Exile in Dunganville

(The following column first appeared in the Charlotte Folk Society January 2007 Newsletter)

by Dennis “Cuz” Frost

It’s unbelievable, but as I write this, we are bearing down on 2007! Last year was another stellar year for roots music in Charlotte and surrounding areas and there is no reason to think next year will be any less amazing. I suppose my highlight of the year occurred back in late April at Merlefest 2006 with a set I caught on the hillside stage hosted by Bay area musicians, The Waybacks.

By the middle of the set they were joined on stage by Bob Weir, Sam Bush, Gillian Welch and David Rawlings and the proceedings had reached an energy level between the musicians and the crowd that I’ve only experienced a few times in my life - it was pure magic! This is probably the premier Americana/roots festival in the country and is highly recommended. Although the crowds keep some folks away, you will not find the diversity of acoustic music anywhere on the planet. Hey, it’s right up the road in Wilkesboro!

2006 was another great year in Charlotte, not only for catching national acts, but for the diversity of local and regional music available right here in our own backyard. The area music scene just keeps getting stronger by the year through the support of you, the listening audience. I think a New Year’s resolution worthy of consideration, in addition to losing those ten holiday pounds, is to support more local music. After all, these are your friends and neighbors!

By the same token, try to catch as many of your favorite national roots artists as is affordable. I don’t know about you, but not too many of the folks I listen to sell a bunch of CDs and most make their living on the road. Think of it as investing in art.

Speaking of recordings, there are a few out there that caught my ear in the past month. About every few years “The Dawg” (David Grisman) reconnects with his bluegrass roots and briefly abandons the “Dawg” jazz he’s become famous for through the years. Such is the case this time around with The David Grisman Bluegrass Experience. Although this band has been burning up the Bay area music scene with standing room crowds for several years, this is the first time this incarnation has been heard on disc. Highlights here include the Carter Family classic “Engine 143″, Charlie Poole’s “Baltimore Fire”, and the hippie classic, “Old and in the Way”. These tunes have the feel and freshness of being played under a big old oak tree at your favorite spring festival.

The next disc has been out a little bit, but is becoming a favorite with each listening. If your cup of tea is a fusion of old time, mixed with a bit of jug band nuance, you may enjoy the new one from Old Crow Medicine Show called Big Iron World. This is not a slick recording, but it is definitely a passionate one that mixes fifty-year-old covers and originals with ease. Produced by David Rawlings with a guest appearance by Gillian Welch, this one is just plain fun.

Last and certainly not least is an odd recording from J.J. Cale & Eric Clapton called Road to Escondido. I guess I say odd because of the fact that while Clapton has been in the spotlight his whole life, Cale has seemingly spent a career seemingly trying not to be famous. (He may tour every seven years or so if we’re lucky!) Well, this go round J.J. Cale is in the forefront & Clapton appears in a supporting role as Cale has written all the tunes but two on the disc. This one has that smoky, deep-fried groove that has become a J.J. Cale trademark throughout is career - a keeper.

That’s about it for this month as we are in the doldrums of the year in terms of new releases. That will all change next month as January typically has avalanches of new releases for the body and soul - I can’t wait to share some with you. Happy New Year to each and every one of you & remember those resolutions!

The cliché states that if you are in a rock n’ roll band, you have to have started in the garage. Not so if you are a member of the Shelby, North Carolina-based band Mama Said. Their band got their start in the kitchen. Little did they know at the time they had all the right ingredients to put out great rockin’ roots-based music.

Mama Said founders Helen Owen and Phil Ruff knew their music was too good to keep in the kitchen. They released their first full-length album of tunes in 1998. Eight years later would prove to be a pivotal year in the life of the band when they signed a record deal with the Colorado/Nashville-based Americana Records. In November of 2006, Mama Said released their third album Turn It Up.

Owen and Ruff handle most of the writing credits on the new record with the exception of one tune - one in which they cover Desmond Dekker’s big hit “Israelites”. Whether the band is playing Americana or “Jamericana”, their musical approach is organic in nature; crafting top quality songs using a variety of styles and instruments.

Mama Said has left the kitchen and is now out serving up great rockin’ roots flavored tunes to a venue near you. Sit back and enjoy. And don’t forget to give your compliments to the band.

