Off the Beaten Track
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Off the Beaten Track To have your recording considered for review in Sing Out!, please submit two copies (one for one of our reviewers and one for in- house editorial work, song selection for the magazine and eventual inclusion in the Sing Out! Resource Center). All recordings received are included in “Publication Noted” (which follows “Off the Beaten Track”). Send two copies of your recording, and the appropriate background material, to Sing Out!, P.O. Box 5460 (for shipping: 512 E. Fourth St.), Bethlehem, PA 18015, Attention “Off The Beaten Track.” Sincere thanks to this issue’s panel of musical experts: Richard Dorsett, Tom Druckenmiller, Mark Greenberg, Victor K. Heyman, Stephanie P. Ledgin, John Lupton, Angela Page, Mike Regenstreif, Seth Rogovoy, Ken Roseman, Peter Spencer, Michael Tearson, Theodoros Toskos, Rich Warren, Matt Watroba, Rob Weir and Sule Greg Wilson. that led to a career traveling across coun- the two keyboard instruments. How I try as “The Singing Troubadour.” He per- would have loved to hear some of the more formed in a variety of settings with a rep- unusual groupings of instruments as pic- ertoire that ranged from opera to traditional tured in the notes. The sound of saxo- songs. He also began an investigation of phones, trumpets, violins and cellos must the music of various utopian societies in have been glorious! The singing is strong America. and sincere with nary a hint of sophistica- With his investigation of the music of tion, as of course it should be, as the Shak- VARIOUS the Shakers he found a sect which both ers were hardly ostentatious. I was re- Let Zion Move: Music Of The Shakers composed their own music and borrowed minded of sitting in church as a child and Rounder 471/472 from other sources. He was also surprised hearing the elder sisters of our congrega- to discover that they had devised their own tion with their craggy but strong tone. t has been a commonly held belief that notational system. Through correspon- The real surprise of this two-CD set is I sacred music in America is solemn and dence with the sisters at Canterbury, New on the second CD. It includes various nar- stoic in character. We revisit images and Hampshire he developed a strong relation- rations and interviews recorded during the stories about all-day Sabbath services held ship. As this special relationship grew original sessions in 1960 and more recently in stark sanctuaries with hours spent on “Bud” became a trusted employee of the recorded selections from 1972 and 1980. hard pews. The concept of dance and the community and founded a Shaker museum A rendition of “May I Softly Walk And inclusion of various musical instruments in 1959. Wisely Speak” by Charles “Bud” Thomp- within the service are perhaps even more In that same year “Bud” Thompson en- son is included in this set. It’s fascinating foreign in our view of early American sa- couraged the sisters to conduct a series of to hear his beautiful voice along with the cred music. The concept of Joy is always lectures on various aspects of the United gentle lecture given by the Canterbury sis- bridled with the fear of consequence. Society of Believers. It was hoped that ters. The 1972 and 1980 narratives were The story of the Shakers is well docu- these lectures could have been recorded but recorded by Roger L. Hall and the latter mented. Their utopian views of industry, they were not, due to a variety of reasons set was recorded at Sabbathday Lake, self-sufficient and practical nature are and all that remained were a series of pam- Maine. These lectures explain the charac- models for many latter-day sects. Their phlets on the subjects covered. teristic dancing and “exercise” motions of belief in celibacy, ever controversial, has In 1961, Thompson met Bill Randall, a Shaker worshipers and answer questions proven to be their undoing. Scarcely a radio broadcaster, who suggested that the about this most unique demonstration of handful of believers remain. lectures be recreated in order to record praise. Seldom has a sect considered its A much more complete investigation of them.This was done and a 10-record set of own history and passed that tradition on the music of the United Society of Believ- lectures, interviews and music was re- to its believers so well as the Shakers. ers, the Shakers, was published in Sing Out! leased in a limited edition. Due to the lim- Perhaps Let Zion Move; Music Of The v.43 #1 and will not be reprised here in this ited run of these recordings and the way Shakers will not become part of your