Rev.Gary Davis, Stefan Grossman on WFDU

Subject: Rev.Gary Davis, Stefan Grossman on WFDU
From: Ron Olesko
Date: 09 Jul 01 - 02:13 PM

This Sunday, July 15, WFDU'FM's TRADITIONS will feature a special tribute to Rev. Gary Davis. My guest will be legendary guitar virtuoso Stefan Grossman, a former student & friend of Rev. Davis. Stefan recently compiled the brilliant boxed set "Rev. Gary Davis - The Ultimate Collection" on Shanachie Records.

Stefan gives great insight into Davis's life and music. The music of Rev. Gary Davis as it related to the folk revival of the 1960's and his continuing legacy will also be discussed. This special tribute airs at 4pm (following a "Folkstage" concert featuring ERIC BOGLE that airs at 3pm) on WFDU. WFDU can be heard at 89.1 FM in the New York City / Northern New Jersey area or via the internet at www.wfdu.fm .

Hope you tune in!

Ron Olesko Producer/Host WFDU-FM's TRADITIONS

Subject: RE: Rev.Gary Davis, Stefan Grossman on WFDU
From: GUEST,djh
Date: 09 Jul 01 - 02:30 PM

WOO HOO , I'LL BE THERE

Subject: RE: Rev.Gary Davis, Stefan Grossman on WFDU
From: bflat
Date: 10 Jul 01 - 10:57 AM

I will tune in for the irrepressible Eric Bogle in concert from WFMT's Folkstage series as I have found many of those rebroadcasts to be excellent. Ron, you are a pretty darn good interviewer, so having Stefan Grossman, whom I greatly admire, with you to present his views on the inventive and paradoxical Rev. Gary Davis will be a treat.

Ellen

Subject: RE: Rev.Gary Davis, Stefan Grossman on WFDU
From: Ron Olesko
Date: 10 Jul 01 - 04:05 PM

Thank you Ellen! Now I better go and make sure I did a good job on the final mix!! :)

Ron

Subject: RE: Rev.Gary Davis, Stefan Grossman on WFDU
From: kytrad (Jean Ritchie)
Date: 10 Jul 01 - 06:10 PM

Ron- Say hello to Stefan Grossman for me...hello to you, too. Can't hear the program as I'm in my Kentucky log house now (the distance, not the logs, prevent it)- but, have a great one! All the best, Jean R.

Subject: RE: Rev.Gary Davis, Stefan Grossman on WFDU
From: WFDU - Ron Olesko
Date: 10 Jul 01 - 07:11 PM

Thanks Jean! Actually if you (or anyone else out of our listening area) is near a computer this Sunday you can listen in through our website - www.wfdu.fm. We offer streaming audio. (A shameless plug on my part!!)

I actually pre-taped the interview, but I should be speaking to Stefan soon and I will give him your regards. I look forward to chatting with you soon!! Hope your summer is going well!

Ron

Subject: RE: Rev.Gary Davis, Stefan Grossman on WFDU
From: kytrad (Jean Ritchie)
Date: 11 Jul 01 - 06:08 PM

Just did some 'streaming' myself, last Monday on the Woodsong Oldtime Radio Hour in Lexington, KY. A fullhouse live audience, though, and I think it will be aired in five weeks from taping time... anyway, I had a great time- saw many friends and didn't fall on my face once... Congratulations on all your excellent work in the music field. Jean

Subject: RE: Rev.Gary Davis, Stefan Grossman on WFDU
From: WFDU - Ron Olesko
Date: 12 Jul 01 - 10:20 PM

Okay, this is my first shot at creating a "blue clicky thing". Hopefully I did it right! If not, you will soon see another post!!

Ron

Subject: RE: Rev.Gary Davis, Stefan Grossman on WFDU
From: WFDU - Ron Olesko
Date: 12 Jul 01 - 11:11 PM

Hmmm.... I will try it again...

www.wfdu.fm

I will get the hang of this thing sooner or later!

Ron

Subject: RE: Rev.Gary Davis, Stefan Grossman on WFDU
From: WFDU - Ron Olesko
Date: 14 Jul 01 - 10:50 AM

-REFRESH-

More of my shameless self promotion!!

Seriously though - I am very proud of this one. Stefan Grossman did an amazing job of bringing us closer to Rev. Gary Davis. His insights into the music (styles, performance, etc.)really illuminated the subject for those of us who never picked up a guitar. Plus his memories of the times he shared with Rev. Davis were inspiring. I've played Rev. Davis's music throughout my 20+ year career on radio, but I never really knew what this man was about.

Okay.. sorry for my "promo". We return you now to your regular Mudcat programming, already in progress ....

Ron

Subject: RE: Rev.Gary Davis, Stefan Grossman on WFDU
From: Tedham Porterhouse
Date: 14 Jul 01 - 11:33 AM

With all due respect to Stefan Grossman, and I do have much, the greatest scholars of Reverend Gary Davis' life and music, in my opinion, are Andy Cohen, Ernie Hawkins and Roy Book Binder. All of them were also students and travlleing companions of Rev. Davis.

