Far from finished...The Re-Ups Continue!
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Sunday, July 29, 2012
Dowland : "Lachrimae or Seaven Teares" and Fourteen Other Dances -- Eugene Müller-Dombois (lute), Viola da Gamba Quintet of Schola Cantorum Basiliensis (1968 -- RCA Victrola, VICS-1338)
This set of Dowland pavanes and other dances has steady calmed my worn-out nerves throughout the course of this entire month. To be true, it's been nearly the only newly-acquired LP that I've had on deck until late last week. I reckon I've found Lachrimae, in particular, uplifting in that reflective, somber, minor key kind of way. I recognize that Renaissance chamber sounds are something a change of pace for GC, but really...Isn't that why we're all here in the first place -- Looking for new sounds and revelatory surprises? Besides, if I've played it that much, seems like the proof is in the pudding...
"Very little is known of John "the Bard" Dowland's early life, but it is generally thought he was born in London. Irish historian W. H. Grattan Flood claimed that he was born in Dalkey, near Dublin, but no corroborating evidence has ever been found either for that statement or for Thomas Fuller's claim that he was born in Westminster.[2] In 1580 Dowland went to Paris, where he was in service to Sir Henry Cobham, the ambassador to the French court, and his successor, Sir Edward Stafford.[3] He became a Roman Catholic at this time.[4] In 1584, Dowland moved back to England where he was married. In 1588 he was admitted Mus. Bac. from Christ Church, Oxford.[5] In 1594 a vacancy for a lutenist came up at the English court, but Dowland's application was unsuccessful - he claimed his religion led to his not being offered a post at Elizabeth I's Protestant court. However, his conversion was not publicized, and being Catholic did not prevent some other important musicians (such as William Byrd) from having a court career in England.[3]
From 1598 Dowland worked at the court of Christian IV of Denmark,[6] though he continued to publish in London.[7]King Christian was very interested in music[8] and paid Dowland astronomical sums; his salary was 500 daler a year, making him one of the highest-paid servants of the Danish court.[9] Though Dowland was highly regarded by King Christian, he was not the ideal servant, often overstaying his leave when he went to England on publishing business or for other reasons.[8] Dowland was dismissed in 1606[8] and returned to England;[9] in early 1612 he secured a post as one of James I's lutenists.[10] There are few compositions dating from the moment of his royal appointment until his death in London in 1626.[11] While the date of his death is not known, "Dowland's last payment from the court was on 20 January 1626, and he was buried at St Ann's, Blackfriars, London, on 20 February 1626."[12]
Two major influences on Dowland's music were the popular consort songs, and the dance music of the day.[13] Most of Dowland's music is for his own instrument, the lute.[14] It includes several books of solo lute works, lute songs (for one voice and lute), part-songs with lute accompaniment, and several pieces for viol consort with lute.[15] The poetRichard Barnfield wrote that Dowland's "heavenly touch upon the lute doth ravish human sense."
One of his better known works is the lute song "Flow my tears", the first verse of which runs:
Flow my tears, fall from your springs,
Exil'd for ever let me mourn;
Where night's black bird her sad infamy sings,
There let me live forlorn.—John Dowland, [16]
He later wrote what is probably his best known instrumental work, Lachrimae, or Seaven Teares, Figured in Seaven Passionate Pavans, a set of seven pavanesfor five viols and lute, each based on the theme derived from the lute song "Flow my tears".[17] It became one of the best known collections of consort music in his time. His pavane, "Lachrymae antiquae", was also popular in the seventeenth century, and was arranged and used as a theme for variations by many composers.
Dowland's music often displays the melancholia that was so fashionable in music at that time.[18] He wrote a consort piece with the punning title "Semper Dowland, semper dolens" (always Dowland, always doleful), which may be said to sum up much of his work.[19]" (Wikipedia)
Eugen Dombois (or Mueller-Dombois) is best known as an instructor at the Schola Cantorum in Basel, where he has trained a whole generation of major lute players. (Source: *roughly translated)
John Dowland : "Lachrimae or Seaven Teares" and Fourteen Other Dances -- Eugene Müller-Dombois (lute), Viola da Gamba Quintet of Schola Cantorum Basiliensis (1968 -- RCA Victrola, VICS-1338)
320 mp3 + Flac
1. Lachrimae or Seaven Teares
2. Lachrimae Antiquae
3. Lachrimae Antiquae Novae
4. Lachrimae Gementes
5. Lachrimae Tristes
6. Lachrimae Coactae
7. Lachrimae Verae
1. M. John Langton's Pavan - Sir John Souch His Galliard - M. Nicholas Gryffith His Galliard - M. Giles Hoby's Galliard - M. George Whitehead His Allemande
2. Sir Henry Umpton's Funeral - M. Henry Noel His Galliard - Captaine Digorie Piper His Galliard - M. Buctons' Galliard
3. "Semper Dowland semper dolens" - The King of Denmark's Galliard - The Earl of Essex Galliard - M. Thomas Collier His Galliard - Mrs. Nichols' Allemande
FYI, Many more re-ups are on the way. Tonight or tomorrow. Peace.
