Issue 31 01/2006

FolkWorld Features
Interviews, Articles, Live Reviews, Columns

English content:

New German Songs - a CD review special article
A short insight into todays scene of German songs. As I have received in the last months some very interesting albums with songs in German language, the idea was there to introduce our readers with a extended CD review article into todays scene. In my opinion it is a shame, that often these singers / musicians / bands are totally ignored in the folk and world music scene outside of the German speaking countries. It is cool to listen to African music, Asian songs or Scandinavian ballads - but the German Lied is often not. Of course with all songs it is better to understand the context - but that is with all the other languages the same!
Germany - German songs on CDs

Jantina Noorman - pioneer of Dutch folk songs
Traditional music from the Netherlands Part IX: This year it is exactly 50 years ago that a young Dutch woman recorded Dutch folk songs on a 33 record for the first time. Her name is Jantina Noorman and on this 10" lp she recorded several kinds of folk songs she remembered from her childhood. I started a search for her in October 2004 as I wanted to know more about her and wondered if she was still alive. Soon I found out that she was a much more famous singer than I had expected. As the lead singer of the group Musica Reservata she sold hundreds of thousands of records world-wide. Leoni Jansen
Netherlands - history of Dutch folk msuic records

The magic sound of Leoni Jansen
Netherlands. Celtic and Americana music is very popular in the Netherlands and there are many groups who perform these styles in a traditional way. Only a few months ago a remarkable CD was released by the Dutch singer Leoni Jansen. After an impressive career of three decades in music, theatre and television she recorded her first solo CD Three magic little words. On this CD she sings songs such as Broken wings by Dougie MacLean, Crazy man Michael by Richard Thompson and Fire and rain by James Taylor, just to name a few. She has certainly taken a risk by choosing such powerful and well-known songs from highly respected songwriters. But any scepticism disappears rapidly after hearing how, with the help of a selection of Holland's finest musicians, she breathes new life into each of these songs.
Netherlands - remarkable singer

Come All You Gallant Bushrangers
Outlaws, Rebels and Australian Song. 2005 marks the 125 year anniversary of Ned Kelly's last stand. Australia's famous bushranger was the hero of a 1970 movie picture starring rock singer Mick Jagger, which included the traditional ballads "The Wild Colonial Boy" and "She Moved Through the Fair" (the latter tune often employed when an Irish tune is needed, though, ironically, the words had been written by Padraic Colum 30 years after Ned Kelly's death). Generally, Tony Richard's rather weak production had a country music soundtrack, courtesy of Shel Silverstein with vocals from Waylon Jennings and Kris Kristofferson. ... But anyway, let us go back in time and let us have a look on the ballad history down under.Andy Irvine in Tonder, foto Tom Keller
Australia - history, songs & more

Tønder Festival - Every Branch of the Celtic tribe
A soft rain, the Celts say. Heavy rainfall for the rest of us. But the Danish people, being the descendants of sturdy Viking seafarers, came prepared with wellingtons and rain coats. So the Tønder circle is unbroken in its 31st edition. Great music and entertainment anyway. Here's some impressions.
Denmark - Tonder festival always great to be there!

The Irish Folk Festival 2005
"Tunes for Tara" Tour. The Irish Folk Festival 2005 had a serious agenda- to protest against the Irish government's planned demolition of Ireland's most prominent and ancient heritage site, Tara, in order to build a tolled motorway that will supposedly solve Ireland's increasingly catastrophic traffic problem. The mythical grounds of Ireland's Neolithic inhabitants, and later the residence of the High Kings of Tara and their druids, Tara occupies a special place in Irish mythical and folkloric culture, even up till today. Steve Tallis
Germany - festival tour with serious agenda

Steve Tallis & The Holy Ghosts
Ethnic Blues from Down Under. From blues to ethnic roots: The music of Steve Tallis has developed and evolved over the last 40 years and still keeps evolving. It made that much impression that he had been invited to perform at this year's Pan African music festival Panafest in Ghana. "My music says it all," says the Western Australian singer-songwriter with Macedonian ancestors, though he was kind and happy to answer some of T:-)M's stupid questions.
Australia - Ethnic Blues

Joseph Porter, Blyth Power, Red Wedding - Folksongs of Tomorrow about Today
England. Joseph Porter is the smart and exceptional songwriter, singer and drummer (!) of the English folk-rock-punk band Blyth Power. Exchanging the drum kit with an acoustic guitar, Joseph recorded an album under the disguise of 'Red Wedding', featuring fellow Blyth Power member Steven Cooper (mandolin, harmonica, guitar), and is about to introduce his enigmatic songs to a folk audience. 'Folk music is all about telling stories', so he picked up on 'some unlikely heroes and events' and turned them into the 'folksongs of tomorrow about today'. T:-)M questioned Joseph Porter about a musical career that went from punk to folk and back again.Xurxe and Carlos Nunez, foto by The Mollis
England - new folksongs

