Welcome, everybody, to the Mudcat YouTube Folkmusic Video Thread.
The purpose of this thread is to build up a library of links to recorded music on the Internet in the folk/blues idiom, most of which (but not necessarily all) will be in the form of YouTube videos. Some overlapping between jazz on the one hand and classical on the other is probably inevitable from time to time, but the focus is firmly on folk/blues.
Most of the links will be to YouTube videos, but links to archived radio broadcasts will also be welcome, as will links to video sites other than YouTube. Members and guests are equally welcome to submit recommendations.
For the purposes of this thread, "folk/blues" has to be classified into several different categories, (as outlined below) in order to facilitate searches for recommendations.
The criteria for inclusion in this symposium are, that the videos should be :
A) of outstanding musical worth and /or B) of historical significance. ( except in the case of McGrath of Harlow's eclectic videos and Mudcatters's Own Videos ).
The criteria are unashamedly subjective, (ie I decide) but the selections are always open to comment on the sister thread We Need a YouTube Permathread.
This thread is purely for links to YouTube (or links to other online resources) . Posts will be deleted as soon as the links have been incorporated, and posts which do not contain suggested links will be deleted immediately.(This amendment made 25 February 2007)
Any comments, complimentary or otherwise, should be directed to the thread referenced above. We Need a YouTube Permathread
Please post links to specific videos, and not to lists of videos by any one performer, or group of performers. Normally, there will only be one link to any one performer, since YouTube will supply cross-references to other performances.
Please stay within the boundaries of "folk/blues" as far as possible. These boundaries are wide, I know, but I will not be putting up any links to pop and /or classical , unless they have significant connections to the folk/blues tradition.
Enough of the rules, on to the content. The classifications are as follows.
Americana
Vocal and instrumental performances in the American tradition.
Blues
Blues performances, vocal and instrumental.
Irish
Vocal, instrumental, and dance performances in the Irish tradition.
English
Vocal, instrumental, and dance performances in the English tradition.
Scottish
Vocal, instrumental, and dance performances in the Scottish tradition.
African
Vocal, instrumental and dance performances from the various African traditions.
Contemporary
stuff from contemporary songwriters
World
Anything which doesn't fit into any of the above categories.
Almost all links will belong to one of the categories above, but I am also creating several instrumental categories, many of the links in these will be duplicated in one of the categories above, but it will make it easier for anybody searching for instrumental performances.
Guitar
Guitar performances of outstanding merit.
Mandolin
Mandolin performances of outstanding merit.
Banjo
Banjo performances of outstanding merit.
Fiddle
Fiddle performances of outstanding merit.
Pipes
Piping performances of outstanding merit.
Miscellaneous
Any instrumental performances which do not belong to any of the above categories.
Eclectic videos recommended by McGrath of Harlow
Self-explanatory
Mudcatters' own videos
Videos of performances by members of Mudcat
This is a PermaThread™, maintained by Murray MacLeod. Feel free to post to this thread, but be aware that all messages in this thread are subject to deletion and editing.
Subject: RE: YouTube Folkmusic Video PermaThread From:Bill D Date: 18 Oct 06 - 04:07 PM
If you should wish to download a video from YouTube for later viewing, here is a simple little program...(I tested it...it worked fine on my 1st try) It puts a little icon in your browser's titlebar, which you click to get the options banner...then paste the video address in its space and zooom...
Lonnie Donegan singing Woody Guthrie's "Grand Coulee Dam." It's a bit difficult to know where to slot Lonnie, some may say he should be in the English category, but since all his material came from the American tradition, I feel he belongs here.
John Hartford sings one of his best -loved songs "Where Does an Old-time Pilot Go", ably assisted by Vassar Clements, Tony Rice, Jerry Douglas and Mark O'Connor
Dolly , Emmylou and Linda singing the sweetest three part harmony you could imagine on "The Sweetest Gift / Bury me beneath the willow"
The same trio singing Jean Ritchie's song "My Dear Companion". Beautiful.
The McGarrigles singing "The Logger's Waltz" (recommended by Abby Sale. ) I am breaking my own rules including this as the performers are not shown, but it is rather charming ...
Catfish Stephenson singing and playing Jimmie Rodgers' "Waiting for a Train". Nice version, and included here as much as a tutorial in slide guitar as anything else. Note the extremely accomplished yodelling as well. Thanks to katlaughing for this one
Jean Ritchie singing "Blackwaters". A powerful and intensely moving song about the horrors of 20th century mining in the Appalachians. Please watch this.
