Film Trailer: "Soundtrack for A Revolution"

New documentary on music and the southern civil rights Movement:

Music: Miles Davis, "So What"

The Wisdom of Woody

"I hate a song that makes you think that you are not any good. I hate a song that makes you think that you are just born to lose. Bound to lose. No good to nobody. No good for nothing. Because you are too old or too young or too fat or too slim or too ugly or too this or too that. Songs that run you down or poke fun at you on account of your bad luck or hard travelling. I am out to fight those songs to my very last breath of air and my last drop of blood. I am out to sing songs that will prove to you that this is your world and that if it has hit you pretty hard and knocked you for a dozen loops, no matter what color, what size you are, how you are built, I am out to sing the songs that make you take pride in yourself and in your work. And the songs that I sing are made up for the most part by all sorts of folks just about like you. I could hire out to the other side, the big money side, and get several dollars every week just to quit singing my own kind of songs and to sing the kind that knock you down still farther and the ones that poke fun at you even more and the ones that make you think that you've not got any sense at all. But I decided a long time ago that I'd starve to death before I'd sing any such songs as that. The radio waves and your movies and your jukeboxes and your songbooks are already loaded down and running over with such no good songs as that anyhow."

-- Woody Guthrie

Joe Carter and the Legacy of the African American Spiritual

Speaking of Faith is one of my favorite NPR programs... always probing interesting dynamics of spiritual life. The following episode, from July 2008, focuses on Joe Carter and the African American spiritual:

The spiritual is celebrated in American culture and beyond. It is the source from which gospel, jazz, blues, and hip-hop evolved. It was born in the American South, created by slaves, bards whose names history never recorded. The organizing concept of this music is not the melody of Europe, but the rhythm of Africa. And the theology conveyed in these songs is a potent mix of African spirituality, Hebrew narrative, Christian doctrine, and an extreme experience of human suffering.

We celebrate the life of Joe Carter, who explored the meaning of the Negro spiritual in word and song — through its hidden meanings, as well as its beauty, lament, and hope.

Check it out here. It is well worth a listen...

Hungu

Youtube and Grey Goose have teamed up to sponsor a Black History Month film festival online. The previous documentary I posted about black rock musicians was a part of this series, as is the following film, made in Canada, about an ancient African instrument, the hungu:

Documentary Film: "Electric Purgatory"

The following 1 hr documentary - "Electric Purgatory" - focuses on the plight of black rock musicians and their struggles within the music industry. It is worth checking out:

What do you think?

"Black, Brown & White"

This one goes out to Rev. Joseph Lowery for a fine benediction at the Obama inaugural. Many wondered about the end of the prayer, when Rev. Lowrey said,

"Lord, in the memory of all the saints who from their labors rest, and in the joy of a new beginning, we ask you to help us work for that day when black will not be asked to get in back, when brown can stick around ... when yellow will be mellow ... when the red man can get ahead, man; and when white will embrace what is right. Now let all those who do justice and love mercy, say Amen. And Amen. Amen."

Not suprisingly, a slew of white folks, including the usual round of conservative media blowhards, have gotten themselves in a tizzy, claiming Lowrey's words were "racist" and "divisive." That is nonsense...

... Lowrey, a lifelong freedom fighter who is well-known to have a hearty sense of humor, was commenting on the achievement of the day, and the struggle to get there, by riffing on a classic Big Bill Broonzy tune, "Black, White & Brown." Here is the original tune:


Here are the lyrics:

This little song that I'm singin' about
People you know it's true
If you're black and gotta work for a living
This is what they will say to you

They says if you're white, you're all right
If you're brown, stick around
But as you's black, m-mm brother, git back git back git back

I was in a place one night
They was all having fun
They was all byin' beer and wine
But they would not sell me none

They said if you was white, should be all right
If you was brown, stick around
But if you black, m-mm brother, git back git back git back

Me and a man was workin' side by side
This is what it meant
They was paying him a dollar an hour
And they was paying me fifty cent

They said if you was white, 't should be all right
If you was brown, could stick around
But as you black, m-mm boy, git back git back git back

I went to an employment office
Got a number 'n' I got in line
They called everybody's number
But they never did call mine

They said if you was white, should be all right
If you was brown, could stick around
But as you black, m-mm brother, git back git back git back

I hope when sweet victory
With my plough and hoe
Now I want you to tell me brother
What you gonna do about the old Jim Crow?

Now if you was white, should be all right
If you was brown, could stick around
But if you black, whoa brother, git back git back git back

And here is a nice diary from DailyKos that details the history of the song and the meaning behind it.

Since I am at it, here is an interesting music track by Steinski which mixes Lowery's benediction with a vigorous rhythm and then a gospel groove...

Oh! And here is Rev. Lowery's benediction, in case you missed it:

"Why? (The King of Love is Dead)"

One of my favorite tunes from one of my favorite singers:

"Best of..." 2008

I always enjoy looking through the "Best of... 2008" lists published at the end of each calendar year. Here are some links:

Books:
• Here are the NYTimes' 100 Notable Books of 2008 and what their critics selected as the Top 10 Books of the year.

