More Folk

Wish I could sing along

There seems to be this crazy idea that in order to enjoy folk you have to be Christian. What a load of crap. I was going to ask my father for a picture of one of my favorite albums growing up, Songs of the Negev by the Oranim Zabar Israeli Troupe. But in yesterday's post, "Folk" he commented,

"two years ago, after hauling 70+ pounds of records around all these years, I found two young music major college students who were very happy to get them -- free.

My father has thrown away his Rolex Explorer in the desert and now I learn he has given away all of his albums. This is a real tragedy because I can't find much at all about the Oranim Zabar Israeli Troupe. It's like they didn't exist. I know the Echo Xray wished they didn't. She was not a fan but this is lively music with beautiful and haunting vocals by Geula Gill. Hmm. Isn't that odd? Father Gill in the last post. Geula Gill in this one.

Anyway, this music is amazing and if you like lots of different types of music it may be a real discovery for you. There's the western - like, Shir Habokrim with a beat I swear Ennio Morricone ripped off. And if, Hey Daroma doesn't get you up in the morning I don't know what will. I loved, Hora Mamtera as a kid because I kept hearing, "Sophie" which was my grandmother's name.

I throw out a lot of hard to find stuff. I do it because I'm a sadistic cretin and know you'll spend days looking for it. But you can go to iTunes, type in Oranim Zabar Israeli Troupe and give them a listen. I don't know what they're singing about either but it's wonderful stuff. And like Levy's Rye Bread - - You don't have to be Jewish to love it.

Update: Find the entire album here.

Folk

Jazz has a beautiful connection to the stuff I consider Trad. I grew up watching Dad's Thoren's turn table spin, Ahmad Jamal, Wes Montgomery, Dave Brubeck, Paul Desmond, Stan Getz and Errol Garner. But in all honesty - - It was the old man's music. It entered my soul but burrowed deep and didn't come out for years. Not until I was 20 or so.

Something like that happened again.

Was watching the second season of Mad Men on Blue Ray. Only mention Blue Ray because I'm about to throw that piece of crap out the window. I'll spare you the frustration. I'm watching an episode I missed last season. Number eight, "A Night to Remember." In the last scene Father Gill pulls out his guitar and plays, "Early in the Morning." The credits roll. Gill's monotone singing fades out and Peter, Paul and Mary's, "Early in the Morning blasts out in stereo or quad or digital. Whatever, it was rich and loud.

I listened to those two albums up there non stop when I was a boy. I'm sure I was attracted to the children's songs but there was something else. Certainly there was the story in each song. But still...there's something else. I never did like goatees so that wasn't it. I loved Mary but the PBS shows did nothing for me. No, this is music to be listened to. Alone. In many ways I can see where it grabbed me as a seven year old. I thought it let me go but it's back. From the liner notes of their first album:

Maybe everything's going to be all right. Maybe mediocrity has had it. Maybe hysteria is on the way out. One thing for sure in any case: Honesty is back. Tell your neighbor.