Dave Van Ronk Day

Subject: Dave Van Ronk Day
From: GUEST,Terri
Date: 14 May 03 - 09:20 AM

Sunday May 18 has been officially declared as "Dave Van Ronk Day" in New York City.

Celebrations will include concerts at The Bottom Line with Tom Paxton, Patrick Sky, Odetta, Paul Geremia, David Massengill, Danny Kalb, Elijah Wald, Frank Christian, Frank Tedesso, Rosalie Sorrels, Sylvia Tyson, Bill Morrissey, Chris Lowe, Eve Silber, Jeremy Wallace, Phil Namenworth, Terre Roche, Suzanne Vega, Jack Hardy, Josh Joplin, Christine Lavin and David Bromberg.

In solidarity, dozens of folk music radio programs from around the country, and around the world, are offering tributes to Dave this week.

I'm surprised that such an event hasn't merited Mudcat discussion. Dave was a folk and blues hero and he deserves it.

Terri

Subject: RE: Dave Van Ronk Day
From: Hollowfox
Date: 14 May 03 - 09:27 AM

Awl riight!

Subject: RE: Dave Van Ronk Day
From: GUEST,Ron Olesko
Date: 14 May 03 - 09:34 AM

WFDU-FM is one of the stations participating. This Saturday - May 17 (9am to noon Eastern Time)- Jerry Treacy will be paying tribute to Dave with music, a re-broadcast of an interview with Dave, and special guest Willie Nininger, a close friend and musical partner.    On Sunday, Bill Hahn will continue the celebration on our Traditions program (3 to 6pm Eastern Time), including a tentative report from the Bottom Line with Christine Lavin.

Ron

Subject: RE: Dave Van Ronk Day
From: Jim the Bart
Date: 14 May 03 - 09:52 AM

And here I am stuck in Chicago. . .

I recently scored a vinyl copy of DVR's first two albums. Quite amazing and truly riveting. He had it right from the start; and when you listen to him sing the Outcast song on Tom Russell's "Man from Gone Knows Where", you can tell he never lost it.

Too bad we lost him.

I will be there in spirit.
Bart

P.S.
I also have something on vinyl called "Dave Van Ronk and the Hudson Dusters", which just goes to show what "interesting" roads even first rate talent can take in pursuit of the "music biz". But when you've added so much in a career you're allowed one or two detours.

Subject: RE: Dave Van Ronk Day
From: Phil Cooper
Date: 14 May 03 - 03:55 PM

The hudson duster album is one of my faves. Also liked all his other stuff, too.

Subject: RE: Dave Van Ronk Day
From: PoppaGator
Date: 14 May 03 - 04:48 PM

Why May 18th -- is it his birthday?

I may be mistaken, but I think the anniversary of his death is later in the year, maybe December. (That's because I *think* I remember him being a late entry on the "musicians who left us this year" list for 2001).

I'm not sure that the Hudson Dusters project was a crassly commercial reposnse to the emergence of "folk-rock." I think it was an honest attempt to contribute to a newly emerging form, and an opportunity to create employment for (and fun with) a number of fellow musicians.

There was a time in my young life when my highest aspiration was to "be" another Dave Van Ronk. I sorta drifted away from my early folk-purist orientation and adopted other heroes over the years, but will always acknowledge Dave as one of the truly great ones, an outstanding teacher and scholar as well as a one-of-a-kind performing artist.

Can anyone post the lyrics to Dave's great tragi-comic farewell song, "Last Call"? I'd like to work it up and sing it in his memory.

Subject: RE: Dave Van Ronk Day
From: dwditty
Date: 14 May 03 - 05:27 PM

http://www.culcom.net/~shadow1/

This is a great Van Ronk site. He is my top all time musical hero. And now I will attemp yet another blue clicky:

Click here for Dave Van Ronk

Subject: Dave Van Ronk Day - May 18 in NYC
From: outfidel
Date: 14 May 03 - 08:57 PM

Don't know if this has been posted, but this Sunday May 18 in New York City has been declared Dave Van Ronk Day.

