spoken music

Subject: spoken music
From: us2bpigman
Date: 18 Nov 99 - 06:28 PM

Seems to be a revival of what I think of as "spoken music," largely poetry delivered dramatically and set to music, but also things like Randy Wilson's reading of Brother Sim Moberly's sermon from the novel "River of Earth." Makes me remember how much I enjoyed Gil Scott Heron, Rosalie Sorrels' and Cheryl Wheeler's stories, speeches or sermons by Martin Luther King. Can anyone steer me to other examples?

Subject: RE: spoken music
From: Mían
Date: 18 Nov 99 - 07:33 PM

Eddie Stack, Stories from Ireland, with Martin Hayes on fiddle and Dennis Cahill on guitar.

Subject: RE: spoken music
From: John Hindsill
Date: 18 Nov 99 - 07:48 PM

First to my mind is Ken Nordine who has been doing "word jazz" for what seems a million years. He may be best known, popularly for his recording of "Ebb Tide" from the early '50s. Also, he has melifluously voiced over countless commercials. Nordine still has a radio show from Chicago; in the L. A. area his show is broadacast on KCSN, fm 88.5, a station not on web. I am sure he is available elsewhere.

Subject: RE: spoken music
From: John of the Hill
Date: 18 Nov 99 - 09:05 PM

This thread led me to dig out a cassette I had nearly forgotten, Celestial Navigations: Chapter II.Geoffrey Lewis presents stories that use a vast canvas of emotions, and humble me with the reminder of the power of human language and the spell the storyteller can cast. Heartily recommended, and not nearly so pretentious as I make it sound. John

Subject: RE: spoken music
From: Mbo
Date: 18 Nov 99 - 09:18 PM

Does "Everyone's Free (To Wear Sunscreen)" count? I love it!

--Mbo

Subject: RE: spoken music
From: Mbo
Date: 18 Nov 99 - 09:23 PM

I don't know if it's out on an album or what, but Loreena McKennitt composed music for a play about William Blake. There are some excellent Blake poems with Loreena's superb music played behind the dramatic readings. I love the section "Prologue Intended For A Dramatic Piece of King Edward the Fourth." Awe-inspiring stuff!

--Mbo