ev- review. But a short discussion of how the they were guarded by the various institu- eryday listening, however its merit lies in music contained in Let Zion Move was cre- tions and organizations that purchased the investigation of one of the most fasci- ated will hopefully whet the reader’s inter- them, they were unavailable to the casual nating utopian societies in American his- est to investigate this wonderful collection listener investigating this music for the tory. These sisters are gone now but their of vocal and instrumental hymns. first time. This Rounder set finally allows love and sincere beliefs live on in Let Zion To fully understand the music con- for selections from the 10 record box to be Move. — TD tained in Let Zion Move and the unusual available to all. We truly are living in the nature of these recordings, it is important most wonderful of times! to trace their origin. In his loving notes to The music on disc one of this two-CD SIMPLE GIFTS the recording Darryl Thompson tells the set is comprised of vocal and instrumental Time And Again story of his father, Charles “Bud” Thomp- selections. Each is introduced with the ori- Purple Finch 312 son, who in his early years found himself gin of the tune. Sometimes a curious an- relocating frequently due to his own ecdote is offered and sometimes a more imple Gifts is a trio of talented women father’s occupation as a sales executive. formal description of the music is pro- S who specialize in presenting a variety By the age of sixteen he had become a ra- vided. The instrumentation is somewhat of music from around the world. They are dio personality in Boston as a singing cow- typical with organ and piano backing as comprised of Linda Littleton on fiddle, boy. He went on to formal voice lessons well as the occasional instrumental duet of continued on Page 124 ... 122 Sing Out! • Vol. 44 #3 • Spring 2000 SOURCES FOR REVIEWED RECORDINGS Acoustic Disc (P.O. Box 4143, San Rafael, CA 94913-4143, Ph: 800-221-DISC; Fx: 415- Milky Way (108 Hanna St., Carrboro, NC 27510, Ph: 919-942-3725; E-mail: 492-9602; Web: www.dawgnet.com) [email protected]) Alula (P.O. Box 62043, Durham, NC 27715, Ph: 919-419-9900; Fx: 919-403-2451; E- N. N. Guido (P.O. Box 396, Kairview, TN 37062) mail: [email protected]; Web: www.alula.com) Nob Hill Boys (1906 Vahlen St., Madison, WI 53704, Ph: 608-286-1297; E-mail: Appleseed (P.O. Box 2593, West Chester, PA 19380, Ph: 610-701-5755; Fx: 610-701- [email protected]) 9599; E-mail: [email protected]; Web: www.appleseedrec.com) North Track (Box 68 Station B, Ottawa, ON K1P 6C3, Canada, Ph: 613-244-5145; Fx: Ark21 (14724 Ventura Blvd, Penthouse Suite, Sherman Oaks, CA 91403, Fx: 818-461- 819-827-2133; E-mail: [email protected]) 1745; E-mail: [email protected]; Web: www.ark21.com) NorthSide (530 N. Third Street, Suite 230, Minneapolis, MN 55401, Ph: 612-375-0233; Bear Family (P.O. Box 1154, Hambergen D-27727, Germany, Ph: +49-4794-9300011; Fx: 612-359-9580; E-mail: [email protected]; Web: www.noside.com) Fx: +49-4794-930020; E-mail: [email protected]; Web: www.bear-family.de) Nutshell (6300 Rernbank Rd., RR #1, Stittsville, ON K2S 1B6, Canada, Ph: 613-831- Beautiful Jo (86 Marlborough Road, Oxford OX1 4LS, England, Ph: +1865-249194; Fx: 6219; Fx: 613-723-9680) +1865-792765; E-mail: [email protected]; Web: bejo.co.uk) Parhelion (P.O.Box 7676, Berkeley, CA 94707, Ph: 510-526-1048; Fx: 510-526-1048) BHP (P.O. Box 1220603, Nashville, TN 37212, Web: www.bryonhillmusic.com) Philo (1 Camp St., Cambridge, MA 02140, Ph: 617-354-0700; Fx: 617-491-1970; E-mail: Birdman (401 Centre St., Haddon Field, NJ 08033) [email protected]; Web: www.rounder.com) Blue Wind (145 95th Street #C4, Brooklyn, NY 11209, Ph: ; Fx: 718-921-6016; Web: Pretty Okay (P.O. Box 812054, Wellesley, MA 02482; Web: www.folkzone.com) www.kateandlou.com) Purple Finch (P.O. Box 968, Lemont, PA 16851, Ph: 814-238-8048; E-mail: [email protected]) Borealis (67 Mowat Ave., Suite 233, Toronto, ON M6K 3E3, Canada, Ph: 416-530-4288; RealWorld (c/o Narada Productions, 4650 N. Port Washington, Milwaukee, WI 53212- Fx: 416-530-0461; E-mail: [email protected]; Web: www.interlog.com/~brc) 1063, Ph: 414-961-8350; Fx: 414-961-8351; E-mail: [email protected]; Web: Both Ends (967 Ashburn St., Winnipeg, MB R3G 3E1, Canada, Ph: 204-783-9236; Fx: realworld.on.net/home.html) 204-783-9236; E-mail: [email protected]) Rebel (P.O. Box 3057, Roanoke, VA 24015, Ph: 540-343-5476; Fx: 540-343-3240; E- Canyon (4143 N. 16th St., Suite 6, Phoenix, AZ 85016, Ph: 602-266-7835; Fx: 602-279- mail: [email protected]; Web: ) 9233; Web: www.canyonrecords.com) Red House (P.O.