Stranger Songs with Mike Regenstreif – CKCU – Tuesday December 6, 2022: Songs of Eric Andersen

Stranger Songs with Mike Regenstreif finds connections and develops themes in various genres. The show is broadcast on CKCU in Ottawa on Tuesdays from 3:30 until 5 pm (Eastern time) and is also available 24/7 for on-demand streaming.

CKCU can be heard live at 93.1 FM in Ottawa and https://www.ckcufm.com/ on the web.

This episode of Stranger Songs was recorded and can already be streamed on-demand by clicking on “Listen Now” at … https://cod.ckcufm.com/programs/595/58558.html

Theme: Songs of Eric Andersen

Eric Andersen, who will turn 80 on February 14, and who is still actively performing and writing, has been a significant singer-songwriter since he started on the folk scene in the early-1960s. I’ve known Eric for about 40 years – the first time he played at the Golem, the folk club I was then running in Montreal, was on February 12, 1983.

Eric Andersen & Mike Regenstreif (2000)

Eric Andersen- Thirsty Boots

Woodstock Under the Stars (Y&T Music)

Pete Seeger- My Land is a Good Land

God Bless the Grass (Columbia/Legacy)

Peter, Paul & Mary- Rolling Home

Album 1700 (Warner Bros.)

Eric Andersen- I Shall Go Unbounded

Woodstock Under the Stars (Y&T Music)

Mary Chapin Carpenter- Violets of Dawn

Tribute to a Songpoet: Songs of Eric Andersen (Y&T Music) or The Village: A Celebration of Greenwich Village (429)

The Kennedys- Waves of Freedom

Tribute to a Songpoet: Songs of Eric Andersen (Y&T Music)

Cliff Eberhardt- Dusty Box Car Wall

Tribute to a Songpoet: Songs of Eric Andersen (Y&T Music)

Dom Flemons- Song to J.C.B.

Tribute to a Songpoet: Songs of Eric Andersen (Y&T Music)

Happy Traum- Mary, I’m Coming Back Home

Tribute to a Songpoet: Songs of Eric Andersen (Y&T Music) or There’s a Bright Side Somewhere (Lark’s Nest Music)

Denice Franke- Baby, I’m Lonesome

Tribute to a Songpoet: Songs of Eric Andersen (Y&T Music)

Eric Andersen- Sign of a Desperate Man

Eric Andersen (Warner Bros.)

Alice Howe- Is It Really Love at All

Tribute to a Songpoet: Songs of Eric Andersen (Y&T Music)

David Buskin & Robin Batteau- Wind and Sand

Tribute to a Songpoet: Songs of Eric Andersen (Y&T Music)

Linda Ronstadt- (I Ain’t Always Been) Faithful

Tribute to a Songpoet: Songs of Eric Andersen (Y&T Music) or Linda Ronstadt (Capitol)

Jim Wurster- Sheila

Tribute to a Songpoet: Songs of Eric Andersen (Y&T Music)

Amy Helm- Blue River

Tribute to a Songpoet: Songs of Eric Andersen (Y&T Music)

Lucy Kaplansky- Eyes of the Immigrant

Tribute to a Songpoet: Songs of Eric Andersen (Y&T Music)

Eric Andersen- Rain Falls Down in Amsterdam

Woodstock Under the Stars (Y&T Music)

Eric Andersen (2019)

Eric Andersen- Just a Country Dream

A Country Dream (Vanguard)

Next week: Joni Mitchell.

Find me on Facebook. facebook.com/mikeregenstreif

--Mike Regenstreif

Saturday Morning with Mike Regenstreif – CKCU – Saturday February 29, 2020

Saturday Morning is an eclectic roots-oriented program on CKCU in Ottawa heard live on Saturday mornings from 7 until 10 am (Eastern time) and then available for on-demand streaming. I am one of the four rotating hosts of Saturday Morning and base my programming on the Folk Roots/Folk Branches format I developed at CKUT in Montreal.

