Worksongs

Amazon.com
Like its hometown of Los Angeles, the 10-year-old Mexican-American sextet Quetzal is a patchwork of North and s South, encompassing such north of the border sounds as modern rock and soul, as well as earthy Mexican folk music, driving salsa, loping cumbia rhythms, and chattering Afro-Cuban percussion. With these decidedly pan-cultural leanings, it's no surprise that the band's second album for Vanguard was produced by Steve Berlin of Los Lobos. Unlike Berlin's group, however, Quetzal's sound works better in lounges and on dance clubs (when not digging deep into the tradition) than Los Lobos's rough and ready bar band boogie. Martha Gonzales is an outstanding vocalist (in both English and Spanish) who is at turns sensual and soulful, indignant and insightful. She, with help from the others, sings about the hopes and dreams of life in the barrio, often from a woman's perspective. Well-crafted and revved with thoughtful ambition, Worksongs takes its story of a minority and fashions it into something quite universal. --Tad Hendrickson

Tracks:

This Is My Home
Planta de Los Pies
Alimentate
Worksongs=20
Limones Agrios
Decide
Learning Solitude
Time To Go
Luna Sol
Relationships
Modern Man

Amazon.com

Like its hometown of Los Angeles, the 10-year-old Mexican-American sextet Quetzal is a patchwork of North and s South, encompassing such north of the border sounds as modern rock and soul, as well as earthy Mexican folk music, driving salsa, loping cumbia rhythms, and chattering Afro-Cuban percussion. With these decidedly pan-cultural leanings, it's no surprise that the band's second album for Vanguard was produced by Steve Berlin of Los Lobos. Unlike Berlin's group, however, Quetzal's sound works better in lounges and on dance clubs (when not digging deep into the tradition) than Los Lobos's rough and ready bar band boogie. Martha Gonzales is an outstanding vocalist (in both English and Spanish) who is at turns sensual and soulful, indignant and insightful. She, with help from the others, sings about the hopes and dreams of life in the barrio, often from a woman's perspective. Well-crafted and revved with thoughtful ambition, Worksongs takes its story of a minority and fashions it into something quite universal. --Tad Hendrickson

Customer Reviews:

Poetry!.......2004-01-02

Quetzal is a soulful band with deep lyrics and hypnotic, meditative rhythms. This CD is filled with the personal experiences of an entire community. You will not find frivolous love balads or teen angst here. It's much deeper than that.

Beautiful.......2003-07-10

I really like this cd. The blend of music from both new and old times creates a unique sound of great music. I can relate to the themes and messages of each and every song. I feel like Quetzal understands tradition and communicates them passionately through their songs. I highly recommend this album to anyone you enjoys traditional latin music.

Average customer rating:

Blues Rhythm Rhythm & Blues

Manufacturer: Montenegro
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Blues | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000CAFC74
Release Date: 2004-11-30

Finest Worksongs: Athens bands play the music of R.E.M.

Average customer rating:

Finest Worksongs: Athens bands play the music of R.E.M.
Various Artists
Manufacturer: Iron Horse Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000OZ29T6
Release Date: 2007-03-18

Tracks:

The One I Love (Liz Durrett)
Wendell Gee (Claire Campbell)
Leave (Tin Cup Prophette)
Perfect Circle (Modern Skirts)
Finest Worksong (Bain Mattox)
(Don't Go Back To) Rockville (Bain Mattox)
Fall On Me (Bain Mattox)
Underneath The Bunker (The Observatory)
Pilgramage (The Observatory)
Feeling Gravitys Pull (The Observatory)
So. Central Rain (I'm Sorry) (Patterson Hood)
Burning Hell (Patterson Hood)
Second Guessing Intro (Patterson Hood)
Second Guessing (Patterson Hood)
Belong (Patterson Hood)
Fiver 8 (Five Eight)
Leaving New York (Five Eight)
Radio Free Europe (Five Eight)
It's The End of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine) (Five Eight & Everyone)

Product Description

Recorded Live at the 40 Watt Club in Athens, Georgia on September 12th, 2006. A % of net proceeds generated from sales of this compilation CD benefit Community Connection in Athens, GA.

