Tag: Della Mae

LIVE AT LUCKY BARN: Della Mae, ‘Richland Woman Blues’

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When you walk the path of a picker, you can't help but follow the footsteps of giants. That's the journey Della Mae chose to take in the Lucky Barn at Pickathon 2014 when they took on Mississippi John Hurt's “Richland Woman Blues.”

Rumor has it, the tune was actually written by a local plantation owner. True or not, Hurt made it his own and now Della Mae has staked some small claim to it, as well.

Front woman Celia Woodsmith snarls and sasses her way through this bluesy booty call of a song: “Give me red lipstick and bright poppy rouge, a single-bob haircut and a shot of good booze. Hurry home, sweet daddy. Come blow your horn. If you come too late, your mama will be gone.”

Photo by Bill Purcell

FESTIVAL RECAP: Double Dose of Festival Fever (Newport & Grey Fox)

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(PHOTOS COURTESY OF JAMIE DEERING OF DEERING BANJOS):

 

The 2012 Newport Folk Festival, in its 53rd year with arguably the nation’s best artist lineup of the summer, continued its long running streak of ushering underexposed talent onto the national stage. This was true for yesteryear artists like Joan Baez and Bob Dylan, and even artists in recent years, such as David Wax Museum and Brown Bird.

Just as we at grass clippings predicted, a new band to add to the list is Brooklyn secular gospel band Spirit Family Reunion, who has seen a recent explosion in the press (The Wall Street Journal and NPR to name a few) since it was named to the festival’s lineup. Like Baez and Dylan, the Festival marked the start of a new era in the band’s lives. Despite an early timeslot and frazzled late arrival to Fort Adams, the band turned a massive crowd (consisting of college hippies, Brooklyn hipsters, public radio music snobs and everything in between) into rabid fans. The crowd begged for multiple encores with standing ovations and passionate cheers within a set that comprised almost completely of original songs (besides a spicy rendition of “End of the Line,” a song from Woody Guthrie’s Columbia River Collection) and no special guests. It was especially moving for me personally, as I though back to a Saturday afternoon in 2009 when I stumbled upon the band playing at my neighborhood farmers market and selling hand-burned CDs.

But that was just a one way this year’s festival exceeded expectations. There really were too many magic moments to capture, but after a few Newport Storms (beer and weather), here’s what stood out…

  • LA’s own honeyhoney wooed festivarians with a cover of the Hank Williams song “Lost Highway.”
  • Continuing the trend of the young embracing the old (in standard Newport fashion), trendy Swedish folk duo First Aid Kit played a spine-chilling cover of “Diamond & Rust,” a song penned by 1959 Newport unbilled performer Joan Baez. Later the sisters, making their Newport debut at the ages of 21 and 19, closed their set with “King of the World,” which included a special appearance by Conor Oberst.
  • The festival’s Fort stage became a New(port) Orleans big tent revival with the Preservation Hall Jazz Band’s soulful closing songs, “A Closer Walk With Thee” and “I’ll Fly Away.” Joined by Del McCoury and Ben Sollee, the performance was a powerful picture of the way this music festival joins people. What else could join an environmentally-conscious cellist, a bluegrass legend and multiple Ninth Ward NOLA jazz stars other than a gospel song?
  • Then, Ben Sollee’s solo performance on the Festival’s intimate new indoor stage drew a crowd of his own, with a very special performance of “Prettiest Tree on the Mountain,” featuring Sara Watkins.
  • Both days of the Festival included strong showings from Canadian folk stars City and Colour and Deep Dark Woods.  Deep Dark Woods delivered a beautiful and well-attended set on Sunday that ranked high on my list of favorite performances. A nice festival moment happened when frontman Ryan Boldt broke a string and then finished out the show with a beautiful Gibson guitar offered up by James Maple of New England Americana band GraveRobbers, which made its festival debut this year.
  • It was The Tallest Man on Earth that impressed me the most out of any performance on Saturday or Sunday this year. A packed out crowd watched and chanted song after song as this tiny man sang, played and danced, filling the stage better than a small orchestra.
  • And then there was “The Screaming Eagle of Soul” Charles Bradley, who began his career at 62 and has more soul and better moves than any artist I’ve ever seen, anywhere. Bradley, a teenage runaway who lived on the streets and in subway cars for two years, seemed to be watched by more festival performers than any other.
  • The Head and the Heart delivered an intense performance to a massive crowd, which included a few impressive new songs, showing that the band will hopefully outlive their hugely popular first album.
  • Joe Fletcher chose to close his impressive Newport debut set surrounded by fellow Rhode Island folkers, including several members of The Low Anthem and Dave Lamb of Brown Bird.
  • Iceland’s folk pop band Of Monsters and Men drew one of the largest (and certainly the youngest) crowds of the festival. Yes, the more poppy you get, the bigger the crowds get, but there were tons of baby boom folkers hitting the “hey choruses” during “Little Talks.” The band brought a much needed energy to the festival, strategically timed to perform at the point where the crowd is starting to tire.

