New Lost City Ramblers

Subject: New Lost City Ramblers
From: GUEST,Graham
Date: 16 Apr 01 - 05:09 PM

Can anyone please tell me the name of a guitar and spoons duet by the New Lost City Ramblers. There is a little bit of dialogue between the players such as: "I'm going home after this. Put my guitar in the case." "Put my spoons in the case too".

Thank you.

Graham

Subject: RE: New Lost City Ramblers
From: Nancy King
Date: 16 Apr 01 - 07:51 PM

I remember that bit of dialogue very well, but I'm damned if I can remember which album and song it was. I have a whole bunch of NLCR albums and just glanced through the notes for references to spoons, but no luck so far. You've got me intruiged and I'll keep looking, but it will probably take a while. Bet someone else will beat me to it.

Maybe later, Nancy

Subject: RE: New Lost City Ramblers
From: Mark Clark
Date: 16 Apr 01 - 09:05 PM

That was "Buckdancers Choice" featuring John Cohen on guitar and Tracy Schwarz on spoons. I remember cornering John at one of the early University of Chicago Folk Festivals and he graciously consented to show me how it was played. I still enjoy playing the tune.

      - Mark

Subject: RE: New Lost City Ramblers
From: Nancy King
Date: 16 Apr 01 - 09:38 PM

Right! I missed it first time through the notes, but I knew someone else would know. It was on the NLCR's 1963 album, "Gone to the Country" (Folkways FA 2491). Think I'll go dub in onto tape.

Cheers, Nancy

Subject: RE: New Lost City Ramblers
From: Art Thieme
Date: 16 Apr 01 - 11:14 PM

When I first heard the Ramblers at the GATE OF HORN in Chicago (1959) it was done as a solo (no bones that I remember) by Tom Paley. Later, I do remember Tracy doing the bones at the U. of Chicago Festival.

Art Thieme

Subject: RE: New Lost City Ramblers
From: GUEST,Brad Sondahl
Date: 17 Apr 01 - 09:11 AM

Buckdancer's Choice is a traditional, but it's likely they learned it from the fine playing of Sam McGee from Sunny Tennessee. Brad http://pages.about.com/bsondahl

Subject: RE: New Lost City Ramblers
From: GUEST,Graham
Date: 17 Apr 01 - 03:03 PM

Many thanks to all who replied. Next time I play it at the folk club (Newport, Isle of Wight, UK) I can give it a name. I can't do the talking bit though. I lose the rhythm in my fingers!

Graham

Subject: RE: New Lost City Ramblers
From: Stefan Wirz
Date: 11 Jan 03 - 07:58 AM

NLCR discography online at http://www.wirz.de/music/nlcr.htm

Subject: RE: New Lost City Ramblers
From: BanjoRay
Date: 30 May 03 - 04:26 AM

Tom Paley's back with them for a concert in London!

This came from NickP the FOAOTMAD secretary:
New Lost City Ramblers - Mike Seeger + John Cohen +Tom Paley + Tracey
Schwarz
************************************************************************
************************************************************************
Saturday 7 June 2003 - 7.30 pm, Shaw Theatre, Euston Road, London NW1

The New Lost City Ramblers have been at the forefront of old-time American
music, from their formation in New York City in the late 1950s, through the
festival scene of the 1960s, when they shared the stage with Bob Dylan, Joan
Baez and Jimi Hendrix, to the present day where they continue to influence a
whole new generation of musicians. The New Lost City Ramblers almost
single-handedly sparked a revival of interest in traditional old-time
American music. Their music, based on traditional styles, ranges from
unaccompanied ballad singing through to old-time fiddle and banjo tunes,
mountain string band music, Carter Family songs, country ragtime and early
bluegrass sounds. They have recorded over twenty albums, and have been
nominated for two Grammy awards.