The Weavers singing "Goodnight Irene". A vintage performance from 1949
Paul Brady singing the "Lakes of Pontchartrain" in Gaelic, the translation was written by Francie Mooney.
Planxty performing "The Blacksmith". There are several clips of Planxty on YouTube, this one shows them in their youthful heyday. Wonderful singing from Andy Irvine.
The Dubliners singing Phil Coulter's song "The Town I loved so Well". A truly wonderful clip of the Dubliners in their prime.
Grace. probably the most moving song ever written, sung here by Anthony Kearns. Amazing voice, amazing song, amazing story. Normally I don't post videos here which don't actually show the performer singing or playing, but I have no hesitation in making an exception in this case.
Paul Brady singing "The Shamrock Shore", in a pub session. Simply superb, from both a historical and artistic viewpoint, this is the kind of video we need more of. Thanks to akenaton for pointing out this one.
Martin Carthy and Dave Swarbrick singing "I haven't told her, she hasn't told me". Enchanting clip, bit of a curiosity, it's not exactly "Byker Hill", but rivetting nonetheless
The Copper Family just a fragmentary clip of the Coppers singing "Thousands or More", but the only online clip available at present, unfortunately...
Traditional shanty sung by the men who actually do go to sea. (thanks to Azizi for this one, I would never have found it by myself)
"Dives and Lazarus" sung by a Finnish singer. It doesn't get much more cosmopolitan than this. I just wish Martin Simpson would allow some of his videos to appear on here, including his rendition of this song.
"Torn Screen Door" (that's the song title). obviously not traditional, but I feel it fits comfortably in the English traditional category. Nice acapella singing.
Eric Bogle singing "The Band Played Waltzing Matilda" with powerful screen images of WW1
Eva Cassidy singing Sting's "Fields of Gold". A wondrous rendition by one of the finest female voices ever recorded.
Iris Dement singing "Our Town" , from the Transatlantic Sessions. Probably the finest piece of music in the whole series imo. Excellent harmonising from Emmylou, and instrumental support from a stellar group of musicians including Aly Bain and Jerry Douglas
Doc Watson playing "Deep River Blues". Superb fingerpicking from the master.
Tommy Emmanuel playing a medley of songs on stage during a concert celebrating Australia Day 2004. The ultimate guitar showman, yet his incredible technical virtuosity never gets in the way of the music. There are many many clips of TE on YouTube, I felt this one was probably the most representative for anybody seeing him for the first time.
Chris Proctor conducting a Taylor workshop. This is a "must watch" for all fingerstyle guitar players, his "Huckleberry Hornpipe" at 10.30 in Open G is particularly enthralling and will repay watching over and over again.
HAMADA Takasi (to give him the correct Japanese nomenclature), although he is called Takashi Hamada on the YouTube video. This man is truly amazing, his forte is classic ragtime, and in this clip he plays the finest rendition of "Maple Leaf Rag" you are ever likely to hear.
George Shuffler demonstrating his crosspicking technique. Shuffler is one of the great originals, ( he played with the Stanley Brothers in the fifties ), and this demonstration should be studied closely by all flatpickers.
John Renbourn singing and playing "Abide with Me" , and "Great Dream of Heaven". Effortlessly fluid fingerstyle. Renbourn is playing here at least as well as ever, if not better, on these two hymns, the second of which comes from the great Bahamian guitarist Joseph Spence. He needs to lose the woolly cap, however, imo.
Unfortunately, this Renbourn has been removed due to copyright issues. Oh well ...
Duelling Banjos from "Deliverance". Played by Eric Weissberg and Steve Mandel on the soundtrack, and more properly entitled "Feuding Banjos". Check out the clothes-peg capo on the albino kid's banjo neck ...
Ukelele magic. Jake Shimabukuro playing "While My Guitar gently Weeps". (in the middle of Central Park, yet.) This is one of the most famous and most frequently watched videos ever uploaded to YouTube, justifiably so. A million miles from George Formby ...
Jerry Douglas playing Donal Lunny's "Tribute to Peadar O'Donnell" and finishing off with "Monkey let the Hogs Out". The sweetest dobro playing you will ever hear.
Simon Thoumire, celebrated concertina virtuoso and bon viveur, demonstrating his fluidity, musicality and incredible dexterity on "Madame Bonaparte"
Subject: RE: YouTube Folkmusic Video PermaThread From:Max Date: 16 Dec 06 - 10:27 AM
Murray, I commend you on this idea and thread.
