Screenshot of alan lomax being interviewed by charles kuralt, 1991. Alan lomax s monumental work to characterize dance styles and. Nimrod workman november 5, 1895 november 26, 1994 was an american singer, coal miner and trade unionist. Shot throughout the american south and southwest over the course of seven years 19781985 in preparation for a pbs series, american patchwork, which aired in 1991, these videos consist of performances, interviews, and folkloric scenes culled from 400 hours of. In 2004, through the generosity of an anonymous donor, the american folklife center at the library of congress acquired the alan lomax collection, which comprises all the material lomax collected after he left.
August 12th, 2010 the smart brothers played an intimate show at lestats before going on tour to promote their newest album. In its affable, roughedged way, american patchwork is strong stuff for public television. Lomax doesnt shy away from a political interpretation of the music, theorizing that for the poor. About the american patchwork series from 1978 to 1985 alan lomax traveled the american south and southwest with a television crew to document regional folklore with deep historical roots. January 31, 1915 july 19, 2002 was an american ethnomusicologist, best known for his numerous field recordings of folk music of the 20th century. Title alan lomax collection, manuscripts, american patchwork, 19781991, land where the blues began contributor names lomax, alan, 19152002 collector. He was a folklorist, ethnomusicologist, archivist, writer, scholar, political activist, oral historian, and filmmaker. American patchwork quartet apq is on a mission to reclaim the immigrant soul of american roots music. Traces americas creative traditions back to their european and african roots and points out how each regions. Alan lomax travelled to britain during the 50s and collaborated with ewan maccoll on.
This finecrafted cedar box, packaged with raw cotton, contains 5 cds, totaling 5 songs recorded from 19021960, and 1 cd featuring 25 sermons from 1926 through 1941. This quilt certainly attracts my eye and i find it intriguing, but it gave me a disturbing feeling even at first glance. When alan lomax was assistantincharge for the library of congresss. The filmwork of alan lomax is a resource for students, researchers, filmmakers, and fans of americas traditional music and folkways. The best pieces of music inspired by american folk tunes. The legacy of alan lomax american libraries magazine. The man was committed to capturing music as it was made in america and around the world real music.
The songs gathered on michiganio illustrate the diverse patchwork quilt of. Goodbye, babylon exists as one of the most esteemed spiritual music collections ever released. When we digitized the 400 hours of video that lomax shot on threequarterinch umatic tape between 1978 and 1984 that aired on his american patchwork pbs series in 1991, we initially planned to build a video catalog that would accompany our online photo and. Austin, texas, 1915 spent over six decades working to promote knowledge and appreciation of the worlds folk music. He began his career in 1933 alongside his father, the pioneering folklorist john avery lomax, author of the bestselling cowboy songs and other frontier ballads 1910. The two were romantically involved and lived together for some years.
From the alan lomax collection at the american folklife center, library of congress. His musical repertoire included traditional english and scottish ballads, appalachian folk songs and original compositions. From 1978 to 1985 alan lomax traveled the american south and southwest with a television crew to document regional folklore with deep historical roots. Alan lomax, musicologist, was born in austin on january 31, 1915, the son of bess brown and john avery lomax.
Alan lomax also produced a five part pbs television series american patchwork. He attended the choate school in connecticut and spent a year at harvard university, but enrolled at the university of texas in austin and graduated in 1936 with a philosophy degree. Alan lomax had met 20yearold english folk singer shirley collins while living in london. Lomax, alan, with his father, began a major effort in 1933 to record living folk music and to develop the archive of american folk song at the library of congress. American patchwork series from 1978 to 1985 alan lomax traveled the american south and southwest with a television crew to document regional folklore with deep historical roots. Lomax later took him to new york where he performed to college audiences.
Two white horses side by sideme and my lord gon take a ride. Lomax is the person who put the archive of american. American patchwork was a major project that provided rich glimpses into postbicentennial multicultural america. A fair beauty bright arrangement of song published in folksongs of north america dated. Eli leon, scholar and collector of african american quilts. Eli leon, a bronxborn, oakland psychotherapist who quit to devote his life to becoming a foremost scholar and collector of african american quilts, has died at 82. From the resulting 400 hours of footage came the fiveprogram series american patchwork, which aired on pbs in 1991. Works by alan lomax association for cultural equity. The songs gathered on michiganio illustrate the diverse patchwork quilt of ethnic settlement in the region. Telly addict andrew collins casts his critical eye over new worlds above, klondike, the trip to. Crawford seeger 190153 soon moved on to her ultramodern style, but the short rissolty. There are five films made from footage that lomax shot between 1978 and 1985 for the pbs american patchwork series, three of which are. When lomax obtained a contract from atlantic records to rerecord some of the american musicians first recorded in the 1940s, using improved equipment, collins accompanied him. About alan association for cultural equity alan lomax.
