Best albums, December 2011

Of the albums that arrived at the station in December 2011, my favorite was Still Beneath the Stars and Moon by Bill and Kate Isles.

Sing Their Souls Back Home

I am listening to "Sing Their Souls Back Home" by Billy Bragg.  I played it on my show last June, but I think it would be worth playing it again sometime.

Some songs I liked from WUMB

Some songs I liked from WUMB:

Birds Fly South by Zoe Speaks
I Love The World I’m In by Luka Bloom
Si Tu Dois Partir by Fairport Convention
This Land is Your Land by Pete Seeger
Who Do You Think You’re Foolin’ by Greg Brown
I Wanna Buy Your Truck by Fred Eaglesmith
Listen to The Rain by Eric Anderson

Mostly Folk Playlist, December 4, 2011

On My Way to Find Out | Greg Greenway | Mussolini's Head
Sweet Georgia Brown | Toby Walker | Speechless…for once
Queen of the Rails | Dan Schatz | Singing through the Hard Times - A Tribute to Utah Phillips
Rocks Into Sand | Bill Kirchen | Hammer of the Honky Tonk Gods
Shot Through | James Krueger | Oasis Acoustic: Volume XI, #7
Autumn Garden | Tim Grimm | Farm Songs
The Garden | Peter Mayer | Heaven Below
Nazarene | Joe Crookston | Darkling and the Bluebird Jubilee
Dreaming | Carrie Newcomer | Everything is Everywhere
Air and Smoke | Carrie Newcomer | Everything is Everywhere
Listen | Bev Barnett and Greg Newlon | Love Can Change the World
Walk With Me | Jimmie Lunsford | Oasis Acoustic, Volume X, #2
Everyday Things | Gene and Gayla Mills | If Stones Could Talk
The Christians and the Pagans | Dar Williams | Many Great Companions
Leaping and Dancing | Nowell Sing We Clear | The Best of Nowell Sing We Clear
Winter Solstice | Atwater Donnelly | When Winter Calls
Imagine Peace | Atwater-Donnelly | When Winter Calls
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen / O’Carolyn Tune | Woods Tea Company | The Passage
The Angel's Part | Atwater-Donnelly | The Weaver's Bonny
Dear Irish Boy | Eileen Ivers | Crossing the Bridge
Dickens’ Dublin (The Palace) | Loreena McKennitt | Parallel Dreams
Solstice Carol | Magpie | Last Month of the Year
The Magi | The Foothills Trio | Songs for a Winter Night
Light One Candle | Gathering Time | Songs of Hope and Freedom
Give Light | Kim and Reggie Harris and Magpie | Guide My Feet

Best albums, November 2011

Of the albums that arrived at the station in November, 2011, my favorites were

• Come Awa' Wi' Me by Ed Miller
• Fogarty's Cove by Stan Rogers

Best albums, October 2011

Of the albums that arrived at WRPI in October 2011, my favorites were:

• The Nellies by The Nellies.
• This Land: Woody Guthrie's America by JohnMcCutcheon.

Runners-up were:

• Light in the Sky by Red Molly.
• The Goat Rodeo Sessions by Yo-Yo Ma, Stuart Duncan, Edgar Meyer, and Chris Thile.
• Among These Hills by The Rustic Riders.

Best albums, September 2011

Of the albums that arrived at the station in September 2011, my favorites were:

• Heaven Below by Peter Mayer. I listened to this album, and found I loved every song.  How could I be unfamiliar with such a great songwriter? As it turns out, I was not unfamiliar with him.  Two years ago, we received Anne Hills' album Points of View, and on that album, I was impressed with the song, "Holy Now," which was written by Peter Mayer.  Like "Holy Now," the songs on this album speak of the beauty and connectedness of the universe. For example, in "All the World is One," he writes,

You can ride off like John Wayne into the setting sun
But earthlings don't leave town
They just go round and round
Until they figure out
All the world is one, all the world is one

• Everything is Everywhere by Carrie Newcomer, Amjad Ali Khan, Amaan Ali Khan, and Ayaan Ali Khan.  I've liked some of Carrie Newcomer's songs in the past, but she has never really been one of my favorites because her sound is more modern than my tastes.  For me, the addition three Indian musicians has increased the appeal.  As with Heaven Below, I liked every song, and many of the songs brought to light the beauty of everyday life.  In "I Believe," she writes:

I believe in socks and gloves knit out of soft grey wool,
And that there's a place in heaven for those
Who teach in public school.
And I know I get some things right,
But mostly I'm a fool.

I believe in a good strong cup of ginger tea,
And all these shoots and roots will become a tree.
All I know is I can’t help but see
All of this as so very holy.