While I may have taken a break from posting my thoughts and musings, another cat just down the road from me has decided to do the opposite.  Michael Evans is a relatively new columnist at Charlotte’s Uptown Magazine and is writing a music column for them each month.  I can’t think of anyone more passionate or qualified to write about the state of our strong music scene in Charlotte than Mike. 

Please check out his latest column on the Americana music scene in the Charlotte area in the November edition of Uptown Magazine.  

How does he do it? How does Bob Dylan continually churn out tunes for us to listen to? For me, Dylan was not my first intro to folk music, but he might have been the second. And to top it all off, it wasn’t any of his critically acclaimed albums that drew me in. It was his 1978 release Street Legal.

Most music fanatics get into at least one Dylan phase at some point in their musical discovery. Some get into more than one phase. There is folkie Dylan, electric Dylan, Blood on the Tracks Dylan, Dylan the poet, Dylan the recluse. Either way you look at it, there is plenty of Dylan to go around.

Looking at Dylan’s vast portfolio, it makes me wonder how much creativity we all have in us. Is there a quota? I tend to think that creativity exists in all of us in some form or fashion. Half the battle is to tap into it. The other half is to channel it into something - whether it be visual, audio, 3D - whatever the case may be.

Is Dylan all tapped out? Not according to the reviews on his latest release Modern Times. The guy has put out an album with ten quality tunes. Is it the second coming of Blood on the Tracks? Hell no. Dylan may never reproduce that kind of masterpiece again. Look at Stevie Wonder. He couldn’t recreate Songs in the Key of Life.

The bottom line is that Dylan is still putting out quality music. He has raised the bar so high with his earlier works that anything he does today will not ever compare with his prior masterpieces. I guess in that sense, you could say he is a victim of his own success.

Yet for some people, that raised bar keeps them from tapping into that creative place. They think they can never top something they have already done, so why bother trying? And maybe we all feel that way sometimes. Fear and procrastination hold us back from what we want to accomplish.

Procrastination is a funny thing. And perhaps acknowledging it is the first step to getting beyond it. Denying it or calling it “writer’s block” is not the answer.

What is the answer? That I don’t know. How do you fight procrastination within the confines of your creative self?

(The following column first appeared in the Charlotte Folk Society October 2006 Newsletter)

by Dennis “Cuz” Frost

Greetings music lovers and welcome to another addition of Cuz’s Corner. It’s hard to believe it’s already autumn and I’m back from yet another Americana Music Association Conference . So, before I get into some recommended listening, I thought I would give a brief run down of what transpired last week in Nashville.

In addition to all the great concerts associated with the conference, my highpoint is always the awards show, held in the historic Ryman Auditorium, where you can take your seat and literally feel the “hillbilly dust”. If you love the great traditions of American roots music, I would highly recommend taking in a show at “the mother church”, as it’s a very powerful and moving experience you will not soon forget.

With “The Clowned Prince of Americana” Jim Lauderdale as emcee, and a Buddy Miller-led house band comprised of Al Perkins, Phil Madeira, Byron House, Bryan Owens and Sam Bush, this was definitely a night of music I will not soon forget.

Here is a quick run-down of some of the award winners at this year’s conference: You can find a complete list here.

• Lifetime achievement for songwriting: Rodney Crowell

• Lifetime achievement for producer: Allen Toussaint

• President’s award: Mickey Newbury

• Emerging artists: The Greencards

• Artist of the year: Neil Young

• Album of the year: James McMurtry Childish Things

• Song of the year: “We Can’t Make it Here” - James McMurtry

Of all the compelling performances that took place over the course of four days, my very favorite was Abigail Washburn & The Sparrow Quartet featuring Bela Fleck & Casey Driesan. She has a way of combining her old-time/clawhammer banjo stylings with Chinese tunings and lyrics.

Abigail spent most of her childhood in China and is fluent in the language. This group, by the way, has just been asked to tour Tibet, the first Americans since the Chinese takeover - so hats of to this soft spoken young woman and the power of music!

Other performances of note were Anna McCue from Australia, swamp legend Tony Joe White, The Duhks from Canada, the trio of Keiran Kane, Kevin Welch and Fats Kaplin, the Darrell Scott Band, and Elvis Costello with New Orleans legend Allen Toussaint.

For any of you folks thinking about perhaps a road trip to Nashville in September, the AMA’s might be worth your consideration. Even if you don’t want to attend the whole conference or find it cost prohibitive, you can purchase a wristband for all the venues for all the days for about $25 and purchase a ticket for the awards show for about $35 and you are set for a good time.

