I Need a Musical Interlude

I've been a little bummed out recently. Just life stuff, you know. I've decided to seek employment elsewhere and today sent my application and resume to the hospital two blocks from home. I need less stress in my life and my job. It was difficult making this decision but I knew when I returned from Barbados last month that I would have to do this. I don't make changes well, simply out of anticipatory fear of the change, not because the changes turn out badly. I tend to luck out despite the enormous amount of worrying I put into a decision about life change.

I've been lax about al sorts of things, cleaning my apartment (not since I returned home after Dad died in late March), paying bills (I'd rether not specify though I have Discover callin a few times a day now), getting out of my shell and meeting people...that's a whole 'nother can of worms. I've been pretty well holed up this summer, haven't even made it to the Jersey shore this year. I was going to go today and tomorrow but could not change my therapy appointment so I canceled the shore. I'm sure I can work out a trade with a weekend nurse to enable me to get three days off during the week to go get my needed dose of beach. I miss it terribly.

I haven't even been reading my favorite blogs recently, though I have stopped by at Bitch | Lab for the continuing saga of how segments of the feminist universe can't seem to get along and Figleaf's Real Adult Sex, because he's an intelligent and sexy guy. Not a whole lot happening out there in the blogosphere I know of and I'll be damned if I feel like writing.

I love American Folk Culture, particularly of the 20's through 50's in poorer areas of the south, Apalachia, Pennsylvania. I found some resources I thought I'd share with others who, like me, enjoy American Roots music...Mississippi Delta blues, Old Timey Apalachian, old Jazz, the kind of stuff Alan Lomax and his father, then Alan alone, recorded throughout America (and much of the Western Hemisphere) in the 30's through 60's.

You can read about Alan Lomax and his travels and recordings here at The American Folkways Center, a part of the Library of Congress. The LOC is kind enough to offer a page with a list of places one might be able to find recordings of these genres. The LOC Shop also has many titles for sale. There is a section of field recordings from the LOC's archives which has been released on cd by Rounder Records. This is the list I lust after:

• A Treasury of Library of Congress Field Recordings. These songs were recorded from 1933 through 1946 and include artists like Sonny Terry, Woody Guthrie and Vera Hall.
• American Fiddle Tunes
• The Hammons Family: A Study of a West Virginia Family's Traditions
• Railroad Songs and Ballads, including Harry McClintock's Big Rock Candy Mountain

Oh, there are simply too many to mention. Go there, if it interests you, and check it out for yourself.

Another great site I found was The Smithsonian Institution's Folkways Recordings. This is a very easily navigable site and full of other great American folk and traditional music I crave. Check out this list of genres. In African American music you'll find The Anthology of American Folk Music. While not strictly limited to African American roots music with entries like The Carter Family, it also includes artists like Blind Lemon Jefferson and Mississippi John Hurt. Classic African American Ballads will introduce you to artists such as Memphis Slim, Brownie McGhee and Lead Belly.

Also check out the Endangered Music Project, collections of music from the world over in danger of being forever lost with growth in developing countries and abandonment of some folk trditions, including language and music. This project was brought about by the good folks at Rykodisc.

Hope you find something you like. I'm holding out for the entire Alan Lomax collection. Maybe someday I'll be able to find and afford it.

Technorati tags: American Folk Culture / life / music