The new Woods Tea Company is not the old Woods Tea Company

For several years, Woods Tea Company played at Caffe Lena the day after Thanksgiving.  For several years, I was sorry that I did not go.  Yesterday I went.  Now, I never again have to be sorry to miss Woods Tea Company.  That Woods Tea Company that was one of my favorite bands was not the Woods Tea Company I saw last night. The Woods Tea Company that I knew was Howard Wooden, Mike Lussen, Rusty Jacobs, and Chip Chase.  The Woods Tea Company that I saw last night was Howard Wooden, Patti Casey, and Tom MacKenzie.  The only member in common between the two bands is Howard Wooden.  Last night, I enjoyed the songs on which Howard Wooden sang lead.  There were very few of them.

I knew that Chip Chase and Rusty Jacobs had passed away. I liked the album that was released after their deaths, The Passage.  It still sounded like Woods Tea Company.  Therefore, I thought that I still liked Woods Tea Company just as much, even with half the members I had known gone.  I did not know that Mike Lussen left the group a year and a half ago.  I did not know that a huge amount of the music done by the current band is written by Patti Casey and sung by Patti Casey.  She's a good singer.  But she is not the Woods Tea Company I once new.

Chip Chase and Rusty Jacobs have left this world.  Mike Lussen has retired from the band.  The recordings they left are to be treasured.  The live performances will never be experienced again.  Everything in this earth is only here for a short time.  Let us cherish every moment while we can.

Best albums, July/August 2011

I did not really have any favorite albums from July, but my favorite album from August 2011 was If Stones Could Talk by Gene and Gayla Mills.  The sound was strong, and the lyrics were gripping.

One of my favorite songs on this album was "Everyday Things" which talks about how love songs say I would walk through fire for your or I would die for you, but those things are not often needed.  Instead, love is about things like dusting, preparing food, and listening without telling the other person what to do.

Other memorable songs on this album included "Talking to a Stone" about spending time with people while they are still alive, and "Twelve Days," about unemployment.

I think my second favorite album was Every New Day by Smithfield Fair.  I'm generally a fan of Smithfield Fair, though this album was not particularly outstanding relative to their other albums.

We received seven albums by David Rovics in August. Of those, my favorite was his children's album, Har, Har, Har -- Songs about Pirates, Penguins, and Punk Rock Babies.  David Rovics usually sings about social justice, and this album was no exception.  In "Bullies," he sings about children organizing to stand up to the older children who bully them, and then organizing against air pollution.

Songs that impressed me from the other David Rovics albums included "The More Gardens Song" about people in a run-down neighborhood starting a garden on a vacant lot, and "The Key," about a Palestinian woman.  "Hiroshima" told the story of the dropping of the bomb in a way that emphasized the impact on ordinary people going about their lives.

I also enjoyed Moody Bluegrass TWO...Much Love -- A Nashville Celebration of the Moody Blues.  I enjoyed hearing some songs that were familiar to me from the days when they were popular, but my favorite song on the album was a song I had not heard before.  I was "Nice to Be Here," performed by Sam Bush.  It describes being outdoors and perceiving the sounds of nature as a concert.

I was also impressed with the quality of A Passing Glimpse by Pharis and Jason Romero.  This music is more traditional folk/bluegrass, which does not fit my tastes quite so much.

Mostly Folk Playlist, November 6, 2011

Today's show will be devoted entirely to people who will be performing in the area in the coming month. For the most part, I will play two songs by each performer.

Little World Spinning Blue | Cris Williamson and Tret Fure | Postcards from Paradise
The Women Are Singing Tonight | Cris Williamson | Fringe
Big Country | Claudia Nygaard | Let the Storm Roll In
J.C. | Claudia Nygaard | Let the Storm Roll In
Garden Song | David Mallett | David Mallett
Dulcimer | David Mallett | Midnight on the Water
All Night Long | Tim Grimm | Thank You Tom Paxton
I Give You the Morning | Tim Grimm | Thank You Tom Paxton
Howlin' at the Moon | Sam Bush | Howlin' at the Moon
The Mahavishnu Mountain Boys | Sam Bush | King of the World
One Meat Ball | Roy Book Binder | The Hillbilly Blues Cats
Cincinnati Flow Rag II | Roy Book Binder | Travelin' Man
Ain't Nobody Here But Us Chickens | Asleep at the Wheel | The Very Best of Asleep at the Wheel
Sugarfeet Rag | Asleep at the Wheel | The Very Best of Asleep at the Wheel
You Can Never Hold Back Spring | Harmonious Wail | Resist Temptation
Melodie du Crouton | Harmonious Wail | Airborne
Darling Corey | Crooked Still | Hop High
Last Fair Deal Gone Down | Crooked Still | Hop High
Who's That Knocking at My Door | Annie and the Hedonists | Side of the Road
Acony Bell | Annie and the Hedonists | Side of the Road
Oh My Michael | Red Molly | Light in the Sky
Ghost | Red Molly | Light in the Sky
The Dust | Bearfoot | American Story
Billy | Bearfoot | American Story
Take Me Back to Harper's Ferry | Magpie | Seed on the Prairie
Old Brown Coat | Dan Berggren with Dan Duggan, John Kirk, and the Newton Street Irregulars | Mountain Air
Roll the Old Chariots | Woods Tea Company | Side By Each
All of the Hard Days Are Gone | Woods Tea Company | The Passage

