Shirley Collins talks about Alan Lomax

Subject: Shirley Collins talks about Alan Lomax
From: GUEST,Joe G
Date: 21 May 19 - 11:29 AM

People may be interested in this programme about Alan Lomax broadcast today at 4.30pm BST

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m00057n4

Subject: RE: Shirley Collins talks about Alan Lomax
From: GUEST,Roger
Date: 21 May 19 - 12:36 PM

Just listened to this.
For a programme of just half an hour or so it gave a good portrait of Lomax.
I can remember reading a couple of his fathers books many years ago, mainly about the early days of jazz.
There are some good videos on utube of Alan, one of which has a snatch of him singing some pretty mean blues.
Roger

Subject: RE: Shirley Collins talks about Alan Lomax
From: GUEST,Hootenanny
Date: 21 May 19 - 05:01 PM

Alan Lomax's father wrote a couple of books many years ago mainly about the early days of Jazz ??? I must have missed them. Can you give me details.
It was quite an interesting but the only new information that I heard was:

1. that there are mountains in Mississippi.
2. that before tape recorders, recordings were cut directly into vinyl.
2. that Alan Lomax was responsible for boosting Robert Johnson.

Did anyone check these new pieces of information out?

Subject: RE: Shirley Collins talks about Alan Lomax
From: Mr Red
Date: 22 May 19 - 07:34 AM

heard the programme. Loved it.
Despite Billy Bragg!

Subject: RE: Shirley Collins talks about Alan Lomax
From: Jack Campin
Date: 22 May 19 - 08:11 AM

I don't think I learned anything new and Billy Bragg was just an annoying distraction.

Subject: RE: Shirley Collins talks about Alan Lomax
From: Marje
Date: 23 May 19 - 07:25 AM

Yes, I'd have liked less Billy Bragg and more clips of the songs collected. What Shirley had to say was interesting but a bit repetitive (especially when echoed by Bragg).

Marje

Subject: RE: Shirley Collins talks about Alan Lomax
From: GUEST,matt milton
Date: 24 May 19 - 03:17 AM

Time for someone else to do a Great Lives on Shirley Collins.

Subject: RE: Shirley Collins talks about Alan Lomax
From: GUEST
Date: 24 May 19 - 04:04 PM

Not just yet, as the programme is generally devoted to people who are deceased.

Subject: RE: Shirley Collins talks about Alan Lomax
From: GeoffLawes
Date: 25 May 19 - 07:06 PM

I greatly enjoyed the ptoramme and found Billy Bragg interesting and informative w hatever those up above me thought. Hear for yourself
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m00057n4

Subject: RE: Shirley Collins talks about Alan Lomax
From: The Sandman
Date: 28 May 19 - 05:34 PM

infomative , the whole programme was informative , .i found Bragg mildly annoying

Subject: RE: Shirley Collins talks about Alan Lomax
From: Mr Red
Date: 30 May 19 - 02:36 PM

BB toned down his approach for the programme - I thought. Can't stand his hectoring the audience normally. Well I don't stand it, I avoid him.
Yes he did repeat some opinions, but he was palatable (in the main) despite past experience.

Subject: RE: Shirley Collins talks about Alan Lomax
From: Gillie
Date: 30 May 19 - 07:10 PM

It Was a good discussion

Subject: RE: Shirley Collins talks about Alan Lomax
From: Stringsinger
Date: 02 Jun 19 - 12:35 PM

It was a good program but here's what it missed. (I knew Alan).
1.John A. Lomax tried to get academia interested in the poetry of cowboy ballads.
Lyman Kittredge at Harvard was the man he tried to gain as an ally.
2. John Lomax was a racist and disowned Alan when he started to promote Leadbelly.
He was persona non grata in Lubbock Texas.
3. His sister Bess Lomax Hawes knew as much as Alan did about folk music and the one advantage she had was that she was trained as a musician. She has written a lovely memoir and a wonderful book with Bessie Jones of the Georgia Sea Islands called "Step in Down". The advantage Bess had as a musician enabled her to make a distinction between trained musicianship and untrained ability.
4. Alan started Cantrometrics, a system of classifying vocal and instrumental music using a method of notation not unlike what you would see on an oscilloscope. It wouldn't register the formal language of musical composition, however. You would not be able to register a triad or minor seventh flat five chord or didn't say anything about a sonata form or tri-tones or any aspect of the musical language taught in schools.
5. Alan had a reputation among some folklorists as pushing around his informants a bit too much. He was sort of a music producer of folk songs.
6. Alan was passionate about folk music. He drank a little and interrupted Bud and Travis at one of the Greenwich Village night spots accusing them of corrupting folk music. Yet, he lauded the appearance of the Kingston Trio, when they were popular.
7. He was accused of earning income from copyrights of the folk songs he collected. His motivation, however, was clear. He did not want them to be appropriated by folk revival singers as commodities for which they were by many show biz types.
8. He was one of the most important people in the field of folk music and a great supporter and presenter of African-American folk music when it was being ignored.

Subject: RE: Shirley Collins talks about Alan Lomax
From: meself
Date: 02 Jun 19 - 03:17 PM

I thought John Lomax was involved in promoting Leadbelly? No?

Subject: RE: Shirley Collins talks about Alan Lomax
From: The Sandman
Date: 03 Jun 19 - 04:08 AM

Thankyou StringSinger that is intersting

Subject: RE: Shirley Collins talks about Alan Lomax
From: GUEST
Date: 04 Jun 19 - 06:21 AM

Why the Billy Bragg hate? He works as much in the Folk milieu as most musicians and his views are generally sound. He may not be a great presenter on TV at the moment but he's got promise.

Subject: RE: Shirley Collins talks about Alan Lomax
From: GUEST,Pseudonymous
Date: 04 Jun 19 - 06:48 AM

Yes, Billy Bragg is a 'good thing'.