CKCU can be heard live at 93.1 FM in Ottawa and http://www.ckcufm.com/ on the web.

This episode of Saturday Morning can be streamed on-demand at … https://cod.ckcufm.com/programs/128/47124.html

Amy Helm- Mandolin Wind

This Too Shall Light (Yep Roc)

Rose Cousins- Stray Birds

Stray Birds (Old Farm Pony)

The Haden Triplets- Gray Mother Dreaming

The Family Songbook (Trimeter/Thirty Tigers)

Ian Hanchet- No More Worries

New Life (Ian Hanchet)

Miranda Mulholland- The Old Churchyard

By Appointment or Chance (Roaring Girl)

Claudia Schmidt- Weather

Slow Steady Heart (Pragmavsion Publishing)

Tom Russell- Sam Bonnifield’s Saloon

Play One More: The Songs of Ian & Sylvia (True North)

Ian & Sylvia- Come All You Fair and Tender Ladies

The Lost Tapes (Stony Plain)

Stephen Mendel- Darcy Farrow

Sing Me a Story (Stephen Mendel)

Steve Gillette- Back on the Street Again

Steve Gillette (Vanguard)

Nanci Griffith- Banks of the Pontchartrain

The Last of the True Believers (Philo)

Susan Werner- Nobody Loves You Like Me

NOLA: Susan Werner Goes to New Orleans (Sleeve Dog)

Paul Barbarin w/Danny Barker- Eh La Bas

Paul Barbarin and His New Orleans Jazz (Collectables)

Socalled with The Kaiser Quartett- Roumanishe Kretchme

Di Frosh and other Yiddish Songs (Membran)

Daniel Kahn with Vanya Zhuk- Busking Vagabond

Bulat Blues (Oriente Musik)

Leonard Cohen- The Night of Santiago

Thanks for the Dance (Columbia/Legacy)

Laura Smith- My Gate’s Wide Open

It’s a Personal Thing (Cornermuse)

Extended Feature: Songs of Phil Ochs (1940-1976). The next 16 songs were written by Phil Ochs.

Pete Seeger- The Draft Dodger Rag

Dangerous Songs (Columbia/Legacy)

Joan Baez- There but for Fortune

75th Birthday Celebration (Razor & Tie)

Martyn Joseph- Knock on the Door

Days of Decision: A Tribute to Phil Ochs (Pipe)

Phil Ochs- Bound for Glory

Farewells & Fantasies (Elektra/Rhino)

Judy Collins- In the Heat of the Summer

Forever: an anthology (Elektra)

Arlo Guthrie- I Ain’t Marching Anymore

What’s That I Hear: The Songs of Phil Ochs (Sliced Bread)

Phil Ochs- One More Parade

Farewells & Fantasies (Elektra/Rhino)

Pat Wictor- I’m Tired

This is Absolutely Real: Visions and Versions of Phil Ochs (Risky Disc)

disappear fear- Outside a Small Circle of Friends

Get Your Phil (Disappear Records)

Magpie- That’s What I Want to Hear

A Tiding (Longtail Records)

Phil Ochs- Too Many Martyrs

Farewells & Fantasies (Elektra/Rhino)

Kim & Reggie Harris- What’s That I Hear

Let My People Go! (Appleseed)

Gordon Lightfoot- Changes

The Original Lightfoot (EMI)

Phil Ochs- Links on the Chain

Farewells & Fantasies (Elektra/Rhino)

Karen Savoca- No More Songs

What’s That I Hear: The Songs of Phil Ochs (Sliced Bread)

Theodore Bikel- When I’m Gone

While I’m Here (Red House)

John Prine with The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band- Grandpa was a Carpenter

Will the Circle Be Unbroken Volume Two (MCA)

Lyle Lovett- If I had a Boat

Pontiac (Curb/MCA)

John Hiatt with Rosanne Cash & The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band- One Step Over the Line

Will the Circle Be Unbroken Volume Two (MCA)

