohen

Here’s the first bit of audio I’m posting from the Brooklyn Folk Festival – John Cohen of the New Lost City Ramblers leads a banjo workshop focusing on different tunings and styles used by a number of banjo players he has learned from either directly or studied through their old recordings.  Banjo player Wade Ward describes tunings as “different atmospheres.”  Each banjo tuning carries its own set of possibilities and its own feeling.  In 1965 John Cohen encountered Ward and many other banjo players as he journeyed through the South finding musicians, making field recordings, discovering banjo tunings and lots more along the way.  Many of these field recordings were released on his wonderful album “High Atmosphere”. John discusses and demonstrates these many styles, sounds and techniques in this workshop from May, 17th, 2009.

The first play button plays a banjo music mix tape of all the original recordings of songs John covers in this workshop.  The second play button plays the audio of the workshop itself.  This is for banjo players only! (Unless you’re really interested)


John begins with a bit of Pete Seeger up picking, then a bit of frailing and thumb lead 2-finger picking, then more up picking (the same rhythm as clawhammer but picking up instead of hitting down on the string), Charlie Poole style finger picking banjo, Bascom Lamar Lunsford / George Landers style up picking (the workshop focuses a lot on this style, where in the first finger picks the melody and also then brushes up over the strings and the thumb picks the fifth string and drops down to some of the other strings.  There are no downward motions in this style.)  Sydna Myers style clawhammer, Dock Boggs finger picking and finally Pete Steele finger picking

Links:
Film about John Cohen on FolkStreams.net: Remembering the High Lonesome
Down Home Radio Rufus Crisp Feature Episode – playing recordings of Crisp, a banjo player very influential to John Cohen and the early folk music scene in New York.

Tunes included in the workshop:

Posted in: Live Recordings, Other, Shows Tagged: Banjo, Brooklyn Folk Festival, charlie poole, gaither carlton, high atmosphere, Jalopy, John Cohen, lesson, New Lost City Ramblers, old time, sydna myers, workshop
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