From the foreword, by Moses Asch: “This Folk Song Book is dedicated to the peoples of the World who have come to this country and have brought with them their hopes, aspirations, background and cultures to make us what we are today.” Along with the Lomax brothers, Alan and John, there was no more important musical folklorist of the 20th-century than Moses Asch. The herculean efforts in documenting, preserving, and where possible recording the folkway traditions that had accompanied old-world immigrants across oceans and provided spiritual power for African-Americans moving themselves beyond the shadows of new-world slavery are legendary. As a culturally-concerned nation, we owe these teams immeasurable thanks. Just locating these autodidact musicians, their sounds, their songs, all shaped by unique American conditions and surroundings was in and of itself an amazing feat. So much of this older folk style music has subsidized all of what we listen to via digital streams and our devices today, and to think how much of its roots would have been simply lost to an unknown past. It has been said that the collection of field recordings assembled by these folklorists were like flash bulbs going off in a distant past, in that we can never know the full surround of those moments but nonetheless understand our present that much better because they exist. This collection of 104 popular, and not as well known, songs cites the renditions of more notable 20th century performers: from Leadbelly’s “Alabama Bound” to Pete Seegar’s “The Erie Canal,” Karen James’s “Molly Malone” to the Texian Boys’ “Streets of Laredo” … Aside from some bending in the upper and lower left pages (likely due to haphazard storage) and some slight water or humidity damage (also in lower left), this magazine-style volume is in solid shape for its age. This is a great collector’s item with tunes from all the American regions (published in New York City). But it is an equally great guide for the musician seeking to perform selections from our rich national folk music past.
Condition: Used Good. The Arts. Compiled by Moses Ache. Folkways Records (New York City), 1964. Softcover Magazine, 110 pgs, 9 x 12" / 12 oz