Jud Caswell- 1952 Vincent Black Lightning

Live at the Seagull Shop (Jud Caswell)

Ken Tizzard- For the USA

A Good Dog is Lost: A Collection of Ron Hynes Songs (Ken Tizzard)

Bill Garrett & Sue Lothrop- St. John’s Waltz

Red Shoes (Borealis)

Christy Moore- Sonny’s Dream

Magic Nights (Sony)

Ron Hynes- Love and Hunger

Stealing Genius (Borealis)

Vance Gilbert- Brunswick County

Good Good Man (Disismye Music)

Annette Wasilik- Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right

Love & Fire (Azalea City)

The Small Glories- Secondhand

Assiniboine & the Red (Red House)

The New Customs- Hey Little Bird

Selling Religion on Government Street (The New Customs)

The Lonesome Ace Stringband- Highlanders Farewell/Monroe’s Farewell to Long Hollow

Modern Old-Time Sounds for the Bluegrass & Folksong Jamboree (Lonesome Ace Stringband)

I’ll be hosting Saturday Morning next on April 25.

Find me on Twitter. @MikeRegenstreif

And on Facebook. facebook.com/mikeregenstreif

--Mike Regenstreif

Ottawa Folk Festival – Sunday and wrap-up

After all the rain on Saturday, the weather for the Ottawa Folk Festival on Sunday was much better – cool with a mix of sun and non-threatening cloud.

As I’ve noted before, I consider the daytime programming – particularly the workshops – to be the heart and soul of a folk festival and I spent almost all of Sunday parked at the workshop stage where I heard a lot of fine music and was rewarded with much of the spontaneous interaction that folk festival workshops are noted for.

The first of Sunday’s scheduled workshops was an on-stage interview with actor/singer-songwriter Jill Hennessy. Unfortunately, we arrived late – just in time to hear her perform one of her alt-country songs at the end of the session. I would have liked to have heard more.

The rest of the workshops were multi-artist, round robin style song swaps with vaguely-defined thematic titles which pretty much allowed the artists to take them wherever they wanted to go. First up was Any Way You String It, hosted by Arthur McGregor of the Ottawa Folklore Centre who was playing his banjo for the occasion. Other participants included country artist Nudie of Nudie and the Turks, Newfoundland folk trio The Once and the sublime singer-songwriter Eliza Gilkyson (who was joined for a song by the equally sublime singer-songwriters John Gorka and Lucy Kaplansky, her partners in the folk supergroup Red Horse).

Among the workshop’s highlights were Arthur’s instrumental banjo interpretation of “The Star Spangled Banner,” Nudie’s dipping into Sam Cooke’s early years for some Soul Stirrers gospel, The Once getting all the artists playing and the whole audience singing on Bob Dylan’s “I’ll Be Your Baby Tonight” and Eliza’s sing-along rendition of “Slouching Towards Bethlehem.”

Next up was Hellos & Goodbyes hosted by Lucy Kaplansky with British folksinger John Smith and a stripped down version of the indie-rock band Said the Whale.

Clearly Lucy, who called Eliza Gilkyson up to sing with her on one song and John Gorka on another, carried the workshop with several of the songs from her stunning new CD, Reunion, including the title track which recalls a 1971 family reunion in Toronto when she was 11 and a recent concert trip to Toronto attended by many of her Canadian cousins.

John demonstrated his songwriting roots in traditional British folk music and also played a version of Richard Thompson’s “Beeswing” that was quite lovely despite nervousness that caused him to trip-up in a couple of verses. John’s work with open guitar tunings was quite creative. Said the Whale, playing without their bassist and drummer, seemed a bit like a fish – or whale – out of water in the folk festival workshop setting.

Toward the end of the workshop, I dashed over to the main stage to see Chris White, one of the most tireless animators of Ottawa’s folk music scene, receive the Helen Verger Award. Named for the founder of Rasputin’s the late, lamented Ottawa folk café, the award has been presented annually by the Ottawa Folk Festival to someone for outstanding contributions to Canadian folk music. Chris, the Ottawa Folk Festival’s founding artistic director and guiding spirit for 16 years, was a most deserving choice for the award.

