Newport And The Great Folk Dream PT 2

We’re back this week with more of our conversation with Robert Gordon and Joe Lauro, director and producers of the film Newport and the Great Folk Dream, about the Newport Folk Festival in the years 1963 to 1966. The festival, started by George Wein and Pete Seeger–where all artists got paid the same–led to an incredible diversity in the music showcased there.

Click on the mp3 link or small triangle above to listen to the interview as broadcast on the Arts Express radio program, heard on WBAI FM NYC and Pacifica stations across the nation.

Newport And The Great Folk Dream

In the cultural and political explosion that became known as the 60s, music was an incredible unifier, and arguably the most important cultural and political form of expression. But what culminated in Woodstock in 1968 had its precursor in the Newport Folk Festival from the early 60s. Now, a new documentary about the Newport Folk Festival based on archival footage that hasn’t been seen in sixty years has been released called Newport and the Great Folk Dream. I was happy to talk with the director and producers of the film, Robert Gordon and Joe Lauro.

Click on the small triangle or mp3 link above to hear the interview, as heard this week on the Arts Express radio program, broadcast on WBAI FM NYC and Pacifica affiliates across the nation.

And you can find Part 2 here:

The Great Caucasian God

Jesse just keeps knocking out the songs with alacrity and aim.

More at Jesse Welles

You Can Come To My House: Mike & Ruthy and the Mammals

Mike and Ruthy closing the 2019 Summer Hoot in Ashokan, New York. They’ll be back at it again August 27-29th.

More at The Mammals

If I Had A Hammer

Nobody sings with more conviction than Mary Travers.

Thanks to YouTuber TheTumtrah and my 16-year-old, long-haired, guitar-playing camp counselor who taught me that song.

Turn, Turn, Turn

Because three Josh Turners are even better than one…

More at Josh Turner Guitar

Ringing of Revolution: Phil Ochs

Phil Ochs in 1966, 54 years ahead of his time.

A few notes on the jokes in his intro:

Senator Carl Hayden was the oldest senator in the Senate at the time at 89 years old at the time of the recording; and George Murphy was a former song and dance man who had been elected Senator from California in 1965, predating Ronald Reagan who became California governor a year later.

Thanks to YouTuber farmboy10001

Dooley!

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Monday morning, moon and monkeyshines as the family that stills together, trills together.

Josh Turner, Carson McKee, Reina del Cid, and Toni Lindgren with some pretty great banjo, guitar, and mandolin plucking.

All I Want

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Kami Maltz, with accompaniment from Josh Turner, hits those exuberant Joni Mitchell high notes, in one of my favorite Joni Mitchell songs.

More at Josh Turner Guitar

 

Don Quixote

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Gordon Lightfoot at the peak of his long career.

For those Cervantes fans who can’t help but tilt at windmills.

You know who you are.

Thanks to YouTuber icepick141

Railroad Bill

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Woody Guthrie from Oklahoma and Ramblin’ Jack Elliott from Brooklyn sing Monday morning about the legendary bad man Railroad Bill. They’re joined by Sonny Terry on harmonica, who if I’m not mistaken, takes a verse towards the end.

More at  Ramblin’ Jack Elliott – Topic

Ashokan, Farewell

 

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Jay Ungar, Molly Mason, Mike Meranda, Ruth Unger, and a host of others bid farewell to the 2018 Summer Hoot in Ashokan with Jay’s haunting ballad, “Ashokan Farewell.” The song gained fame by being featured as the theme song of Ken Burns’s Civil War series.

 

Waukegan

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The once popular radio and television comedian Jack Benny welcomes some unlikely guests to his TV show, the folk singers Peter, Paul and Mary. They prove that you can make a folk song out of anything—even stingy Jack’s home town of Waukegan.

Pack Up Your Sorrows: Judy Collins

 

Monday morning, an offer you can’t refuse.

Written by Richard Farina, and Joan Baez’s sister, Pauline.

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Thanks to YouTuber Scout4Me1’s channel

Monday Morning Music Maven: David Amram

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Monday morning, Mama nixes making music, but that doesn’t stop David Amram and company.

Has there ever been a musician more accomplished in so many fields of music than David Amram? Whether it be in folk music, classical, jazz, or even movie scores (Splendor in The Grass and The Manchurian Candidate were his compositions), he’s been an eclectic, generous presence.

Here he is playing a musical introduction at the Philadelphia Folk Festival with Larry Campbell  on guitar, Erik Lawrence on sax, Somoko on violin, and Amram’s son, Adam, on drums. Be sure to catch Amram playing two pennywhistles at 4:25.

Amram is about eighty years old in this video and still making great music now at age 87.

Thanks to YouTuber Ky Hote