Rockument

Featuring Peter Rowan and the Rowan Brothers, Balfa and Schwarz, Pete Sears with Jorma Kaukonen, the Georgia Sea Island Singers, the David Nelson Band, and the Flying Other Brothers.

Play: Podcast 4: Social Folk Roots of California Rock

Performances:
Peter Rowan and the Rowan Brothers: “Rye Whiskey”
David Nelson Band: “Humboldt County Hippie (Hippie from Olema)”
Balfa and Schwarz: “Dirt Farmer”
David Nelson Band: “The Poor Old Dirt Farmer”
Flying Other Brothers: “Constellation Rag”
Pete Sears with Jorma Kaukonen: “Meadway Rag”
Flying Other Brothers: “Take Me With You”
David Nelson Band: “Frankie and Johnny”
Georgia Sea Island Singers: “Hambone, Where You Been?”
Flying Other Brothers: “Clueless”

This episode explores the social folk roots of California rock music, with licensed rare and historical performances (hosted by Tony Bove of the Flying Other Brothers) — including whiskey songs, fiddle tunes, piano rags and primitive dance tunes.

See podcast episode commentary for more…

Featuring J.D. Short, the Rev. Gary Davis, the David Nelson Band, and the Flying Other Brothers with special guests G.E. Smith, Jorma Kaukonen, and Jack Casady, and excerpts by Son House, Robert Johnson, and Sonny Boy Williamson II.

Performances:
J.D. Short: “Slidin’ Delta”
David Nelson Band: “Slidin’ Delta”
Robert Johnson: Excerpt from “I Believe I’ll Dust My Broom”
Sonny Boy Williamson II: Excerpt from “Eyesight to the Blind”
G.E. Smith with the Flying Other Brothers: “Eyesight to the Blind”
Son House: Excerpt from “Walkin’ Blues”
Robert Johnson: Excerpt from “Walkin’ Blues”
Son House: Excerpt from “Empire State Blues”
G.E. Smith with the Flying Other Brothers: “Empire State”
Rev. Gary Davis: “Hesitation Blues (Instrumental)”
Rev. Gary Davis: Excerpt from “Hesitation Blues”
Flying Other Brothers with Jorma Kaukonen and Jack Casady: “Hesitation Blues”

This episode explores the country blues roots of California rock music, with licensed rare and historical performances (hosted by Tony Bove of the Flying Other Brothers). No form of music is more genuinely American than the blues, which is embodied within early jazz and became the basis for rhythm and blues and eventually rockabilly, rock ‘n’ roll, and hard rock. What we now know as “the blues” developed separately in three different regions of the South: the Mississippi Delta and eastern Texas at the turn of the century, and in the Piedmont region of the Carolinas ten years later. These rural blues were carried from the plantations and prison farms to urban areas such as Chicago, St. Louis, and Los Angeles — where it evolved into the electric blues and rhythm and blues.

Play: Episode 3: Country Blues Roots of California Rock

See podcast episode commentary for more…

Featuring music by Paul Clayton, Kilby Snow, the David Nelson Band, the Flying Other Brothers, Ewan MacColl and Peggy Seeger, Sarah Hawkes, and Peter Rowan and the Rowan Brothers.

Performances:

Paul Clayton: “The Twa Sisters (The Two Sisters)”
Kilby Snow: “Wind and Rain”
The David Nelson Band: “Wind and Rain”
The Flying Other Brothers: “Johnny B”
Ewan MacColl and Peggy Seeger: “The Bonnie Lass of Fyvie”
The David Nelson Band: “Peggy-O”
Sarah Hawkes: “Little Sparrow (Come All You Fair and Tender Ladies-Sharp 118)”
Peter Rowan and the Rowan Brothers: “Fair And Tender Ladies”
The Flying Other Brothers: “Gwendolyn”

This episode explores the ballad roots of California folk-rock music, with licensed rare and historical performances (hosted by Tony Bove of the Flying Other Brothers).

From the European troubadours of the 16th Century to the early settlers of Appalachia, people have been singing songs about desperate men, senseless violence, murders and executions, damsels in distress, hard traveling, whiskey, gambling, and lost loves. Centuries have past, but we sing about the same things, and sometimes we sing the same songs.

In this episode we explore the roots of several ballads that found there way into contemporary rock, and in particular into the repertoires of Jerry Garcia, David Grisman, David Nelson, and Peter Rowan. Ballads are most often folk poetry in a musical format, passed along orally from generation to generation, set to conventional tunes and usually sung by a solo voice.

Play: Podcast 2: Ballad Roots of California Folk-Rock

See podcast episode commentary for more…

This episode explores the roots of rock music and the influences on rock performers, with licensed rare and historical performances (hosted by Tony Bove of the Flying Other Brothers).

Featuring:

Roscoe Holcomb: “I Am a Man of Constant Sorrow”
Peter Rowan and the Rowan Brothers: “Man Of Constant Sorrow”
Excerpts: versions of “John Hardy” (Carter Family and Lead Belly)
David Nelson Band: “John Hardy’s Wedding”
Woody Guthrie with Sonny Terry: “Goin’ Down The Road Feeling Bad”
Flying Other Brothers with special guest David Nelson: “Goin’ Down the Road Feelin’ Bad”

Many of the songs that inspire today’s rock, folk-rock, and bluegrass bands from California are rooted in what is called Americana: the country blues of the southern states, the cowboy songs of the western states, and that high lonesome sound of bluegrass and country ballads from Appalachia.

Play: Podcast 1: Americana Roots of California Folk-Rock

See podcast episode commentary for more…