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19 Sep 09 - 03:11 PM (#2726765) Subject: Obit: Ray Alden - Jul 2 1942 - Sep 19 2009 From: GLoux Ray passed just past midnight, local time (EST). Very, very sad. -Greg |
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19 Sep 09 - 03:25 PM (#2726780) Subject: RE: Obit: Ray Alden - Jul 2 1942 - Sep 19 2009 From: GUEST,Hootenanny Sad news indeed Greg. Yet another guy responsible for getting the music out over the years most recently with the Field Recorders Collective material. Hoot |
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19 Sep 09 - 03:26 PM (#2726782) Subject: RE: Obit: Ray Alden - Jul 2 1942 - Sep 19 2009 From: GUEST,Russ Great person and musician. Russ (Permanent GUEST) |
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19 Sep 09 - 06:22 PM (#2726919) Subject: RE: Obit: Ray Alden - Jul 2 1942 - Sep 19 2009 From: Martha Burns Very, very sad news. Ray was so much fun, on top of being such a good musician. Will never forget the skit he put on at Pete Peterson's big Labor Day Party, years ago, when Pete was presented with Charlie Poole's very own banjo -- a feat that Ray also arranged. A pretended telephone conversation with Charlie Poole, long-distance from Heaven. Utterly hilarious. We never thought so personally about Heaven in those days. Ray was one of the few people I wasn't able to catch up with again after returning to music this last year. Spied him once briefly in a night-time jam session at Rockbridge in 2008, but he was playing. Came back a few minutes later and he had left. Never thought that would be my last sight of him. Wish it were otherwise. |
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19 Sep 09 - 06:40 PM (#2726928) Subject: RE: Obit: Ray Alden - Jul 2 1942 - Sep 19 2009 From: open mike Apparently he was a banjo player and field recorder/collector of music. Ironically, here is a quote from him: (found on this page: ttp://www.fieldrecorder.com/) A Note from Ray Alden "All things pass; all that lives must die. All that we prize is but lent to us, and the time comes when we must surrender it. We are travelers on the same road that leads to the same end." http://www.fieldrecorder.com/docs/collectors/alden.htm and on this page : http://unjobs.org/authors/ray-alden there is mention of "Chubby Dragon" record label and Run of the Mill String Band. more here: http://www.runotmill.com/files/Fiddler%20Mag%20Review.PDF here on Mugwumps is a list of banjo classes and workshops he taught: http://www.mugwumps.com/bcn/BCN07-OT-ClassList.html Here is also some info on the web about building your own speakers. http://www.audioxpress.com/reviews/media/AHF%20Book%20Review.pdf this is from Australia, but i think it is about the same Ray Alden. on this page there was a request last month to send cards and letters to Ray: http://oldtimemusic.com/ He sounds like quite a guy. sorry i never met him, but the news of his passing has encouraged me to do some research. Glad he left us such a legacy of music...the music lives on! |
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19 Sep 09 - 08:05 PM (#2726978) Subject: RE: Obit: Ray Alden - Jul 2 1942 - Sep 19 2009 From: RangerSteve Back in the summer of 1973, I went looking for the jam sessions that I had read about that took place in Washington Square in NYC. I met Ray on that first day. He was sort of the leader of the old-time sessions. I wasn't very good as a musician, but he treated me as if I was just as talented as anyone else, taking the time to teach me some tunes and encouraging me to sing, since I was a better singer than banjo player. Not many people would have tolerated me as much as he did. He was an incredibly generous person. I'll miss him greatly. RIP, Ray. |
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19 Sep 09 - 09:02 PM (#2727005) Subject: RE: Obit: Ray Alden - Jul 2 1942 - Sep 19 2009 From: GUEST Ray did old-time music a tremendous service when he started putting out LPs and later CDs in his Chubby Dragon incarnation, and even more so when he began putting out the Field Recorders Collective series which is just phenomenal. Field Recorders Collective is reorganizing (or maybe already has) as a nonprofit and will continue to issue field recordings of a wide range of old-time musicians. If you like old-time music, check out their web page: http://www.fieldrecorder.com Amazing recordings of everyone from fiddlers of the 1930s to nouveau oldtime of the 1980s to the Balfa Brothers in NY in the mid-1960s. A tremendous body of work. Besides which, Ray was full of love of life and enjoyment of old-time music, not just the part about preserving it. He was such fun, I can't believe I won't see him again. He will be greatly missed. Suzy T. |
