Exploring Social change in Pop Music

On October 12, 2014 Joe Henry was a special guest at All Saints Church Pasadena 's event called 'Profitable Prophets, Exploring Social Change in Pop Music.'

This event was a debate on the role, and effect of Social Change in the Music Industry.

Main guest was Jeff Castelaz : President of Elektra Records and Co-Founder of both Cast Management and, with his wife Jo Ann Thrailkill, The Pablove Foundation.  He also Co-Founded and was CEO of Los Angeles-based Dangerbird Records.

Joe entered as a special guest at approx. 20:45 in the video.
Listen to him speak about wich artists he considers as Prophets in music, and hear him answer some audience questions. 

The Wexford Carols to be released

US release date : November 4
UK release date : November 3
recordlabel : Hersey records


To promote this new Caitríona O'Leary Album, wich Joe Henry produced, a website has been put online.

http://thewexfordcarols.com

A wonderful promotional video featering Caitríona O’Leary, Rosanne Cash, Sir Tom Jones and Eric Fraad (founder and director of Heresy Records)



Credits
Caitríona O’Leary –Voice
Rhiannon Giddens – Voice, Fiddle, Minstrel Banjo
Rosanne Cash – Voice
Tom Jones – Voice

Adrian Hart – Fiddle
Eamonn de Barra – Flute, Whistle
John Smith – Voice, Guitar, Mandola
Dónal Lunny – Bouzuki
Kate Ellis – Cello
Greg Cohen – Double Bass
Mel Mercier – Bodhrán, Bones
Graham Hopkins – Voice, Drums

Joe Henry, Producer
Ryan Freeland, Recording Engineer, Mix and Master

Tracklist
01 – Tell Shepherds – Caitríona O’Leary, Singer
02 – An Angel This Night – Caitríona O’Leary, Singer
03 – Jerusalem Our Happy Home – Tom Jones, Singer, Caitríona O’Leary & Rhiannon Giddens Backing Vocals
04 – This Is Our Christmass Day – Caitríona O’Leary, Singer
05 – Now To Conclude Our Christmas Mirth – Rhiannon Giddens, Singer, Tom Jones & Caitríona O’Leary Backing Vocals
06 – The Darkest Midnight In December – Caitríona O’Leary, Singer
07 – An Angel This Bright Midnight – Rosanne Cash, Caitríona O’Leary, John Smith, Graham Hopkins Vocals
08 – Behould Three Kings – Rosanne Cash, Singer, Caitríona O’Leary, John Smith, Graham Hopkins Backing Vocals
09 – The Angell Said To Joseph Mild – Tom Jones, Singer, Caitríona O’Leary, Rosanne Cash & Rhiannon Giddens, Backing Vocals
10 – A Virgin Queen In Bethlehem – Caitríona O’Leary, Singer
11 – Christmas Day Is Come – Rhiannon Giddens & Caitríona O’Leary, Vocals
12 – The Enniscorthy Christmas Carol – Rosanne Cash, Rhiannon Giddens, Caitríona O’Leary, Tom Jones, Vocals


for an interesting article, on the history of these Carols, visit : http://www.patrickcomerford.com .
(And living in Belgium, I am verry proud to say, the history even brings us back to Ghent.)

Greetings,
Stefan.

Update October 27, 2014.
Heresy Records linked us an interview with Joe Henry where he speaks briefly about this project.
Read it here.  

 Update November 29, 2014.
Interesting clip on Joe's approach.
  

Update December 15, 2014.
In a radio interview Tom Jones explained that he got involved because Joe Henry contacted him.

Update December 20, 2014
from the la times

"I'm such a lover of music from that part of the world," said Henry, noting that he has Irish lineage in the distant past on his father's side of his family. As much has he has previously explored the roots of American music in many of its forms, "I had not heard these songs before. I knew they were from a larger canon, but it was one I had not immersed myself in."

Henry, who lives in South Pasadena, invited Jones, Cash and Carolina Chocolate Drops singer Rhiannon Giddens to be part of the recording sessions, and contributed vocals on some numbers. He described it as a profound honor to work with revered Irish bouzouki player Donal Lunny, who helped O'Leary and Henry arrange the songs.

"I'm a Celt," Henry said. "That's where I come from, and this was deeply resonant, incredibly soulful music to me. Our culture has drawn a very narrow concept around what is holiday music and what that might encompass. The fact that this music was particular to the season. ... I found that fascinating."
 
Update December 21, 2014
NPR has an interview with Joe and Caitrîona O'Leary. 

Some Americana Fest recordings on line

• 'Plainspeak' at City Winery, Nashville. 