Mostly Folk Playlist, October 2, 2011

Corporations are Human | Tom Neilson | Oasis Acoustic, Volume XI, #11
Hot Frogs on the Loose Intro | Fred Small | Everything Possible
Hot Frogs on the Loose | Fred Small | Everything Possible
Bullies | David Rovics | Har, Har, Har - Songs about Pirates, Penguins, and Punk Rock Babies
Together | David Rovics | Har, Har, Har - Songs about Pirates, Penguins, and Punk Rock Babies
Step by Step | The Last Internationale | Oasis Acoustic, Volume XI, #12
Walkin’ in the Wilderness | Kim and Reggie Harris | Rock of Ages
The Clock Ticks On | Blackmore's Night | Stand and Deliver - A Medieval Music Compilation
Forever and Ever | Professor Louie and the Crowmatix | Whispering Pines
Iain Ghlinn' Cuaich | Battlefield Band | Line-Up
I Would | Ruth Hill | The River Beneath Me
Pastures of Plenty | The Gawler Sisters | Oasis Acoustic, Volume XI, #6
Soon It’s Gonna Rain| The Serendipity Singers | Serendipity/The Many Sides Of
Jimmy-O | The Serendipity Singers | Serendipity/The Many Sides Of
Butterflies | Sarah Lee Guthrie and Johnny Irion | Bright Examples
Beautiful Monday | Spottiswoode & His Enemies | Wild Goosechase Expedition
Nice to Be Here | Sam Bush | Moody Bluegrass TWO…Much Love
Have a Good Time | Smithfield Fair | Every New Day
Walk Tonight | Hal Walker with Alice Moss | Oasis Acoustic, Volume XI, #6
The Train of Change | Doug MacLeod | Brand New Eyes
Untitled | Mulebone | Bluesville Sessions

People who will be playing in the area:
Old Man Dancing | David Jacobs-Strain | Stuck on the Way Back
Alash | Alash Ensemble | Alash
North Country Waltz | John Kirk and Trish Miller | Quicksteppin’
Mairi’s Wedding / The Flower of Edinborough | Seamus Kennedy | A Smile and A Tear
Something Fine | Jackson Browne | Solo Acoustic vol. 2
Love is Strange / Stay | Jackson Brown and David Lindley | Love is Strange

Best albums, June 2011

Of the albums that arrived at WRPI in June, 2011, my favorite was To the West by Coty Hogue.  She has a strong voice, but I didn't like it that most of the songs were sad.

I was happy to receive Each Other's Story by Atwater-Donnelly, because I really like their previous album, The Weaver's Bonny.  However, it turns out that I did not like this one as much as I liked The Weaver's Bonny.  Each Other's Story is an album of original songs.  For the most part, the songs alternate between those written and sung by Aubrey Atwater and those written and sung by Elwood Donnelly.  The album ends with a bonus track, which sounds very different from the rest of the songs on the album.  It is a 1966 recording of a song by a band called The Lonely Things, featuring Elwood Donnelly on lead vocal.

I really enjoyed the song "Love is Made of Work," by Lost Pines, on their album Sweet Honey.  This song is about a relationship based on farming together side by side.

At the farmer's market today

It was an exciting day at the farmer's market today because there were two good musical performers.

First I listened to the Hill Hollow Band.  Or at least, some subset thereof.  Their style is generally country/bluegrass/traditional folk.

Then, down on the other end of the farmer's market, I listened to Thaddues Gaffer Venar.



It was interesting to note that they had different styles of interacting (or not) with the audience.  The Hillow Hollow Band looked at us and smiled at us, and seemed to really enjoy it when people were visibly enjoying the music by dancing.  They said "thank you" whenever someone put money in their guitar case, even if it was in the middle of a song.  But when it came to deciding what song to play next, then conferred amongst themselves.  Gaffer on the other hand, said, "What mood?" and then went on to explain, "I don't do much from that last 100 years.  If I ask people what song they want to hear, they say Freebird, but if I ask them what mood, they never say Freebird."  He also expanded on the question by saying, "What mood can I help you manifest?"