SO much more happened on stage, but there was plenty that happened off the stage as well. A crowd gathered as Jonah Tolchin wandered the grounds, playing without shoes and singing traditional folk songs. Also, slightly offstage and as the rain began to pour down, Punch Brothers rewarded those that braved the storm for their main set, with a mini unplugged set in the crowd as the stage hands began to tear down. It was catching moments like those that makes this festival the unique, communal gathering that it is.


Check out our photos from grass clippings photog Richard Kluver or vote for the festival’s best tattoos here.

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GREY FOX BLUEGRASS FEST — BY KIMBER LUDIKER OF DELLA MAE
 
 
My band Della Mae has performed at Grey Fox Bluegrass for three years now. I feel like every musician has lots of favorite festivals, but there’s always ONE that each of us will connect with on a personal level. For me, that festival is Grey Fox. They have stellar headliners, but a lot of festivals do. The most special thing about this festivals is that they create a platform for unique collaborations. Focusing on the personalities and relationships of artists, Grey Fox promoters Mary Doub and Chuck Wentworth have created a festival with a magnetic vibe that starts with the artists and spreads to the audience–a crowd full of people who appreciate the music and know they’re about to see things they’ve never seen before.

Speaking of those things, the festival’s greatest decision was to host Rushad Eggleston–‘the original Snee Goblin’. Look him up, love him, and go where you can to see him (most definitely at Grey Fox nextyear). He was playing with one of my favorite new bands, The Old Tyme Kozmik trio, alongside Darol Anger and Bruce Molsky. Rushad also closed the dance tent stage on Saturday night with his band Tornado Rider. Aside from his musical genius, Rushad is an athlete. He climbed the speaker tower to take a solo, and performed while being physically carried by his backup singers (okay, full disclosure: Della Mae became stand-in backup singers for Tornado Rider that weekend).

 

Highlights from the eyes of Della Mae: Our main stage set was really fun — afterwards, we signed a guy’s banana suit. We set up a ‘tattooing station’ at our workshop stage and gave out free Della Mae temporary tattoos. Our dance tent stage was probably my favorite set of all-time. We were joined by Greg Liszt and Dominick Leslie from the Deadly Gentlemen, Aoife O’Donovan, Bryan Sutton, Rushad Eggleson (again!), and my brother Dennis Ludiker from the great up-and-coming band MilkDrive. Rushad climbed on Shelby’s bass to take a solo, and Aoife played drums on ‘No Diggity’. What a ridiculous night.

Grey Fox is a magical place where you can be watching Del McCoury, see David Grisman picking along backstage, head to the dance tent stage where Del and Jason Carter are sitting in with Red Knuckles & The Trailblazers (Celia got to sing a song with them as well, and the rest of the Della Mae ladies got to be backup dancers!!), only to head back to main stage where the Punch Brothers are melting faces off of an eager audience. To top it off, you wander back to your camp, only to find Bryan Sutton, Grant Gordy, and Courtney Hartman picking on their guitars. The best part? All this actually happened over the course of four hours.

 

Other notable sets/moments: Thile & Daves, Tribute to Scruggs & Doc hosted by Tim O’Brien, Jesse McReynolds playing songs of the Grateful Dead, Brittany Haas sitting in with Tony Trischka & Territory, Noam Pikelny & friends performing with Aoife O’Donovan, and all of the jams at the Bluegrass Bus in the campground (one of which lasted until 9am — no joke).

Buy your ticket early for next year. And get your tent ready for one of the best campgrounds (and true festival experiences) around.

 

MIXTAPE: Kimber Ludiker

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Have you heard Della Mae?  This five-female bluegrass powerhouse was recently nominated for IBMA’s Emerging Artist of the Year Award, and has been making waves on the festival circuit throughout the country.  And the Belles of Bluegrass are about to take their sound to a [much] wider audience as they head to Central Asia for a US State Department musical diplomacy tour next month.