Wake up Dead Man: Black Convict Worksongs from Texas Prisons

Average customer rating:

Wake up Dead Man: Black Convict Worksongs from Texas Prisons
Various Artists
Manufacturer: Rounder Select
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Blues | Styles | Music

General | Folk | Styles | Music

Traditional Folk | Folk | Styles | Music

General | International | Styles | Music

1960s | By Decade | Pop | Styles | Music

Rounder Records | Specialty Stores | Music

General | Folk | Indie Music | Stores | Music
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Wake Up Dead Man: Hard Labor and Southern Blues

ASIN: B0000002V1
Release Date: 1994-07-05

Tracks:

Jody - Benny Richardson and group
Julie - W.D. Alexander and group
Long Hot Summer Days - Joseph 'Chinaman' Johnson and group
I'm In The Bottom - Johnny Jackson and group
Captain Don't Feel Sorry For A Longtime Man - Ebbie Veasley/Marshall Phillips/Theo Mitchell
Down The Line - Houston Page and group
Early In The Morning - Willie 'Cowboy' Craig and group
Hammer Ring - Ring Henry Scott and group
Fallin' Down - Joseph 'Chinaman' Johnson and group
Log Loading Talk, Yells, Chants - Various Artists
Grizzly Bear - Benny Richardson and group

Average customer rating:

Mournful, soulful classic blues

Angola Prison Worksongs
Various Artists
Manufacturer: Arhoolie Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Blues | Styles | Music

General | Compilations | Blues | Styles | Music

General | Blues | Indie Music | Stores | Music

Traditional Blues | Blues | Indie Music | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Angola Prisoners' Blues
Angola Prison Spirituals
Prison Songs (Historical Recordings From Parchman Farm 1947-48), Vol. 2: Don'tcha Hear Poor Mother Calling?
Prison Songs (Historical Recordings From Parchman Farm 1947-48), Vol. 1: Murderous Home

ASIN: B0000001L6
Release Date: 1997-10-21

Tracks:

Berta - Roosevelt Charles
Take This Hammer - Hogman Maxey
Stewball - Big Louisiana
Five Long Years For One Man - Odea Mathews
Alberta Let Your Bangs Grow Long - Hogman Maxey
I Had Five Long Years - James Russell
Early In The Mornin' - Johnny Butler
All Teamed Up In Angola's Mule Lot - Big Louisiana
I Got A Hurtin' In My Right Side - Willy Rafus
Let Your Hammer Ring - Big Louisiana
Cleaning This Highway - Johnny Butler
John Henry - Robert Pete Williams
Something Within Me - Odea Mathews
Jesus Cares - Murray Macon
Working On The Levee Part 1 (Good Morning Captain) - Emanuel Dunn
Working On The Levee part 2 - Emanuel Dunn
Take This Hammer - Big Louisiana
Pickin' Cotton All Day Long - Creola
My Mule 'Grey' (A Plowing Song) - Emanuel Dunn

Customer Reviews:

Mournful, soulful classic blues.......2003-01-04

Where better to find real blues music than inside a prison? Although myriad earlier folklorists had already mined a various prisonyards for their blues material, these recordings made at the Louisiana State Penitentiary in Angola have a richness and sadness to them that isn't quite conveyed in earlier efforts. Accompanied by work sounds such as shoveling and raking, these people have the same undeniable "authenticity" as the back porch Appalachians so beloved by the Lomaxes, Seegers and other scholars, but with an added layer of misery and hopelessness that makes the music even more compelling. Included in these recordings is the great Robert Pete Williams, who went on to record several excellent albums for the Arhoolie label. Recommended.