When one person answered his question with "excited," he said he would try to think of what would be exciting to other people, because what was exciting to him might not be exciting to others.  After he decided what to play, he said, "These were the top four dance hits in London in 1450.  That's exciting to me."

Before each song, he would talk about it a bit, explaining about its history and meaning.

Even though he said he doesn't do much music from the last 100 years, he did two from that time period that I really enjoyed: "What a Wonderful World," and "Dream a Little Dream of Me."  Often, when someone covers a song made famous by someone else, I tend to think their rendition is not as strong as the version I am accustomed to hearing.  But that was not the case for these songs.  The famous version of "What a Wonderful World," has never really appealed to me that much, but it became a beautiful song when Gaffer did it.

All for Good by Adrienne Young and Will Kimbrough

I often listen to WUMB online when I'm working at my computer.  Usually the music is in the background and I don't pay much attention to it.  Every now and then, one of the songs catches my attention.  Today my attention was caught by "All for Good" by Adrienne Young.  I recognized it as a song that has caught my attention in the past.  It was mainly the sound of the song that caught my attention, but the lyrics are good too.  They quiet the mind of someone who worries a lot.  The lyrics can be found at http://www.adrienneyoung.com/songs.

Other musicians who have caught my attention similarly on WUMB have been the Black Lillies and Chris Pahud.

Mostly Folk Playlist, August 28, 2011

After the Storm | Stephanie Bettman and Luke Halpin | It All Comes Back to Love
One Woman and a Shovel | Carrie Newcomer | The Geography of Light
Kale Store | Greg Klyma | pianomandonation
Zucchini Song | Zucchini Brothers | In Your Garden
All the Little Children | Oliver Schroer and the Stewed Tomatoes | Freedom Row
Oak, Ash, and Thorn | John Roberts and Tony Barrand | Dark Ships in the Forest
Matty Groves | Mike Agranoff | The Modern Folk Musician
Lord Bateman | Broadside Electric | More Bad News
Pastures of Plenty | Broadside Electric | More Bad News
So It Goes | Tim Grimm | Farm Songs
Tiny Fish for Japan | Stan Rogers | The Very Best of Stan Rogers
Gulf Coast Highway | Red Molly | James
From Where I Stand | Harvey Reid | Blues and Branches
Isle of May | Magpie | Living Planet
Stonewalls and Fences | Neptune's Car | Strawberry Moon
It’s a Pleasure to Know You | Sally Rogers and Howie Bursen | When Howie Met Sally
The Nazarene | Joe Crookston | Darkling and the BlueBird Jubilee
Everything Here is Good | Joe Crookston | Darkling and the BlueBird Jubilee
Dance in the Kitchen | Tom Paxton | Live for the Record
Spin and Turn | Tom Paxton | Live for the Record
Everything Possible | Fred Small | Everything Possible
The Tempest | Sarah McQuaid | When Two Lovers Meet
Africa | Moira Smiley and Voco | Circle Square Diamond and Flag
Bridge Over Troubled Waters | Soweto Gospel Choir | Grace
Good Night Irene | The Weavers | Best of the Vanguard Years

Mostly Folk Playlist, August 7, 2011

All My Life’s A Circle | McBride, Lussen & Wooden | Full Circle
The Living and the Dying | McBride, Lussen & Wooden | Full Circle
All the Hard Days Are Gone | The Woods Tea Co. | The Passage
Portland Town | Schooner Fare | The First Ten Years
Cape St. Mary’s | Schooner Fare | The First Ten Years
Lock-Keeper | Stan Rogers | The Very Best of Stan Rogers
Forty-Five Years | Stan Rogers | The Very Best of Stan Rogers
Music to Me | Bill Staines | Tracks and Trails
River | Bill Staines | Going to the West
Shenandoah | John Kirk and Trish Miller | Quicksteppin’
Susquehanna | John Kirk and Trish Miller | Fly Around
Morning Song | Atwater Donnelly | Weaver’s Bonny
The Devil’s Nine Questions | Atwater Donnelly | Weaver’s Bonny
Sabael | Jamcrackers | Jamcrackers
Crossing the Bar | Jamcrackers | Jamcrackers
Watches the Clouds Roll By | Krüger Brothers | Between the Notes
The Kid | All She Wrote | Triple Play
Mud (Hippopatomus Song) Serendipity Singers | Serendipity/The Many Sides of
Blow Ye Winds | Phil Teumim | All Over the Map
Sail Away Ladies | Betty and the Baby Boomers | Where the Heron Waits
My Dirty Stream| Betty and the Baby Boomers | Where the Heron Waits
Michael Row the Boat Ashore | The Weavers | Best of the Vanguard Years

New Folk Playlist, June 18, 2011

On last Sunday's Mostly Folk show, I played a lot of music by people who will be performing at the upcoming festivals, leaving little time for new music.  In order to give the new music some airplay,  I signed up to do a one-time show called "New Folk" at 1pm on Saturday, June 18. 