Tickets: £12 / £9 concessions
To book call 020 7387 6864 / 0870 7301180, or see Shaw Theatre website.
This concert is being organised by the Institute of United States Studies,
at the University of London

Cheers
Ray

Subject: RE: New Lost City Ramblers
From: BanjoRay
Date: 30 May 03 - 04:29 AM

Sorry, that link should be This
Cheers
Ray

Subject: RE: New Lost City Ramblers
From: GUEST,Ewan McVicar
Date: 30 May 03 - 05:33 AM

In Hamish Imlach's autobiography, cowritten by me, he told of meeting Sam McGee in Nashville in about 1974. Hamish commented on Buckdancer's Choice. Sam said, "Oh yes, I think I wrote that, in 1912 or so."

Subject: RE: New Lost City Ramblers
From: nickp
Date: 30 May 03 - 08:56 AM

Thanks for thinking of that Ray. I understand that Mike Seeger has arranged for a (minimalistic - single camera) video to be made so at least the event will be kept for posterity although whether any of it becomes available on general release I don't know. Wish I could be there. Anybody going with a minidisc? - on second thoughts, don't admit to it!
Nick

Subject: RE: New Lost City Ramblers
From: Art Thieme
Date: 30 May 03 - 10:54 AM

This should be recorded---definitely !! These guys cannot be overestimated as to their total involvement in, causal influence on and seminal role in creating the HUGE present love and appreciation for what is known as old-timey music. Over the years I've gotten to know Mike and Tom. Mike Seeger's performance of the song "Peace" and Tom Paley's version of Sam McGhee's "Railroad Blues" never fail to simply knock-me-out every time I hear them. When the Ramblers came to Chicago's folk club, the Gate Of Horn, in 1959 we knew we were hearing something totally new (to us) and something important that we were going to have to get educated to if we were going to understand it. --- Like good Scotch, it was an acquired taste. I, for one, have been immensely enriched for making the effort to understand and to love this music.

Art Thieme

Subject: RE: New Lost City Ramblers
From: Peter T.
Date: 30 May 03 - 11:03 AM

There is a really interesting hourlong interview with John Cohen stored on the Secret Museum of the Air archives here!. There is one fascinating, and very funny, segment where a song is traced from Charlie Poole to the Kingston Trio (explaining what the NLCR hated). yours, Peter T.

Subject: RE: New Lost City Ramblers
From: nickp
Date: 06 Jun 03 - 10:51 AM

refresh before it's too late for anyone to go.

Subject: RE: New Lost City Ramblers
From: open mike
Date: 06 Jun 03 - 11:59 AM

oooh looky!
i found these links while sezrching NLCR
http://www.johncohenworks.com/music/ramblers.html
http://www.oldtimeherald.org/pages/7-2/nlcr_1.htm
http://www.oldtimeherald.org/pages/7-3/nlcr_2.htm
http://www.folkways.si.edu/40098.htm
http://www.folkways.si.edu/40040.htm
http://www.wirz.de/music/nlcrfrm.htm
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/stores/artist/glance
/-/40526/ref%3Dpd%5Fsimart%5Fdetail/104-8573723-0001506

no blickies here--just a quick likst

Subject: RE: New Lost City Ramblers
From: open mike
Date: 06 Jun 03 - 12:10 PM

and...
http://www.tompaley.com/
http://mikeseeger.info/

Subject: RE: New Lost City Ramblers
From: Mark Clark
Date: 06 Jun 03 - 01:31 PM

http://www.johncohenworks.com/music/ramblers.html
http://www.oldtimeherald.org/pages/7-2/nlcr_1.htm
http://www.oldtimeherald.org/pages/7-3/nlcr_2.htm
http://www.folkways.si.edu/40098.htm
http://www.folkways.si.edu/40040.htm
http://www.wirz.de/music/nlcrfrm.htm
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/stores/artist/glance/-/40526/ref%3Dpd%5Fsimart%5Fdetail/104-8573723-0001506
http://www.tompaley.com/
http://mikeseeger.info/

Subject: RE: New Lost City Ramblers
From: RobinL
Date: 06 Jun 03 - 04:19 PM

Martin Carthy used to play "Buckdancer's Choice" way back when. Anyone know if he ever recorded it?

