FOLK MUSIC OF INDIA: UTTAR PRADESH

Echoing the familiar sounds of it’s classical cousin, it’s nearly impossible not to delight in the folk music traditions of India. This music serves as a functional vehicle for  passing-on traditions and beliefs of myriad regional cultural threads, while entertaining and enlivening anyone who might be listening. At a minimum these are soulful tunes, with their accessible and highly spirited tone, here captured in the field by Laxmi Tewari, a scholar and classically trained performer in his own right (featured on the Nov. 08′ page), whose contributions to the proliferation of E. Indian classical music and traditional culture for the West can’t be understated. From Tewari’s notes:

“Uttar Pradesh is the largest state in India in terms of population, and the fourth largest in area. With its tapestry of varying customs, Uttar Pradesh has a rich treasury of folk musical traditions. In its simplest forms, this music penetrates the soul of the listener, for folk songs reveal the joys and sorrows of the common folk. For village people, storytelling, folk theater and folk songs are the means by which they learn about their ancient heritage, thus supplying more information about customs and beliefs in the society than the solemn and ponderous tomes written by scholars.”

Lyrichord Stereo, LLST 7271, 1972

Side One:

1. Purvi (6′58)
2. Kandala music (3′04)
3. Savana (3′12)
4. Phag (4′03)
5. Folk Tune (2′48)
6. Nakata (2′05)

Side Two:

1. Kajari (4′51)
2. Sohara (3′49)
3. Dhapali solo (2′19)
4. Bhajan (5′35)
5. Folk Tune (1′50)
6. Bhajan (4′12)

[.zip]

LOWER CASTE RELIGIOUS MUSIC FROM INDIA: MONKS, TRANSVESTITES, MIDWIVES, AND FOLKSINGERS

In keeping with the above both musically and culturally, this mesmerizing record features an even more marginalized segment of Indian folk music performers, aka the lower castes, which includes transvestites, monks and midwives. This is terrestrial music, and you can feel it in every throat clearing and bird singing in the trees, all captured by Dr. Rosina Schlenker in the field. Carefree and down to the salt of the earth, this is functionally transcendent music, breathing life into the notion that for every segment of humanity there is song bursting forth. From the outer sleeve:

“The huge number of middle castes is derived from the Ksatriyas and Vaisyas, and their music, if not classical itself, is determined by melodic patterns, ornamentation, and musical form of the classical ideal. But the more we go down the scale of society in the middle castes, the more we find new music and dance traditions which only in some aspects deal with classical music. Here, religious music is not only characterized by simpler melodic and rhythmic patterns but also enriched by long poems as texts for the devotional songs. Especially in the lower castes we find great poverty among the simple workmen, servants and peasants. Their music is determined by the rhythm of their work and by rather simple melodies, partly accompanied by dance. This applies for work-songs and religious songs. Whereas in the middle castes we find more solo performances; in the lower castes the chorus dominates and represents the unity of the communities. Beside choruses with refrain, sometimes dramatized by transvestite dancers, we also hear the monotonous recitations of devotional texts by housewives or beggar-monks in the street.”

Lyrichord Stereo, LLST 7324, 1978

Side One:

1. Folk-Jugglers: 2 dancers, Leader, drum players, Ghazal (5′59)
2. Folksingers (Harijans from Chitupur, Bhajan) (5′56)
3. Folksingers (Harijans from Chittupur) worksong (10′30)

Side Two:

1. Monk (Kabir) (temple of Benares), Bhajan (5′53)
2. Saya, vocal, sister-in-law, dholak, Folk-bhajan (5′08)
3. Haridas, vocal and dotara, Bhajan (7′19)
4. Saya, vocal, dholak, Folk-bhajan (2′16)

[.zip]

GEORGE STAVIS “LABYRINTHS: OCCULT IMPROVISATIONAL COMPOSITIONS FOR 5-STRINGED BANJO AND PERCUSSION”

This is heavy-duty banjo virtuosity that will have you wondering where this record has been all your life if you haven’t already heard it. Totally steeped in the spirit of folk Americana and the usual suspects of acoustic stringed virtuosity vis a vis Northern California, this record features four original compositions ensconced in the central cover tune, Rodgers & Hammerstein’s classic “My Favorite Things”. This 1969 release features Tim Ackerman on percussion, and is about as blissful a set of banjo burners as any I’ve heard, thickly glazed in the ethnic-hybrid folk psychedelia that was the bounty of the late 60’s and early 70’s. Damned if I can find any info on George, but I bet he read a few Fahey liner notes in his day… Where’d you go George? From the outer sleeve:

“The groundhog woke up one morning, stretched, and looked around for his shadow. Having seemingly misplaced it, he dreamily continued searching for it; this proved his undoing, for a wizened old farmer, filled with American Initiative, saw a free meal in the offing, and quickly capitalized on it…” You get the idea.

Vanguard, VSD • 6524, 1969

Side One:

1. Winter Doldrums (9′31)
2. Finland Station (4′50)
3. My Favorite Things (7′52)

Side Two:

1. Firelight (11′02)
2. Cold Spring (10′27)

[.zip]

TWELVE-STRING GUITAR: FOLK SONGS AND BLUES SUNG AND PLAYED BY FRED GERLACH

As an inheritor of the great tradition of folk-blues twelve-string guitar pickers, Fred Gerlach was a worthy recipient. Originally a pianist, like his forerunner Leadbelly he happened to hear a twelve-string guitar being played one night and dropped everything to master it. Fred was born in 1925 and died recently in 2009, leaving a legacy as both guardian and innovator, persistently nudging the instrument in new directions. This record was originally issued in the 50’s on Audio Video Records, and then again in 1962 for this Folkways release. It has some great Leadbelly covers, but is primarily known for Gerlach’s rendition of “Gallow’s Pole” which inspired Jimmy Page for the Led Zeppelin version, a tune which Gerlach stated:

“is based on one of Leadbelly’s songs, which itself has a long history dating back hundreds of years in England. The rhythms and finger-picking styles have taken me four years to evolve. It is my favorite number, but it is so strenuous that I must perform regularly for a week before I’ll attempt it.”

