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 Here are links to
just a few of my favorite musicians. I hope you will find them as inspiring as I do!
Taraf de Haidouks These guys are featured in at least two fantastic movies: Latcho Drom and also, the newer documentary about Gypsy bands on tour in the United States called Gypsy Caravan. They are Romanian and Ghyorge, one of the band's fiddle players, is possibly my favorite fiddle player ever (along with all the other fiddle players mentioned here, of course:). He once came over to my house for a jam session in the middle of the night and chainsmoked, only spoke to us in French, played for about five hours straight, and then used my phone to call his house in Romania. Awesome.
Johnny Gimble
Hugh & Karl Farr
They have a raw, swinging, primitive sound that is unparalled. This CD is hard to find but worth hunting down. “Farr Away Stomp” is my favorite song on this one.
and went on to record with her husband, band leader Red Norvo. Proper Records in the UK has released a great box set of her songs called “Mrs. Swing.” She was the number one white singer of the Swing era. She has too many great songs to count, but a few of my favorites are her versions of “All the Things You Are,”and “There’ll Be Some Changes Made.”
Wade Ray Wade Ray was a fiddler, singer and band leader whose heyday was in the 1950's, though even then he probably never got the kind of recognition he deserved. He recorded with Willie Nelson in the early days and made a ton of great recordings on his own. There is a two-CD set of him singing and playing fiddle that is one-of-a-kind. He also played with Ray Price and the Cherokee Cowboys and takes some killer solos on their versions of "Twinkle Little Star," "Devil's Dream" and a ton of others. He plays with a sort of electrified tone and loves cascading sixteenth note triplets! (Who doesn't?)
Blossom Dearie
her totally unadorned singing style and her whole general presentation--utterly without guile and at the same time (as has been pointed out by so many but it’s true) extremely hip. She has a lot of records out but this one (pictured) is my favorite and has “Deed I Do,” on it, which is one of my favorite songs,and hers is my favorite version. She still plays in New York City regularly at Danny’s Skylight Lounge so go see her while you can.
Vidhur Malik
He was my Dhrupad teacher in India in 1992-93 and continues to tour and teach worldwide. Just keep an eye out for him! He’s great.
Stuff Smith
He is a swinging monster and one of my idols. His early recordings are my favorites-- I love all his double stops, his wild, squirrely licks and evil riffs. My favorite song right now is his radio transcription of “Bugle Call Rag.” It is sick!
Bob Dylan Maybe you've heard of him? A few of my favorites: “I Believe in You,” “Gotta Serve Somebody,” “Boots of Spanish Leather,” “She Belongs to Me,” “Buckets of Rain,” “One More Night,” “I’ll Be Your Baby Tonight,” “Make You Feel My Love,” “Under the Red Sky,” “Things Have Changed,” “Winterlude,” “Tonight I’ll Be Staying Here With You,” “Every Grain of Sand,” plus about 475 others......
Joe Venuti (and Eddie Lang)
and his bright chiming harmonics and parallel fifths and immaculate elegance, plus he was a very eccentric guy and liked to call nightclubs “upholstered sewers.” Nice!
Vince Giordano and the Nighthawks
(likely in or around New York City). He and his band the Nighthawk s are spectacular so if you can find them and see them live, please do. Vince, who plays bass and tuba (and probably several other instruments) has extraordinary charisma and is an amazing performer--basically an international superstar in the guise of a band leader from the 1930s.
A Prairie Home Companion A Prairie Home Companion--probably the most popular radio program on National Public Radio-- airs every Saturday live (and usually rebroadcasts on Sundays) and is a true old-school radio show with live music, supremely-rendered sound effects, skits, and musical guests. A great way to hear bands you’ve never heard of before,or the ideal soundtrack to a lazy afternoon in your cabin in the pines (or your pied a terre in NYC or wherever).
Amazon Conservation Team
They develop programs with indigenous people in the Amazon to allow shamans to work with younger generations to pass down knowledge that is in danger of dying out. They are a grassroots, lo-fi outfit based in Washington, DC and they can use all the help they can get.
The Ditty Bops
Bob Wills
Oscar Aleman
Stephane Grappelli & Django Reinhardt
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