Xmas in the shop - kinda OT

[Lowell Holmes]

I got the new Lee Valley hold down clamp and their new apron, but the gift that turned out to be special was not meant to be a shop present. My daughter gave me the 5 cd album from Arhoolie Records, "40th Anniversary Collection".

I had never heard of them, but the music is a collection of blues, jazz, country, Cajun (now called Zydeco), some gospel and so on. The collection spans from 1960-2000. Chris Strachwitz traveled to honky tonks, churches, New Orleans, anywhere he could find performances and made the recordings. These performers include Big Joe Williams, Lightnin' Hopkins, Reverend Louis Overstreet, Rebirth Brass Band, and most that I'm not familiar with. There is one cut from Preservation Hall in the 60's that I might have heard in the 60's.

The recordings are not studio sessions and were made on the spot wherever he found the performers.

I've enjoyed the music playing while working in the shop.

My question is, am I the only one to not know about Arhoolie Records? What kind of music do you have in the shop? I prefer to do a lot of handwork so I can hear the music.

[Edwin Pawlowski]

Never heard of them, but this sounds like a great collection. It may find its way to my house at some point.

Oh, the things you learn about here.

[DGDevin]

I've heard quite a bit from them over the years as a result of listening to college stations or NPR, it isn't the sort of label you'd hear much on commercial radio. The only music I have in the shop so far is a radio that's left tuned to a 'classic rock' station just to avoid the hassles of trying to find good music amid all the crap, but once my old desk stereo is set up there will be more jazz and blues and maybe even classical out there. I suppose this would be a good disc to start with:

[Ralph]

I wired my shop from my house computer. I have a music library in excess of 20,000 songs on the computer. Depending what kind of work I am doing determines the type of music I listen to.

[Zz Yzx]

I've heard of Arhoolie Records, and have the CD set that you refer to.

I also have 3-4 CD's from Arhoolies "Sacred Steel" series. This music is gospel from the deep south that is based on steel guitars (NOT pedal steel, necessarily, but lap steel guitars, &tc.).

NOT for everybody, but I LIKE most of it.

-Zz

[Swingman]

"Lowell Holmes" wrote

... you wouldn't want to say that to Queen Ida. :)

[Bonehenge (B A R R Y)]

Tell me about it!

Off to ITunes...

[Lew Hodgett]

Records?

No, but it sounds like something I should check out.

BTW, for those of you who like jazz, KJZZ, formerly KLON, based at UCLongBeach, is a 24/7 jazz station, when they are not begging, that streams on the web.

Lew

[Gerald Ross]

Lowell Holmes wrote: snip

My cd player in the shop (and my truck) will play .mp3 cd's. I can put around 200 songs on a cd. Right now I have Hawaiian in the truck and swing in the shop. Last week it was old country in the shop. Before that it was classical.

[Douglas Johnson]

I fell in love with the jazz on WBGO in Newark when I was working in New York. They stream over the web, too. -- Doug