At the forefront of the folk revival movement since the 1950's, the Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem are a highly influential group of Irishmen. Popularizing the traditional music of their homeland, the Brothers brought Celtic music into America, and remain some of its most avid performers.
Following folk musician Joan Baez on her extensive 2008-2009 tour, this film commemorates her career, which has spanned five decades. It includes concert and archival footage as well as interviews with such disparate colleagues, friends and admirers as Bob Dylan, Jesse Jackson and David Crosby. In addition to the music, it also touchs upon Baez's long history of global social activism.
Every year in June, the small Bulgarian village of Balgari celebrates St Constantine with a special ritual. Initiated ‘nestinari’ go into a music-induced trance and dance on bonfires in a display of religious passion.
Pop sensations the Lovin' Spoonful perform their biggest hits in this collection of television appearances from the 1960s and '70s. Lead singer and songwriter John Sebastian discusses the band, their music and their legacy. Songs include "Summer in the City," "She's Still a Mystery," "Nashville Cats," the hit theme to the sitcom "Welcome Back, Kotter," "Did You Ever Have to Make Up Your Mind?" and "Do You Believe in Magic?"
Paris To Kyiv’s Fragmenti recording was originally released in 2005, a sonic tapestry of ancient Ukrainian song fragments and contemporary sounds. Nearly 11 years later, after circulating throughout the roster of artists on Balanced Records, a remix album has been compiled featuring electronic and avant garde interpretations by Ken Gregory, Joe Silva, Rise Ashen, Kasm, J57, Solidaze, Cayetano, Miguel Graça, Trevor Walker and Anders Peterson. This film accompanies the remix by Joe Silva.
Eric Andersen is widely regarded as one of the most poetic songwriters that sprang from the Greenwich Village folk scene of the 1960s. His artful mélange of love, despair, hope and stirred memory has earned him a passionate international following and the respect and admiration of artists ranging from Joni Mitchell and Leonard Cohen to Lou Reed and Wyclef Jean. The Songpoet offers a look into the mind, soul and creative process of this multifaceted, complex and singularly driven artist whose career saw great expectations waylaid by misfortune.
A short musical film on the Old Harp tradition from East Tennessee, shot around a gathering in a church of the Smoky Mountains
The film nostalgically traverses the unique tradition of the Punjab, in which the Mirasans cry on death, bring laughter at birth and marriage and bridge communities. Today, children of Mirasans are struggling to survive with dwindling patronage and are moving out from family space to public space.
The moment when the lights on the stage suddenly go out and the dancer finds himself completely alone in the digital environment, the way back to the viewer must be sought again. Only by looking at oneself, Latvianness and the code of identity - in the lines and patterns of Latvian signs, an unimaginable power will be revealed. And one to one, two to four, tens to hundreds, and "one" will be "we" again. "To dress in Latvian signs" ("Latvju zīmēs rotāties") is a special and unique event in the history of Latvian stage folk dance, because instead of the usual stadium or stage format, the signs are arranged in a digital environment, merging hundreds of dancers with tradition, animations and editing possibilities. Also, what has been unprecedented in the context of stage folk dance is the sound quality with which this performance offers to listen to 15 original compositions based on folk lyrics by Mārtiņš Miļevsks.
In March 2008, Pope re-united with Neil Young to film Young and his band during their multi-night engagement at the Hammersmith Odeon.
Celtic Woman’s new DVD represents the sentiment they would like to share with their fans around the world: one of love, hope and expectation as the world looks towards getting back together again. What better way to express these wishes than to write and send a postcard, but this postcard is written with the music and songs from Celtic Woman’s DVD ‘Postcards From Ireland’. This new DVD features Celtic Woman performing 13 brand new songs, plus some fan favourites, and also contains exclusive behind the scenes footage and interviews. Filmed in 14 iconic locations around the island of Ireland, join Celtic Woman on this magical journey, stopping off to perform their music in some of the most stunning land and seascapes in the country.
A documentary film by Peter I. Chang which traces the life of the Japanese musician Hisao Shinagawa through his early years as a folk singer in Tokyo to his current occupation as a street performer in Los Angeles.
A tribute film on Bob Dylan, depicting Calcutta's affinity with Dylan through cityscape and interviews of notable Indian musicians who were inspired by him. The film also draws parallels between Dylan's body of work and the Baul tradition of Bengal.
Pavel "Žalman" Lohonka has been a legend of the Czech folk scene for decades. Many of his songs, known for their characteristic melancholy, have become almost folk songs today. In March of this year, he will celebrate his 75th birthday. To mark the occasion, he organized a concert with his band at the Semafor Theater, during which his new album, Všechno je teď (Everything Is Now), was also launched. Its godfather was none other than Jiří Suchý. The concert featured not only songs from the new album, but also many proven hits, performed for the first time in front of television cameras by Žalman's current band.
Hubert von Goisern - Brenna tuat's schon lang
A rare 1979 BBC Arena documentary on the Albion Band, Ashley Hutchings and the development of English folk rock up to that time.
The Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song will honor either a songwriter, interpreter, or singer/songwriter whose career reflects lifetime achievement in promoting the genre of song as a vehicle of artistic expression and cultural understanding. Paul Simon, one of America's most respected songwriters and musicians, was the recipient of the first annual Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song. Named in honor of the legendary George and Ira Gershwin, the award recognizes the profound and positive effect of popular music on the world's culture.
A film about the first benefit rock concert when major musicians performed to raise relief funds for the poor of Bangladesh. The Concert for Bangladesh was a pair of benefit concerts organised by former Beatles guitarist George Harrison and Indian sitar player Ravi Shankar. The shows were held at 2:30 and 8:00 pm on Sunday, 1 August 1971, at Madison Square Garden in New York City, to raise international awareness of, and fund relief for refugees from East Pakistan, following the Bangladesh Liberation War-related genocide.
The untold story of Jackson C Frank, an American folk legend. His tragic life produced some of the most timeless folk music of our time.
The legend of Jack Hardy and the Songwriter's Exchange tell the story of Greenwhich Village folk Icon Jack Hardy, and the folk scene that he helped create. Jack's influence and his collective of songwriters produced such notable folks musicians as Suzanne Vega, Shawn Colvin, John Gorka, Christine Lavine, Tracy Chapman and countless others. Jack's story is a fascinating tale of community and commitment to the song.