--- Transferred from duplicate thread. ---

Subject: RE: Dave Van Ronk Day
From: Mark Ross
Date: 14 May 03 - 10:44 PM

Hell, they only give you the flowers when you're too dead to smell them. Oh well, better late than never. Here's to the Mayor. My fondest memory of him(and I may have been one of the few people to see it)was Dave walking into the Kettle of Fish Bar in a tux, looking like the world's biggest Emperor penguin! A true gentleman, a great musician, and one of my favorite people in the world.

Mark Ross

Subject: RE: Dave Van Ronk Day
From: Merritt
Date: 14 May 03 - 11:58 PM

I was vaguely aware of DVR when I was growing up - Romping Through The Swamp, Clouds, a couple of other tunes - but never really paid attention until about a month ago. Someone heard my instrumental cover of Moscow Nights (Midnight in Moscow) and later gave me a tape of the Village Stompers. "Oh, yeah," he says, "I threw some Dave Van Ronk on the other side."

The name of the DVR album is In The Tradition (1964?) and it is great! It's 1) Van Ronk with acoustic guitar doing several songs mixed with 2) Van Ronk backed up by the Red Onion Jazz Band doing dixieland flavored stuff. I think I had him sterotyped vocally, but his singing is rhythmically and melodically interesting, honest, and really works. And some of his guitar work you can just climb inside of.

Here's the songs:
- Cake Walking Babies From Home
- Ace In The Hole
- St. Louis Tickle - instrumental
- Death Letter Blues
- If I Had To Do It All Over Again, I'd Do It All Over You
- Whoa Back Buck
- Sister Kate - "wish I could dance like my Sister Kate; she shakes it just like jelly on a a plate.."
- Kansas City Blues - via Jim Jackson (1927) in dropped D; best song IMO on the album
- Green Rocky Road
- See See Rider
- Rocks And Gravel
- Hesitation Blues

This is available on CD combined with a reunion album that he did with the Red Onion Jazz Band.

- Merritt


"It's all one big note." - F. Zappa

Subject: RE: Dave Van Ronk Day
From: dwditty
Date: 15 May 03 - 12:03 AM

If you have not had a chance to see the video or dvd of Dave's last performance, I recommend it highly. Just the great man and his guitar peforming at the Bitter End a few months before he died (and after he knew he was dying). Between each song is a clip of Dave talking to the camera...telling stories...giving us one last wonderful look.

Subject: RE: Dave Van Ronk Day
From: GUEST
Date: 15 May 03 - 06:58 AM

Referring to Dave Van Ronk's 'In The Tradition,' Merritt said: This is available on CD combined with a reunion album that he did with the Red Onion Jazz Band."

No, the CD, 'Two Sides of Dave Van Ronk,' is combined with a solo album called 'Your Basic Dave Van Ronk.' A great CD.

Subject: RE: Dave Van Ronk Day
From: GUEST
Date: 15 May 03 - 07:00 AM

PoppaGator said: "I may be mistaken, but I think the anniversary of his death is later in the year, maybe December. (That's because I *think* I remember him being a late entry on the "musicians who left us this year" list for 2001)."

No, Dave Van Ronk died on February 10, 2002.

Subject: RE: Dave Van Ronk Day
From: PoppaGator
Date: 15 May 03 - 08:33 AM

Yeah, I stand corrected. I realized as much after checking the link immediately after my last post; it was one of several sites I first encountered shortly after his death while researching a memorial project. I thought about posting a message to apologize, but then figured "why bother?" Now I'm doing so, and explaining myself.

Last April, around the time of the New Orleans Jazz Festival, I had gotten involved in a project honoring musical greats who had died "over the past year," reckoning the year from one April to the next -- not the calendar year. I forgot that important detail; hence my confusion over the date.

I wrote and narrated an audio (radio) tribute to DVR that remained posted on the web for a few months -- I would have provided a link, but it's gone by now.

Back to my earlier question: Why this date?

Subject: RE: Dave Van Ronk Day
From: GUEST,Ron Olesko
Date: 15 May 03 - 09:19 AM

There is no significance to the date. The Bottom Line was available so the plan was put in motion.