Then it was back to the workshop stage for City Slickers, Country Songs, hosted by Pat Moore, followed. Also on hand were Gordie McKeeman & (one of) His Rhythm Boys, Catriona Sturton and Amy Helm.

Pat, accompanied by guitarist Pat McLaughlin, was a charming host and contributed several excellent performances in both straight country and Ray Charlesesque country/R&B. Catriona particularly shined on a harmonica/guitar instrumental.

But, clearly, the stars of this workshop were Gordie and Amy. Gordie was also playing without his bassist and drummer, but his infectious fiddling and step-dancing and Peter Cann’s hot guitar playing more than carried the day with their down-home tunes.

Amy, who played mandolin, was accompanied by guitarist Dan Littleton and called up Byron Isaacs – who also plays in her band and was a band mate in Ollabelle – to sing harmony on a couple of songs. Amy was the only person I heard sing a Woody Guthrie song at the festival in this centennial year of Woody’s birth. Her rocking version of Woody’s “I Ain’t Got No Home” was reminiscent of the version by Bob Dylan and The Band (which included Amy’s dad, Levon Helm) from the 1968 Woody Guthrie memorial concert at Carnegie Hall. She also did a stunning version of Dylan’s “Every Grain of Sand.”

There was lots of musical exchanges and jamming by all of the artists throughout the City Slickers, Country Songs workshop.

Then it was back over to the larger stage area to see most of Michael Jerome Browne’s concert set. Performing solo and  playing multiple instruments including guitar, fretless gourd banjo and fiddle, Michael showed his mastery of various traditional and contemporary roots styles – blues, folk, Appalachian, Cajun, etc. – in a repertoire that ranged from traditional folk material to an Al Green soul classic and several of Michael’s excellent original songs written in collaboration with lyricist B. Markus.

And that was it for me at this year’s Ottawa Folk Festival. Scheduling conflicts meant I couldn’t stay for the Sunday evening concerts. Among those I particularly wanted to see were Amy Helm and Red Horse (Eliza Gilkyson, John Gorka and Lucy Kaplansky.)

The festival also continued with a Monday night concert headlined by Bon Iver which apparently attracted a massive crowd to Hog’s Back Park.

Last words

I’m very happy the Ottawa Folk Festival attracted the big crowds it did this year. It portends well for the future.

As I noted in my first report, the Ottawa Folk Festival has really become two festivals in one – an indie rock event and a folk festival. Unfortunately, the overbearing sound bleed from the big stages sometimes overpowered the quieter folk stages.

I fully understand why Bluesfest director Mark Monahan has gone in the indie rock direction with most of the programming. Clearly, his choices brought in the biggest – and youngest – crowds in the festival’s history. But the two streams of programming needn’t compete the way they do.

My suggestion would be to program a real folk festival during the daytime and the louder rock acts at night. The big crowds of university students and folks in their 20s, for the most part, only show up at night anyway.

Expand the workshop schedule on Saturday and Sunday with more stages and creative, visionary programming that doesn’t seem like it’s almost an afterthought – including having much more and much more diverse traditional music. Shut down the huge main stage during the day and restrict daytime concerts on the bigger side stages to folk and/or acoustic artists. There’s so many of them around. It will also bring in a lot more of the traditional folk festival audience, many of whom feel alienated from the current festival format.

And then, use the evenings for the louder indie-rock concerts that bring in the huge crowds. As I said, those crowds only show up at night anyway.

Kudos to Mark and the rest of the Bluesfest team for maintaining some of the Ottawa Folk Festival traditions including the kidzone, dance area, and environmental policies, and for banning smoking on the festival grounds.

And kudos, too, to the great corps of volunteers, another Ottawa Folk Festival tradition.

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--Mike Regenstreif