A few months ago, I made a deal with Stefan Grossman for his entire collection of videos. http://guitarvideos.com/ . We've been encoding, classifying and organizing thousands and thousands of videos for months now. We're also working on a way to deliver these videos for a fee. The goal is to use all the proceeds to fund the mudcat. My optimism suggests that we'll never need contributions again if this works out well.
I'd be very interested in your thoughts about paying for such videos, maybe a dollar or two per clip. I sure have been enjoying the process of encoding and reviewing them all. They are going to be well organized, professionally encoded, perfectly synced (audio w/ the video). Stefan has one hell of a collection, and I am proud to be involved (and have a copy of every single one of them).
Subject: RE: YouTube Folkmusic Video PermaThread From:Joe Offer Date: 13 Jan 07 - 04:49 PM
Just a request - some of us, particularly Mudcatters in rural areas, have slow dialup connections, and we cannot access Youtube. When you give links to Youtube videos, could you give us a brief explanation of what we're missing out on? It's very frustrating to see a thread that starts out with nothing but a Youtube link, with no explanation. Thanks. -Joe in the Sticks-
1. The Kennedy Center Millenium Stage's search engine, where you can find exactly the music YOU define as "folk music". Shows are normally an hour in length, streamed. Performers include artists you know, and artists you would like to know about.
2. Woodsongs Oldtime Radio Hour's Archive, which is VIDEO as well as sound, weekly, one-hour plus in length, streamed live and downloadable as sound and/or video through their archive. Again, you will find artists and music to fit YOUR definition of "folk music". Performers include artists you know, and artists you would like to know about.
Some of the links in that thread may not work, but the ones I've described here work.
Well, that is the editing and harvesting completed for the moment.
All suggestions have been considered, many have been implemented and some rejected, for various reasons.
The main criterion for inclusion is the musical merit of the performance, and that is something of which, I am afraid, I have to be the arbiter.
Many videos posted on the thread have unfortunately been removed by YouTube due to "terms of use" violation. Some of these were excellent videos, and it is indeed a pity that some artistes are unable to see that exposure on YouTube can only be beneficial to their careers.
Keep posting your suggestions, and do not be offended if I do not include them here.
Remember, there is absolutely nothing to stop you from maintaining your very own Permathread !
Now for the fun bit, I can start compiling the guitar, banjo, mandolin videos ...
Subject: RE: YouTube Folkmusic Video PermaThread From:Abby Sale Date: 01 Feb 07 - 03:31 PM
I'm missing something here. All the links will be in the colored boxes & dated 12 Nov 2006? I mean, nothing wrong with Nov 12th, Bukka White's birthday - I jus' wunnerd.
Another "More Online Concerts" thing besides Millenium Stage: Actually, they occur in colaberation with Millenium Stage but at Coolidge Auditorium and are a different series. Put on (mostly) by American Folklife Center in their "Homegrown Concerts" series. Aren't too many online not but much worth checking.
Murray, great work! Thanks. One suggestion, in the dark green box the lettering is very difficult to read and my eyesight is pretty good. I think white text would be much easier on the eyes. Thanks, again!
Abby, the Nov 12th posts are just a number of reserved postings which make it easier for me to edit the thread and add new links as necessary. The date of the post doesn't really have any relevance to the content.
I suppose, technically, it would have been perfectly possible to accomplish the whole thing on one post (and who knows, maybe I will do that one day) but at the moment this is the easiest way for me to edit the thread.
Susan, Kat, your suggestions are noted and appreciated, and corrections will be made ASAP. I assume by the "dark green box" you mean Kevin McGrath's section ? Well, that's the whole idea , I was going to make the text dark green as well...(only joking, Kevin, as well you know ! )Keep these eclectic videos coming in.
slight problem here, the links in the McGrath box come up dark blue on dark green (because I have already viewed them ), is it possible to code them so that they stay white ?
I met Stephen Wade in 1975 at the Cambridge Folk Festival (UK) He impressed me enormously with his enthusiasm and knowledge, although to be honest I never thought he was any great shakes as a banjo player.
that same year Bill Keith was playing with the David Grisman Band , now there was a banjo player. Unfortunately, not much on YouTube that shows his prowess.
Subject: RE: YouTube Folkmusic Video PermaThread From:Abby Sale Date: 01 Feb 07 - 10:08 PM
Murray. Your browser may (Netscape does, anyway) has an option to override site text/background colors and force your own choices. Clearing the cache may help, too.
Naw, you know I was kidding earlier - very nice work on this thread.
I'm confused, wasn't there another thread just like this earlier? Only, it wasn't so color coordinated.
