Roscoe Holcomb!

Hmmmm....

Also that really is about the best album title ever.

well...yeah, but there are some .wma files floating about on slsk...

(Funny thing -- I just checked the AMG listing on him, which is suitably appreciative except for this caveat: "it must be said that this is probably too authentic for most listeners to play for pleasure." Do what? Listening to Roscoe is nothing but pleasure.)

I heard this too!

John Cohen, founder of the old-timey string band The New Lost City Ramblers, an early photographer of Bob Dylan and others, and a producer of unique rural American folk and blues singers, will be speaking from noon to 1 today, Thursday June 11, at the Mary Pickford Theater on the 3rd Floor of the Library of Congress’ James Madison Building on Independence Avenue SE between 1st and 2nd Streets. His presentation is billed “The High Lonesome Sound Revisited: Documenting Traditional Culture in America.” “The High Lonesome Sound” is Cohen’s 1963 documentary film that offers the songs of Appalachian miners, farmers, and churchgoers. The flick also spotlighted banjo picker Roscoe Holcomb.

Anybody nab the live RSD release from San Diego State? I have one on hold at the record store and was wondering about audio quality, and ratio of banjo numbers to guitar or solo vocal numbers.

Hi Jimmywine, I just now listened a couple of times, found it fine. He's like, "Oh I gotta cold" and "Haven't played in 2-3 year"---but sounds hale & heary right off, high lonesome yet increasingly joyous, with no contradiction (it can work: also check that live in Australia Sinatra w Red Norvo Trio album, found and legit issued a while back). Voice & 5-string banjo maybe a bit more than guitar, I think (32' 58" zips by in such good company), A few instrumentals or coda work-outs too. My fave so far is the cosmic journey "Across The Rocky Mountains," which sounds like two (good) guitarists at times, under his guiding, winding vocal notes. This song could be ancient, but it's especially appropriate: herrrre he is in Cali---leaving Daisy, Kentucky, was a huge effort, mentor John Cohen's notes affirm, but he quickly connected with all these young audiences. This is the last date of the tour, and he's ready to knock 'em dead.
Grand Finale is the maybe even more cosmic one-off of "Wandering Boy," where he's "lining out" quickly speak-singing lines to impromptu guest Jean Ritchie, almost under his breath, but she catches 'em all, and modals with him, wherever he will go, for nine minutes.

Sound quality is ace too.

Thanks for the great review, dow! You convinced me, bought this tonight. Will report back.

Hope you like it! Right after he started singing the first song, I was thinking, "Blue skies---but what are those grey things in there? Oh yeah, mountains."

Ha! After one listen while walking to work, this was easily worth buying, if only for the version of "Black Eyed Suzie" (those -- are they 32nd notes? -- on the drone string of the banjo are incredible, esp for a guy who claims to be rusty) and the beautiful duet with Jean at the end, which is just perfect. Looking forward to many more listens (ideally when stoned).

Thanks again, dow!

https://www.npr.org/2019/09/17/761593122/banjo-player-folklorist-photographer-and-filmmaker-john-cohen-has-died

Damn. Adios New City Rambler, friend and neighbor of a friend, said to be a congenial guy, with intriguing asides. Can believe it, after reading his notes on (listening companion to photo book of same title)There is No Eye: Music For Photographs---CD long OOP, though you can pick up on Amazon, ditto the digital. Tracklist, from his collection (his own recordings, in some cases):

1 –Gospel Church, Harlem* Thank You, Lord 4:25
2 –Reverend Gary Davis* If I Had My Way 4:42
3 –Yvonne Hunter Have You Ever Been Mistreated 1:35
4 –Muddy Waters I Can't Be Satisfied 2:41
5 –Bob Dylan Roll On John 3:23
6 –Roscoe Holcomb Man Of Constant Sorrow 2:55
7 –Doc Watson And Gaither Carlton Hicks Farewell 4:27
8 –Carter Stanley Come All You Tenderhearted 3:34
9 –Mary Townsley Young But Growing 3:26
10 –Alice Gerard And Hazel Dickens TB Blues 3:26
11 –Bill Monroe John Henry 1:31
12 –Eck Robertson Sally Goodin 3:38
13 –Sidna Myers Twin Sisters 0:53
14 –Wade Ward And Charlie Higgins Sally Johnson 2:11
15 –David Amram Quartet Pull My Daisy 4:31
16 –Rufus Cohen And Wade Patterson So Long: Go 2:58
17 –Last Forever Who'll Water My Flowers? 2:33
18 –Elizabeth Cotten Oh Babe, It Ain't No Lie 2:03
19 –Woody Guthrie Ramblin' Round 2:14
20 –Alan Lomax Love My Darling-O 1:52
21 –New Lost City Ramblers* Buck Creek Girls 2:57
22 –Huayno Stringband Paloma Blanca 2:16
23 –Sweet's Mill Band (The Arkansas Sheiks)* Kitchen Girl 4:42

(Note that Roscoe's on there.)
Title comes from:
“You are right John Cohen—Quasimoto was right.…There is no eye—there is only a series of mouths—long live the mouths—your rooftop—if you don’t already know—has been demolished….”
—Bob Dylan

this occasioned me to discover the whole of cohen's holcomb doc is on youtube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dlQJcSy6lHA

Great, thanks ogmor! Just tweeted that link.

aw, rip. the mountain music of kentucky collection of field recordings he did for folkways is all time (also first time holcomb had been recorded, i think?)