Alan lomax collection, manuscripts, american patchwork, 1978. A musicologist who brought onceobscure blues and folk musicians into the mainstream eye, alan lomax has been referred to as the father of the american folk song revival for his introduction of. Alan lomax collection, manuscripts, folk songs of north. Alan lomax was an american ethnomusicologist, best known for his numerous field recordings of folk music of the 20th century. Lomax, alan the handbook of texas online texas state. The man was committed to capturing music as it was made in america and around the world real music, made by real people. From the resulting 500 hours of footage lomax wrote, produced, directed, and narrated five onehour documentary films focused on african american, appalachian. Shot throughout the american south and southwest over the. Photos from cajun louisiana abbeville, lafayette, and mamou, among other locales shot as lomax and film crew produced footage of cajuns at work and play for what would become the cajun country episode of the american patchwork television series on pbs. An american patchwork how do you describe alan lomax.
In these documentaries, lomax largely ignores the giants of folk music and explores instead the. Alan lomax collection, manuscripts, american patchwork, 19781991, appalachian journey. Quilts for kids expectant mothers and little ones will love these handmade crib quilts. John and alan lomax were also responsible for collecting a number of the songs of the ritchie family of kentucky. This whirlwind burst of orchestral colour and american folk song dates from 1939 and was commissioned by alan lomax for his cbs series american folk songs and wellsprings of music. A selfdescribed songhunter, alan lomax traveled the mississippi delta in the 1930s and 40s, at first with his father john lomax, later in the company sometimes of black folklorists like john w.
The advent of new technologies opened up new worlds for lomax, and in the 70s and 80s he made a series of journeys back to the south to videotape traditional musical performances for the pbs series american patchwork, completed and broadcast in 1990. Beginning in 1978, alan lomax and his team shot ethnographic film and video footage in mississippi, arizona, philadelphia, louisiana, georgia, kentucky. From the leadoff cajunsounding fiddle tunes black tar on a stick. Beginning in 1978, alan lomax and his team shot ethnographic film and video footage in mississippi, arizona, philadelphia, louisiana, georgia, kentucky, north carolina, virginia, and washington, d. America has a patchwork culture made of the dreams and songs of all its people. Thats what youll find in lomax s american patchwork series about american regional musics. Alan lomax collection, manuscripts, american patchwork. The man was committed to capturing the music of ordinary people around the world.
The alan lomax video collection here are a collection of videos featuring alan lomax, one of the great american field collectors of folk music in the 20th century. The son of pioneering american scholar and advocate of folk culture john a. Today, in partnership with the association for cultural equity, we are proud to announce alan lomaxs american patchwork project and the launch of its digital map on the. Lomax produced recordings, concerts, and radio shows in the us and in.
Contained therein are nearly one hundred performances, interviews, and folkloric scenes culled from over 400 hours of footage lomax recorded in the american south and southwest between 1978 and 1985 in preparation for his american patchwork series on pbs. This material from alan lomax s independent archive, begun in 1946, which has been digitized and preserved by the association for cultural equity, is distinct from the thousands of earlier recordings on acetate and aluminum discs he made from 1933 to 1942 under the auspices of the library of congress. Placestories project alan lomaxs american patchwork. It was made for the lands end all american quilt contest in 1996 by lori chase of deer isle. The land where the blues began is one of five films made from footage that alan lomax shot between 1978 and 1985 for the pbs american patchwork series 1991. Used courtesy of the association for cultural equity. Mj kinman, riane menardi morrison, teresa duryea wong, and cassandra beaver chat with host pat sloan on the. He was also a musician himself, as well as a folklorist, archivist, writer, scholar, political activist, oral historian, and filmmaker.
Hall, stephanie, songs of the abundant ocean, folklife today, june 8, 2014. Download image of alan lomax collection, manuscripts, folk songs of north america, 1960. From cuddly baby quilts to quilted play throws, these quilts will be treasured for years to come. Alan lomax also produced a five part pbs television series american patchwork, that over a decade ago looked at delta blues, cajun music, jazz parades in new orleans, appalachian old time music. Highly acclaimed artists falu shah vocals, clay ross guitarvocals, clarence penn drums and yasushi nakamura bass showcase the dynamic diversity of contemporary culture by reimagining timeless songs from americas past. It is definitely an art quilt, but what is its message. From 1978 to 1985 alan lomax traveled the american south and southwest with a television crew to document regional.
Alan lomax developed a global vision for the protection of traditional cultures. Please practice handwashing and social distancing, and. Quilts and quiltmaking in america, 1978 to 1996 online presentation of quilts and quilters from the lands end all american quilt contest collection and the blue ridge parkway folklife project collection, library of congress. Explores americas diverse cultural heritage through song, dance, story, and festival.
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