From: owner-shindell-list-digest@smoe.org (shindell-list-digest) To: shindell-list-digest@smoe.org Subject: shindell-list-digest V3 #67 Reply-To: shindell-list@smoe.org Sender: owner-shindell-list-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-shindell-list-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk shindell-list-digest Wednesday, February 28 2001 Volume 03 : Number 067 Today's Subjects: ----------------- [RS] Re: HDCD Folk music [Derek Fong ] [RS] RE: Elwestrand's invitation ["Brandy Schaffels" ] [RS] folk-like [Lee Wessman ] Re: [RS] folk-like [Vanessa Wills ] [RS] Falcon Ridge longing ["Sally Green" ] [RS] Re: My two cents on a funky folk definition [Tom926@aol.com] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 27 Feb 2001 12:55:37 -0800 (PST) From: Derek Fong Subject: [RS] Re: HDCD Folk music hey all, > Did you know that SNP is a HDCD encoded disc (as are most of Signature > releases including the new Erelli), it's not stated anywhere on the disc or > packaging, so unless you have a suitable player or DAC then you're unlikely let me echo Neil's comment that HDCD can make a big difference in sound quality if recorded well [as the Signature Sounds discs are]. Other noteworthy folk CDs encoded in HDCD are: John Gorka: After Yesterday Lucy Kaplansky: Ten Year Night Cheryl Wheeler: Sylvia's Hotel Louise Taylor: Written in Red [on Sig. Sounds] Patty Larkin: Unperishable Fruit i'm probably missing some others, but those discs are both sonically and artistically masterpieces. highly recommended. note: just because it's HDCD encoded doesn't mean it has to be well recorded...i've got a few examples of bad HDCD discs. also, i think the difference between HDCD and normal CDs is only prominent on good stereo systems. while a lot of very expensive players employ HDCD decoders [like my Arcam Alpha 9], several mass market manufacturers like Toshiba and Denon are now putting the feature on their cheaper players [<$300]. - -derek ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 27 Feb 2001 13:15:35 -0800 From: "Brandy Schaffels" Subject: [RS] RE: Elwestrand's invitation Elwestrand said: "Tiny Bubbles anyone?" Can I bring some tye-dye? ;) Brandy ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 27 Feb 2001 16:36:51 -0500 From: Elwestrand Subject: Re: [RS] RE: Elwestrand's invitation Yes you can - don't know the date yet but this years theme is blue - blues music, blue dyes and blue drinks! Brandy is actually the only lister who can verify that you'll all fit in my living room. But, it would be an amazing party if I could get Greitzer, Rockin Ron and Clary to play! Ok guys, what's a good date? - ---- On Tue, 27 Feb 2001, Brandy Schaffels (schaffeb@emapUSA.com) wrote: > Elwestrand said: > > "Tiny Bubbles anyone?" > > > Can I bring some tye-dye? ;) > > Brandy > > ________________________________________________ Get your own "800" number Voicemail, fax, email, and a lot more http://www.ureach.com/reg/tag ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 27 Feb 2001 13:27:08 -0800 From: Lee Wessman Subject: [RS] folk-like The American Heritage dictionary defines folk music as: "Music originating among the common people of a nation or region and characterized by a tradition of oral transmission." So what we're listening to when we put Richard on the stereo is something folk-like, but it ain't folk, strictly speaking. It approaches folk, perhaps, around the campfire or in Clary's living room. But as a label, it's inaccurate except as a marketing tool. (And then, it's pronounced with a glib tone and a rolling of the eyes: "Shindell, oh, yeah, he's over there in the folk bin.") The definition of folk rock is: "A variety of popular music that combines elements of rock 'n' roll and folk music, often conveying themes of social protest." That's closer to the truth. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 27 Feb 2001 22:42:41 -0500 From: Vanessa Wills Subject: Re: [RS] folk-like Well, speaking of "folk-like" . . . heh-heh. Duncan Sheik's third LP came out today. The album, called _Phantom Moon_, will in all likelihood enter my top ten for the year, meaning that this year would have to be pretty darn good for much to be better than the excellent work Sheik has put out. His music straddles folk and pop--Sheik has this vision that pop music doesn't have to be trite and meaningless, that one can take pop's conventions and endow them with a real resonance. Crazy guy. At any rate, I think fans of Nick Drake, Jeff Buckley, Dar, and Elliot Smith are going to like this. And since I know there is at least one fan of both Sheik and Richard on this list (Hi, RonD!), I thought I would bend your ears for a little bit on the subject of Duncan Sheik. I wrote a review of the new album for my Duncan Sheik fansite--if you're interested in reading what I had to say about the album, please check out http://duncansheik.faithweb.com/PM-review.html (the review is geared toward fans, so apologies if the references to Duncan's previous LPs and some out-of-print releases don't really mean anything to you). Also, you can go to the front page of the site by heading to http://duncansheik.faithweb.com . I'll have sound clips up there soon, but they also have some up on amazon.com . OK, I've done my share of proselytizing for the day. :-) Peace, Love, and Mischief, Vanessa ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 28 Feb 2001 00:36:13 -0500 From: "Sally Green" Subject: [RS] Falcon Ridge longing Vanessa totally summed it up for me. You know how some people get spring fever? I get Falcon Ridge fever. Honestly, this folk festival (www.falconridgefolk.com) is the best experience in the world for me. I love it sooooooooooooo much. I've been feathering my nest with a new tent and a new sleeping bag all year in preparation for FRFF 2001. I first went to Falcon Ridge in 1998 - I was on the Dar list and everyone was going on and on about how great it was in 1997, and I had REALLY wanted to go in 1997, but circumstances conspired in a big way to prevent me from doing so (although it's good I didn't because I had to take care of the circumstances), so 1998 was my year. I was living in Michigan and a fellow Dar lister from MI emailed me and thus our plan was hatched: we drove there, me not knowing a soul in person, just from the Internet. It was crazy, but the BEST weekend of my life. That year Richard closed out the festival with the final time slot on Sunday before the big group send-off song, and I remember he wore these Ray-Bans because the sun was setting above the ridge and it shines directly into performers' faces when it's setting. Anyway, it was so much fun and so comfortable for so many reasons. The most amazing part was the phenomenal friendships I made. I camped with the Dar list at Camp Dar Camp with about 40 other people and it was instant friends. And I'm not one to gild the lily. And the weather! Hot and sunny but not very humid during the day, and COLD at night. There's nothing better than a hot day of sunblock, great music, friends, great music, sweating, great music, the dinner break and a solar shower, and bundling up in jeans and fleece sweatshirts as the sun goes down and grabbing some dinner and cuddling up on the tarps for a night of great music. And last year I tried my hand (feet?) at dancing in the dance tent. Contra dancing and English country dancing. I'm not usually One Who Dances, and when I do, I'm usually One Who Is Self-Conscious, but this dancing was wonderfully non-selfconsciousness-inducing. So as far as I'm concerned, I hope beyond hope that Richard gets booked for FRFF 2001. Argentina be darned! I've been anticipating this for so long that it's actually funny - it reminds me, quite seriously, about how much I used to anticipate Christmas and Santa Claus and presents when I was a kid. (These days I feel like the holidays always sneak up on me and I rarely get crazily excited.) But for FRFF, I have that same anticipation. And, of course, I wait on tenterhooks to see if Ron G will ever show up. ;) - --Sally sallyagreen@hotmail.com _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 28 Feb 2001 01:17:37 EST From: Tom926@aol.com Subject: [RS] Re: My two cents on a funky folk definition Well of course your definition of folk is also culture specific. So when I think of folk music, I immediately think first of Celtic traditional songs. My mom is from Mayo, and she would hum melodies around the house while she worked. Years later, when I first discovered singer/songwritery stuff, she would start singing along with some of the traditional songs. "The Water Is Wide" is the first one in particular that I remember. And she told me, "Oh we used to sing it when we baled the hay." I am looking for a great version of "Love Is Teasing" for her. The only one I know of is by Marianne Faithfull on a Chieftains album. Anyone know of another? Mom can't stand Marianne's voice (an acquired taste I know). So that is the first definition that comes to mind when I think folk. So many of these songs were from a pre-sheet music tradition. The melodies were relatively straightforward and beautiful in their simplicity. Mostly I think because they were work songs or lullabyes to sing to the kiddies or, what is a great Irish tradition that is being lost now in the world of MTVille, things people would sing in the pubs or at house parties (my relatives will do this still--sit around and sing old Irish folk songs, which is A Wonderful Thing To Behold). The second definition deals with storytelling. One of the great traditions that is now lost in Ireland is that of the wandering storytellers. My mom told me her village would gather money when he came and he would tell story after story. I think many of these stories were versified and put into song, primarily because it is easier to remember something with a beautiful melody attached to it! And that is also what I think about when I ponder a working definition of folk music: melody. Rap and jazz and dance are beat musics. They foreground rhythm. All the great folk I have heard foreground melody. Which may be why, even though I love people like Richard and Shawn and Maura O'Connell, I tend to love anyone who has a strong melodic component to their songs--even if the music that surrounds that melody is as far from folk music as you can get (Sleater-Kinney, X-Ray Spex, The Smiths, Throwing Muses, Rasputina etc etc etc). Funny, I am the only one of three kids who is a folk nut, but both my brother and sister love ballads. My brother grew up listening to Styx and Springsteen but also loves John Denver. And my sister loves Yaz and 80s dance music...and Mary Chapin Carpenter. It's the melody I tell ya. Me mum is responsible for that (Dad is way into jazz and classical). OK--soapbox's free now. LOL. Tom ------------------------------ End of shindell-list-digest V3 #67 **********************************