Good Luck John | Joe Crookston | Darkling and the BlueBird Jubilee
To Keep You Warm | Joe Crookston | Darkling and the BlueBird Jubilee
Ramblin' in the Land | Tim Grimm | Thank You Tom Paxton
Whose Garden Was This? | Tim Grimm | Thank You Tom Paxton
Going to the West | Coty Hogue | To the West
Dear Mother | Coty Hogue | To the West
Night of Broken Glass | Sharon Klein | The Way Back Home
In the Promised Land | Phil Teumim | All Over the Map
McTee's Reel / Joe Pye | Phil Teumim | All Over the Map
Out of the Well | Amarillis | Oasis Acoustic: Volume XI, #5
The Newry Highwayman | Runa | Oasis Acoustic: Volume XI, #7
Irish Fire | Susan Marie Reeves | Oasis Acoustic: Volume XI, #7
The Arran Boat Song || Eilean mo Ghaoil – The Music of Arran
Bitterroot Waltz | John Reischman and the Jaybirds | Vintage and Unique
Honey Baby Blues | Lauren Sheehan | Rose City Ramble
Sing It Loud | K. D. Lang |  Sing It Loud
Big Bang | Coco and Lafe | Oasis Acoustic: Volume XI, #7
Lay Down Your Weary Tune | Storyhill | A Nod to Bob 2: An Artists' Tribute to Bob Dylan on his 70th Birthday
Walkin' Down the Line | Robin and Linda Williams | A Nod to Bob 2: An Artists' Tribute to Bob Dylan on his 70th Birthday
Singing Voice | Lost Pines | Sweet Honey
Love is Made of Work | Lost Pines | Sweet Honey
We Go Together | Atwater-Donnelly | Each Other's Story
Our Generation | Atwater-Donnelly | Each Other's Story
The Great Emancipation | Kevin Welch | A Patch of Blue Sky
A Patch of Blue | Kevin Welch | A Patch of Blue Sky

Mostly Folk Playlist,June 12, 2011

Instrumental I | Wes Swing | Through a Fogged Glass
Find Me Now | Alice DiMicele | Lucky Dogs
Eggs, Milk and Butter | Maria and Friends | Oasis Acoustic: Volume XI, #7
Green is Hot | Rob Tobias and the Northwest Express | Oasis Acoustic: Volume XI, #7
In My Back Yard | Phil Teumim | All Over the Map

People who will be performing in the area
Tempest Set | Four Shillings Short | Pass It On: Live in Boulder Colorado
Monihan’s Jig | St. James Gate | The Road to Clare
Hand Me Down My Walking Cane | Jim Gaudet and the Railroad Boys | So Far, So Good
Cat and Mouse | Yarn | Yarn


Coming up at the Old Songs festival
North Country Waltz | John Kirk and Trish Miller | Quicksteppin’
Wayfaring Stranger | Scott Ainslie | Jealous of the Moon
Who Will Sing For Me? | Finest Kind | Heart's Delight
Oi Dai | Libana | Borderland
Skyway Bridge | Acoustic Eidolon | Beyond Words
Tom-Tom | Jez Lowe and the Bad Pennies | The Parish Notices
Cornbread, Molasses, and Sassafras Tea | The Freight Hoppers | Where Did You Come From, Where Did You Go?
Country Life | Dan Berggren | One With the Water
Rocks and Trees | Arrogant Worms | Dirt!
The Hogmanay, Mrs. Grace Bowie | Bill Spence and Fennig's All-Star String Band | The Hammered Dulcimer Strikes Again and Fennigmania

Coming up at the Clearwater festival
Sailboat Clearwater | Hudson River Sloop Singers | Broad Old River 2
Roll the Old Chariot Along | Hudson River Sloop Singers | Broad Old River 2
White Wings | Magpie | Seed on the Prairie
I Don’t Want Your Millions Mister | Tao Seeger Band | Rise and Bloom
I Ain't Marchin' Any More | The Nields | Clearwater's Great Hudson River Revival Live!
Sing Their Souls Back Home | Billy Bragg | Mr. Love and Justice
Hope Machine | Hope Machine | Big Green Hope Machine
You Gotta Sing | Sarah Lee Guthrie | Sarah Lee Guthrie
Turn, Turn, Turn | Pete Seeger with the Rivertown Kids and Friends | Tomorrow's Children

Best albums, May 2011

Of the albums that arrived in the station in May, 2011, my favorite was All over the Map by Philip Teumim.  It has humorous songs, including one about a colonoscopy, and serious songs, including "In My Back Yard" about wind power and "In the Promised Land" about hoping for peace in the Middle East.