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19 Sep 09 - 10:09 PM (#2727036) Subject: RE: Obit: Ray Alden - Jul 2 1942 - Sep 19 2009 From: GUEST,pvc For Ray Alden it was never enough to discover, learn and analyze the music; organize, illustrate, preserve, package and distribute the wealth; teach, experiment, and recreate - or create his own- no, he had to pass right through to the human level, and become part of and blood of those families where the music came from, with friends made everywhere he went along the way. |
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20 Sep 09 - 06:21 AM (#2727178) Subject: RE: Obit: Ray Alden - Jul 2 1942 - Sep 19 2009 From: GUEST,Hootenanny "Apparently he was a banjo player and field recorder/collector of music." You are obviously a newcomer to old time string band/fiddle/banjo music. As I mentioned above and as you should by now have now discovered, those of us who appreciate such owe him a great big thank you. He will be missed. Hoot |
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20 Sep 09 - 03:07 PM (#2727502) Subject: RE: Obit: Ray Alden - Jul 2 1942 - Sep 19 2009 From: GLoux Dan Peck posted this to the New River Old Time (NROT) list regarding Ray: Old time music has lost one of its great champions: banjoist, collector and documentarian Ray Alden, who succumbed to a battle against cancer and died in his home in Croton, New York. He was 67 years old. One of the first devotees of the music from Round Peak, Ray Alden began making field trips to North Carolina in the early 1970s recording the music of Tommy Jarrell, Fred Cockerham, Kyle Creed and Ernest East. Ray's tireless devotion to their music provided him with hundreds of hours of exceptionally well recorded and meticulously documented field recordings of these musicians and many others in the region. A tireless advocate for this music and culture, Ray abandoned a successful and safe career as a teacher of mathematics at New York's prestigious Stuyvesant High School to devote himself full time to the documentation, dissemination and performance of the music of Round Peak. A powerful and dynamic banjoist himself, Ray Alden was a gifted teacher and a member of numerous bands including "Ben Steele and His Bare Hands" and the "Southern Schoolhouse Rascals." He was also a talented designer of custom HiFi speaker systems who literally "wrote the book" on their construction inspiring legions of young audiophiles to build his innovative loudspeakers. Ray Alden's commitment to the process of old time music saw him inaugurate numerous record projects including "Visits" and the successful "Young Fogies" and "American Fogies" series and in recent years his launching of the Field Recorder's Collective label, his bold vision to make hundreds of hours of rare and unique field recordings he and others have made over the years available to a wider audience in affordable and lovingly documented packaging. Ray Alden was beloved and respected by those whose music he collected and celebrated as much as he was revered and idolized by the many whom he inspired by his generous great hearted example. |
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20 Sep 09 - 03:43 PM (#2727530) Subject: RE: Obit: Ray Alden - Jul 2 1942 - Sep 19 2009 From: nickp A sad loss. I posess many of the FRC cds and treasure them. His legacy will live on. Nick |
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20 Sep 09 - 04:00 PM (#2727548) Subject: RE: Obit: Ray Alden - Jul 2 1942 - Sep 19 2009 From: dick greenhaus Anyone know anything about what will happen to the Field Recorders Collective recordings? Too good to lose. |
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20 Sep 09 - 05:00 PM (#2727580) Subject: RE: Obit: Ray Alden - Jul 2 1942 - Sep 19 2009 From: GUEST,Andy Cahan Such sad, sad news about our dear friend Ray. I'd known Ray since I was 15, and he had a great deal to do with my interest in learning about the world of old time music. I suspect that many others feel the same, whether through Ray's personal encouragement, or the amazing work he did to make the music widely accessible. We'll miss him so. |
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20 Sep 09 - 08:24 PM (#2727714) Subject: RE: Obit: Ray Alden - Jul 2 1942 - Sep 19 2009 From: GLoux Dick, Good question. I don't know all the answers, but rest assured that Ray spent his last few months assembling a team of people well qualified to continue what he started. Jim Garber, Ambrose Verdibello, Suzie Goehring and (most wonderfully) Diane Alden are involved. More details will be posted at the Field Recorders Collective website -Greg |
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20 Sep 09 - 09:35 PM (#2727751) Subject: RE: Obit: Ray Alden - Jul 2 1942 - Sep 19 2009 From: GUEST Ray was a wonderful friend and musician, as indicated above. As to the FRC, things are in good hands, as Greg mentions. All of us involved worked closely with Ray to get the last batch of CDs and DVDs out and will contnue his very valued work into the future. We will miss his comaraderie, good humor, excellent musicianship and generosity. Jim Garber |
