Traditional Music Classics

 

Picture: C     Sound: C     Extras: D     Short Films: B

 

 

Appalachian Music is sometimes heard of, and had a new run of recognition due to some exposure (indirectly) from the soundtrack to The Coen Brothers’ hit film O Brother, Where Art Thou? a few years ago.  Traditional Music Classics features four of the top artists in this genre and they each have a separate segment doing some of their best music.  The four sections are as follows:

 

Doc Watson:

1)     Maggie Walker Blues

2)     Goin’ Down Lee Highway

3)     Traveling Man

4)     Deep River Blues

5)     St. James Hospital

6)     John Henry

7)     Mountain Dew

Roscoe Holcomb:

8)     Hook & Line

9)     Graveyard Blues

10)  Pretty Fair Miss

Buell Kazee:

11)  Orphan Girl

12)  John Hardy

Kilby Snow:

13)  Ragged But Right

14)  Arkansas Traveler

15)  John Henry

16)  Wind & Rain

17)  Greenback Dollar

18)  Old Molly Hare

19)  I Will Arrive

20)  Yankety Yank

 

 

All are remarkable performers, filmed in a series of close shots with close-ups of their instrument playing intermittently featured.  Though the case says this runs 70 minutes, the actual running length is more like 85 total.  All are shot in black and white and at the block-style 1.33 X 1 aspect ratio, though all show their age, but a priceless pieces far before music on film was considered practical outside of feature film Musicals.  All were monophonic recordings unfortunately, here in equally average Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono.  There are no extras, though there is a good write up about the artists on the back of the DVD case, but this is some great music and is more than worth your time.  Even those who are not fans of this music will be surprised how good this is, while musicians of all genres should consider this a must-see.

 

 

-   Nicholas Sheffo