The runner up was Thank You Tom Paxton by Tim Grimm. I like Tom Paxton songs, but I think I'd rather hear them performed by Tom Paxton himself, though Tim Grimm does a good job of it.  I was happy to hear one of my favorite singers, Joe Crookston, on one of the tracks.

Also noteworthy was A Nod to Bob 2: An Artists' Tribute to Bob Dylan on his 70th Birthday.  Since I like Bob Dylan's songwriting more than his singing, I prefer his songs to be performed by people other than himself.  The songs seemed to match the performers.  That is, the songs came across as being particularly suited for whoever was singing them, rather than coming across as being similar because they were all written by the same person.

Often, when I start listening to a song and hear just the instruments, I really like it, but then when I hear the vocals, I don't like it any more.  Such was the case with Through a Fogged Glass by Wes Swing.  I do plan to play the instrumental piece "Instrumental I" on my show, but I don't plan to play any of the tracks with vocals.  His singing has a modern, indie style.  I prefer the old-fashioned singing style of the Weavers.

Mostly Folk Playlist, May 29, 2011

Simple Song | Elliot Park | Flyboy
Snow Drop | Ken Kolodner and Brad Kolodner | Otter Creek
River Wide, River Deep | Adler and Hearne | To the Heart
Sail Away to the Sea | The Once | The Once
Pretty Fair Maiden | Annie and the Hedonists | Good Old Wagon
And Off He Went | Cara | In Colour
False, False | Cara | In Colour
Follow This Highway | Neptune's Car | Strawberry Moon
Lighthouse Keeper | Neptune's Car | Strawberry Moon
In the Pines | Sarah McQuaid | I Won't Go Home 'Til Morning
King of the Fairies / The Blackbird | Sarah McQuaid | When Two Lovers Meet
Easy in the Early ('til Sundown) | Uncle Earl | Waterloo, Tennessee
Bring Me Little Water Sylvie | Moira Smiley and Voco | Circle Square Diamond and Flag
No Hiding Place | Staber and Chasnoff | Looking for the Road
The Devil’s Nine Questions | Atwater Donnelly | The Weaver’s Bonny
As I Roved Out | Atwater Donnelly | The Weaver’s Bonny
Laughing in the Face of the Moon | Smithfield Fair | The Longing
It's Good To Be Alive | Nitty Gritty Dirt Band | Speed of Life
Going Up the Mountain | Si Kahn | Courage
Lovell the Robber | Woods Tea Company | The Passage
They're Moving My Father's Grave | Brian Maskew | Songs in Good Company
Stern Trawler Waltz | Jim McGrath | Last of the Romantics
Northwest Passage | Stan Rogers | The Very Best of Stan Rogers
The Field Behind the Plow | Stan Rogers | The Very Best of Stan Rogers
Cotton Jenny | Gordon Lightfoot | Gord’s Gold
What's That I Hear | Phil Ochs | All the News That's Fit to Sing
Oh Freedom | Kim and Reggie Harris | Steal Away: Songs of the Underground Railroad
Follow the Drinking Gourd | Kim and Reggie Harris | Steal Away: Songs of the Underground Railroad
We Shall Not Be Moved | Pete Seeger with the Rivertown Kids and Friends | Tomorrow's Children
Wonderful Friends | Pete Seeger | At 89

The Jesus Says Hello Tango

This morning, Harmando played "The Jesus Says Hello Tango" by Fat City/Bill and Taffy. I had never heard it before. I really like the 60s sound and the instruments.

Find more FAT CITY/BILL & TAFFY songs at Myspace Music

Best albums, April 2011

Of the albums that arrived at the station in April 2011, my favorite was:

Burning Bridget Cleary. Totes for Goats.  Celtic.  About half have vocals, and half are instrumentals.