With a voice and style that has inspired many, including Jimmy Page, Leo Kottke, and Michael Hurley, this is essential music for anyone interested in the myriad elements of folk Americana.

“Fred goes back to the era of the early 50’s in New York city where he played and partied with the likes of Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, Big Bill Broonzy & Gary Davis. He drifted out to California in the late 50’s, played San Diego coffee houses in those early days and eventually settled here. Fred has been a more or less regular at Adams Ave. Festivals where his virtuoso guitar playing never fails to amaze.”

From the liner notes:

“In discussing the songs on this record, Fred expressed his profound indebtedness to the music of the Negro people: “…Now we come upon a larger truth… the music of the Negro people. It is my attempt to perform this music and, of course, to alter it to conform to my own condition of expression.”

Folkways Records, Album # FG 3529, 1962

Side One:

1. Gallows Pole (3′50)
2. Ham And Eggs (2′07)
3. De Kalb Blues (3′23)
4. Old Hannah (2′19)
5. Fannin Street (2′40)
6. Samson (3′34)

Side Two:

1. This Little Light (2′48)
2. Little Girl (3′17)
3. Motherless Children (3′29)
4. Risin’ Sun (3′31)
5. Boll Weevil (4′03)
6. Goin’ Down Slow (3′24)

[.zip]

THE VIOLET FLAME

I totally dig this cover, and the music inside is all transcendent healing forces, for herein we should “Let The Light And Love And Power Restore The Plan On Earth.” Beyond that it’s an all acoustic recording of former concert harpist turned healing channel Joel Andrews for the Violet Flame movement during 1976 (basically, a gorgeous slab of acoustic improvisational harp music masquerading as a new age healing touchstone). I know very little about Violet Flame, and although the guy who sold me the record had a bunch to say about it, I forgot… Anyway, if you read the section of liner notes below, you’ll most likely glean most of what you need to know beyond just listening, which you should also do, especially if you like flawlessly performed and beautifully continuous movements of contemporary harp improvisation:

“When an individual, through the magnetic power of the heart center makes conscious attunement to these beings and invokes the Violet Flame of Transmutation to pass through his physical, etheric, emotional, and mental bodies, there is an immediate increase in the vibratory rate of the inner atomic structure. The core of the atom itself intensifies its concentration of light to a point of vibrant radiation…”

The Group Inc., 1976

Side One:

1. (23′34)

Side Two:

1. (17′31)

[.zip]

WALTER CARLOS - SONIC SEASONINGS

A true pioneer in the advent of analogue syntheses and electronic music, Walter (now Wendy) Carlos is best known for her “Switched On Bach” records from the mid-1960’s that utilized Moog interpretations of some old classics. Prior to that, recording in the early 60’s, she composed two innovative pre-Moog pieces entitled “Variations for Flute and Tape” and “Dialogues for Piano and Two Loudspeakers”. In addition, she’s known for her film soundtrack contributions to “Clockwork Orange”, “The Shining”, and “Tron”. This recording is a four-part double LP that utilized field recording/synthesizer compositions to examine the seasons (one per side), and is an amazingly well crafted and accessible set of emotive soundscapes. Although not her most popular work, this 1972 (pre-New Age designation) recording arguably served as inspiration for the ‘Ambient’ genre which followed, realized in its more popular manifestations vis a vis Brian Eno. Bruce Conner even appropriated excerpts from these recordings for the soundtrack to his film “Take The 5:10 To Dreamland”, combining excerpts from Patrick Gleeson’s “Rainbow Delta” (which can be heard on the May 10′ page). As compositions, these are texturally complex and mood-driven, drawing listeners into their various emotional states, while capturing definitive aspects of each of the four seasons. Listening to this record in the wake of the ambient/drone/electronic music that’s followed makes it easy to take it for granted, however, considering Carlos’ early experimentations and recording output, it’s clear this music stands on its own as both an innovative and inspiring contribution to the form.

Columbia Records, KG 31234, 1972

Side A

1. “Spring”  (22′28)

Side B

1. “Summer” (21′44)

Side C

1. “Fall”  (21′09)

Side D

1. “Winter” (20′41)

[.zip]

ECHOES OF THE STORM

This test record has developed some cache over the years, especially for those interested in esoteric field recordings and highly detailed sonic reproductions. Recorded sometime around Milwaukee in the early 1950’s, it’s easy to see why from a technical standpoint it became noteworthy, as the sound details are totally remarkable, especially considering when it was recorded and the age of the vinyl (which unfortunately has some surface noise). The centerpiece of the record is the thunderstorm, which takes up the whole of side one. Apparently, the entire storm was recorded to tape and then edited down for the LP, and includes both the sounds of a train passing nearby the recordists home, as well as those of frogs and other incidentals that immediately followed the storm. The other highlight of the LP is the cover itself, a beautifully hand silk-screened illustration (which is hard to get an accurate sense of detail and quality from the scan) that’s one of my favorites.

Audiophile, AP-20, 1952

Side One:

1. A Recording Of A Thunder Storm (With Train) (11′24)

Side Two:

Crazy Quilt: A Recording Of Heterogeneous Sounds For Test Purposes

1. Rotary Saw (1′23)
2. Hammering Nails (0′52)
3. Water Running into Bucket (2′11)
4. Drums (4′24)
5. Music Box (3′14)

[.zip]