October 2007 Podcast: The Free Reed Show

The October Rambling Podcast is the Free Reed Show, as requested by popular vote. The setlist is:

1. Gus Viseur - Flambée Montalbanaise (02:10-04:05)
2. Astor Piazzola - Decarisimo (04:35-07:10)
3. Christian Marsch - La Valse (07:10-08:30)
4. Jimmy Riddle - John Henry (09:10-11:10)
5. De Amsterdam Klezmer Band - Der Mama ist gegangen (11:55-15:15)
6. Triple Harp Bypass - Menage à Trois / Sonny's Mazurka (15:35-18:40)
7. Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan - Allah Hoo Allah Hoo (20:00-26:15)
8. Rhythm Willie - New Block and Tackle Blues (26:15-29:15)
9. Richard Hunter - Hymn for Crow (30:35-32:25)
10. Larry Adler - Roumanian Rhapsody n°1 (32:50-39:15)
11. Richard Galliano, Romane and Stochelo - Double Jeu (40:15-45:15)
12. Gotan Project - Diferente (45:35-50:55)
13. Gary Primich - Sade (52:00-59:15)

For more info on this podcast in general, check out the generic Rambling Podcast post.

The Free Reed Aerophone article in Wikipedia explains very clearly about the specific mechanics of free reed instruments. Free reed instruments featured in this podcast include the harmonica and accordion, but also the bandoneon, the harmonium and the concertina. I was unfortunately unable to locate characteristic recordings of the sheng or the melodica.

The detailed setlist is as follows:

• Gus Viseur - Flambée Montalbanaise: Gus Viseur was born in Belgium and became one of the emblematic players of musette accordion alongside Jo Privat and Medard Ferrero.  After World War II, Viseur embraced the influence of american jazz and despite the protests of musette purists developed the genre known as Swing Musette. The Flambée Montalbanaise was inspired the tragic bombing and subsequent burning of Montauban during World War II.  This particular version comes from the post-war recordings compiled on De Clichy à Broadway but it can also be found on earlier sources like Compositions 1934-1942 or on various compilations like The Sound of Paris. (Source: De Clichy à Broadway)

• Astor Piazzolla - Decarisimo: No one has been as influential on tango as Astor Piazzolla. Composer and bandoneon player, Piazzolla devoted his entire life to performing and growing the Argentinian Tango, absorbing influences from outside genres and giving tango a truly international visibility. Decarismo is here played by Piazzola's quintet during the 1980s and the song can be found on various compilations like The Best of Astor Piazzolla or the more complete (5 CDs) but cheaper History of Tango. (Source: October 15th, 1984 - Milan, Italy)

• Christian Marsch - La Valse: Harmonica trios used to be all the pop rage before WWII and there are still a few players around perpetuating this musical tradition. Harmonica trios were composed of a leader playing chromatic harmonica, accompanied by a bass harmonica player and a (gigantic) chord harmonica player. Christian Marsch plays all three and more in a variety of genres ranging from old-timey stuff to psychedelic funk.  (Source: Christian Marsh and Guy Dickerson - Planet Bound)

• Jimmy Riddle - John Henry:  Jimmy Riddle's name is all but lost to history and yet his harp playing has been heard by millions. He was the harmonica player behind Country star Roy Acuff, and a frequent contributor to Hee Haw and the Grand Ole Opry shows. Riddle was as much at ease on the diatonic harmonica as he was on the chromatic, as displayed on his instrumental version of John Henry. Unfortunately, his stunning album Country Harmonica - which I believe to be the one on which John Henry was featured has never been issued on CD. (Source: Jimmy Riddle - Country Harmonica)

• De Amsterdam Klezmer Band - Der Mama ist gegangen: As their name suggest, the Amsterdam Klezmer Band (also known at the AKB) is a dutch klezmer band which is both totally traditional and very modern.  Der Mama ist Gegangen is taken from their excellent record Limonchiki which is, unfortunately, damn hard to find. As an alternate souce of AKB goodness, I recommend Son, which I reviewed here. (Source: De Amsterdam Klezmer Band - Limonchiki)

• Triple Harp Bypass - Menage à Trois / Sonny's Mazurka: Triple Harp Bypass is what producers in the 60s would have called a superband, featuring four exceptional musicians including three harmonica players renowned for their playing, especially in the Irish musical genre, namely Brendan Power, Mick Kinsella and Rick Epping. They have been playing and touring together for some time, and have released a confidential record called Iron Lung which, as far as I know, has no distribution but is sold at concerts and by the individual members of the band.  (Source: Triple Harp Bypass - Iron Lung)

• Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan - Allah Hoo Allah Hoo: Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan is world renowned and probably needs no presentation. He was, until he passed away in 1997, the foremost representative of the Pakistani music known as Qawwali, the religious music of the Sufi mystics. There are many albums of his chants on the Real World label, and Allah Ooh can be found on Devotional and Love Songs.   (Source: Unknown)

• Rhythm Willie - New Block and Tackle Blues: Rhythm Willie never released albums under his name since he was probably dead before the concept was born, almthough some sources mention him being still alive in the 70s. He was born in 1910 and only recorded two sessions under his own name and less than 20 that have been unearthed. New Block and Tackle Blues is one of these sessions, recorded under the name Rhythm Willie and his gang in the 40s. It's available in an early harmonica compilation entitled Harps, Jugs, Washboards and Kazoos 1928-1940 (Source: Harps, Jugs, Washboards and Kazoos 1928-1940)