Mostly Folk Playlist, April 10, 2011

I started early because the show before mine was pre-empted by baseball, and I started when baseball was over.  I started off with a folk rock segment:

Hang Me | The Anarchist Orchestra | The Anarchist Orchestra
Pretty Polly | The Anarchist Orchestra | The Anarchist Orchestra
Wade on In | Tao Seeger Band | Rise and Bloom
Rise and Bloom | Tao Seeger Band | Rise and Bloom
With Her Head Tucked Underneath Her Arm | Broadside Electric | With Teeth

Then the rest was what I considered to be the actual Mostly Folk show:

Now We Sit Us Down | Pete Seeger | At 89
Fogarty's Cove | Stan Rogers | The Very Best of Stan Rogers
Barrett's Privateers | Stan Rogers | The Very Best of Stan Rogers
Tin Can Sailors | Jim McGrath | Last of the Romantics
Roll Alabama Roll | Schooner Fare | Alive
You Hilo Man! | Hank Cramer | Loosely Celtic
Grandy Scratch Scratch | Brian Maskew | Songs in Good Company
The Ghosts of Ellis Island | Hudson River Sloop Singers | Broad Old River 2
My Images Come | Bok, Muir, and Trickett | The First Fifteen Years, Volume II
Only an April Fool | Dan Berggren | Fresh Territory
Here's to You | Dan Berggren | One with the Water
Restlessness | Marianne Pasts | Moments
Isle of May | Magpie | Living Planet
Island Earth | Betty and the Baby Boomers | Where the Heron Waits
Solartopia | Pete Seeger with the Rivertown Kids and Friends | Tomorrow's Children
Johnny I Hardly Knew Ye | Janis Ian | The Essential Janis Ian
I Can’t Help But Wonder Where I’m Bound | Tom Paxton | Live for the Record
The Flying Lawn Chair | Michael Jerling | Little Movies
Peg and Awl | David Ferrard | Across the Trouble Wave
Follow the Drinking Gourd | David Ferrard | Across the Trouble Wave
Wade in the Water | Kim and Reggie Harris | Steal Away: Songs of the Underground Railroad
Now Let Me Fly | Kim and Reggie Harris | Steal Away: Songs of the Underground Railroad
Freedom’s Star | Serendipity Singers | Serendipity
Movin’ in My Heart | Serendipity Singers | The Many Sides of the Serendipity Singers
Wayfaring Stranger | The Beggar Folk | The Beggar Folk
Dearest Lord | The Beggar Folk | The Beggar Folk
The Beggar Folk | The Beggar Folk | The Beggar Folk
Russia (Siberia's Snows) | Moira Smiley and Voco | Small Worlds
Zelena (Green Mikrokosmos) | Moira Smiley and Voco | Small Worlds
The Manifold Path | Oliver Schroer and the Stewed Tomatoes | Freedom Row
Krasavaska Ruchenitsa | Jayme Stone | Room of Wonders
Shady Grove | Mark Growden | Lose Me in the Sand
Cotton Jenny | Gordon Lightfoot | Gord's Gold
I Sing | Joe Crookston | Darkling and the BlueBird Jubilee
Darkling and the BlueBird Jubilee | Joe Crookston | Darkling and the BlueBird Jubilee
All of the Hard Days Are Gone | Woods Tea Company | The Passage
My Corner of the Sky | McBride, Lussen, and Wooden | Full Circle

Best albums, March 2011

Of the albums that arrived at the station in March 2011, my favorite was:

• Harris, Kim and Reggie.  Steal Away: Songs of the Underground Railroad.   Kim and Reggie Harris are among my favorite singers, and I also enjoy this type of song (such as "Wade in the Water" and "Oh Freedom").  I like the style of singing in which the singers belt out the music with strong voices (exemplified on this album, and also on other albums by performers such as Magpie, Serendipity Singers, Schooner Fare, and the Weavers). 

Honorable mention goes to:

• Seeger, Mike and Peggy.  Fly Down Little Bird. Mike and Peggy's parents collected traditional songs, and these are the songs Mike and Peggy grew up listening to, songs their parents collected and transcribed.  Simple, traditional music.  
• Spector, Phil.  Wall of Sound The Very Best of Phil Spector 1961-1966.  I enjoy oldies, although sometimes mainstream music gets dull for me.

Best albums, February 2011

Of the albums that arrived at the station in February 2011, my favorites were:

• The Beggar Folk.   My favorite songs on this album were "Dearest Lord," "The Beggar Folk," and "Wayfaring Stranger."  The music carries me away, with the rich instrumental work and the nice harmony in the combination of male and female vocals.  If you click on the link at the beginning of this paragraph, you can hear the songs in their entirety, not just clips.
• The Very Best of Stan Rogers.  This has all the great Stan Rogers songs on it.  I love just about every one.  There are love songs, sad songs, rousing songs, songs about the hard life of the working man.  Stan Rogers' deep voice combines with good instrumental work.

