Songs of Our Native Daughters

Smithsonian Folkways SFW40232

Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: US
Released: 22 Feb 2019
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Folk
[Tracklist]
A1 Black Myself (3:56)
A2 Moon Meets The Sun (4:08)
A3 Barbados (5:52)
A4 Quasheba, Quasheba (4:43)
A5 I Knew I Could Fly (3:42)
A6 Mama's Cryin' Long (2:11)
B1 Slave Driver (4:42)
B2 Polly Ann's Hammer (3:00)
B3 Lavi Difisil (2:30)
B4 Blood And Bones (4:45)
B5 Music And Joy (3:19)
B6 You're Not Alone (5:36)
[Credits]
Rhiannon Giddens (banjo/handclaps/vocals) Amythyst Kiah (guitar/banjo/vocals) Leyla McCalla (guitar/banjo/cello/vocals) Allison Russell (guitar/banjo/vocals) Dirk Powell (guitar/banjo/fiddle)
[Notes]
Songs of Our Native Daughters shines new light on African-American women's stories of struggle, resistance, and hope. Pulling from and inspired by 17th-, 18th-, and 19th-century sources, including slave narratives and early minstrelsy, kindred banjo players Rhiannon Giddens, Amythyst Kiah, Leyla McCalla, and Allison Russell reinterpret and create new works from old ones. With unflinching, razor-sharp honesty, they confront sanitized views about America’s history of slavery, racism, and misogyny from a powerful, black female perspective. These songs call on the persistent spirits of the daughters, mothers, and grandmothers who have fought for justice – in large, public ways – only now being recognized, and in countless domestic ways that will most likely never be acknowledged. 52 minutes, 36-page booklet with lyrics. Note: LP versions omit the track "Better Git Yer Learnin."

Just Around the Bend: Survival and Revival in Southern Banjo Sounds - Mike Seeger's Last Documentary

Smithsonian Folkways Recordings SFW40207

Format: 2xCD, DVD, Album
Country: US
Released: 2019
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Folk, Old Time, Bluegrass
[Traclist]
101 Sally Ann: Riley Baugus (1:20)
102 Pretty Polly: Riley Baugus (3:45)
103 Darling Nellie Gray: Brien Fain (2:11)
104 Long Lonesome Road: Brien Fain (3:05)
105 Nancy Blevins: Debbie Grim Yates (2:27)
106 Billy Wilson: Debbie Grim Yates (2:04)
107 Cumberland Gap: Tina Steffey (2:03)
108 Hop Light Ladies: Marsha Bowman Todd (3:09)
109 Sandy River Bells: Marsha Bowman Todd (2:44)
110 Richmond: Marsha Bowman Todd (2:29)
111 Soldier's Joy: Marsha Bowman Todd (2:11)
112 Sandy River: Jerry Adams (1:43)
113 Country Blues: Jerry Adams (4:44)
114 Rabbit Song: Peter Gott (1:23)
115 Whistle Blow (version 1): Peter Gott (3:22)
116 Whistle Blow (version 2): Peter Gott (2:03)
117 Cumberland Gap (version 1): Peter Gott (2:04)
118 Cumberland Gap (version 2): Peter Gott (1:37)
119 Liza Jane: Peter Gott (3:32)
120 Sugar Hill: Frank George (1:34)
121 Liza Jane: Frank George (1:48)
122 Preacher and the Bear: David Reed (1:03)
123 Old Jawbone: Joe Ayers (2:19)
124 Jesus Gonna Make Up My Dying Bed: Joe Ayers (1:45)
125 Georgia Buck: Rhiannon Giddens (3:14)
126 Cripple Creek: Rhiannon Giddens (1:27)
201 Wild Bill Jones: George Gibson (4:21
202 Story of Morgan's March: George Gibson (1:12)
203 Morgan's March: George Gibson (1:04)
204 Big Stone Gap: George Gibson (2:02)
205 John Henry: John Haywood (1:16)
206 Cold Icy Mountain: Matt Kinman (5:42)
207 The Cuckoo: Matt Kinman (2:33)
208 Morphine: Matt Kinman (4:00)
209 German War: Clifton Hicks (7:56)
210 Lost Hornpipe: Brett Ratliff (2:54)
211 Fair and Tender Ladies: Brett Ratliff (3:14)
212 Whitesburg: Jesse Wells (1:59)
213 Going Across the Sea: Jesse Wells (2:13)
214 Going Across the Sea: Robert Montgomery (2:50)
215 Old Rattler: Robert Montgomery (2:45)
216 Bully of the Town: Leroy Troy (1:45)
217 Cotton-Eyed Joe: Leroy Troy (2:04)
[Credits]
Mike Seeger - Recorder
Bob Carlin - Mixing Engineer, Mastering Engineer, Liner Notes
Charlie Pilzer - Mastering Engineer, Mastering Engineer
Yasha Aginsky - Director, Editor, Producer
Slava Basovich - Assistant Director, Recorder, Photographer
Alexia Smith - Assistant Producer, Liner Notes
Daniel Olmsted - Mixing Engineer
Jennifer Cox - Cover Artwork
Gary Coates - Visual Artist
John Gilkes - Visual Artist
Jackson Foster - Designer
[Notes]
Mike Seeger, along with his wife Alexia Smith and filmmaker Yasha Aginsky, trekked through the Appalachian Mountains in 2009 to produce this extraordinary glimpse of the vigor and diversity of the region’s old-time banjo artistry. When Seeger passed away later that same year, the project took on the added importance of paying tribute to this renowned musician, folklorist, and documentarian of the people. Just Around the Bend: Survival and Revival in Southern Banjo Sounds captures many banjo lineages, styles, and techniques—performed by 19 virtuosic banjo players—in a package of two CDs compiled by Bob Carlin and a DVD by Aginsky. 110 minutes of music in 2 CDs; 80-page book with extensive notes, 110 minute DVD.

