HOLLY NEAR, ARLO GUTHRIE, RONNIE GILBERT & PETE SEEGER: HARP - A Time to Sing!

Holly Near, Arlo Guthrie, Ronnie Gilbert & Pete Seeger

HARP - A Time to Sing!

© 2002 Calico Tracks Music (611587105424)

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Four icons of modern folk and topical musical unite on 2-CD live set newly remastered and expanded from 13 to 26 songs.

notes

Four of the giants of folk music and sociopolitical activism - Holly Near, Arlo Guthrie, Ronnie Gilbert, and Pete Seeger - assembled in 1984 for a handful of concerts that were recorded and released as a 13-song album called "HARP" (an acronym of the first letters of each musician's first name) on Near's Redwood Records in 1985. Near's recent discovery of a trove of unreleased songs from these performances has led to this expanded and remastered 26-song, 2-CD reissue, now subtitled "A Time to Sing!"

Former Weavers Seeger and Gilbert, the irrepressible Guthrie, and Near had previously played together in various configurations, but never as a quartet, so there is much unique musical and personal interaction captured here. Each musician brought original, traditional, or contemporary songs to perform, which led to an entrancing program of folk favorites. The repertoire includes old favorites such as "Wimoweh," "Guantanamera," "Twelve Gates to the City" and "The Water is Wide," cover tunes ranging from Bob Dylan's "Mr. Tambourine Man" (with riotous deadpan commentary by Arlo) to Steve Goodman's "City of New Orleans" to Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On," and trademark originals by Near ("Singing for Our Lives, " "Emma," "Singing with You") and Guthrie ("You and Me," "All Over the World," and the hilarious "Oh Mom").

Political and social commentary are the underlying texts in many of these songs, recorded amidst the havoc of the Reagan administration. "These were very intense times," remembers Holly. "There were wars raging all over the world. The women's movement was reeling from the defeat of the Equal Rights Amendment. AIDS was new and frightening. The gay rights movement was in full force. Here are four singers, different styles, different generations, same tradition. This [CD] is live and raw and real. And when I think about how spontaneous this recording is, I am impressed by the skill of this quartet. These are people who know how to sing and what to sing about."

With primary instrumental support by Pete, Arlo, and pianist/composer/arranger Jeff Langley, the four voices can be heard in varying combinations, sometimes uniting in a multi-generational rainbow of brilliant harmony. It was a time to sing and to sing out, captured for the ages on this invigorating and historic release.

Bios:

Holly Near has been a trailblazer in progressive music for the last three decades. Entering the field of topical and personal songwriting in the early '70s after an initial career as an actress, Holly's songs about war, feminism, world affairs, and people's complex everyday lives are accompanied by music that touches on folk, rock and musical theater. Following her work opposing the Vietnam War, Holly launched her own record label, Redwood, with the release of her first of more than 20 albums, "Hang In There." After Redwood Records closed its doors in the early '90s, Holly soon started another label, Calico Tracks. She has been honored by many awards from political and feminist organizations.

Arlo Guthrie is, of course, the son of the legendary topical folksinger and songwriter Woody Guthrie. Embraced by the Baby Boomer for his marathon anti-war talking blues, "Alice's Restaurant (Massacree)," Arlo became a hip household name for his starring role in the movie based on that song and for his 1969 appearance at the Woodstock Festival (and subsequent film). His version of Steve Goodman's "City of New Orleans" has become a radio standard. Maintaining an international following through tours, his eclectic songbag, and the dry wit of his storytelling, Arlo's other activities have included television acting roles, authoring an award-winning children's book, founding the Rising Son record label, and overseeing the Guthrie Center and Guthrie Foundation

Ronnie Gilbert joined with Pete Seeger, Lee Hays and Fred Hellerman in the early '50s to form the politically conscious Weavers, soon to be blacklisted during the hysteria of the McCarthy era. In the '60s, Ronnie became a solo singer and an active member of an experimental anti-war theater company. After recording several albums and appearing in plays on and off Broadway, she worked as a psychotherapist for several years before returning to theatrical work. A friendship and musical partnership with Holly Near resulted in two collaborative records and a solo album on Redwood during the '80s. Ronnie has since started her own label, Abbe Alice Music. As a playwright and lyricist, she wrote a one-woman play based on the life of
legendary American labor activist Mary "Mother" Jones, and another inspired by Studs Terkel's book, "Coming of Age."
Ronnie is presently at work on her memoirs.