• Richard Hunter - Hymn for Crow: Richard Hunter is and has been an innovator on the diatonic harmonica for over three decades. He is famous for releasing the first and most often praised method to play jazz harmonica, aptly titled Jazz Harp. His first album, The Act of Being Free in One Act is the one on which Hymn for Crow was released, and features only solo diatonic harmonica pieces. (Source: The Act of Being Free in One Act)

• Larry Adler - Roumanian Rhapsody n°1: Larry Adler is one of the major 20th century harmonicists and, apart from Toots Thielemans, probably the most famous chromatic player. From his debut playing vaudeville, he honed his playing and moved onto variety jazz and classical music of the highest caliber. He scored many music soundtracks and was famous for refusing to submit to McCarthyism in the dark days of the American democracy. As a result, he lived most of his life in Britain. There are many, many Larry Adler records out there, but this particular version of the Roumanian Rhapsody N°1 is to be found on a particularly fine collection entitled The Great Larry Adler: Original Recordings 1934-1947.  (Source: Original Recordings 1934-1947)

• Richard Galliano, Romane and Stochelo - Double Jeu: Gypsy Jazz is by far not the only arrow Richard Galliano has in his quiver. He has become famous in the last couple of decades as an all-round jazz accordionist who nonetheless knows how to pay homage to the traditions of his instrument of choice.  The original version of Double Jeu did not feature his, it was released on the  album Double Jeu by guitarists Romane and Stochelo Rosenberg. (Source: October 15, 2006 - La Rochelle, France)

• Gotan Project - Diferente: Gotan Project is a Paris based multinational band that ressucitates old Argentinian Tango and injects modern beats, samples and electro-components in the music. Diferente comes from their 4th album Lunatico.  (Source: May 27th, 2007 - London, UK)

• Gary Primich - Sade: Amongst modern blues harmonica players, Gary Primich was considered to be one of the most originals and interesting. Besides numerous albums under his own name, Primich played on many Texas produced blues albums. The song Sade presented here is a live version taken from a compilation of Texas harmonica players called Texas Harmonica Rumble (Source: Texas Harmonica Rumble)

Which rounds up this show of the Rambling Podcast ! Many thanks to Christian Marsch, the AKB Management, Brendan Power, Richard Hunter and Gary Primich's family for allowing me to use tracks from their respective albums. The Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan is the only track for which I could not trace a source but it sounds like a recording in public, so I should be in the clear. Additional thanks to Lazy Brad Lewis, Scot Ray and Joe Powers for recording great jingles. Yet more thanks to artist Saki for the superb Galliano banner. And finally, a last round of thanks to Greg Szlapczynski for letting me use his Ternaire Madness as the new theme song for the show.

Please leave comments !!!

Comments

[leonardo kenji]

excelente podcast :-)

[marquito]

Well, I have an obliquely useful comment and a plumb pointless one.

First, if you're after melodica, one of the bestknown players is donald fagen. It crops up here and there on his own albums, usually inaudibly becuase of the infinite layering, but is really noticeable on an otherwise great album by his other band the new york rock and soul revue, which I lost along the way.

Second, it's good finally to find out the origin of the rhyminslang personage jimmy riddle.

Mantengalo verdadero, pucho.

[Ben Felten]

Hey Marcus!

I did have a few melodica players in mind. Unfortunately, none of it was bootleg. John Medeski of MMW fame uses Melodica occasionally, there's at least one track on the MMW + Schofield "Out Louder" that features it and (I'm pretty sure) bass harp as well, even though the liner notes don't mention it.

Another candidate would have been Avishai Cohen's pianist. On the recently released live CD+DVD there's a damn cool version of Caravan where the pianist is on melodican playing the horn harmonies and then soloing like it's a piano. Very cool stuff...

Oh well. I wish I'd have found some good recording of Sheng as well.

[Jim B]

Ben:
I discovered your site a couple of weeks ago, and have been perusing the archives ever since. There's a wealth of information and some great tips for new listening.
I've greatly enjoyed all the podcasts, but I'm especially fond of the acoustic music show. Keep up the great work!
Many thanks,
Jim

[Benoit FELTEN]

Hey Jim!

This kind of comment really makes my day ! I wish more people told me what they thought of the podcasts, whether they like them or not. It's hard work, this stuff!

Anyway, thanks for the feedbakc, and don't hesitate to spread it around, it's free !

[Brothegerr]

I cannot seem to access the podcast at all.I have enjoyed all your previous podcasts immensely, keep up the good work. Hope this one becomes available soon. :)

[Winslow Yerxa]

I'm wondering why you say that Gus Viseur was playing a piano accordion on this version of Flambée Montalbanaise.

Like pretty much all Parisian accordionists of the period, he played a chromatic button accordion; I've never seen him photographed with any other type. In the 1930s and '40s he he was photographed with the four-row instrument then in common use. As late as 1971 he was photographed with the more recent five-row instrument (like what Richard Galliano plays now). But never to my knowledge with a piano accordion. So I'm curious what the basis is for this statement.

Aside from that little nitpick, a great compoilation of free reed recordings!

Winslow

[Benoit FELTEN]

Hey Winslow !

The simple answer is that I don't know what I'm talking about!

I'll edit that useless and wrong comment out!

Thanks for the comment (and appreciation).