Topic: New 1963 Mississippi John Hurt recordings

[Pan]

Steve McBill just posted this on the Woodshed:

http://www.artscenterofcc.com/recordstore/product_info.php?cPath=21&products_id=128&osCsid=gsc59omsookk83dkim9uqc08g4

Apparently these were the first recordings done after the original 1928 ones.

Cheers

Pan

[uncle bud]

Here's the description from the website. It's a little bit vague. Are they saying these are recordings made by Hoskins at Hurt's home in Mississippi upon rediscovery?


Spring Fed Records is proud to announce the upcoming September release of Discovery: The Rebirth of Mississippi John Hurt. This is a Pre-sale to be shipped on September 13, 2011 On a fateful day in 1963 guitarist, blues fanatic, and professional roamer Thomas Hoskins rapped on the door of a small house in rural Mississippi. It was the end of a long, twisted road and the beginning of a new road for the two men involved - Hoskins and Mississippi John Hurt. His love of blues music and respect for its players, his unincumbered sense of adventure, his manic dedication, his discovery of songs printed on 78 RPM discs from 1928, and his romantic attachment to travel led Tom Hoskins to Hurt's front stoop in Avalon, Mississippi in 1963. He found an amiable, humble man, who farmed to make a living. Hurt was surrounded by family, hadn't owned a guitar in years, and was amazed that a young white man had sought him out almost 35 years after his last recording sessions. Hoskins put his guitar in Hurt's hands, ran his tape recorder, and recorded a great player and singer in the comfort of his own home. Keep checking back to Spring Fed Records for more information concerning this never before published historic recording.

[emphasis added]

[Bunker Hill]

Timely release given the pending publication of the biography.

[bnemerov]

Indeed, these are the recordings Hoskins made on March 3, 1963 in Hurt's living room.
And they're timely (with Ratcliffe's book) because Phil turned the tape up in the course of his research for the book.
I'm co-producing the CD with Phil and Evan Hatch (of the Arts Center of Cannon County) with the co-operation of the Hurt and Hoskins estates.
Lots of 1st versions of tunes not recorded for OKeh. A long interview (16 min. +) and chit-chat before and after the songs. 19 tracks.

best,
bruce

[misterjones]

Hopefully Hoskins kept his mouth shut while Hurt was singing.  Many a recording has been ruined by musicologists and folklorists (or whatever they like to call themselves) and their pals who talk over (and sometimes even try to sing along or play with) these blues legends.  The worst offender is that white guy who trys to play harmonica with Honey Boy Edwards.  He simply ruined the concert when I saw him a few years ago at BB King's.

[uncle bud]

Excellent news, Bruce. Looking forward to it.

[bnemerov]

Tom Hoskins was neither a folklorist nor a musicologist

bruce

[Johnm]

That's wonderful that you were able to take part in this project, Bruce.  I look forward to hearing the music.
All best,
Johnm

[bnemerov]

and btw, misterjones, that white guy with Honeyboy is his manager/booking agent and keeps Edwards working (and eating). Kind of a mixed blessing, I guess.
Best
bruce

P.S. Administrators--I've been trying to figure out how to post the cover image of the CD; a really nice previously unseen shot of John. Seems to be beyond my extremely limited skills.

[LD50]

When Hoskins recorded him, how long had it been since Hurt played?

[bnemerov]

You'll need to get Phil's book for the details, but Hurt had been playing all along---house parties, local gatherings, on the porch of the Valley Store, even on the radio when his church had a broadcast....he just didn't own a guitar when Tom "found" him. He's playing Tom's Gibson J-35 on the tape and his playing doesn't sound rusty.
best,
bruce

can anybody tell me how to insert a photo in these posts?

[uncle bud]

Bruce, when you post, after typing your text in the white text box, there is a clickable icon at the bottom left that says "Additional Options". Click that and you should see it expand to show the Attach field. Next to the Attach field is a Browse button. Click that and navigate to wherever the image file is stored on your computer, then doubleclick the file. That should add the filename to the Attach field. Then click Post as usual and your file should be attached to the message.

[bnemerov]

Ta, muchly Unca Bud
here it is

[uncle bud]

No problem, Bruce. Great photo.

In defense of folklorists and musicologists, they've given us a huge amount of music that would have disappeared completely if they hadn't been there to press the record button or drop the needle and occasionally ask what seem today to be odd, impertinent or the wrong questions. I'd cut them some slack and enjoy what they've captured.

[misterjones]

and btw, misterjones, that white guy with Honeyboy is his manager/booking agent and keeps Edwards working (and eating). Kind of a mixed blessing, I guess.
Best
bruce

P.S. Administrators--I've been trying to figure out how to post the cover image of the CD; a really nice previously unseen shot of John. Seems to be beyond my extremely limited skills.

I understand that.  That doesn't excuse his ego in insisting on performing with the last of the pre-war bluesmen or his astonishing lack of talent.  I also understand the importance of (say)Leadbelly's last session and the foresight displayed by someone in getting the dying legend to record on that newfangled magnetic tape.  But that doesn't excuse the gathered elite singing along and people talking about lord knows what in the background while Leadbelly was singing.  I can cut some slack for John Lomax for some of his less than stellar interactions with Leadbelly, McTell, etc. because (unlike his son) I don't think he knew any better.  But I cannot abide recorders ruining recordings by talking over a performance.