Ballads & Songs of Tradition:Folk Legacy

Subject: Ballads & Songs of Tradition:Folk Legacy
From: Big Mick
Date: 26 Oct 00 - 09:09 AM

Let me begin by admitting that I am not an unbiased observer. Sandy and Caroline are dear friends, for which I feel blessed. But setting that aside for a moment, let me commend this to you.

Ballads and Songs of Tradition from the Folk Legacy Archives is an absolute "must own" collection. If you consider yourself to be, or desire to be, a serious student of the folk music genre this collection is required. You know you are in tall clover from the first note out of Jeannie Robertson's mouth on Cutty's Wedding, to the last note from Grant Roger's The Old Arm Chair. And all backed up by the reason the Paton's will never be millionaires, that is the liner notes. My friends, do you value those wonderful liner notes that Folk Legacy includes? Are you aware of the cost associated with including them? I ask the question to make a point. The next time there is a discussion with regard to costs from Folk Legacy, or Camsco, remember the extra value that comes from them. Sandy and Caroline ought to be adding a couple of bucks per CD just for the liner notes. This CD comes with about 60 pages of invaluable data and background information. It deserves to be heard by as many of you as possible. I hope there is more to come. I have already listened to this one several times over.

Support Folk Legacy, Support Camsco. And by all means, get this CD.

Mick

Subject: RE: Ballads & Songs of Tradition:Folk Legacy
From: RoyH (Burl)
Date: 26 Oct 00 - 04:37 PM

I second that.

Subject: RE: Ballads & Songs of Tradition:Folk Legacy
From: bigchuck
Date: 26 Oct 00 - 06:37 PM

This is a splendid compilation and an essential piece in any folk musicians library. Even better, try to catch a workshop on the topic from Sandy and Caroline. Wonderful experiences.
Sandy

Subject: RE: Ballads & Songs of Tradition:Folk Legacy
From: Big Mick
Date: 27 Oct 00 - 12:35 PM

refresh

Subject: RE: Ballads & Songs of Tradition:Folk Legacy
From: Doctor John
Date: 27 Oct 00 - 02:26 PM

I'll look for that at Tower Records on tomorrow's trip to London. Dr John

Subject: RE: Ballads & Songs of Tradition:Folk Legacy
From: mousethief
Date: 27 Oct 00 - 02:36 PM

Web site?

Alex
O..O
=o=

Subject: RE: Ballads & Songs of Tradition:Folk Legacy
From: Jeri
Date: 27 Oct 00 - 02:59 PM

Folk Legacy and Ballads and Songs of Tradition. I have the CD myself, and agree with everything Mick has said.

Subject: RE: Ballads & Songs of Tradition:Folk Legacy
From: mousethief
Date: 27 Oct 00 - 03:03 PM

Could somebody with more disposable income than I have just buy me the whole Folk Legacy catalog? Thanks.

I could easily spend every cent I have there and be very happy with everything I got. What a lot of wonderful music!

Sigh.

Alex
O..O
=o=

Subject: RE: Ballads & Songs of Tradition:Folk Legacy
From: catspaw49
Date: 27 Oct 00 - 03:19 PM

Sandy and Caroline are just real special people MT, and what they and Lee created with Folk Legacy is extraordinary.

Adding to what Mick said..........I've commented several times here that buying from Folk Legacy, you get not only an excellent album, but you get an education. The "liner notes" can hardly be described as liner notes ay all. In many cases they are entire booklets containing song histories and specifics relating to that version along with other pieces of information you just can't find anywhere else. Frankly, a collection of F-L liner notes would be as valuable in a way as the albums themselves. The committment to what folk really is has made F-L the most valuable of resources.

So thanks again Sandy and Caroline.....and Mick for allowing me another chance to say this.

Spaw

Subject: RE: Ballads & Songs of Tradition:Folk Legacy
From: mousethief
Date: 27 Oct 00 - 03:22 PM

I'm sure they are, Spaw! I just wish I could afford to buy more of the wonderful music I learn about here on Mudcat, that's all.

Alex
O..O
=o=

Subject: RE: Ballads & Songs of Tradition:Folk Legacy
From: Big Mick
Date: 08 Feb 05 - 05:32 PM

Man, I'll tell you what!! This is one helluva a CD. I am just sitting here working away and I put it on, it knocks me out more now than when I started this thread over 4 years ago. You just simply cannot call yourself a true fan of trad music and unaccompanied singing until you have this one. It starts out with the amazing voice of Jeannie Robertson and goes from there.

Absolutely a must have. Folks, give yourself a treat and get a copy of this from Folk Legacy. This CD is a collection of field recordings that Sandy Paton, Lee Haggerty, and others collected in the 50's and 60's. Phenomenal stuff!!! Right now I am listening to Jeannie Robertson of Edinburgh, sing Twa Brothers. Gives me chills hearing that magnificent voice.

All the best,

Mick

Subject: RE: Ballads & Songs of Tradition:Folk Legacy
From: GUEST
Date: 08 Feb 05 - 06:32 PM

Jeannie Robertson from Edinburgh??!!! She'll be birlin' in her grave in Bonny Aiberdeen!