Pete Seeger is a worldwide spokesperson for the power of folk music as a social and political force. As a member of the Weavers, a solo artist, and inveterate musical collaborator, Pete has written, adapted and sung songs that have brought the spirit of humanity, activism, humor and hope to all corners of the globe for the past half-century as the unassuming conscience of the anti-war, anti-death penalty, pro-civil rights and pro-environmental movements. Despite a lengthy blacklist that followed him for many years after his Weavers career, Pete has received the Presidential Medal of the Arts, a Lifetime Achievement Grammy Award, and induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. His achievements in music and activism have been recognized by many of the greats of the folk, singer-songwriter, folk and blues world through their performances on three Seeger tribute CDs released by the Appleseed label since 1998.

reviews

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  • Harp-Holly Near& Friends
    author: Gina G. Rosset Smith

    This 2-CD set is a must for folk music fans! Excellent for those of us who can't afford expensive or far-away concerts! Also,a wonderful way to preserve folk song history.

  • The Re-issue Is Even Better
    author: Peter

    The re-issue, with double the material and more live dialogue, is an added delight!

  • Great,outstanding,classic&legendary performers
    author: Cesare Lancioni

    Great performers,outstanding,classic&legendary,lots of great songs,some well-known,some rare. And it's an expanded edition,so it should appeal even to people who have the original album/cassette. For admirers of these four singers and for lovers of contemporary folk,HARP is a must in any way.

  • Here, there be friends
    author: Adrien

    Special is a word much over-used, but how else to describe this CD. Those voices, those songs, those lyrics, those icons!

  • Once lost...So happy to have found it again!
    author: Megan

    HARP is a classic and happens to be mine, my mothers and my sister most loved album. Ive been looking for it for years since our vinyl copy has worn out. Love the new cuts...Thanks CD Baby!

  • so great to find a place to order good music
    author: HARP

    It is difficult to find this type of music, either in stores or on line. We received the CD in just two days; no problems. HARP is wonderful; we used to have the tape and somehow had misplaced it. We are looking forward to many hours of listening to it.

  • The cassette has been my favorite for years.
    author: Frank Barnett

    The cassette has been my favorite for years. It suddenly occurred to me I needed a CD version, which would probably have extra cuts on it. That's an understatement. What we got was TWICE as many cuts. Pete Seeger is my hero, and what he shares with his Weavers colleague, Ronnie, and the following generation of Arlo and Holly, is priceless. They are all wonderful performers. And Pete's voice was still powerful when this was recorded. Listen to them build up to his famous vocal run-over in Wimoweh. You just don't get any better than this.

  • Two generations of great musicians combine for a once-in-a-lifetime concert. Ou
    author: Deborah Dashow Ruth

    I didn't even know that Pete and Ronnie and Arlo and Holly had ever sung together, much less made a recording of it, until I found out from Holly's sister, Timothy Near (the Artistic Director for San Jose Rep Theatre). So I ordered it from CD Baby, and I haven't stopped listening to the two CDs since they arrived in the mail. Talk about magic! The four voices are perfect for ensemble singing as well as for solos and duets. The re-mastered sound makes it seem bran new. I'm glad this version includes some of the anecdotes told by Arlo and the rest -- it makes me feel as though I'm right there in the Greek Theatre on the UC Berkeley campus! And the political vibes are just as chillingly appropriate now (unfortunately) as they were in 1984 under that actor-president. But hearing those voices sing those songs lifts my spirits beyond the reach of any sleazy fascistic administration in D.C. Now, if only I could get Arlo and Holly to perform together and/or record a CD together -- I think that would be a musical match made in heaven! BACKGROUND: The first LP I ever bought was "The Weavers at Carnegie Hall." I wore out the grooves playing it. Years later, I was mesmerized by "City of New Orleans," sung by Arlo Guthrie, and I laughed aloud at "Alice's Restaurant" and "The Motorcycle Song." Several years ago, I "discovered" Holly Near, and last winter, I heard her in a fabulous solo performance in Nevada City (foothills of the Sierra). I also heard Arlo in a concert on the UC Berkeley campus -- the program consisted of his father's unpublished and unperformed Chanukah lyrics set to music by the Klezmatics. Arlo also sang "City of New Orleans," accompanying himself on the piano -- a magic moment. Is it any wonder that I gave this CD five stars?

  • Shades of my youth!
    author: Nancy Seebert

    EVERYONE on this CD needs to be cloned. I grew up with Ronnie Gibert and Pete Seeger and love them both- and Arlo and Holly- I can't get enough of this music! I want them to come to Portland Oregon NOW!!

  • This CD is great. I had Cassette copy that we wore out
    author: Ernie

    I miss this music so much. My sons grew up listening. It a great Cd

  • You can go home AGAIN !!!
    author: Paul Friedman

    If you have any feelings about Pete Seeger then you must have this cd. To hear Arlo Guthrie, Ronnie Gilbert, Holy Near and others sing Pete's songs brings a new realisation of how great they really are. This is a great 2cd set, a genuine must have

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