• Here are the Washington Post's Best Books of 2008 and what their critics selected as the Top 10 Books of the year.

• NPR has a whole bunch of awesome books lists, from fiction to non-fiction, graphic novels, self-help books, crime novels, etc. Check them all out here!

•  Liz Spikol lists several books that should not have been published!

•  The editors of Seed Magazine list the top science books of 2008.

• The L.A. Times has a number of interesting picks on their lists, too.

Music:
• As always, NPR has a lot of really good year end music lists. Here is a list of ten unknown music gems from 2008. Here is a best of, jazz, kids music, African, Songs of the year, classical, top 5 jazz cds, mixtapes, top 10 albums, another top 10, listener picks, best vinyl and more jazz.

• Slate's critics countdown their favorite music of '08 and here they put out their best jazz CDs of 2008.

• Popmatters has a slew of different music-related lists that are worth looking at.

• Soul Sides has a best of 2008 old and new lists.

• Mark Anthony Neal offers up his 2008 playlist.

• Amazon.com's editors countdown the top 100 of 2008.

• Anthem Magazine has a unique list of best of music of 2008.

•  Drowned By Sound's top 50 CDs of 2008.

•  Mojo's top 50 CDs of 2008.

• Paste Magazine has listed the best live acts of 2008. Here and here you can find best of music lists by two of their critics, as well.

• Here, a Village Voice critic counts down his best jazz CDs of the year and here is their poll.

• Here is a Village Voice list of the worst lyrics of 2008.

•  Spin's top CDs of 2008.

•  Dan Sweeney's list of best CDs of 2008, plus a lot of reader lists in the comments.

•  Gabriel Beltrone lists 10 global artists to check out.

• Here are Rolling Stone's top 50 CDs of 2008.

•  Q's top 50 CDs of 2008.

Films:

• Rottentomatoes.com lists their best and worst films of 2008.

• Slate's Top 10 Films of '08

• The folks at the Village Voice and LA Weekly polled alternative press film critics and came up with this list of best films of '08.

• NPR's top film critic gives his top 12.

•  The Best and Worst Eco-Films of 2008.

• The Progressive offers "the best progressive films/filmmakers of 2008"

• Popmatters lists the best films of 2008, the best films of 2008 you never heard of, the worst films of 2008, the worst DVDs of 2008.

• Peter Travers' best films of 2008.

• Salon lists 10 films that delighted and surprised in 2008.

Politics:

•  Slate has published a compendium of the best political cartoons of 2008 as well as the "best political viral videos of 2008"

• John Nichols, over at The Nation, lists "The Most Valuable Progressives of 2008"

• The ten most laughable political moments of 2008.

• Top 10 robocalls of 2008 elections.

• Alternet lists the 10 most fabulously bad moments of the Bush administration.

• Ten biggest Obama haters of 2008.

• Alternet lists the ten political stories of 2008 that most outraged their readers.

• And here are Alternet readers' top videos of 2008.

• The Village Voice runs down the biggest scandals of the conservative blogosphere.

Other Cool Lists:
• Chief Theater critic for the NYTimes, Ben Brantley, offers a slide show and review excerpts of the best Broadway had to offer in 2008.  Here is what Brantley's colleague, Charles Isherwood, lists as the best theater of the year.

•  Project Censored has put out its annual top 25 censored news stories of 2008

•   Slate has a nice photo essay on some of the more famous folks we lost in 2008.

•  Wired Magazine's 13 most popular science stories of 2008.

• Good Magazine looks ahead to the biggest disease-eradication efforts on 2009, 8 ways people are shirking good old fashioned capitalism, 7 technologies that will change our lives more than the new iphone and 7 advances in science that will change the world in 2009!

•  Not quite a list, but still very interesting, Seed takes stock of "the state of science" in 2008.

•  Popular Mechanics has a list of the best gadgets in 2008.

•  Harper's magazine offers a typically Harper's-ian year end review.

•  Wired Magazine lists the 10 most awesome applications for the iphone in 2008.

•  Doctors Without Borders lists the 10 biggest humanitarian disasters of 2008.

•  Wired's 12 good gadgets for hard times.

•  Jamie Frevele lists the biggest WTF moments of 2008!

•  Wired offers 12 elegant examples of evolution.

•  24/7 Wall Street lists the ten companies that laid off the most workers in 2008.  

• The folks at Yes! Magazine list 10 reasons for hope in 2009 (and 3 reasons to be terrified)!

• Here is the list of P.U.-litzer prizes for worst media performances.

•  The best and worst fashion trends of 2008.

•  The Washington Post lists the best tv of the year.

•  100 friends you should see before you die.

•  CNBC's list of 2009 stock tips.

• The people at Paste Magazine have made a "meta-list" of the 10 best lists of 2008...

Curtis Mayfield, "People Get Ready"

Curtis Mayfield is one of my absolute favorite musicians... soulful, spiritual, funky and conscious as hell! Here he is performing "People Get Ready." Dig it!