Subject: RE: Ballads & Songs of Tradition:Folk Legacy
From: Big Mick
Date: 08 Feb 05 - 06:48 PM

Thanks for correcting my error. I meant to say "in Edinburgh". Sandy and Caroline recorded several of the tracks in Edinburgh, and others in Aberdeen. I just get excited every time I listen to this one.

Mick

Subject: RE: Ballads & Songs of Tradition:Folk Legacy
From: Ferrara
Date: 08 Feb 05 - 08:47 PM

Ooooh, good timing, Mick, from my point of view.

Dick Greenhaus and Susan came down here last weekend for the FSGW MiniFest & stayed at our place as usual. Sunday we were chatting and I told Dick he had changed my life when he sent me FL's "Ballads & Songs of Tradition," (and also Vance Randolph's "Songs of the Ozarks" collection) for my 60th birthday.

(... that was three years ago, for the nosy ones amongst you.)

I still listen to these CD's over and over and have learned a bunch of the songs, but I think it would be difficult to explain why it is such a treasure or why it has meant so much to me.

I know that now I tend to seek out recordings and performances by "source singers" as often as I can and it has enriched my enjoyment of music and also enriched my own music.

Part of is that there is so much individuality and personal style in the music. Technically the singing is often much more subtle and interesting than modern singing. By contrast, modern singing often sounds "homogenized." I don't want to sound homogenized, so I listen and listen.

We are losing something in our singing by learning from books and records rather than from older, more experienced singers who put a lifetime of living into their music, which is the way people used to learn their songs. These wonderful recordings are a resource to teach us more of what music and singing can be.

Rita

Subject: RE: Ballads & Songs of Tradition:Folk Legacy
From: Big Mick
Date: 08 Feb 05 - 08:56 PM

Yes, Rita, I understand. I enjoy contrasting the various interpretations of the songs with the time they were recorded in, and the location. An example would be the Jolly Tinker as sung by James Brown of South Branch, New Brunswick, Canada. Sandy recorded this in 1962. I then compare it to the way folks sing Whiskey in the Jar as sung by many singers today. Interesting comparison. There are many threads, including a recent one, where folks complain about this song. Give a listen to James singing it and you will hear a fascinating take on it. Very expressive.

I repeat. This is a must have CD.

Mick

Subject: RE: Ballads & Songs of Tradition:Folk Legacy
From: karen k
Date: 09 Feb 05 - 03:44 AM

You've got that right, Mick.

Subject: RE: Ballads & Songs of Tradition:Folk Legacy
From: Celtaddict
Date: 09 Feb 05 - 08:19 PM

At one time (years ago I confess) Sandy and Caroline made an offer that if anyone wanted to purchase the entire catalog, for a set price (which I do not recall), they would have the whole set AND any new releases from that point for life. At the time I was penniless (well, too near so to matter) and since then I have bought about 2/3 one by one, but it is an intriguing idea, not to mention a bold statement about their faith in their product.

Subject: RE: Ballads & Songs of Tradition:Folk Legacy
From: John on the Sunset Coast
Date: 09 Feb 05 - 10:56 PM

Celtaddict, your recollection puts me in mind of a similar offer. Back in 1954 or 1955 a new publication aimed at licentious young men offered 'lifetime subscriptions' for the mere pittance of $100.00. Cover price then was 50 cents (gee, I just realized that the keyboard has no cents sign) so one was taking a gamble that Playboy would last at least 17 years!. It turns out that would have been a successful investment, but did they get any takers? That would have been more, then, than my father earned in a week.--John Hindsill

Subject: RE: Ballads & Songs of Tradition:Folk Legacy
From: GUEST,Art Thieme
Date: 10 Feb 05 - 01:04 AM

I agree with you all. It's a wonderful compilation from one of the people I admire most in this folk scene we're in. Besides that, Sandy and Caroline are two great friends. The amazing work they've done trying to hold onto the real thing is what drew me to Sandy in the first place at a hoot at the old Gate Of Horn folk club in Chicago 46 years ago. Also when he held forth at Kroch & Brentanos book store on Wabash Ave. in that good town. That gig o' his, where he introduced so many Chicagoans to the depth of folk music, only lasted a short while because Lee Haggerty came into that shop, Sandy and Lee became partners in crime, and the next thing I knew is that something called Folk Legacy Records was born in Vermont.

Lee Monroe Presnell, Dave Thompson, Frank Proffitt---all of them and others on this CD---became important examples of how the real roots folksingers -- the informants -- could and did prove to be important parts of the musical and inspirational lives of city folk like me and my friends. We wanted very badly to learn the songs and picking styles of so many that Sandy and Caroline found and recorded and put out there on Folk Legacy Records. It was thrilling to become friends with many of these inspiring people.----------- And the fine group of ballads found on this CD as sung by these people is a great way to show younger folks how much actual information about other times, places, and people can be gleaned from the ballads---the story songs---where each verse is like a chapter in a novel (or a scene on a DVD).

Just one guy's opinion!!

Art Thieme