Joe Henry "Plainspeak" from Matthew Sterling on Vimeo.

• Joe performed for Acoustic cafe during Americana Fest.

This taping is currently on line. It is divided in 3 segments.

Listen to episode #1032.

•  During the festival Joe recorded in Historic Studio A in Nashville.

The 5,000-square-foot studio was founded in the early 1960s by Owen Bradley and Chet Atkins, music industry pioneers who created what became known as The Nashville Sound, a smoother version of country music that replaced honky-tonk's popularity in the 1960s. The space was designed to be large enough to accommodate a full-size orchestra to accompany artists' recordings.

RCA Studio A is the only remaining active studio of four RCA studio spaces designed by Bill Putnam, who is considered the "father of modern recording" for his invention of the modern recording console and his influence on the post-WWII commercial recording industry. 

In the past 50 years, countless artists of a variety of genres have recorded hits in RCA Studio A. The list includes Jim Brickman, Lyle Lovett, Willie Nelson, the Oak Ridge Boys, Lionel Richie, Bob Seger, Jewel, Lady Antebellum, Faith Hill, the Beach Boys, Tony Bennett, Carrie Underwood, Bonnie Tyler, Lee Ann Womack, Keith Urban, the Nashville Symphony, Ben Folds Five, and so on.
(source)

 

The future for Studio A is verry uncertain. 
It's being sold to convert the property into luxury condominiums. Demolition was also on the planningboard, but that no longer seems to be an action.

Artist Ben Folds is taking the lead to save this studio.

Post by Ben Folds.

Voices of a People's History

Voices of A people's History of the United States brings to life the extraordinary history of ordinary people who built the movements that made the United States what it is today, ending slavery and Jim Crow, protesting war and the genocide of Native Americans, creating unions and the eight hour work day, advancing women's rights and gay liberation, and struggling to right wrongs of the day.

By giving public expression to rebels, dissenters, and visionaries from our past—and present—VOICES seeks to educate and inspire a new generation working for social justice.

This organisation was founded in 2007 by a group of activists, artists and educators, led by historian Howard Zinn and Anthony Arnove .


On November 13, 2014 they host "a special evening of music and readings to celebrate the tenth-anniversary edition of Voices of a People’s History of the United States and launch the third — and updated — edition of this acclaimed book by Howard Zinn (1922-2010) and Anthony Arnove."

Joe Henry is one of the invitees, (next to : Anthony Arnove, actors Kerry Washington, Marisa Tomei, Josh Brolin, Frances McDormand, Jesse Williams, Michael Ealy, Adepero Oduye, Christina Kirk, Alicia Witt, and Hong Chau, musician Tom Morello and other special guests)

Find more info at the events' webpage. 

Update : November 15 ,2014

 Not a lot of info to be found about Joe's Contribution to this event. There are some pictures by J. Victor Decolongon to be found on getty images.

#458976734 / gettyimages.com

Joe, Carl Restivo and Tom Morello performed also together

#458951618 / gettyimages.com

According to elizabeth aquino's blog Joe did a Bob Dylan cover.
The song was 'George Jackson'.
Together Carl Restivo, Joe Henry and Tom Morello performed Woody Guthrie’s “This Land is Your Land”(source : democratic underground)

Tom Jones speaks about 'The wexford Carols'

Last summer, Joe, together with long time collaborator Ryan Freeland, were in Ireland to record a Christmas album for Caitríona O'leary and her friends.  (Read more info over here) .

Sir Tom Jones (who appears on the album) speaks about it in an interview.

"....Then I was told that Joe Henry was producing,...  so I thought : well it's got to be interesting...."




At the end of the interview we get to see also the artwork of the album.
After hearing the featured song in this interview, and the story Mr Jones gives us, I'm getting more and more convinced it's going to be a 'must have' christmas album.

So it's pretty sure, this will be spinning around over here in a while.
Anyway, again thanks to Joe Henry I got to learn another great talent : Caitríona O'leary.


Greetings,
Stefan

Re-broadcast Bremen concert.

As posted in July Joe's concert in Bremen, Germany, was going to be re-broadcasted.

This will happen this sunday, october 12th, 20:00h Standard European time on Radio Bremen.

To listen to it on sunday on line : choose on the website in the right top corner : "Livestream einschalten."

Enjoy your sunday evening. I will.
Greetings,
Stefan

Rebel without a Clause, The story of Curt Flood

On the album Fuse you find the song Curt Flood.

This song is based on Baseballplayer Curt Flood.

The NY Times has the story about Curt Flood on line.