Bert Jansch – Blackwaterside

This is a live performance by finger style guitar legend Bert Jansch playing his version of the classic folk song “Blackwaterside”.
The song is also known under the title “Down by Blackwaterside”. It is a folk song in the traditional sense that it has no known author. Though the origin of the song probably comes from somewhere near the river Blackwater in Northern Ireland.
Jansch recorded a studio version of this song in 1966 on his album “Jack Orion”. He also came up with the “chord free” or at least not so chord reliant version of doing folk songs. Most people who were doing folk music in the 60’s would cover them in very simple 3 chord structures. But Jansch and Anne Briggs were always working on new and more complex ways of accompanying the old traditional folk songs. Jansch actually learned the song from Briggs who recorded it first.
Jansch also played a version of this song at the 2010 Crossroads Festival. I highly recommend that people check out that version. The playing is sublime, but more important Jansch’s voice has aged which really fits the song.
But this is a really good performance of an amazing composition of a classic folk song.

Enjoy ;-)

Rory Gallagher - Out on the Western Plain

This is a live performance by blues and folk musician Rory Gallagher. He plays his version of the classic folk song "Out on the Western Plain".
The song was originally a folk song performed by the artist known as Leadbelly or Lead Belly. He was a folk and blues singer in the late 1880's up until his death in 1949. He was known for his strong voice, his virtuosity on the 12-string acoustic guitar, for playing the accordion, harmonica, piano, violin and concertina and for introducing a huge catalogue of folk standards.
Gallagher's version is quite different from the original recording though the lyrics are the same. Gallagher plays it with a pick and his fingers in an Open-D tuning. Leadbelly also used low tunings, but it was a baritone standard tuning (B-E-A-D-F#-b) on a 12-string acoustic. The Open-D also gives that low feel which is what I think Gallagher went for intentionally when he decided to interpret the song.
A good song that really sets the mood. You just feel like you're out on the Western Plain after listening to it.

Enjoy ; )

Oingo Boingo - St. James Infirmary Blues

This is a performance from avant garde music troupe Oingo Boingo. This performance is from 1978 back when their band name was "The Mystic Knights of The Oingo Boingo". They later shortened their name to just Oingo Boingo.
The band's music is inspired by a wide variety of genres and draws from many musical eras. This song is an old folk song that dates as far back as to the 18th century.
The song however is performed in the style of Cab Calloway who the band leader Danny Elfman was a big fan of. Cab performed in a unique and entertaining way, in a kind of over phrased spoken word kind of singing which is also what Elfman is trying to do in this performance.
It's a song in the style of St. Louis blues and jazz with a lot of horns, it has that St. Louis blues sound. And it's just a great performance and a great vocal performance by Elfman.

Enjoy ; )