Dave Guard and the Whiskeyhill Singers-ST

For $2 ( especially four months ago when I bought this), I absolutely stole this record. Furthermore, this record illustrates my pattern of buying things without fully looking them over ( which worked out greatly in my favor this time). In fact, I greatly regret not using this for a Saturday record.

To further illustrate the point made above, when I was going thru discount records at Half Price a few months back, I came across this. Being a fan of the Kingston Trio as well as paying $2 for records, I quickly bought this without giving it much study ( as Dave Guard was a founding member of the Trio). Neither did I look at it much when I got it home. No, it was not until two weeks ago when I was about to play this and was reading the back cover when I saw Judy Henske’s name associated with this. And thus to my great surprise, there on the front cover, starting at me was one of the most talented folk singers of her generation ( and probably one of the most prettiest). How could I have missed this? Somewhere back in my mind, I think I probably knew she started with this group but like many thinks in the last year, that piece of information got filed way to the back.

Yes, I am a big fan of Henske’s work and have been trying to find something to get her on this blog ever since I started it. Now , yes, it is a shame that I finally found somethin now that I am trying to wind this down as opposed to when I first started it ( and wrote longer posts), but something sometime is better than nothing. Henske ( Chippewa Falls, WI 1936), started her recording career with this group. After the disbandment, she worked on television and made various television appearances. See, this is why it would have been better to do this in the early years as I already tire of writing this post and am really short selling this. I guess I will wrap it up by stating that it was her appearance on the 1963 Hootenanny Hoot that brought her to my attention. Also, for my money, there is no better version of “High Flying Bird”. NONE.

So from Capitol in 1962, we have this record, which has all the positives of a Kingston Trio record, plus Henske. Pretty good track list. The songs are all over the place in terms of style and tempo making it a diverse piece of work. I liked it. I recorded the whole thing for sample consideration. Also, the group was rounded out by Cyrus Faryar and David “Buck” Wheat ( who played bass with The Kingston Trio), who were equally important to this. It was Faryar who suggest Henske to Guard, I believe.

While I was not reading things with this, another fact I overlooked was that it had my favorite folk song on here, “Railroad Bill”, which I am submitting. Also” The Banks Of the Ohio” is just too good to ignore as well.

Ride on RailRoad Bill
The Banks of the Ohio

Emil Decameron and his Orchestra- Russian Melodies

We are trying to wrap up this travelogue of a month with another Russian entry, this time from Vanguard in 1966. I paid $1 for this.

Also known as Russian Folk Melodies, the album features 15 songs including songs which frequently appear on this blog such as “Dark Eyes”, Meadowlands”, “Volga Boat Song”, and “The Birch Tree”. Not sure who Emil Decameron is other than the fact that he made few orchestral recordings for the label.

As much as I wanted to use one of the songs above, I decided to go with “The Village Peddler” in a lament to the dying art of peddling.

The Village Peddler

VA- I Love Bouzouki, 4

Wrapping up our month of world travels with this, which I paid $2 for. When I was looking into instruments to buy for Christmas, the bouzouki was on my short list. Kind of wish I went that route now.

This is a Minerva record from some year after 1980, I think. The music is provided by a G. Zambetas and a St. Zafiriou. The titles are in Greek and English so that helps. I guess at this point, I should point out that I have never have been to Greece.

12 instrumental tunes but they are all quite good. I liked this album.

For a sample, I went with “Baktse-Tsifliki”.

Baktse-Tsifliki

Ibrahim Farah- Music of the Qaria

This month, we have been traveling around the world, in anticipation when we can really do so again. I paid $10 for this. I think I bought it earlier this year while I was looking for Irish records for ST Paddy’s day. Well , this ain’t Irish.

Ibrahim Farrah ( 1939-1998) was a first generation American of Lebanese decent and a key figure in Middle Eastern dance. As a performer and educator, his contributions to the field are many. At the time for this recording, he ran his won dance school and performed both live and on television. I am taking the easy way out of this blog by posting a quite informative link here.

Very fine record indeed here from Orient Records/ Rashid Sales in 1976. Well, when you put out a record ( an audio record) of a dance troupe, the music best be interesting. The music of Egypt and Lebanon come alive on this.

