Re: [ARSCLIST] Early Haitian recordings

[Steven Smolian <smolians@xxxxxxxxx>]

Years ago, I worked on a Folkways record of Hatian music in which the
performers moved about in relation to the mike and which obviously took
place in the presence of a participating crowd.  The police whistle was
prominent but not down front and center.  It was live and, I thought,
exciting.

Recently I had a 10" record with a day-glo red cover pass through my hands.
It said "Voodoo" in big letters on the cover.  Upon playing, it proved to be
static and felt contrived.  It was also quite scratched.

I'm having dinner tonight with the fellow to whom I passed it on, and who
has a collection of such music, records from the US and imported as well.
I'll check.

Steve Smolian


----- Original Message -----
From: "Matthew Barton" <mbarton@xxxxxxx>
To: <ARSCLIST@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Wednesday, September 17, 2003 8:34 AM
Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] Early Haitian recordings


> Alan Lomax recorded about 50 hours of music in Haiti in 1936 and 1937.
> This included some music associated with hoodoo. None of this material
> has ever been released commercially, although it was available for
> audition at the Folklife Center at the Library of Congress. These
> recordings have recently been copied for release, and there will
> eventually be several Haitian volumes in the Alan Lomax Collection on
> Rounder Records. The first volumes should be out next year, although I
> think that their focus is on the urban dance music of the era. Gage
> Averill of New York University is the editor of these albums.
>
> Matthew Barton
> American Folklife Center
> The Library of Congress
> 101 Independence Ave., SE
> Washington, DC 20540-4610
> phone: (202) 707-1733
> fax: (202) 707-2076
> email: mbarton@xxxxxxx