Subject: RE: New Lost City Ramblers
From: BanjoRay
Date: 07 Jun 03 - 06:52 PM

Did any mudcatters go and see the concert tonight? - I want to know what I missed - should I have gone? Did Tom Paley fit in well with the regular team or was it a disaster?
Cheers
Ray

Subject: RE: New Lost City Ramblers
From: GUEST,Redhorse at work
Date: 09 Jun 03 - 08:26 AM

We were there.
They did 4-5 songs with Mike/John/Tom, 4-5 songs Tom solo and the rest of the evening with Mike/John/Tracey. Tom joined them for a couple of encores.
Pre-63 lineup was somewhat rusty, but for people who haven't performed together for 40 years, pretty impressive. Tom solo and post-63 lineup were good (and yes, Art, Tom's Railroad Blues is as impressive as ever); maybe the band has a bit less energy than on their recordings, but still great for all that.
Although I've seen Tom a few times at Gainsborough, I'd never seen the Ramblers before but been listening to their records since '68. Really glad I got to see them.

Subject: RE: New Lost City Ramblers
From: nickp
Date: 09 Jun 03 - 08:49 AM

And did they have FOAOTMAD flyers out in the theatre? I sent them special delivery...
Nick

And for people who wonder what on earth I'm talking about-

FOAOTMAD - Friends of American Old Time Music & Dance

Subject: RE: New Lost City Ramblers
From: Art Thieme
Date: 09 Jun 03 - 04:58 PM

Redhorse,

Sounds just great. I do wish I'd been there. Did Tom stay with American old-timey tunes for his solo stint, or did he get into Swedish fiddle tunes?? Just curious.

Art Thieme

Subject: RE: New Lost City Ramblers
From: redhorse
Date: 09 Jun 03 - 06:41 PM

One swedish fiddle tune (well half really) otherwise old-time.

Didn't notice any FOATMAD flyers, though did a mention in the programme

Subject: RE: New Lost City Ramblers
From: nickp
Date: 10 Jun 03 - 05:51 AM

Thanks redhorse, that's something anyway

Nick

Subject: RE: New Lost City Ramblers
From: harpgirl
Date: 05 May 04 - 09:49 PM

What can Tracy tell me about playing bones? I need some tips! I practice while I'm driving the truck....

Subject: RE: New Lost City Ramblers
From: open mike
Date: 06 May 04 - 01:01 AM

tracey puts the bones in the compost...

Subject: New Lost City Ramblers
From: Fred McCormick
Date: 12 Nov 06 - 04:50 AM

I've just been reading Peter Goldsmith's excellent biography of Moe Asch, Making People's Music. In it he says that several New Lost City Folkways albums were re-released in Britain on Ember.

I recall that Ember re-released a comparatively small amount of Folkways material, maybe three or four LP's worth. But I can't remember them releasing anything by the NLCR.

Does anyone have a better memory than me ?

Subject: RE: New Lost City Ramblers
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 12 Nov 06 - 12:04 PM

THe Folkways recordings of the NLCR are available on CD. CAMSCO Music, of course, carries them

Subject: RE: New Lost City Ramblers
From: GUEST,Gassed
Date: 12 Nov 06 - 02:58 PM

I love The New Lost City Ramblers! Still. I saw Mike Seeger live at a Seattle folk club in the early 70's. It was a small room with maybe 30 people in attendance yet they had all these mic's and stuff set up on a stage. He came out onto this little stage and sat down, said Hi, looked around and then suddenly said ........    "to heck with all this stuff, do you mind if I just come down and sit and play right in front of you". So he did! He played guitar, fiddle and old-time banjo - and sang. Towards the middle of the show he pulled out an old fretless banjo which had been made back in the 1800's. He had borrowed it from someone local. He could get the most bluesy sounds out of that thing by flatting or otherwise slightly altering the notes. Most amazing! On top of it all, he was the nicest, most polite unassuming guy you would ever want to meet. At one point he asked if there were any requests so I asked for a tune off of one of his albums with the Ramblers called "Smoke Town Strut". He laughed and said, "I haven't played that old thing in years - but he played it. He played it good! What a great time it was to be in that scene at that time.