Side one is mostly traditional Egyptian village music, while side two is mostly drum solo’s. The music on side two, however, is what most took my ear. From that lot, we have “Bedouin Wedding” and “Mouhaya”.

Bedouin Wedding
Mouhaya

The Living Presence Orchestra- Neapolitan Nights

For only $4, we have this 1969 record from the Neapolitan area of Italy. Yep, that would be Naples, home of the strawberry, vanilla, and chocolate ice cream among other things.

I have only been to Italy once, and unfortunately for his blog, it was not Naples. No, I went to Milan for a day. Flew in and out. The only meal I had was pizza at the airport. I went to see Inter Milan play a Champion League match, I think against Sporting CP, if I remember right. Hernan Crepso was playing for them and got a goal, Louis Figo was on the team as well, but did not play.

But here we have this, from the Living Presence Stereo series, from Fontana Records and arranged by Peter Smith. The orchestra ( also known as the Fontana Concert Orchestra I believe) goes thru 12 Neapolitan hits with authenticity. For a sample, I went with the opening track, “Poppa Piccolino”.

Poppa Piccolino

History Of Music In Sound- Vol. I. Ancient and Oriental Music

I put of writing this post as internet has been slow all day but as it is picking up now, might as well get this one kicked out. I paid $2 for this double record set from RCA Victor and the Oxford University Press. We are celebrating music form all over the world this month and here is an excellent choice. As easy as listening to these records went this month, writing them have been another story. Mainly because all the red lines from wanting to autocorrect all the foreign words.

Very excellent collection with a very thorough accompanying booklet complete with musical scales and notes. I suppose I should have studied it a bit harder for the purpose of this blog but sorry.

For samples, I went with a couple choices. From China, we have three old melodies including the first piece, “The Strumming of an Elderly Gentleman In A State of Refined Intoxication”. Next we go to Bali with an “Excerpt from Tjalomarang Balinese Theatre”. From Tahiti, we have “Aue Aue ( Modern Dance)”. Finally, from India and its classical music, we have “Pahadi” and “Kankariye ji na Maro”.

Three Chinese MElodies
Excerpt from Tjalomarang
Modern Dance
Pahadi
Kankariye ji na Maro

Vitaly Cnutov/ Osipov State Russian Folk Orchestra- Balalaika Favorites

Today’s travels in this month travelogue takes us to Russia and this 1963 Netherlands’ Import of 1962 record from Mercury. I paid $5 for this. When I was deciding what new instrument I was going to get my self for Christmas, I almost considered the balalaika. However, I thought it was too similar to other stringed instruments I owned and plus, my heart was set on the sitar. If I knew how hard it would be to keep it in tune, I might have reconsidered.

I went to Russia, nix that, I went to the Soviet Union in 1989. I was 15 at the time and I was on a summer business trip with my dad. I always state it was the Soviet Union to signify that I went to a place in time as well as a location. Also, it acknowledges the fact that the city has probably changed radically since my visit. Or has it? Well that is one of the geopolitical questions I try to avoid on his site. As a fun aside to end this paragraph, the Metro building across from my apartment has a upper section on the top that reflects reddish hue in the right shade of night and constantly reminds me of Lenin’s Tomb.

Here we have a record from the Osipov State Russian Folk Orchestra, a folk ensemble formed in 1919 by B.C. Troyanovski. In 1940, the group was lead by Nikolai Petrovich Osipov, for whom they would take their name. Dimtri Osipov would take over after his brothers death in 1945 up until 1954.

For this record, they were led by Vitaly Cnutov. As of the latest Wikipedia post, the ensemble is lead today by Vladimir Andropov. Another fun fact, their music was used in Wes Anderson’s Grand Hotel Budapest.

Pretty good record with a pretty good cross section or Russian melodies. For a sample, I went with “Fantasy On Volga Melodies” from Mikahilov-Shalayev.

Fantasy on Volga Melodies

VA- A British Sampler ( A Souvenir In Sound

We are traveling aroudn the world this month and here we have this1969 collection from British Travel/ BBC. I paid $5 for this. It greatly dawns on me that this record could have been a lazy solution to the Scottish problem ( and possibly even lazier, the Irish one in March) that I ran into in January.