Fiddler Kimber Ludiker, a multiple Grand National Fiddle Champion winner in her own right, tells us in her own words about their impending trip, and what songs she’ll be listening to during her travels…

‘While putting together this mix tape, I thought I’d approach it as ‘what music will I take with me to Central Asia for 42 days when I won’t have streaming capabilities or YouTube?’  My band, Della Mae, is flying to Pakistan on Nov. 6th for a musical diplomacy tour with the US State Department. The program is called American Music Abroad. If you play music, I’d highly recommend (preemptively) applying for one of these trips. We will travel to Pakistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, and Tajikistan to give free concerts, work with children, play for diplomats and government officials, and collaborate with local musicians. And you can follow our trip blog exclusively with The Bluegrass Situation!

Here’s what’s at the top of my playlist for the trip:

ARTIST:  Rose Cousins
TRACK:  The Darkness

‘Rose Cousins is one of my very favorite people. Her songwriting is excellent. She’s Canadian. She’s magnetizing. She’s great. She just released a new album called We Have Made a Spark. It’s packed with talented musicians and original material. Hard to pick a track… the whole album will be going with me on this State Department trip.

ARTIST:  Dr. Dog
TRACK:   Shadow People

‘My awareness of Dr. Dog began when one of the guys offered to carry Courtney’s banjo onto the plane so she didn’t have to check her guitar. Beyond being incredibly nice individuals, I love what these guys are doing. Their music is so vibey, they put on amazing live shows, and they have killer music videos.’

ARTIST:  Lake Street Dive
TRACK:  I Want You Back

‘The first time I heard Rachael Price sing, my entire life changed. If this band isn’t on your radar, get it on there. Mike #1 (Calabrese) is a really creative drummer, Mike #2 (Olson) is a great electric player and has a really fun approach to the trumpet, and Bridget Kearny is one of the best bass players I’ve heard. Ever. And they ALL write songs. I used to see Lake Street Dive as much as possible when they were a Boston-based band. Now they are in Brooklyn. Go see them right away. They just put out an EP of covers called Fun Machine that will leave you smiling.  Also, in this video, Bridget’s denim onesie should not go unnoticed.’

ARTIST:  Tony Rice
TRACK:   Cold on the Shoulder

‘This recording is my favorite performance of Cold on the Shoulder.  Vassar Clements is playing fiddle. He’s my hero and biggest inspiration. The combination of Tony Rice, Vassar, John Hartford, and Jerry Douglas is the greatest.  Big thanks to Jason Carter for sending these my way.’

ARTIST:  Cahalen Morrison & Eli West
TRACK:  Our Lady of the Tall Trees

‘These guys are phenomenal. Our Lady of the Tall Trees is my favorite album right now by far. The music is so accessible and beautiful. They are the best of what’s out there right now.’

ARTIST:  Rubblebucket
TRACK:  Came Out of a Lady 

‘I LOVE this song by Rubblebucket. There’s no explanation besides that I love the groove, the title, and the mood it puts me in.’

You can learn more about Della Mae through their website www.DellaMae.com, and stay tuned to The Sitch this November for their exclusive dispatches from Central Asia musical diplomacy tour!

DISPATCHES: Della Mae in Pakistan

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Our favorite ‘grass gals, DELLA MAE, are traveling through Central Asia as part of the U.S. State Department’s American Music Abroad program.  Bassist SHELBY MEANS sent the Sitch an update on their journey and time spent in Pakistan…

Hello beautiful people! This is Shelby Lee Means, reporting from the midst of a 6 week tour of Central Asia with my marvelous bandmates, Della Mae.

Three weeks have flown by since our footsteps fell upon the colorful land of Pakistan. Our first stop in Islamabad was enchanting and chaotic. Wildly we dove in, our jet lagged eyes soaking up the scene.

Each morning we awoke at 5 am wrapped in a cloak of religion as the chanted Call to Worship surrounded the city.

‘There is a prayer right at the edge of my mouth. May my life be likened to a flame for the rest of the world, so I could light it up…’ 
–Pakistani National poet Alama Iqbal
(translation from the song, Lab Pe Aati Hay)

In honor of Alama Iqbal’s birthday, Natasha Ejaz our Pakistani collaborator and dear friend introduced one of Iqbal’s most famous folk songs, Lab Pe Aati Hay, to the ladies of Della Mae. Natasha, a tiny powerhouse performer and infectiously happy young woman sat, queen of the breakfast table, singing, smiling, and patiently teaching the beautiful tune.  The cute elderly manager of our Islamabad Inn served each musician fried eggs and orange juice, and giggled as we struggled to pronounce the Urdu language. While learning this song we felt more connected to Pakistani culture and began to respect the depth of a people so far away from our home country.