Best albums, January 2011

Of the albums that arrived at the station in January 2011, my favorite was:

• Simply Eva by Eva Cassidy.  According to the liner notes, these are never before released recordings and we are supposed to think they are unlike what we have heard before.  They did not seem so novel to me.  I have already heard recordings of Eva Cassidy doing these songs.  I liked them when I heard them before, and I like them on this album too, but it doesn't feel to me like something new.

Best albums, December 2010

Of the albums that arrived at the station in December 2010, my favorite was:

• Music of the Balkans by Gogofski.   

Honorable mention goes to:

• Out in the Storm by Ruth Purves Smith and the 581.  This was somewhat more country and rock than my tastes.  I didn't like all the songs, but I did like five of them (tracks 1, 2, 4, 11, and 12).
• Reverb Rehab by Ben Rogers instrumental asylum.  Australian surf guitar instrumentals.

Mostly Folk Playlist, February 13, 2011

Welcome in Another Year | Zoe Mulford | Bonfires
Maple Syrup | Betty and the Baby Boomers | I’ll Always Sing
Maple Syrup Time | Pete Seeger and Tao Rodriguez Seeger | Seeds: The Songs of Pete Seeger

Gaspe Reel / Celina / Da Tushkar | Beverwyck String Band | Cat Out of the Bag
Chosen Challe Mazeltov | Jay Ungar and Molly Mason | The Lover’s Waltz
Old Greasy Coat | Red Hen | Crossing
Hangman’s Reel | Atwater Donnelly | The Weaver’s Bonny
Grandfather’s Clock | John Kirk and Friends | Fiddle Tunes of the North Country
Tannery Pond Reel | Dan Berggren, John Kirk, and Christopher Shaw | North River, North Woods

O'Carolan's Concerto | Gerry O'Beirne and Rosie Shipley | Yesterday I Saw the Earth Beautiful
Chauffe L’Alambic | Suroît | Les Grandes Marées de 1992-2000
Dancing on the Waves | Oliver Schroer and the Stewed Tomatoes | Freedom Row
Monihan's Jig | St. James Gate | The Road to Clare

Gas Nign & Makedonsko Devojce | Broadside Electric | More Bad News
Mostarski Ducharni | Gogofski | Music of the Balkans
Alash | Alash | Alash
Galleguita / Tutankhamen | The Chieftains | Santiago

How Long | Tiny Television | Mission Statement
If I Needed You | Carrie Rodriguez and Ben Kyle | We Still Love Our Country

Wondrous Love | Moira Smiley and Voco | Circle Square Diamond and Flag
The Cuckoo | Moira Smiley and Voco | Circle Square Diamond and Flag
Love Thyself | Joel Rafael | The Songs of Woody Guthrie

Roseville Fair | Bill Staines | The Whistle of the Jay
Lies | Stan Rogers | Northwest Passage
The Famous Dancemore | Amy Fradon | Passion Angels

Wash Our Spirits Clean | Magpie | In This World: Looking Back, Moving Forward
Wind on the Water | Hudson River Sloop Singers | Broad Old River 2

Folk and World Features Playlist, January 17, 2010

Theme: Haiti


Gason Total | Orchestre Tropicana D’Haiti | Putumayo Presents: World Party
Kité | Riské | Putumayo Presents:Women of the World - International
Pa Koute Konsèy | Haitiando | Putumayo Presents: Salsa Around the World
Rasanblé | Beethova Obas| Putumayo Presents: Music From the Chocolate Lands
Pa ‘Piye Soo D M’ | Lole-Lolay | Putumayo Kids Presents: Caribbean Playground
Panama | Marlene Dorcena | Putumayo Kids Presents: Caribbean Playground
Chalé Lanmou | Tabou Combo | Putumayo Presents: Caribbean Party
Bél Fanm | Mika | Putumayo Presents: The Caribbean
Jasmine | Bélo | Lakou Trankil
Histoire d’eau | Emeline Michel | Reine De Coeur
Ki Sa Pou-n Fe? (What is to Be Done?) | Atis Indepandan | Haiti: Ki Sa Pou-N Fe? (What is to Be Done)
M-Anvi Chante Peyi-M (Singing of My Country) | Atis Indepandan | Haiti: Ki Sa Pou-N Fe? (What is to Be Done)
Jou Nou Revolte | Boukman Eksperyans | Kalfou Danjere

God is Love

Tonight Michael played "God is Love" by Steve Gillette.  It says

God is love, only love,
Nothing more, nothing less.