I have never been to Northern Ireland and I only stopped in Wales briefly during the train to Holyhead. But I have been to England and Scotland many times. All over the island but mostly London. Looking past growing up outside of the city for 3 formative years, most of the trips to the Smoke involve seeing the Pogues during Christmas. Subsequently, I have quite a collection of pictrues of dead flowers from the city’s more famous parks.

This is a pretty nifty collection of musical vignettes from various sections of Great Brittan. Some snippets of songs. Some snippets of other audio gems, noises, and various local sounds. This is really all over the place and quite an interesting listen.

For a sample, I tried to chose between the great British divide ( i.e. North and South) and decided to just be lazy and post both. From the North we have : On Ilkia Moor’ baht’at ( Bel Canto Four), Poet and Peasant ( All Star Brass Band/ Harry Mortimer), The Lass of Richmond Hill ( Bel Canto Four), Blaydon Races ( Northumbrian Serenaders), Lamshaw’s Fancy ( Colin and Nicol Caisley), Cushy Butterfield ( Northumbrian Serenaders), Blow the Wind Southerly ( Bel Canto Four), and Bobby Shafto ( radiophonic tape ).

From the South, we have Blow Away the Morning Dew ( radiophonic tape), Greensleeves ( LCC Children’s Choir), Knees Up Mother Brown ( St Thomas Patients Club), Maybe Someday ( Crown Folk), Simple Symphony ( Northern Jr Philharmonic Orchestra), Dance A Cachucha ( All Star Brass Band) and the Ceremony of the Keys from the Tower of London.

The North
Southern England and London

The Chieftains- The Chieftains 10/ Cotton Eyed Joe

Happy St Paddy’s Day!!! We are celebrating with a brief salute to Irish music this week ( basically yesterday and today), due to the fact that I was unable to find any more Irish music to post this month. Perhaps when the pandemic is over, Irish music will flow here like whiskey but until then, this is it. I paid $10 mostly because I needed something Irish today. The title, however, is quite fitting for a month that normally celebrates country and Irish together.

From Shanachie Records in 1981, we have the Chieftain’s tenth studio record ( and the last one I believe to be numbered). Pretty decent stuff that you would except from perhaps one of the greatest ambassadors of Irish music.

For a sample, I went with “An Faire” ( The Gold Ring) and to give tribute to our dual themes this month, here is my old favorite ” Cotton Eyed Joe”.

An Faire
Cotton Eyed Joe

Planxty- Cold Blow and the Rainy Night

Typically for March, we go half country / half Irish, celebrating both my birthday and St Paddy’s Day. At the very least, we will go 1/3 Irish. However this year, I found myself in a predicament as I had no Irish records left to post. I went out shopping for Irish music unable to find any ( and also coming home with 30 records that weren’t Irish per trip. I will elaborate on this more next month but it should be noted I had the same issue trying to find something Scottish for Burn’s Night). I finally went to Sig’s Lagoon, who had some Irish music. They actually had a lot but most of it has already been posted to this site or it was out of my price range. I was able to find two things, both pretty high end. I think I paid $6 for this, from Irish folk group, Planxty.

Planxty was formed in 1972 by Christy Moore, Donal Lunny, Any Irvine, and Liam O’Flynn. Lunny would depart in 1973, followed by Moore in 1974. The group disbanded in 1975 but there has been numerous reunions, the last one being 2003-2005.

This record, ( their third/ 1974/ Polydor Records) was the last of the first incarnation and made right before Moore went solo. Lunny was replaced by Johnny Moynihan but still contributed to the album. Pretty good stuff here and I good sampling as to why this group was so influential to later half centruy Irish folk .

For a sample, I went with “Baneasa’s Green Glade/ Mominsko’s Horo”, a song written by Irvine about his life busking outside of Bucharest. Perhaps it was bad judgement to post this Romanian flavored tune on a day when I am trying to highlight Irish music but here we are.

Baneasa’s Green Glade/ Mominsko Horo