And it’s going to be an Ottawa Valley fiddle tune by the late great Ward Allen, called Back up and Push. I hope you’ve enjoyed some of the music I’ve posted here at 27th Street this year as much as I’ve enjoyed sharing my interest in all kinds of folks music with you.
This was the flip side to Mr. Allen’s most famous tune, Maple Sugar.
For those who think we’re mosaic crazy here at 27th Street, check out this video about Susan Gardiner, the artist behind Brooklyn’s mosaic house. Love it!
This blog was viewed 28,000 times in 2013. In total there have been over 118,000 views since I closed down Mister Anchovy’s and started 27th Street. Thanks very much for coming. I hope you visit again soon. Comments welcome.
The mini mushroom farm continues to grow a little each day. Plans for the omelet continue.
Here’s Max the Keeshond with one of our mosaic creations – a goldfinch – that now lives in Scarborough.
1961 in Greenwich Village, the Great Folk Music Scare has begun, and Llewyn Davis is making the scene. He’s serious about his folksongs and he’s a bit of a crank, and he’s broke and homeless, sleeping on sofas of whatever friends will take him in. Davis has played the Gaslight many times, but he hasn’t been “discovered” and it’s not looking good.
This is a Coen Brothers film. I should like it, right? It’s about a folk singer. Maybe I should like that too. I’m pretty familiar with that bit of American cultural history. I mean, I know all the old Bob Dylan material and Phil Ochs and Eric Anderson and Ramblin’ Jack and Dave van Ronk and Paul Clayton and The Clancy Brothers and so on. Inside Llewyn Davis is the story of a guy who makes the scene, has some talent, but doesn’t have whatever kind of spark it took at that place and time to emerge successful from that scene. The problem is that the story just isn’t that interesting.
The film captures what I imagine could be what the historic Greenwich Village atmosphere was like. Justin Timberlake and John Goodman have smallish supporting roles and they do OK. Carey Mulligan does a nice job of Jean, part of a duo with Jim (Justin Timberlake). They remind me somewhat of Ian and Sylvia, or at least Jean reminds me of Sylvia.
There are two cats in the film, and they are as compelling as any of the characters. It seems to me there’s something wrong with that picture.
Inside Llewyn Davis is just OK, worth seeing, but nothing to write home about.
I started playing a tune called Sally in the Garden on banjo today. It’s a lovely melancholy melody. When I first start playing a tune I like to listen to a bunch of different versions to see what various players have done with it. Here’s a version a really like, featuring Mary Z Cox
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