Old-Time American Songs on Youtube

[Jody Kruskal]

I’ve been having a great time making youtube videos using tracks from my CDs and vintage photos to illustrate the stories of the songs. This is fun for me and (I hope) entertaining for you. The songs are old-time American trad and the photos are all vintage, from the 1930’s as far back as the 1880’s. I’m using the Ken Burns effect to keep the editing interesting and help tell the story. At this point there are three:

 

From the CD “Paul & Jody - American Songs and Tunes” http://jodykruskal.com/buy_stuff.html

 

Bravest Cowboy - cow punchers, desperados and pioneer women

 

Wreck of the Six Wheeler - old trains, wrecks and hobos

 

... and now, from the CD “Poor Little Liza Jane” https://www.cdbaby.com/cd/jodykruskal2

 

Give the Fiddler a Dram - this classic tune reconfigured as the tale of a small town girl off to seek her fortune and finding the high life, low life and mixing it up with farmers, fiddlers, dance, drink and death.

[shelly0312]

It is so refreshing to hear/see another form of music besides ITM that utilizes the amazing compatability of fiddles, concertina, banjo--these tunes are wonderful. I'll probably have to breakdown and buy Jody's CD....Now me and all the concertina penpals are double wishing we'd come to Palestine!

[Jody Kruskal]

It is so refreshing to hear/see another form of music besides ITM that utilizes the amazing compatability of fiddles, concertina, banjo--these tunes are wonderful. I'll probably have to breakdown and buy Jody's CD....Now me and all the concertina penpals are double wishing we'd come to Palestine!

 

Thanks Shelly for your comments. "Refreshing" is also the word used in this review...

 

Sing Out!: "Paul Friedman and Jody Kruskal are two musicians ideally suited to perform together. They have an uncanny sense of each other’s style - that all comes through on this fine recording. What a refreshing sound!... A perfect pairing of concertina and fiddle.”

 

This fresh quality, I think, is the combination of my new approach to an old style of music and a big part of what I'm up to. Judging how much to replicate and how much to innovate is half the fun.

 

Texas is a long way from Wisconsin, but come on down to Palestine anyway.

 

To make it easy to get my CDs, here are a few links:

 

http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/pfriedmanjkruskal for "Paul & Jody"

https://www.cdbaby.com/cd/jodykruskal2 for "Poor Little Liza Jane"

http://jodykruskal.com/buy_stuff.html for everything.

[michael sam wild]

Great and very evocative , even a touch of traditional morris style tunes as well as Black America and old time with its roots in Ukand Ireland etc. I reckon you are nboth rediscovering and forging a style! keep it up Jody and friends!