WFDU-FM’s TRADITIONS playlist for December 10, 2006
My in-studio guests today were Debra Cowan and John O’Connor. They will be appearing next Saturday at the People’s Voice Cafe and dropped in to say hello, talk about their music, topical songs, Local 1000 and to share some great live music. If you will be in the NYC on 12/16 you
can check them out at the People’s Voice Cafe -www.peoplesvoicecafe.org .
Santa will have his bag full of great CD’s this year. Today I had the pleasure of sharing some exceptional recordings.
First, I highly recommend the new Nic Jones CD “Game Set Match”. Due to the horrific accident he suffered back in 1982, Nic is unable to perform and the world has missed his extraordinary guitar skills and style. This new CD features live recordings made in the 1970’s that shows what a genius he was on the guitar. A really fine recording from Topic Records.
I will often hesitate to open up “new” Christmas CD’s. I have come to expect warmed-over renditions of overworn songs sung by artists whose hearts aren’t into it, or tragic attempts at interjecting humor into the season by jumping on cliches and equally overworn themes. So it was with great delight that I received two CD’s that exemplify EXACTLY what artists should be doing with the season.
The first is an incredible collection from Hudson Harding Music. I was overwhelmed at the quality of the songs and performances on this collection. DON’T PASS THIS ONE UP!!
There are some stirring songs for the holiday – I was particulary taken with Freebo’s “He Was Just a Man”, Amy Speace’s “Happy Holidays” and Tom Prasada-Rao’s “Angel Wings”. James Durst delivers a moving “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day” – a fitting song that features the words of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow who wrote about a son that was seriously wounded in the Civil War. The song is not so much a Christmas song as it is an anti-war song and would be
fitting at other times of the year. Pat Wictor’s “The Quietof the Snow” is also a wonderful seasonal piece. New Year’s is also covered with Zoe Mulford’s “Welcome in the New
Year”. There isn’t a bad song in the bunch! While Christmas music may be only appropriate a few weeks a year, this is one CD that you will keep coming back to.
Another surprise treat came from Erik Darling – “The Revenge of the Christmas Tree“. I’ve always loved Erik’s music – from his work with the Weavers, Tarriers and Rooftop Singers
to his solo efforts. He also offered marvelous accompaniment to artists like Ed McCurdy and the Kossoy Sisters. He all but disappeared from the active recording scene, but in recent years he gave us a wonderful CD called “Child Child” and a promise of more to come. This holiday effort is a wonderful treat! The title cut will resonate with anyone who has battled cutting down their own tree, and the entire CD is a real treat. He has re-worked “Walk Right In” for the holidays and each song is special. I did not know that Erik was working on this, and it was a really
nice surprise to receive it and be able to share it with my audience!
Also new and recommended – Mary McCaslin’s “Better Late Then Never” and Bob Fox’s “The Blast“.
A good week for folk music!
(Tune in to TRADITIONS every Sunday from 3 to 6pm Eastern Time over WFDU-FM 89.1 in the NYC/Northern New Jersey or on the web at www.wfdu.fm . A Sing Out! Radio Partner )
ARTIST Tune / Song
ALBUM LABEL
Theme: HARVEY REID Dirty Dish Rag
Solo Guitar Sketchbook www.woodpecker.com
EVE GOLDBERG Something About A Sunday
Crossing the Water www.borealisrecords.com
RAMBLIN’ JACK ELLIOT Mr. Garfield
I Stand Alone Anti
JOEL RAFAEL BAND Two Good Men
Woodyboye www.appleseedrec.com
TANGLEFOOT Hard Work
Dance Like Flames www.borealisrecords.com
ERIK DARLING The Dit-Dit Song
Revenge of the Christmas Tree www.erikdarling.com
PAT WICTOR Rejoice in My Troubles
Heaven Is So High… and I’m So Far Down www.patwictor.com
MICHAEL SMITH Panther in Michigan
Anthology/One www.michaelsmith.com
NIC JONES Rufford Park Poachers
Game Set Match www.topicrecords.co.uk
BOB FOX Broomfield Wager
The Blast www.topicrecords.co.uk
SHIRLEY COLLINS Lost in A Wood
Song Links www.fellside.com
JOEL MABUS Frankie & Albert
Thumb Thump www.joelmabus.com
ANDY COHEN United States March
Ridiculous Instrumentals www.riverlark.com
Guests: DEBRA COWAN & JOHN O’CONNOR – performed live in the studio and we shared the following recordings:
JOHN O’CONNOR Fifty-five
Songs for Our Times self
DEBRA COWAN Darlin’ Corey
The Long Grey Line www.debracowan.com
MARY McCASLIN Acres of Houses
Better LateThan Never www.marymccaslin.com
PETE SEEGER Little Boxes
Headlines & Footnotes www.folkways.si.edu
DAN MCKINNON Wandering Days
Fields of Dreams and Glory www.danmckinnon.ca
JEFF TALMADGE Driving to Blissville
Blissville www.jefftalmadge.com
RED MOLLY Long Ride Home
Never Been to Vegas www.redmolly.com
ANDRU BEMIS Home to Me
Rail to Reel www.wepecket.com
TOMMY MAKEM Lough Tay Boat Song
The Song Tradition www.tommymakem.com
RICK NESTLER Rolling Home
Maritime Man www.ricknestler.com
GORDON BOK Hie Awa
Gordon Bok in Concert www.gordonbok.com
DAVE POTTS Amanda Bramlett
$12.99 www.davepotts.com
DARRYL PURPOSE Ring on My Hand
Live at Coalesce www.darrylpurpose.com
JOHNSMITH Iris Blue
Kickin’ This Stone www.johnsmithmusic.com
CARY COOPER Count Your Blessings
Hudson Harding Sampler Vol.1 www.erikbalkey.com
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Ron Olesko
WFDU-FM
1000 River Road
Teaneck, NJ 07666