I recall posting a YouTube link to my very own folk/blues video of me playing the 51 Highway Blues in that earlier thread and now I can't seem to find the thread or the link. Is simple deletion how recommendations that are not acceptable will be delt with in this thread?
I also asked whether our own videos were being sought for this purpose or if this collection was focused on gathering videos of those who might have achieved some greater level of the illusive fame factor. I don't recall receiving an answer to my question in that other thread. Would someone here care to field this?
Subject: RE: YouTube Folkmusic Video PermaThread From:GUEST Date: 02 Feb 07 - 10:12 AM
I recorded the Wolfe Tones singing Flight of Earls on The Late Late Show, RTE. 1987. When you go to youtube.com type in the search wolfe tones - flight of earls to see it
George has posted several on youtube; the latest is Pete S. and I singing Jenny Jenkins outside the Seegers Beacon home. Sorta funny. It was never used for anything other than a 'home movie.'
Jean, you are already highlighted ( in Americana ) singing "Blackwaters". As if I would leave you out ...
There won't be multiple links to the same performer on this thread , since YouTube provides all the necessary links once you click on the URL. (As long as the person uploading has had the nous to include the relevant tags, that is.)
So, Cruiser's Emmylou/Dolly/Linda link is redundant. Excellent clip but they are already highlighted above.
Reggie, the criterion for inclusion is that the video should be of outstanding musical quality, or of significant historical value or else so eclectic that it is spotted by McGrath of Harlow. If you really want to discuss the matter of the omission of your video, please do send me a PM, I think it might be better to discuss this "off the record".
Jeremy C, that is a most valuable piece of info. I shall scurry to my text editor post-haste to give it a twirl, and hopefully soon Kevin McGrath's links will be totally legible once more.
Subject: RE: YouTube Folkmusic Video PermaThread From:Cruiser Date: 02 Feb 07 - 04:34 PM
Murray wrote:
[Quote} There won't be multiple links to the same performer on this thread , since YouTube provides all the necessary links once you click on the URL. (As long as the person uploading has had the nous to include the relevant tags, that is.)
So, Cruiser's Emmylou/Dolly/Linda link is redundant. Excellent clip but they are already highlighted above." {End Quote}
Thank you for clarifying that. That makes sense because to link each song would clutter the categories up with redundancy. We can be expected to do some of the work for you!
The rest of you, pay better attention than I did to the instructions.
..."the video should be of outstanding musical quality, or of significant historical value or else so eclectic that it is spotted by McGrath of Harlow." (?)
I didn't read that in the description of what was going to be included in this thread. Here's what I read.
"For the purposes of this thread, "folk/blues" has to be classified into several different categories, (as outlined below) in order to facilitate searches for recommendations, and I am also going to operate a "editor's recommendation " system, whereby videos of outstanding musical worth and /or historical significance, will be awarded a "star award" ranging from three to five stars. The criteria for these awards are unashamedly subjective, but the selections are always open to comment either on this thread or on the sister thread We Need a YouTube Permathread. All genuine recommendations will be catalogued, but please remember that posts on this thread are always subject to editing or deletion."
What I understand this to mean is just what it says. That some videos "videos of outstanding musical worth and /or historical significance will be awarded a "star award" ranging from three to five stars. The criteria for these awards are unashamedly subjective but the selections are always open to comment either on this thread, or on the sister thread We Need a YouTube Permathread."
My comment regarding this song submission is that I'm perplexed at just what you consider folk/blues. "51 Highway Blues" is a genuine folk/blues song of old. The authorship of, though I attribute it to Big Joe is somewhat clouded as is the case with so many early folk/blues. It is as historically significant as any other song from this same genre, and perhaps more so as it mentions one of the few roadways that were principally responsible for the spread of this music northward from the Deep South. Recordings also played a role in finding new ears for this music but it was the migration of those who played this music from the Delta to nothern urban centers, places like Chicago, that was primarily responsible for the popularity of the blues. I performed my interpretation of this old gem in the tradition of so many great folk/blues, on an acoustic guitar. Not just any acoustic, but a resophonic guitar of unique design that I hand built from junk I found at garage sales. I adapted my version of this song to be played using a bottleneck slide approach.
I'm not upset that my post to this thread was deleted. I just didn't know where it went and why my questions were not addressed. I am, however, now curious as to why my genuine, folk/blues, submission wasn't cataloged, especially because of what I read in the introduction to this thread. "All genuine recommendations will be cataloged." Or, is it yet to be included?
Here's a clip of Seamus Ennis playing his father's composition The Morning Thrush on the pipes - with a gentle spoken introduction that's worth having in itself.
sj
