Review: Harry Smith folk compilation CD

Subject: Review: Harry Smith folk compilation CD
From: Donuel
Date: 03 Oct 06 - 02:05 PM

Is it good or great?

Subject: RE: Review: Harry Smith folk compilation CD
From: 12-stringer
Date: 03 Oct 06 - 02:46 PM

If you mean the Anthology, it's epochal. But only if you encountered it in the 50s or 60s.

Today it's a so-so collection of unenhanced 78 dubs, virtually all of which are available elsewhere in comparable or better audio quality and with more informative notes and a more knowledgeable context.

Whether any of those other compilations would have existed w/o the Anthology is another question. It was epochal.

Subject: RE: Review: Harry Smith folk compilation CD
From: GUEST
Date: 03 Oct 06 - 04:15 PM

Partial disagreement; partial agreement from me. I encountered it only in the CD reissue of a few years back, though I'm old enough to have encountered in the 60s. The vast majority of the songs (not instrumental tunes) I had previously heard in great but revival versions from Ry Cooder, Bob Franke, Paul Geremia, Geoff Bartley, and numerous others. It was enlightening and rewarding for me to hear the originals. I am not speaking of audio quality here, but rather of recognizing the generations-long impact of *this particular collection* of reissued 78s.

Plus, Harry Smith was a fascinating (obviously brilliant, obviously infuriating) man. Worth it just for the extended commentary in the reissue. Especially because you can get it discounted through various online sources.

chris smith

Subject: RE: Review: Harry Smith folk compilation CD
From: C. Ham
Date: 04 Oct 06 - 05:36 PM

Today it's a so-so collection of unenhanced 78 dubs, virtually all of which are available elsewhere in comparable or better audio quality and with more informative notes and a more knowledgeable context.

That description is not at all accurate. The version of the anthology that was reissued in 1997 featured superbly remastered sound and notes that were so impressive that they were awarded a special Grammy. That package set the standard for all reissues that have followed.

If you want to an excellent entree into rural American music of the 1920s and '30s, and if you want to understand the music of revival performers like the New Lost City Ramblers, Dave Van Ronk, Bob Dylan and many others. The anthology is absolutely essential.

Subject: RE: Review: Harry Smith folk compilation CD
From: M.Ted
Date: 04 Oct 06 - 11:25 PM

C.Ham--thanks for putting that straight--The Anthology is a better listen than ever--perhaps because so many have worked from it--there is more there to hear than on any other compilation that I can think of--also worth contemplating--the Anthology is much older now than the music contained in it was when the anthology itself was compiled--