If you are looking for a musically intense good time like Merlefest, this is it! As one of the fiercest defenders of American roots music, consider joining the Americana Music Association.

Well, back to the topic at hand. Here are a few new releases that you folks might enjoy this fall. The duo of Chip Taylor & Carrie Rodriguez have temporarily parted company to each put out solo releases. Both are great albums and are highly recommended, but the one that really caught my ear is Carrie’s Seven Angels on a Bicycle. This is a beautiful record, as open & airy as the Texas hill country she’s from.

Another recommendation is the new one from Solomon Burke entitled Nashville. Produced by the great Buddy Miller, this disc romps through songs by Buddy Miller, Patty Griffin, Kevin Welch, Dolly Pardon, and Gillian Welch. A gospel singer of Solomon’s statue singing the songs of Americana artists influenced by southern gospel truly closes the circle and you ain’t heard nothing until you’ve heard folks like Emmylou Harris and Gillian Welch sing with this guy!

For some American/Canadian folk music that rocks, you might give a listen to The Duhk’s new one, Migrations. If it’s folk music from North America & even beyond, the Duhks probably cover it in their own style.

As for singer/songwriters, I don’t think you can beat the new one from Mindy Smith entitled Long Island Shores. The title track is indicative of the lean, intelligent songwriting on this disc.

Briefly, three other picks are Bob Dylan’s Modern Times (not Blood on the Tracks - but darn good!), Old Crow Medicine Show’s Big Iron World and Ollabelle’s Riverside Battle Songs.

Well, I’m out of space again, so as usual, make sure you get out & support the music you love and catch my new gig on WGWG-FM 88.3 starting in mid October. Next month, in addition to my music picks, I’ll be informing you of some exciting new developments in the local music scene.

Five years have passed since that dreadful day on Sept. 11, 2001. Since that time, the world has changed. Books and reports have been written about the event. Movies have already been made and released. However, as time passes on, it’s the music I tend to remember best.

You may think I am talking about the songs that Toby Keith (“Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue”) and Paul McCartney (“Freedom”) wrote following the event. Those songs have their place I suppose, but the songs I tend to graviate more to are what I call “thinking-man’s” songs. Song’s like “No Sure Way” by Loudon Wainwright III.

And Loudon Wainwright III showed with “No Sure Way” that sometimes the most seemingly mundane story can be the most evocative. Singing about one man’s subway ride through Lower Manhattan days after the towers collapsed, he nailed the feeling of a world turned upside down in two stark lines: “They say heaven’s high above us and that hell’s not far below/But inside that subway tunnel, there was no sure way to know.”

Source: Thor Christensen, Dallas Morning News

I knew this week would be an interesting one - especially as we approached Katrina’s one-year anniversary. Every news outlet, if they haven’t already, will probably do their obligatory one-year after story.

Anniversaries are good and bad for that I suppose. I mean - if it weren’t for anniversaries - would we ever go back and revisit the past?

Today - mass media has a big problem with A.D.D. Once the flood waters subsided - it was onto to the next topic.

However, Hurricane Katrina came and went. Government failed on all levels. And while that is not a new thing - it would have been nice to see if the Feds made good on their promises to rebuild the gulf states. Maybe this week we will hear something.

Since the media will move on after this week (the five-year anniversary for 9/11 is in two weeks), it’s our job as citizens of this country to keep abreast of the rebuilding taking place down south.

So what’s my point?

#1 - Remember Katrina, not just this week, but in the months and years to come. Listen to the locals that live there or who left because of the storm. Hear their stories. I was in New Orleans last month. I spoke to the people there and walked around the city. Make sure you check out my thoughts and pictures of the area.

#2 - A wave of Katrina-inspired music is out there and more is on the way. Artists like Allen Toussaint, Tab Benoit, and Dr. John have written about the event. New music is being released every week. Keep your eye out for a new records by The Dirty Dozen Brass Band and Grayson Capps (his new video single is below).

While surfing around last Saturday night, I found a new video by Grayson Capps that caught my attention This song is not a lyrical masterpiece by any means. The lyrics are a straightforward and to the point view of Katrina and the after effects.