Subject: RE: Rev.Gary Davis, Stefan Grossman on WFDU
From: WFDU - Ron Olesko
Date: 14 Jul 01 - 10:13 PM

So was Stefan Grossman... he traveled as well as studied with Rev.Davis starting in 1964. In addition, Stefan also recorded hours and hours of tapes with Rev. Davis. The recent boxed set also contains a number of photographs that Stefan took of Rev. Davis in the later years of his life. Stefan also compiled the recent boxed set for Shanachie.

Sure there might be scholars out there who know the minutiae of Davis's life and can recite date and verse, but that isn't the show I'm presenting. I welcome you to tune in and hear for yourself. For people out there who, like myself, only knew Rev. Gary Davis through recordings - you will come away with a deeper understanding after hearing what Stefan had to say.

I realize that Mr. Porterhouse didn't knock Stefan with his remarks, but I don't want people who read these threads to get the impression that Stefan's comments on Rev.Davis aren't valid... he certainly knew Rev. Davis as well as the individuals that Mr. Porterhouse compared him to.

Ron Olesko

Subject: RE: Rev.Gary Davis, Stefan Grossman on WFDU
From: WFDU - Ron Olesko
Date: 15 Jul 01 - 12:21 AM

By the way... speaking of Tedham Porterhouse, Bob Dylan's name comes up in the conversation as well. There is a great picture in the boxed set where Rev. Davis is "listening" to Bob Dylan sing a tune and it appears that the good Rev. thought it would be a good time to take a nap!

Subject: RE: Rev.Gary Davis, Stefan Grossman on WFDU
From: GUEST
Date: 15 Jul 01 - 03:09 PM

Subject: RE: Rev.Gary Davis, Stefan Grossman on WFDU
From: Tedham Porterhouse
Date: 15 Jul 01 - 03:58 PM

Ron,

To be sure, I was not knocking Stefan Grossman. I was just making the point that, in my opinion, Andy Cohen, Ernie Hawkins and Roy Book Binder are the three leading authorities on the life and music of Reverend Davis.

The fact that it was Stefan, and not one of the others who was chosen to compile this bixed set, probably owes something to the fact that he himself records for Shanachie, the company that released it.

I repeat, I was not knocking Stefan. I have tremendous respect for him as both a musician and musicologist.

Subject: RE: Rev.Gary Davis, Stefan Grossman on WFDU
From: Justa Picker
Date: 15 Jul 01 - 04:06 PM

There is no love lost between Stefan and Roy Bookbinder. Quite some time ago on his (Stefan's) forum, a poster who had seen Bookbinder in concert, and heard some anecdotes from Bookbinder regarding Rev. G. Davis asked Stefan if they were true. Stefan so much as said that Bookbinder was a total B.S. artist, and had ridden on RGD's coat-tails through practically much of his career. (I think Stefan considers himself the unofficial world's leading authority on all things RGD, so there is obviously an unresolved rivalry there.

I will say one thing. From all the various pictures I've seen of Bookbinder, he has excellent taste in guitars, and, he's a damn good fingerpicker.

Subject: RE: Rev.Gary Davis, Stefan Grossman on WFDU
From: Tedham Porterhouse
Date: 15 Jul 01 - 04:09 PM

Ron,

I just tried to tune in. When I clicked on the on-air icon at the WFDU site, the Windows Media player loaded in. However, it reported a server error. I tried three times and got the same result. I do listen to several webcasts without a problem, so I think the error must have been at your webcast server.

Subject: RE: Rev.Gary Davis, Stefan Grossman on WFDU
From: MikeJ
Date: 15 Jul 01 - 04:15 PM

While not much consolation, since I've been looking forward to this, I've got the same problem. Mine says the server doesn't understsnd the request.

Subject: RE: Rev.Gary Davis, Stefan Grossman on WFDU
From: Mark Clark
Date: 15 Jul 01 - 04:29 PM

The WFDU Web site indicates that the Windows Media Player is needed to listen but WMP has never heard of WFDU or or anything similar in either New York or New Jersey. Too bad, I was really looking forward to listening.

      - Mark

Subject: RE: Rev.Gary Davis, Stefan Grossman on WFDU
From: WFDU - Ron Olesko
Date: 15 Jul 01 - 07:35 PM

My apologies about the web feed. We had problems early last week that were supposedly fixed. Apparently the system crashed sometime this weekend. I've alerted our management. Our web casting is provided by Warpradio.com using Windows Media. We've been using this setup for 1 1/2years, so I'm not sure why WMP "has never heard of WFDU". I will draft an angry letter to Bill Gates in the morning!!

I will try to get a copy of the program to Mudcat. I have been procrastinating too long about sending in new shows - the ones currently on Mudcat are three years old.