Friday, July 20, 2012
Fresh Links : A Mountain of Re-Ups
Fresh ADrive links for a huge pile of vinyl rips taken down with my recent suspension from Mediafire. More in the works for Monday. Dig it, friends.
Edmundo P. Zaldivar -- Carnavalitos (Pampa, LRS 15021
*Argentina) **Fresh link thanks to Burnt Out Savannahs
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Suni McGrath - Cornflower Suite (1969 -- Adelphi, AD1002S) 320 mp3 + Flac
"The music on this record is my attempt to explore and further the american acoustic guitar. I have four sources for the musics here presented: Bulgarian music for rhythmic modes and ideas, also modulation of melodic modes and harmonies; Hindustani for subtle melodic graces and ideas of variation, fahey for the conception of the art; Bartok for modal harmonies analogous to conventional western harmony, and treatment of themes." (Suni McGrath, cover notes)
In my view, Fahey, Basho & McGrath are something of a holy trinity for american primitive solo guitar. Among them, McGrath is easily the least well-known. Cornflower Suite is his outstanding first LP. This is a fresh vinyl rip by yours truly. Enjoy.
Suni McGrath - Cornflower Suite (1969 -- Adelphi, AD1002S)
Side 1
2. Picnic On The Moor 2:21
3. Garden Of Afternoon 6:15
Side 2
1. Winged Sandal 4:15
2. Pea Plucker's Pavane 4:29
3. Xopo 4:18
4. Blue Domes Of Isfahan 4:29
Friday, June 8, 2012
(V/A) Anglo-American Songs and Ballads, Edited by Duncan B. M. Emrich (1947; Library of Congress, AAFS L20)
"These traditional songs, recorded with portable equipment in the field, are sung and played by people who have learned them in the hand-me-down manner of folklore from their parents or neighbors. The singers are untrained musically, and their voices reflect the hills and plains of America rather than the broadcasting studio or the concert stage. This is not in any sense to minimize their worths, but, on the contrary, to point up the unique value of the recordings, for through them is preserved for the American people the pure tradition of song." (Cover notes)
Love it. Originally released in 1947 as a handful of 78s, this 1970's LP re-press collection of raw American Anglo-folk was edited by Duncan B. M. Emrich for the LOC's American Folk Song and Folklore Archives. All are first-rate field recordings from a wonderful range of sources in front of, and behind, the microphone. Vinyl rip by yours truly.
[V/A] Anglo-American Songs and Ballads : Edited by Duncan B. M. Emrich *Folk Music of the United States Series (Library of Congress, AAFS L20)
320 mp3 + Flac
Side A
1. Cripple Creek - Henry King and Family
2. Git Along Down To Town - Henry King and Family
3. Kicking Mule - Henry King and Family
4. A Railroader For Me - Russ Pike
5. Little Old Sod Shanty - Jimmy Denoon
6. Good Old Rebel - Booth Campbell
7. Jesse James - Bascom Lamar Lunsford
8. Baa, Baa, Black Sheep - Bascom Lamar Lunsford
9. Blue-Eyed Girl - Rufus Crisp
Side B
1. The Cruel War Is Raging - Charles Ingenthron
2. Nottingham Fair - Charles Ingenthron
3. The Soldier's Joy - McMinnville Garment Factory Workers' Band
4. Give The Fiddler A Dram - McMinnville Garment Factory Workers' Band
5. Black Mountain Blues - Sam Leslie & Palmer Crisp
6. The Dying Cowboy - Dick Devall
7. Red Whiskey - Dick Devall
8. Little Dogies - Dick Devall
9. My Sweetheart's A Cowboy - Dick Devall
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
Guillermo de la Roca - La Flûte Indienne : Aires del Tawantinsuyo (Disques Alvarès / BAM, EX1512)
Deep Andean folk melodies from Argentina & Bolivia. This is a sound which, to my ears, has a uniquely haunting way of evoking celebration and tragedy, all at once. This 4-song 45rpm EP, year currently unknown, was released in France by Disques Alvarès, an offshoot affiliate of the classic La Boite a Musique (BAM) record label. Vinyl rip by yours truly.
