Liner
Notes
"Suzy has been a vital
force in my musical soundscape for nigh-on thirty years. But through
time, she just kept showing up in great musical combinations playing
beautiful fiddle and singing with laser-like exactitude, unerringly
seeking out the soul of whatever music it was that she put her talents
to, whether it was old-time string band, Cajun, Greek rembetika, bluegrass,
or blues.
I have often thought that
of all the various styles into which Suzy has delved, she has a particular
way with the sensuous and often overlooked body of fiddle tunes known
as blues and rags. She has talked about recording this material for
some time, and I am glad that she has finally done it. Her fiddle
is a sweet and wailing voice that it is impossible to ignore. Over
the years, that voice has gotten more sassy, sultry and flexible.
And not only her fiddle's voice, but her own singing voice as well:
the laser edge has softened, gotten fuller and more expressive with
age and experience." Laurie
Lewis
About
the music
Babe,
from the mysterious and swinging East Texas Serenaders, was one of
the very first tunes that I learned off an old recording, nearly 30
years ago in a haunted house that has since burned down. Frosty
Morning Blues is from the Empress of the Blues, Bessie Smith.
Red Apple
Rag comes to us from Arthur Smith via Otis Burris' fiddling
(Is it bluegrass or is it oldtime? Yes!) Cathie Whitesides has been
into this raggy kind of fiddling way deep for a long time, and composed
the Salt Lake City Blues while living near Mendocino
in the Old Timey Hotel. She taught it to me not long after she wrote
it, and at the time it included some rhythmic potholes which she later
filled in. I liked the potholes and so I have kept them in my version.
My Handy Man comes from Victoria Spivey (probably
the only musician to record with both Fats Waller and Bob Dylan.)
Hank Bradley's Teabag Blues isn't exactly a blues,
nor can I see what it has to do with teabags (and loose tea is much
better anyway, maybe that's the point.) Prodigal Son
comes from hillbilly blues singer and banjo player Dock Boggs. Worried
Yid is really called Der Farzorgter Yid
and was recorded by Belf's Romanian Orchestra sometime around 1913.
Marty Schwarz translates "farzorgter" as "worried,
uptight"; I envision a cross between Woody Allen and Alfred E.
Newman. I made up No Mockingbird about 10 years ago;
Eric describes it as "Memphis Minnie on acid". Blue
Devil Blues is from blues fiddler Clifford Hayes who played
with the Sara Martin Jug Band (the very first jug band to record,
back in 1923.) Huge thanks to Fritz and Geoff for helping us to get
that jug band sound! California Blues comes from
the Stripling Brothers, Alabamans who made about 60 sides in the 1930's.
The B part always reminded me of the silly Lowe Stokes song "Left
All Alone Again Blues" so I combined them. "I like dog,
I'm fond of rabbit, I like goldfish, I like my habit". Go figure.
Lonesome Shack is Memphis Minnie, the pioneer woman
blues singer and guitarist who was a model of strength and fierce
independence. Dickson County Blues is another one
from Arthur Smith that I have played for years.
About the Musicians
I'm glad I have finally
done it, too, with the help of many musical friends, most of who were
among my earliest influences in my journey through oldtime Southern
music. The New Lost City Ramblers were the first oldtime band I heard;
Mike Seeger has been an ongoing source of inspiration and encouragement.
Three alumni of the Kweskin Jug Band are here too. Maria Muldaur's
smoking renditions of Memphis Minnie songs turned me on to the country
blues; she was the first woman fiddler I ever saw. Geoff Muldaur's
velvety voice makes the kazoo sound like a real instrument. