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NEW LOST CITY RAMBLERS
40 Years Of Concert Recordings (Rounder)
Reviewed by Shaun Dale
When the New Lost City Ramblers first came together in 1958, the popular conception of folk music involved eager young men with crew cuts and button down shirts singing campfire favorites in tight harmony. The Ramblers, originally composed of John Cohen, Mike Seeger and Tom Paley, took a different approach, appropriating the look, the repertoire, and the style of the string bands of half a century earlier. Tracy Schwarz replaced Paley in 1962, and the group's songbook expanded over time to include a variety of regional styles and musical formats, but they remained steadfast in their commitment to presenting the music of the American rural south in a way that was faithful to the originals. They also took the opportunity, whenever possible, to introduce the original performers to the folk revival audiences they attracted.
While the New Lost City Ramblers largely went their separate ways during the 1970s, they have continued to regroup over the years for special occasions. Of course, any occasion is special when the New Lost City Ramblers reassemble. Among the highlights of this collection are a number of previously unreleased tracks recorded at NLCR performances in the 1990s, proving that forty years down the road, they continue to break new musical ground by mining old musical veins.
This 2 CD set is truly a treasure house of the American musical heritage, skillfully and authentically performed by a true American treasure.
Track Lists:
Disc One: Soldier's Joy * Down In The Willow * Brown's Ferry Blues * Too Tight Rag * Little Birdie * Darling Corey * The Democratic Donkey (Is In His Stall Again) * Poor Ellen Smith * On Some Foggy Mountain Top * Cackling Hen * The Battleship Of Maine * Worried Man Blues * The Unquiet Grave * Lady Of Carlisle * Groundhog * Orange Blossom Special * East Virginia Blues * Country Blues * Little Maggie * The Girl And The Dreadful Snake * Keep Moving * Fortune * She Tickles Me * The Arkansas Traveller * Saddle Up The GreyDisc Two: Sally Goodin * The Old Bell Cow * It's Hard To Leave You, Sweet Love * Dark Holler Blues * Locks And Bolts * Wildwood Weed * Milk 'Em In The Evening Blues * Madeleine * Sourwood Mountain * Black Bottom Strut * Jordan Is A Hard Road To Travel * The Old Man At The Mill * Tom Sherman's Barroom * Turkey In The Straw (introduction) * Turkey In The Straw * Old Joe Clark * Rabbit Chase * Poor Old Dirt Farmer * Tennessee Blues * Gonna Lay Me Down My Old Guitar * I've Always Been A Rambler * Baltimore Fire * Three Men Went A-Hunting
© 2001 - Shaun Dale