The Making of "Mama's Cryin' Long" from 'Songs of Our Native Daughters'

Running Time: 7 minutes and 47 seconds

'Songs of Our Native Daughters,' a stunning thirteen-track album based on historical notions and observations of slavery written and performed by Rhiannon Giddens (Carolina Chocolate Drops), Leyla McCalla, Allison Russell (Birds of Chicago), and Amythyst Kiah, will be available February 22, 2018 on Smithsonian Folkways Recordings. Co-produced by Giddens and Dirk Powell (Balfa Toujours, Joan Baez), the collection portrays the often overlooked suffering, resilience, and agency of black women in the face of intersectional oppression throughout American history.


Our Native Daughters (Rhiannon Giddens, Amythyst Kiah, Leyla McCalla, Allison Russell)

Carolina Chocolate Drops: Leaving Eden

Nonesuch 7559-79627-1

Format: Vinyl, LP, CD, Album
Country: US
Released: 2012
Genre: Rock, Blues, Folk, World, & Country
Style: Country, Piedmont Blues, Folk
[Tracklist]
01 Riro's House (2:02)
02 Kerr's Negro Jig (1:09)
03 Ruby, Are You Mad At Your Man? (3:46)
04 Boodle-De-Bum-Bum (4:03)
05 Country Girl (3:22)
06 Run Mountain (2:01)
07 Leaving Eden (4:36)
08 Read 'Em John (1:54)
09 Mahalla (1:54)
10 West End Blues (3:02)
11 Po' Black Sheep (3:21
12 I Truly Understand That You Love Another Man (2:34)
13 No Man's Mama (4:00)
14 Briggs' Corn Shucking Jig / Camptown Hornpipe (2:54)
15 Pretty Bird (4:04)
[Credits]
Rhiannon Giddens (banjo/fiddle/vocals) Hubby Jenkins (banjo/guitar/mandolin/vocals) Adam Matta (bass/beatbox/tambourine/vocals) Dom Flemons (banjo/drums/guitar/jug/quills/vocals) Leyla McCalla (cello/vocals)
Producer: Buddy Miller, Managers: Dolphus Ramseur, Chris Colburn, Timothy Duffy, Designers: Al Quattrocchi, Jeff Smith, Photographers: Bill Steber, Leyla Mccalla, Engineers: Mike Poole, Gordon Hammond, Robert C. Ludwig
[Notes]
The Carolina Chocolate Drops, a contemporary string band trio who, under the watchful eye of mentor Joe Thompson, re-created the look, feel, and sound of a 19th century black North Carolina string, fiddle, and jug band ensemble, crafted their first studio recordings into perfect facsimiles of the group's influences. The Drops were always at their best on-stage, however, where the gospel stomp of those mountain rhythms and the kinetic energy the band gave off completed the feel of a living, breathing history lesson. Those old string bands could turn on a dime, and the Chocolate Drops reproduced that art, turning their live sets into a black string band revival show. The studio albums felt like they were a bit encased in glass compared to the live performances. For this outing, however, the Chocolate Drops found the perfect producer in Buddy Miller, who recorded the band live in a single room, and the result is a wonderfully immediate album that feels like a Saturday night house party-- complete with moonlight, dust flying from the carpet under the feet of dancers, and crickets and night bird calls out the open windows. The sound breathes, and the Drops shine. Traditional pieces like "Po' Black Sheep" become stomping revivals, born again in a new century. "Ruby, Are You Mad at Your Man?" becomes a clawhammer banjo-driven mountain blues, with Rhiannon Giddens' vocal making it seem like Janis Joplin just wandered into the party, a feat she repeats with the album's marvelous last track, "Pretty Bird" (complete with crickets in the background). The Carolina Chocolate Drops may be intent on reproducing a sound from over a century ago, but they do an amazing job of translating it into the 21st century without diminishing it. This set feels like a Saturday night throwdown under the summer stars. It almost seems timeless, perhaps because it defies time. (AllMusic Review by Steve Leggett)