Capps caught my ear last year when I was reviewing new music to put on the air over at WSGE. His record received some moderate airplay last summer and fall. After seeing this new video and knowing what he is capable of, I am safely say I am looking for ward to his new album that will be released in late September. And on it of course will most certainly have some strong Katrina/New Orleans themes in it.

Enjoy the video!

One of the few public radio stations to get it right over the past few years has been Baltimore’s WTMD. With a small staff, yet a huge passion for the music, they have been able to successfully run one of the most innovative radio stations in the country.

WTMD just recently counted down the Top 50 blues artists of all time. I am not sure what their criterion was, or who was or wasn’t allowed to vote, but the bottom line is that the votes are in.

Taking the No.1 spot is Muddy Waters. Whether you agree or disagree is not the point of this blog. The main point is that a public radio station that is programmed by a bunch of like-minded individuals took the time to pay tribute to an American art form that needs to be preserved for future generations to come.

Just another reason to support public radio!

(The following column first appeared in the Charlotte Folk Society August 2006 Newsletter)

by Dennis “Cuz” Frost

The year started slowly in terms of great new releases, but things have really picked up steam in the last two months or so. Three of my very favorites have one thing in common ‑ they blend the best in song‑craft with soulful vocals and gutsy, virtuoso instrumentals.

Long time favorite Darrell Scott has just released perhaps his finest recording with The Invisible Man. The songs throughout this recording have the effect of holding a mirror up to us as a people and a nation, asking the question, “What do you think?”

Another favorite, Lost John Dean, comes from the trio Kieran Kane (remember the O’Kanes?), Kevin Welch, and instrumental wizard, Fats Kaplin. If you like thoughtful lyrics and an acoustic sound that has a rockin’, old‑time groove, this one is for you.

Finally, Dave Alvin has always been connected to the folk, blues, country and rock ‘n’ roll of California that has seeped into the fabric of the national roots scene for more than thirty years. His new release, West of the West, pays tribute to some of his favorite songs and songwriters: Merle Haggard, Tom Waits, Kate Wolf, Tom Russell, Los Lobos and others.

There are many more and here are a few picks:

• For you more traditional fans, you should consider Throw Down with MerleFest favorites, The Wilders ‑ lots of old time romps and a batch of Hank Williams tunes done at a breakneck pace.

• For you newgrass fans, Sam Bush’s Laps in Seven and John Cowan’s New Tattoo are both keepers ‑ John’s CD may be his best to date.

• The Waybacks’ Pasture to the Future is just plain fun.

• Check out Johnny Cash’s last recording, American V: A Hundred Highways and the intimate Personal File recordings of Johnny with just his guitar, singing his favorite songs in the privacy of his studio.

• Mark Knoffler and Emmylou Harris’s All the Road Running is also a keeper.

• Just in and perhaps not in stores yet, is the new one from Guy Clark - Workbench Songs. With Guy’s recent health problems, I was pleased to discover that this is as good (or better) than anything he’s done.

Well, there are many more, but I guess I’m out of space. Guess I’d better close with my theme, which is “too much music, too little time.” Get out and support live music!

Listen now on Rhapsody!

For the third week in a row, Johnny Cash is still king of the proverbial Americana mountain once again. Nearly three years since his death, Cash is still one of the godfathers of the Americana movement - as he was one of few artists who had a way of making all genres of music seem “cool”. Whether it was country, rockabilly, gospel, or folk music - Cash had a delivery unlike anyone in the history of American music.

I was first exposed to Johnny Cash’s “coolness” when he teamed up with Irish rockers U2 to record the song “The Wanderer” on their 1993 album Zooropa. It was a song that was written by Bono, but it had a Johnny Cash vibe written all over it.

AMA Album Chart (week ending 8/6)

1) Johnny Cash - American V: A Hundred Highways (American Recordings/Lost Highway)

2) Ray Wylie Hubbard - Snake Farm (Sustain)

3) Darrell Scott - The Invisible Man (Full Light)

4) Mark Knophler & Emmylou Harris - All the Roadrunning (Warner Bros.)

5) Sam Bush - Laps in Seven (Sugar Hill)

6) Slaid Cleaves - Unsung (Rounder)

7) Dave Alvin - West of the West (Yep Roc)

Derailers - Soldiers of Love (Palo Duro)

9) Kieran Kane, Kevin Welsh, & Fats Kaplin - Lost John Dean (Dead Reckoning/Compass)

10) Todd Snider - The Devil You Know (New Door/Universal Music Enterprises)