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Various Artists
Roots of Folk
(Vanguard)
Various Artists
Roots of the Blues
(Vanguard)
First Appeared at The Music Box, May 2003, Volume 10, #5
Written by John Metzger
Back in the 1960s, Vanguard Records was one of — if not the — leading labels
for folk music. Last fall, the company raided its undoubtedly vast archives to
compile two magnificent three-disc packages: Roots of Folk and Roots
of the Blues. In obvious tribute to Harry Smith’s Anthology of American
Folk Music, each of these 45-song collections is organized by style. The
folk package includes the subsets Roots of Folk, Singers & Songwriters, and Folk
Blues, while the blues set focuses on Folk Blues, Delta & Country Blues, and
Urban Blues.
Unfortunately, there are two glaring deficiencies with the combined
collection. The first is a lack of historical documentation regarding the
individual tracks; even the date of recording is missing. Essays within each set
attempt to put the music in perspective, but given the significance of the
songs, neither summation really does justice to its respective set. The other
problem is that there is actually some overlap between the two packages.
Granted, each is meant to stand on its own merits, but why anyone would settle
for one set over the other is a mystery. The two collections complement each
other perfectly, and were it not for a pricing issue, surely they would have
been combined into one giant box set.
Setting these quibbles aside for the moment, what one does get is some rather
brilliant passages from the annals of music history, including some previously
unreleased material. Not to mention, the array of artists is simply astounding.
The folk set features Odetta, Judy Collins, The Weavers, Joan Baez, John
Hammond, Buffy Sainte-Marie, Phil Ochs, Tom Paxton, Donovan, The Chambers
Brothers, Jerry Jeff Walker, Muddy Waters, Country Joe & the Fish, Mississippi
John Hurt, and Pete Seeger — to name a few. As for the blues set, a quick
perusal turns up an equally formidable list of names that includes Dave Van Ronk,
Bill Monroe, Jim Kweskin Jug Band, Rev. Gary Davis, Son House, Sleepy John
Estes, Memphis Slim, Otis Rush, James Cotton, Buddy Guy, and the Paul
Butterfield Blues Band.
It’s hardly surprising, then, that highlights are abundant. Roots of Folk
features Judy Collins’ stunning rendition of Turn, Turn, Turn, Eric
Anderson’s beautiful Violets of Dawn, Maybelle Carter’s classic It
Takes a Worried Man, Rev. Gary Davis’ captivating Samson & Delilah, a
lovely duet by Donovan and Joan Baez on Catch the Wind, Jerry Jeff
Walker’s playful Mr. Bojangles, and Ian & Sylvia’s airy take on Gordon
Lightfoot’s Early Morning Rain. As for Roots of the Blues, it
showcases Memphis Slim’s gorgeous jazz-blues interpretation of How Long,
the smoldering groove Buddy Guy lends One Room Country Shack, John
Hammond’s stirring Statesboro Blues, Big Mama Thornton’s monumental Ball & Chain, and the soaring vocal swing Odetta gives Nobody Knows You
When You’re Down and Out. Indeed, these songs merely scratch the surface of
the terrific moments on these collections — each of which provides a generous
overview of the 1960s folk and blues resurgence from the perspective of the
record label that stood at the center of it all.
Roots of Folk — 
Roots of the Blues —
Roots of Folk is available from Amazon.com.
To order, Click Here!
For Canadian orders, please
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For UK orders, please
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Roots of the Blues is available from Amazon.com.
To order, Click Here!
For Canadian orders, please
Click Here!
For UK orders, please
Click Here!
Ratings
1 Star: Pitiful
2 Stars: Listenable
3 Stars: Respectable
4 Stars: Excellent
5 Stars: Can't Live Without It!!
Copyright © 2003
The Music Box
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