Singer and Social Justice Activist, Odetta, Has Passed

Odetta, the acclaimed folk singer and civil rights activist, has passed away of heart failure. Here is an excellent obituary from the New York Times. They also have a very nice video tribute here. Here is the NPR segment about Odetta. Here is Odetta talking about Dr. King and non-violence on the Tavis Smiley show. The image to the right is of Odetta performing at the historic 1963 March On Washington for Jobs & Freedom in Washington, D.C.

Here is Odetta rockin' out at the Newport festival:


There is a nice clip of her performing, "Give Me Your Hand," here.

Rest in Peace, Odetta. Thank you for your life lived in struggle...

The Beatles "White Album" Turns 40...

It's the 40th anniversary of The Beatles, "The White Album." NPR had a nice reflection on the album that is worth checking out: When The White Album was released 40 years ago this month, fans were both baffled and awe struck by its sprawling world of sound. It was released as a double LP (almost unheard of at the time) and featured instant classics like "I Will," "While My Guitar Gently Weeps," and "Blackbird." But The White Album (its real name is simply The Beatles) was also filled with songs many found hard to digest, like the eight-minute, experimental sound collage "Revolution 9" or the inexplicably surreal "Wild Honey Pie." On this edition of All Songs Considered host Bob Boilen talks with Bruce Spizer, author of The Beatles On Apple Records, about the groundbreaking White Album and how it came to be. Listen to the program here.

Here is a similar 40th anniversary reflection on "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band": For many fans, hearing Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band for the first time was a life-changing experience. Prior to its release in June of 1967, most of music being produced was for Top 40, AM radio play and for dance parties. Kids bought 45s and never thought of a collection of songs as a "concept album" or work of art. Bob Boilen has a rememberance.

And another on the "Love" CD that came out a few years ago, which features a remix of various Beatles tunes. "Love" is the soundtrack to the Cirque du Soleiel show of the same name in Las Vegas: A new CD of Beatles music is out and it isn't simply a reissue of the same songs. It's a mashup of sorts. Imagine the guitar solo from "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" mixed onto "Lady Madonna." Or tablas from "Tomorrow Never Knows" mixed under the sitar of "Within You Without You." That's what Beatles producer George Martin and his son, Giles have done. All Songs Considered host Bob Boilen talks with Giles Martin about these stunning new remixes.

Here is program about a box set that collects the American versions of four early Beatles albums: Capitol Records is releasing four early Beatles recordings, never before available on compact disc. The American versions of The Early Beatles, Beatles VI, Help! and Rubber Soul make up a new box set, The Capitol Albums Volume 2. All Songs Considered host Bob Boilen talks with Beatles author Bruce Spizer about the new collection.

What is your favorite Beatles album?  Why?

Who is your favorite Beatle? Why?

"Worlds of Sound": The 60th Anniversary of Folkways

NPR had a nice program honoring the 60th anniversary of Folkways Records:

Sixty years ago, Moses Asch set out with the lofty ambition to record "all the sound of the world." He established Folkways Records — "the little label that could" — and in the decades that followed, Folkways recorded everything from folk singers, to jazz greats, to sounds of the natural world.

Worlds Of Sound, a new book by Richard Carlin, details the history of Smithsonian Folkways and how Asch and his collaborators were able to "capture the soundscape of a century."

You can listen to the program and read an excerpt from Carlin's book here.

The Old-Time Herald has a nice article detailing Asch's life, the establishment/development of Folkways and its ultimate merger with Smithsonian.

Here is Asch, from the pages of Sing Out! in 1961, declaring himself for folk music.

Miriam Makeba Has Died

South African music legend and freedom fighter Miriam Makeba has died following a heart attack shortly after finishing a concert in Italy to show solidarity for those fighting organized crime. Deoliver47 over at Daily Kos has a nice diary on Makeba, including a number of photos and video clips.

Makeba in 2000: “I just told the world the truth. And if my truth then becomes political, I can’t do anything about that.”

Give thanks and praises for Miriam Makeba and her inspirational life lived in struggle...  

Vote Obama, in Words and Music

Dres from Black Sheep:

Bruce Springsteen, the "New Jersey Devil"

Happy Halloween from Bruce Springsteen...

Countrypolitik: What's Right and What's Left About Country Music

Over at Popmatters.com, Bob Proehl writes,

At a first glance, country music seems traditionally allied with the sort of down-home, small-town ethics and values touted by the Republicans. But the politics of country music has never been a simple red or blue.

Intrigued? Read the article here...

TED: James Burchfield Plays (Invisible) Turntables

Matisyahu ain't got nothin' on James Burchfield:

Ode to Sarah Palin

Hilarious:

Springsteen For Obama

This is great. Check it out:

Springsteen: After the disastrous administration of the past 8 years. What we really need is, we need somebody to lead us in an American Reclamation project.

I've continued to find where ever I go, that America remains a repository of America's hopes and desires and that despite the terrible erosion of the standing in the world accomplished by our recent administration we remain for many, many people this house of dreams and 1000 George Bushes and 1000 Dick Cheney's will never be able to tear that house down.