Subject: RE: Dave Van Ronk Day
From: Merritt
Date: 15 May 03 - 09:58 AM

Regarding corrections from GUEST about In The Tradition album. Altho' there's no reunion aspest to the second album, the CD I've seen advertised on a couple of websites called Two Sides of Dave Van Ronk is described as:

"reissues two of Van Ronk's lesser-known albums -- on 1963's _In The Tradition_, he indulges a sweet tooth for Dixieland jazz, backed by the cheerfully riotous Red Onion Jazz Band. The second half of this CD reprises a lesser-known 1981 album, _Your Basic Dave Van Ronk_, where he mugs it up on solo versions of various blues and jazz standards.."

So the compilation of the two separate albums is called Two Sides of DVR. I've ordered and am looking forward to hearing.

- Merritt

Subject: RE: Dave Van Ronk Day
From: dwditty
Date: 15 May 03 - 10:12 AM

It is a wonderful coolection, Merritt. Some of his albums appeared under different names. Your Basic Dave Van Ronk was recorded in one session late at night as Dave was getting ready to leave for NY the next morning. It sounds like there was a bit of grog to help the effort....simply wonderful stuff.

Subject: RE: Dave Van Ronk Day
From: fretless
Date: 15 May 03 - 10:52 AM

DC metro NPR folk music program, Traditions, will feature Dave's music on Saturday night, following Prarie Home Comapnion (8 PM).

Subject: RE: Dave Van Ronk Day
From: Jim McLean
Date: 15 May 03 - 11:50 AM

My wife took pictures (black and white) of Dave Van Ronk, Bob Dylan and Richard Farina together as they gigged in the Troubadour in London around 1964 (I think). They are quite grainy, as the Troubadour was very dark, but very atmospheric.
Jim McLean

Subject: RE: Dave Van Ronk Day
From: GUEST
Date: 15 May 03 - 02:25 PM

Sorry, Jim McLean, but that would have been Eric Von Schmidt, Bob Dylan and Richard Farina.

Subject: RE: Dave Van Ronk Day
From: Jim McLean
Date: 15 May 03 - 02:32 PM

You're quite right, of course. I was using my defective memory and didn't check it with my wife!

Subject: RE: Dave Van Ronk Day
From: Coyote Breath
Date: 16 May 03 - 02:26 AM

Did Dave Van Ronk do Duncan and Brady?

CB

Subject: RE: Dave Van Ronk Day
From: dwditty
Date: 16 May 03 - 06:23 AM

Yes

Subject: RE: Dave Van Ronk Day
From: GUEST,Arne Langsetmo
Date: 20 May 03 - 02:38 PM

We went to the Bottom Line on Sunday for the late show of
the Dave Van Ronk tribute. Tix were sold out, but we got
standing room and they even managed to find us a place to
sit down.

It was an excellent and moving tribute to the Mayor of
Greenwich Village, with two dozen people whose lives
had been touched in one way or another by DVR getting up
and talking about him, and performing one song each.

They also announced that that the City Council had
passed a resolution naming the street north of Sheridan
(where he used to live, AFAIK) Square Dave Van Ronk
Street.

The local councilman, Alan Gerson also presented a framed
plaque with a copy of the declaration by the city of May
18th as Dave Van Ronk day (which was a bit humourous
to me the following evening, when I went to see "A Mighty
Wind" that evening...).

Sunday was the real "Mighty Wind". He is missed by all,
but his work and his life continues through his music, and
the many, many people he touched and even more, helped,
along the way.

Cheers,

                            -- Arne Langsetmo

Subject: RE: Dave Van Ronk Day
From: simon-pierre
Date: 21 May 03 - 01:20 PM

Thanks for the review Arne!

Subject: RE: Dave Van Ronk Day
From: koko2315
Date: 22 May 03 - 04:02 AM

Sunday night's show was outstanding.
I met Odetta before the show, too. She was out of this world!!!

Dave really touched so many people, both directly and indirectly. And I'm looking forward to his memoirs being published.
Suzanne Vega read excerpts between performers on Sunday. It's gonna be one hoot of a book.

I forget exactly who it was, this was a funny anecdote ... she was a student of DVR's who also lived across the street. Dave calls her up and asks "What are you doing, you busy?"
and she says "I'm actually watching a documentary on World War II."
Dave: "Well come on over then, I'll tell you how it ends!"

He was an extremely witty dude.   

If anyone wants to chat about DVR, drop me a line on PM.