Happy Trau GETTING TO THE ROOTS OF IT Happy is one of those rare musicians, a musician's musician.

Verbals: Iain Patience Visuals: Supplied by artist

52 | BLUES MATTERS! INTERVIEW | HAPPY TRAUM

arry P. Traum is unlikely to register with many, a name that slips he's still around playing past with neither a nod nor a glance perhaps. Shorten it, however, and picking.' Paley, now Hpulling it together to read HAPPY TRAUM and it rings the bell, approaching 90, is indeed bangs the drum and resonates with roots music lovers worldwide. still out there. Now based in London, he has an excellent A New Yorker, Happy is one music stage, bringing with new album recently released of those rare musicians, a it a remarkable wealth of on UK roots label Hornbeam musician's musician. Revered talent, inspired music and Recordings, 'Paley & Son' - his by most in the musical know, unsurpassed genius, New fi rst since 2012 - where those he is easily one of the most York was certainly the place same picking skills are ably signifi cant acoustic-roots to be. Liverpool and the to the fore supported by his musicians and guitar pickers UK music rocket had yet son, Ben, on fi ddle, and Welsh of his - and many other - to surface let alone take singer/songwriter, Cerys generations. His guitar off into the stratosphere. Matthews. He is also booked mastery is without equal or Happy remembers sharing to play the Lead Belly Festival question and his importance licks and verses with at New York's Carnegie to the development of almost every one of note, Hall in a few months’ time, many world famous - and then relative newcomers, his fi rst visit to his old aspiring musicians, is unknowns before the music hometown in many years. genuinely astonishing. industry had even developed. At this time, the beginning John Sebastian, Maria of the 1960s, many of these Traum recalls with evident Mauldaur, John Hammond, seminal musicians would glee and deserved wonder and meet up, jamming, busking amusement how as a young and simply having fun in New guitar aspirant himself in THE ACOUSTIC MUSIC York's Washington Square late 1950s/early 1960s New SCENE SEEMS TO most weekends. Happy York, he picked up a phone “BE THRIVING, WITH ” Traum was always there, book and rang Brownie SOME FANTASTIC picking his guitar, alongside McGhee to ask for guitar STUFF COMING OUT his fairly recently passed lessons with one of modern brother, Artie, and picking blues music's notable greats. the brains and fi ngers of 'At college, New York Rory Block, Mary Travers others who also converged University, I'd heard (Peter, Paul & Mary), Dave on the park each weekend. Brownie's Folkways album Van Ronk, Bill Keith, David He remembers Izzy Young, 'Brownie McGhee's Blues'. I Bromberg, Phil Ochs and who ran the Folklore Centre loved it. I rang him up and he a rough-edged, fl edgling in the city being around said, "Come on down. Let's guy, destined to become a always and how they all see what you can do and I'll lifelong buddy, with a strident had a run-in with authority decide." I spent the next two voice and desperate desire when attempts were made or three years with Brownie, for success, Bob Dylan. to outlaw the weekly music visiting him every few weeks Tom Paley, one of the meetings. And he recounts or so, just playing together. original members of leading, how the young, unknown Bob He'd tell me if I was going radical band The New Lost Dylan - soon to be given his wrong and I'd ask him to City Ramblers, also gave his fi rst professional gig thanks show me what he was doing time and encouragement to Young - fi rst pitched up in and where he was going. We'd freely to the young Happy New York in the early sixties: spend two or three hours Traum. 'I remember Tom as 'He's on one of my 'Broadside' like that. It was wonderful. a really nice player, a very records. I did a duet with Sometimes Sonny Terry fi ne picker. He did a great him and he wrote the sleeve/ would turn up and we'd all version of 'Railroad Bill', liner notes for another just play along together.' running through it many with Atlantic Records.' Back then, as the times for me, always helpful, Never surprised by Dylan's sixties folk boom began never dismissive, bored or extraordinary success, he to explode on the world irritated. It's great to know says: 'We are friends. We