Rhiannon Giddens: Freedom Highway

Nonesuch 558805-2

Format: CD, Album
Country: US
Released: Feb 24, 2017
Genre: Jazz, Blues, Folk, World, & Country
Style: Bluegrass, Gospel, Folk, Celtic
[Tracklist]
01 At The Purchaser's Option (4:16)
02 The Angels Laid Him Away (2:31)
03 Julie (4:28)
04 Birmingham Sunday (6:13)
05 Better Get It Right The First Time (3:23)
06 We Could Fly (4:53)
07 Hey Bébé (3:19)
08 Come Love Come (5:20)
09 The Love We Almost Had (4:17)
10 Baby Boy (4:29)
11 Following The North Star (1:56)
12 Freedom Highway (4:47)
[Credits]
Design: Jeri Heiden, Executive Producer: David Bither, Co-producer: Rhiannon Giddens and Dirk Powell, Management: John Peets, Recorded by: Eric Adcock and Nolan Thies, Mastered by: Bob Ludwig and Robert C. Ludwig
[Notes]
Freedom Highway, Grammy Award–winner Rhiannon Giddens' follow-up to her highly praised debut album Tomorrow Is My Turn, is out today on Nonesuch Records.

Rhiannon Giddens: Wayfaring Stranger

Rhiannon Giddens & Phil Cunningham

Wayfaring Stranger has been performed by many including Eva Cassidy, Jack White ,Johnny Cash and even Ed Sheeran. Here are Rhiannon Giddens & Phil Cunningham with their take. Now available on the BBC iPlayer; http://bbc.in/2o4e2Cn

David Holt’s State of Music: Series Preview

David Holt's State of Music: Series Preview from Will & Deni Films on Vimeo.

David Holt & Rhiannon Giddens

Masters of traditional music share tunes and stories with four-time Grammy winner David Holt on location in the Southern mountains. Featured artists: guitar phenom Bryan Sutton, multi-faceted musician and ballad singer Carolina Chocolate Drops, breakout star Rhiannon Giddens of the Carolina Chocolate Drops, fiddle virtuoso Bruce Molsky, African-American gospel torch bearers Lena Mae Perry and Wilbur Tharpe (performing as The Branchettes), and bluegrass supergroup Balsam Range. “David Holt’s State of Music” premiered on North Carolina's statewide public television network, UNC-TV, in January of 2015. It has since been re-broadcast by UNC-TV and also by Blue Ridge Public TV in Virginia. It was re-edited as a series of three half-hour episodes, and the series was broadcast by UNC-TV on successive Sundays in September. More episodes are being shot in the fall of 2015 and spring of 2016. “David Holt’s State of Music” will be distributed for broadcast nationally by PBS in March of 2016.