Carlos Nunez first DVD - A condensed Celtic music festival
Spain. In late 2004, Sony Music published in Spain a DVD (+CD) named CARLOS NUÑEZ & AMIGOS (Carlos Nuñez & Friends). If you have heard or read before about Carlos Nuñez, but had no opportunity to see him on stage, taking a look to this DVD will provide you a very good idea of the kind of show he is displaying during the last couple of years in his concerts throughout Europe, South & North America, Asia, … The recorded concert took place in an open air auditorium (Castrelos), near his home city of Vigo, in the green coast of Galicia and facing the Atlantic ocean. Just to provide an idea of Carlos popularity in his home land : the concert was attended by 30.000 people.
Spain - DVD of the exceptional musician

T:-)M's Nightshift: Book Reviews
Prehistoric Music > Folk Music Revival. 'Unquestionably, the musical soul of America is in its folk music, not in its academic music', Charles Seeger wrote in 1938, 'and only in its popular music to the extent popular music has borrowed, stolen and manhandled folk.' A decade later his son Pete and buddies Woody and Cisco served as introduction for many into the world of folk music. Ten years further on it is proclaimed: 'Has your appetite for music been curbed by calypso, jaded by jazz or reined by rock 'n' roll? If so, tuck your guitar under your arm and drop by for a refreshing evening of just plain old folk songs.'
Book reviews

German content: (Use the 'BACK' button of your browser to return to here!)

Anne Bandel, foto Lars Hennings Anne Bandel - Jazz & Chansons an einem kalten Winterabend
Anne Bandel bringt Wäme in kalte Abende. Die Junction-Bar in der Kreuzberger Gneisenaustrasse ist ein entzückendes kleines Kellerloch, in dem man nichts anderes vorzufinden wünscht, als eine Jazzbühne. Diffus leuchtende Lampen unterstützen das Zwielicht beim Schattenwerfen. Brandflecken hunderter ausgetretener Kippen bilden ein bizarres Muster auf dem abgewetzten uralten Teppichbelag. Kleine schäbige runde Eisentische stehen unsymmetrisch und unsortiert herum...
Germany - Jazzy songs

Steirischer Geigentag - Musikalisches Hoch über Graz
Geigen, Geigen, Geigen. Eine Fotobasierter Bericht zum Geigentag 2005 in Österreich. Tom Keller hörte so viele Geigen auf grünen Wiesen wie sonst selten...Piper, foto Tom Keller
Austria -Fiddlefestival

Die FolkWelt zwischen Harz und Heide (6)
Sands Family, Cara, Squadune, Stoppok, Weiherer, Phrytz, Folk on the Water, Peter Kerlin & Jens Kommnick, Change Partners. Musikalische Ausflüge in die Region unternahm Walkin' T:-)m. Er traf auf Iren und Schotten, Country und Jubiläen...
Germany - Kolumn

Peter Kerlin & Jens Kommnick- Ein Fall für zwei ...
Ein Jubiläum der Handgemachten Musik. Die musikalische Karriere des Goslarer Singer-Songwriters Peter Kerlin hat vom einstigen Folk-Duo "Taters & Pie" zur aktuellen Zusammenarbeit mit dem Hansdampf in allen Gassen Jens Kommnick geführt. T:-)M sprach mit Peter und Jens über ihre Kooperation und die deutsche Irish-Folk-Szene.
Germany - Irish Music in Germany

TFF Rudolstadt - Carnival Rudo de Janeiro
Rudolstadt. Das Tanz- und Folkfestival in Rudolstadt hatte auch im Jahr 2005 wieder einiges zu bieten: Frische Eindrücke von Europas größtem Folk- und Weltmusikfestival!
Germany's biggest folk and world music festival

21e recontre Lutherie Dancerie Met Müsik in Lautenbach
Europa zu Gast. Bereits zum einundzwanzigsten Mal ging an Pfingsten das Folkfestival von Lautenbach über die Bühne. Was 1983 als regionales Musikertreffen begann, lockte diesmal fünfzig Gruppen aus dem Elsass und Lothringen, aus Süddeutschland, der Schweiz und Norditalien an. Das Programmblatt zählte einundsechzig unterschiedliche Instrumente auf. Ausnahmezustand in dem verschlafenen Elsassnest am Rand der Vogesen.Luka Bloom
France (Border region to Germany) - festival

Luka Bloom - live
Schweiz. Luka Bloom kam nach Winterthur und das Salzhaus wimmelte nur so von seinen Fans. Ein Mann, eine Gitarre und ein Mikrophon haben es geschafft mit Liedern und Musik eine aussergewöhnliche Stimmung zu erzeugen.
Switzerland - live concert

T:-)M's Nachtwache: Buchrezensionen
Country, Politsong, Young, Waits, Postkarten. Njus aus dem Musikantristadel II: Es muss wohl die reine Langeweile gewesen sein, die mich die deutsche Country Music Award Gala live aus Erfurt schauen ließ. Deutsche Kantri-Musi, das heisst Schlager mit Dobro und Pedal-Steel, Möchtegern-Trucker auf sechs Achsen quer durch Sachsen ohne Anhalt, nach dem Motto: Papa stell dein Bier hin, weil Mama tanzen will! Von traditioneller amerikanischer Musik ist dies so weit entfernt wie Thüringen von Tennessee...
Book reviews

To the content of FolkWorld No. 31

© The Mollis - Editors of FolkWorld; Published 01/2006

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