Subject: RE: New Lost City Ramblers
From: GUEST,Hootenanny
Date: 13 Nov 06 - 06:15 AM

Fred,

Don't know if my memory is better than yours but there were three of which I have two, E.P's isued by Ember of NLCR material. Six titles on each.
Can let you have catalogue numbers and titles if you wish.

Subject: RE: New Lost City Ramblers
From: Fred McCormick
Date: 13 Nov 06 - 08:28 AM

Hi Hoot,

Thanks for the info, although I don't need the discographical data. It's just that Goldsmith said there were various Folkways NLCR releases on Ember, and described them as bootlegs, which strictly speaking they probably weren't. From the sound of it they probably predate my own old time country records buying days; late '60s onwards. Which presumably is why I don't remember them.

Subject: RE: New Lost City Ramblers
From: open mike
Date: 13 Nov 06 - 06:14 PM

i produced a concert by Tom Paley who is touring the US now (fall 2006)
there are several other threads where we have discussed NLCR recently.
i will refresh them. i do not know why the search engine does not list
them at the beginning fo the post as often it does.

Subject: RE: New Lost City Ramblers
From: open mike
Date: 13 Nov 06 - 06:20 PM

Tom Paley is president of friends of american old time music and dance

Subject: RE: New Lost City Ramblers
From: BanjoRay
Date: 14 Nov 06 - 09:06 AM

As our president, Tom Paley will be appearing at the Friends Of American Old Time Music And Dance (Foaotmad) festival at Gainsborough UK in February, with the New Deal String Band. Other band members will be Joe Locker (banjo, guitar) and Bob Winquist (fiddle)
Ray (Chairman)

Subject: RE: New Lost City Ramblers
From: Max
Date: 14 Nov 06 - 09:32 AM

Interesting. I just recently got way into these guys. Mike Seeger is the best mouth harp player in the history of the world! Check out 'Turkey in the Straw' on '40 Years Of Concert Recordings' which is a fantastic double album. I consider these guys the best example of 'Old Timey Music'.

Subject: RE: New Lost City Ramblers
From: GLoux
Date: 14 Nov 06 - 11:36 AM

At the last Brandywine Mountain Music Convention (1993), the Brandywine Friends of Old-Time Music got them back together for a reunion concert, including Tom Paley, which was according to my sources, a miracle. The depth of their musicianship both individually and together is stunning, IMHO. But that's not even close to giving them the appreciation they deserve for everything else they've done for old-time music...they rescued it from oblivion and made it available in such a way that has inspired so many to appreciate it.

In addition to the NLCR recordings, be sure to check out the field recordings they've done over the years. For example, Mike Seeger's Close to Home on Smithsonian Folkways has recordings of Elizabeth Cotten, Kilby Snow, Tom Ashley, Wade Ward, Dock Boggs, Arthur Smith and the McGee Brothers, Eck Robertson, Sara Carter Bays and Maybelle Carter, and Snuffy Jenkins, among others.

Or John Cohen's High Atmosphere on Rounder has recordings by Lloyd Chandler, Dillard Chandler, Gaither Carlton (Doc Watson's Father-in-Law), Sidna Myers, Frank Proffitt, Dellie Norton, Fred Cockerham and E.C. Ball, among others.

-Greg

Subject: RE: New Lost City Ramblers
From: GUEST,Hootenanny
Date: 14 Nov 06 - 04:52 PM

Subject: RE: New Lost City Ramblers
From: GUEST,Hootenanny
Date: 14 Nov 06 - 04:56 PM

I'll try again:

Greg, this happened again in London ten years later, June 2003.
The "current" NLCR came over for a concert in London and as Tom Paley lives here he was included. The concert was put on video too I believe.

Hoot