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20 Sep 09 - 10:04 PM (#2727762) Subject: RE: Obit: Ray Alden - Jul 2 1942 - Sep 19 2009 From: Janie My condolences to friends and family. So many are passing on now, it seems. I guess that is what happens as we get older. So good to know that neither the music nor the work falls aside, and that other good hands keep at the work of collecting and documenting. |
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21 Sep 09 - 04:25 PM (#2728308) Subject: RE: Obit: Ray Alden - Jul 2 1942 - Sep 19 2009 From: GUEST,Arnie Naiman I remember first seeing Ray in the mid 1970s at The National Folk Festival in Virginia I believe. He was a big man with a big smile and either had a banjo or microphone in is hands during that festival. I was just starting out on my banjo , & I distinctly remember being really impressed with his banjo playing ability way back then. Over the years that's the way it was whenever I'd see him- the big man with a passion for the music, with either the banjo or mic and the huge smile. |
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23 Sep 09 - 09:30 AM (#2729568) Subject: RE: Obit: Ray Alden - Jul 2 1942 - Sep 19 2009 From: JGarber For those interested: The celebration of Ray's life will be held on November 7th at 2 PM at Judson Memorial Church, 55 Washington Square South, New York City. This venue was Ray's idea, since his father was the minister there many years ago. I have been posting info on Facebook and on the FRC site. |
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25 Sep 09 - 01:13 PM (#2731198) Subject: RE: Obit: Ray Alden - Jul 2 1942 - Sep 19 2009 From: GUEST,Deb (Marks) Nichols, a cousin of Diane Alden My best to Diane, very sad news, My family and I are thinking of you!! |
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27 Sep 09 - 06:21 PM (#2732711) Subject: RE: Obit: Ray Alden - Jul 2 1942 - Sep 19 2009 From: Guy Wolff Ray and I played together and competed against each other at the Roxbury old time music contest, I just loved his effortless fretless playing . HIs knowledge of the instrument was wonderful . He will be missed by all who were lucky enough to know him . All the best , Guy |
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27 Sep 09 - 07:40 PM (#2732769) Subject: RE: Obit: Ray Alden - Jul 2 1942 - Sep 19 2009 From: GUEST,BanjoRay I met Ray at Clifftop last year where he had a stall selling the CDs made by the superb Field Recorders' Collective. His knowledge of old time recordings and the artists on his CDs was staggering, and he was prepared to spend a lot of time discussing the CDs and talking in detail about the artists. He did it all for a deep love of the music and its folk. I'll definitely miss him next time I cross the pond to Clifftop, West Virginia. Ray |
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30 Sep 09 - 10:04 AM (#2734965) Subject: RE: Obit: Ray Alden - Jul 2 1942 - Sep 19 2009 From: Guy Wolff Here is a great clip of Ray and Dan Gardella playing . http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s7IE-Hy7xBY&feature=related |
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04 Oct 09 - 09:06 PM (#2738453) Subject: RE: Obit: Ray Alden - Jul 2 1942 - Sep 19 2009 From: Guy Wolff Tater patch . Dan Gardella and Ray with Steve Arkin http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eR30rd1slgg&feature=channel Shortnin Bread Dan Ray and steve http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=um56vKyPqo0&feature=channel All the best , Guy |
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14 Oct 09 - 07:14 PM (#2746047) Subject: RE: Obit: Ray Alden - Jul 2 1942 - Sep 19 2009 From: GUEST,gary brandwein I taught with Ray at Stuyvesant....I used to play clarinet with hinm in the hallway....The kids knew what a treasure he was as did much of faculty. God he was a fabulous man..... |
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17 Dec 09 - 08:28 PM (#2790870) Subject: RE: Obit: Ray Alden - Jul 2 1942 - Sep 19 2009 From: GUEST,Bill Woods I just found out recently of Ray's passing ... I was a student if his for 2 yrs and last spoke with him in July ... I am deeeply saddened by the news ,,,, went home and played Ducks on the Mill Pond. first tune Ray taught me... I am sure he is teaching St. Peter the banjo right now,,,,, |
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29 Dec 09 - 02:27 PM (#2798673) Subject: RE: Obit: Ray Alden - Jul 2 1942 - Sep 19 2009 From: GLoux Just got the latest Old Time Herald. It contains a wonderful article on Ray by Paul Brown. |