BLUES MATTERS! | 53 INTERVIEW | HAPPY TRAUM

were real close for about six or seven years and Bob lived nearby (in Woodstock, where Traum has been resident for around 50 years). I did a lot of work with him, in the early 70s. In 1971, I think, I did the sessions with him that became his 'Greatest Hits' albums. We always got on well together.' Amongst his other neighbours at the time were John Sebastian, still a resident - and Dylan's backing band, The Band's drummer and singer, Levon Helm. Larry Campbell, another Dylan sideman and stalwart of the Americana Music Awards annual blast, also lives nearby. The Band's famous - or infamous - 'Big HAPPY TRAUM Pink' house was another JUST FOR THE LOVE OF IT local landmark and spawned INDEPENDENT Dylan's famous 'Basement Happy Traum is (a superb opener), In The Evening Tapes' album. Traum easily one of the When The Sun Goes Down, Jay also recalls working with most important Gould's Daughter, I Ain't Got No Beat poet Allen Ginsberg acoustic pickers Home, Crash On The Levee and around this same time. around. A guy Lead Belly's old In The Pines. Add For many years, he has been who learned guitar with Brownie a pinch of Tennessee Waltz - here involved with what is probably McGhee (Sonny Terry sitting in at a stunningly pared back, beautifully the single, most infl uential, times) in early sixties New York, this picked version, and you have a important roots and blues guy has played, performed and simply wonderful album. Traum, of music teaching resource, recorded with almost everyone of course, was pretty indispensable Homespun Tapes: 'I initially set note in the USA during a career that to Dylan back in the day and his it up about fi fty years ago as now approaches almost 60 years. astute playing features on many Homespun Tapes, we did it all Just For The Love Of It aptly sums of Bob's albums. Not for nought from home, reel-to-reel. Then up Traum's feelings and belief in this did Rolling Stone describe him came cassettes, followed by music. He plays for both the money (and his work with his late brother, video and now CD and DVD,' he and the love of it, of course, and Artie) as music that….'defi ned laughs with evident pleasure. on this 14-track album he is joined the Northeast folk music style.' 'We've about 200 artists now.' by many of his old Woodstock With this, his fi rst album in many Of particular pleasure buddies. Artists supporting him here years, Traum cements his position and a source of some evident include John Sebastian (ex-Loving at the top of true acoustic roots satisfaction is the fact that one Spoonful), Larry Campbell and his music. This is an album that blues of Traum's own personal roots partner Teresa Williams (ex-Dylan purists or members of the blues music heroes, Pete Seeger, & Levon Helm) with Campbell police might not fully engage with signed over the rights to his also responsible for production. but a must-have album for lovers famous 5-String Banjo tuition Material covered crosses blues, of quality authentic, acoustic book to Happy's Homespun roots and modern Americana with blues-roots-based music. operation before he died a wonderful takes on Careless Love IAIN PATIENCE few years ago. 'I was always a great fan of Pete's and it

54 | BLUES MATTERS! INTERVIEW | HAPPY TRAUM

was amazing that he did Love', 'In The Pines', both from optimistic: 'I don't know that, it means a lot to me.' Lead Belly's back catalogue, what the future holds, These days, apart from his and a stunningly beautiful, maybe not much more for me teaching brief and Homespun, pared-down version of the old at my age,' he laughs. 'But Traum still enjoys getting standard, 'Tennessee Waltz'. the acoustic music scene out and about, picking guitar, Recorded mostly without seems to be thriving, with passing on the music and overdubs and as close to live some fantastic stuff coming playing US festivals like performance as a studio allows, out. It always ebbs and fl ows. Merlefest in North Carolina, Traum says of it: 'My idea was It's just how it is.' and teaching at Jorma to play and sing, alive, and live Kaukonen's famed Fur Peace in the studio. To try to capture Ranch in the Ohio hills. that wonderful interaction DISCOGRAPHY He believes the music is in a that happens spontaneously safe place, with young students with musical friends. There eager to keep it alive and give are a few obvious places JUST FOR THE it new meaning, and he still where overdubs were LOVE OF IT – 2015 derives great pleasure from inevitable, but for the most I WALK THE ROAD AGAIN – 2005 recording, even as a seasoned part the music on this CD BUCKETS OF SONGS – 1987 veteran. Traum has just refl ects the way it happened FRIENDS AND released his latest album, 'Just in the moment - no frills, as NEIGHBORS – 1983 For The Love Of It', a fourteen honest as I could make it.' BRIGHT MORNING STARS – 1979 track master-class in tasteful Looking ahead, to what AMERICAN STRANGER – 1977 fretwork and delicious covers might yet be in store, Happy RELAX YOUR MIND – 1975 including takes on 'Careless Traum remains upbeat and from the soul of america

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