Ron

Subject: RE: Rev.Gary Davis, Stefan Grossman on WFDU
From: MikeJ
Date: 16 Jul 01 - 05:24 PM

Ah technology! Great when it's working. A copy on Mudcat would be much appreciated Ron. Thanks.

Mike

Subject: RE: Rev.Gary Davis, Stefan Grossman on WFDU
From: WFDU - Ron Olesko
Date: 17 Jul 01 - 12:39 AM

It turns out that the computer that is used for streaming our audion onto the net crashed during the weekend. Just my luck.

I've e-mailed Max and we are making arrangements to copy this show and some others onto Mudcat.

In a way the crash was a good thing... I've procrastinated too long about posting new shows. Bill Hahn and I have some shows that we are proud of that we would like to share - starting with the Rev. Gary Davis tribute.

Ron Olesko

Subject: RE: Rev.Gary Davis, Stefan Grossman on WFDU
From: BH
Date: 17 Jul 01 - 07:31 PM

Lurking is over and this note should put this topic back on top.

I am certainly happy that such interest has been elicited in this program and its subject.

It was really interesting----and Grossman had a lot of wonderful anecdotes in addition to knowledgeable commentary. We have to say that for Ron also---he brings out the best in people.

Bill Hahn (disclaimer required here---I co host the show--but this show was Ron's doing)

Subject: RE: Rev.Gary Davis, Stefan Grossman on WFDU
From: Peter K (Fionn)
Date: 18 Jul 01 - 07:33 AM

I've always respected Grossman as a musicologist, though I think he has tended to overplay his undoubtedly close linkk with Davis.

I am dismayed to hear about his spat with Bookbinder, who for my money is the more accomplished musician. As I've said somewhere before on Mudcat, To some this will sound heretical, but Stefan IMO is not quite there as a guitarist. Particularly on his live recordings, but also in the studio, his tempi are a bit erratic, with a distinct tendancy to race at the hard bits. Where this occurs, it creates an impression that he is at the limit of his virtuosity, whereas Bookbinder, to me, always seems to have everything under effortless control.

All the same, I certainly hope Ron's WFDU Davis/Grossman piece can be made available via Mudcat.

Subject: RE: Rev.Gary Davis, Stefan Grossman on WFDU
From: Brian Hoskin
Date: 18 Jul 01 - 08:11 AM

It would be useful if once the show is available via mudcat someone could announce the fact in a new thread, just to make sure everyone knows. I'm looking forward to it.

Brian

Subject: RE: Rev.Gary Davis, Stefan Grossman on WFDU
From: Ron Olesko
Date: 18 Jul 01 - 11:24 AM

Thanks to Max, we have come up with a very good way to deliver shows to Mudcat. I uploaded the Rev. Gary Davis show and some other programs to Max last night. I will let everyone know when the show is online here at Mudcat.

Bill and I will also be loading some of our other shows, thanks to the generosity of Max and Mudcat. I hope to load my Celtic show THE SUNDAY SESSION on a weekly basis.

I really appreciate the interest that everyone has shown to our programs. Bill and I work as volunteers and put in numerous hours preparing these shows. It is nice to know that we have such an avenue as Mudcat to further share these programs. This is a great, and knowledgeable group. We welcome your feedback on our efforts.

Thanks again!

Ron Olesko Producer/Host WFDU-FM's TRADITIONS & THE SUNDAY SESSION

Subject: RE: Rev.Gary Davis, Stefan Grossman on WFDU
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 18 Jul 01 - 03:51 PM

I have an old Stefan Grossman vinyl called Aunt Molly's Murray Farm and v enjoyable it is too, must be getting on for 30 yrs old.

Jock

Subject: RE: Rev.Gary Davis, Stefan Grossman on WFDU
From: Peter K (Fionn)
Date: 25 Jul 01 - 08:06 PM

The tapes can now be heard via Mudcat - hugely absorbing. Loads of history and reminiscence, and loads of ground-breaking guitar. Hats off to WFDU-FM for giving this subject so much airtime in the first place - and many thanks to Max for bringing it within reach for those of us who live beyond WFDU's sphere of influence.

To hear the show - all two hours of it - go to Mudcat Radio in the Quicklinks drop-down menu at the top of the page. The Gary Davis programme can then be found listed in the Traditions section.

Subject: RE: Rev.Gary Davis, Stefan Grossman on WFDU
From: Peter K (Fionn)
Date: 25 Jul 01 - 08:14 PM

Just found the thread, HERE where Max announced this properly, including all the other stuff now available on Mudcat Radio. Ah well, no harm mentioning it here, too.

Subject: RE: Rev.Gary Davis, Stefan Grossman on WFDU
From: Mark Clark
Date: 08 Apr 03 - 03:39 PM

For those who may have missed seeing the program Jean Ritchie (kytrad) talked about above, it is still archived at The Woodsongs Old Time Radio site. You get to see her as well has listen. There are dialup and DSL/Cable versions of the archived programs.

      - Mark