Inspired and only slightly tired out, we journeyed through villages, up mountains, and into carpet stores, exchanging songs with children and sipping chai tea with new friends. Our days and nights were filled with food, laughter, and cultural diplomacy.

One special night, the Cultural Affairs Officer for the US Embassy in Islamabad, Brian Gibel, welcomed us to his home for a dinner of traditional Pakistani delicacies.

After the meal, an evening of music and jamming commenced and friends gathered round. Before long, a voice from across the room opened our ears to an intricate melody. We heard a unique compliment, a harmony to the chorus of ‘Ain’t No Ash’. Abbas Ali Kahn, one of the dinner guests, felt inspired to join our song with traditional and improvised Qawwali melodies.

Qawwali is a Sufi vocal style, usually performed for a saint. If the saint is really feeling a particular passage of the song, he will nod his head, and the singer may perform that section for up to TWO hours. This is according to our friend, translator, and tabla hobbyist, Azfer Iqbal. If there were a saint in the room that night he surely would have nodded his head, as Celia and Abbas rendered our hearts to the song.


‘Love is a precious thing I’m told. It burns just like West Virginia coal.
But when the fire dies down its cold. There ain’t no ash will burn.’
–Walt Aldridge

Abbas did not understand the lyrics, yet the Qawwali melody he sang rang out from the mountains.

Pakistanis are a people who rise with a song in their hearts and live with a prayer at their lips.  Our first few weeks have already been transformative, and our journey has just begun.

When given the chance
We will begin to see.
We are not so different after all, you and me.


With love,
Shelby

DISPATCHES: Della Mae in Tajikistan

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In our latest recap from the travels of DELLA MAE, we find the group in Tajikistan on their six week U.S. State Department sponsored journey.  Lead singer and guitarist CELIA WOODSMITH describes their recent experience at a local shop run by women in this week’s Dispatch. 

 

Today was another heartbreaking/heartwarming day, the kind that we have experienced many times over during our travels through Central Asia. Not only was it a day off for us tired souls of Della Mae but also we were able to use our free time to travel to a shop in Dushanbe called Lamis. Lamis was spearheaded by a woman named Marina Specht in March of 2012. The purpose of the shop is to employ vulnerable Afghan refugee women who literally have no other options for work. The women range in age from 20 to about 55 and all were chosen based on a basic knowledge of sewing. All of the chosen seven have at least 4 children and had lost their husbands to war or abandonment. With some extra grant money Marina was able to rent a space, hire a professional tailor to teach them a few tricks and set the women to work making and designing traditionally inspired crafts that are alluring to Westerners.

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There are far fewer Afghan refugees in Tajikistan than in Pakistan (7,000 as opposed to almost 2 million) and these refugees have a very hard time incorporating fully into Tajik culture. In 2000 the Mayor of Dushanbe issued a law forcing all Afghan refugees to move outside of the city to rural areas, and forbidding them to live in at least 15 cities. Since then, Tajikistan has only granted citizenship to 1,000 Afghani people who have been living in the country for over two decades. Many of the refugees are unable to make a living because there is no work in these rural areas. They must commute to the city, which is difficult and expensive.

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Most Afghan refugees in Tajikistan are somehow able to scrape by on government aid or on NGO handouts. The women working at Lamis make about $130 a month, which allows them to take ownership of their livelihood. As we were talking to the women a few of them started crying when explaining how this shop has given them a purpose. Even though some of them don’t have a home to go to at the end of the day, working has given them a new hope. In their eyes you could see the emotional grief of war that had aged their bodies prematurely.

This was a particularly moving day, especially at the end when we gave them hugs and many of them were crying and whispering “thank you” into our ears. I honestly don’t know what they would thank us for. Perhaps taking the time to listen to their stories, and appreciate them as hardworking, strong and beautiful individuals is enough. Perhaps building these small bridges is the purpose we have been sent to Central Asia for. When enough of them are built, they will be stronger and more resilient than any one large bridge could ever be.
 

To learn more about DELLA MAE‘S journey with American Music Abroad, check out their first post for the Sitch from bassist Shelby Means.