Guillermo de la Roca - La Flûte Indienne : Aires del Tawantinsuyo (196x, Disques Alvarès / BAM, EX1512)
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
Scotty : Draw your Brakes - The Best of Scotty (Musical Chariot, 1971 + Crystal, 1992) *320 + Flac
After the break-up of [their early group] The Federals, Scotty {David Scott} and {A.J.} Franklin re-formed their group...,adopted the name The Chosen Few, and resumed work under {promoter/producer, Derrick] Harriott. Their popularity increased in 1970 after they provided back-up vocals for Hopeton Lewis's single "Boom Shacka Lacka", and later that year they scored a Jamaican #1 hit of their own with "Psychedelic Train".
Shortly after this success, Harriott removed Scotty from The Chosen Few, replacing him with Busty Brown, the former singer for The Messengers. Instead, Scotty provided DJ work for various groups under Harriott's auspices, such as The Crystallites, his first DJ outing being "Musical Chariot".[2] He appeared on numerous charting hits during this period, such as "Sesame Street" (1970, reaching #3 in Jamaica), "Riddle I This" (1970, #1) and "Jam Rock Style" (1971).[2]His song "Draw Your Brakes", a deejay version of Keith & Tex's hit "Stop That Train", was in the soundtrack to the film, The Harder They Come.
Scotty's style prefigured the 'singjay' style of the late 1970s.[3] He continued working with Harriott until 1972, after which he spent a couple of years working with other producers such as Harry J, Lloyd Charmers, and Sonia Pottinger.[2] Scotty moved to the United States in 1974, settling in Florida. He established arecording studio and a record label, but these both failed, and he returned to Jamaica. He resumed recording, now in a ragga style, and was working on a new album when he died of prostate cancer in 2003. (Wikipedia)
Scotty : Draw your Brakes - The Best of Scotty (Musical Chariot, 1971 + Crystal, 1992)
Side A 1. Draw Your Brakes 2. Children Children 3. Penny For Your Song 4. Jam Rock Style 5. I Worry 6. Musical Chariot 7. Clean Race (Psychodelic Train) Side B 1. Sesame Street 2. Sing Along 3. Riddle I This 4. Rosemarie 5. Lonely Man 6. Monkey Drop |
Saturday, June 2, 2012
Nguashi N'Timbo with L'Orchestre Festival of Zaire : Shauri Yako (ASLP 936, 1981?)
"Shauri Yako" is a stone classic of Congolese {Zairian} popular music. The song has been treated to many excellent renditions, but is the original, composed by Nguashi N'Timbo and released in the very early 1980s. This record can be fairly tough to come by. I'm unsure about the other versions (of N'Timbo's original)that I've seen about the blogosphere, but my copy is Zambian pressed. Must say, I'm feeling pretty good about the transfers of Shauri Yako & Simakala. The second parts of the second tracks (on both sides), however, each have hums from a vinyl distortion that developed as the needle neared the center of the record. So it goes. Enjoy!
DOWNLOAD -- Nguashi N'Timbo with L'Orchestre Festival of Zaire : Shauri Yako (ASLP 936, 1981?)
Sunday, May 27, 2012
Friday, May 25, 2012
The Homestead Act - Gospel Snake (1972* Kim-Pat, KPL-1072) 320 + Flac
A lively helping of oddball private-press Americana from short-lived 70's California country combo The Homestead Act, two of whom; Elmo & Patsy, cashed-in years later and recorded the infamous downhome-styled holiday smash "Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer". The cover tracks on here are dynamite, with heady swirls of killer steel guitar licks abundant throughout. And FYI, the red hot session band features the oft-revered Steve Young at the top of its marquee. Vinyl rip by yours truly.
Side A
TRAVELING KIND
MANY RIVERS
GOSPEL SNAKE
LIMEHOUSE BLUES
MY OKLAHOMA
THE WHITE TRASH SONG
MANY RIVERS
GOSPEL SNAKE
LIMEHOUSE BLUES
MY OKLAHOMA
THE WHITE TRASH SONG
Side B
LADY MADONNA
WHEN THE SUN DON'T SHINE
WHEN THE SUN DON'T SHINE
HOG CALL RAG
Y'ALL COME
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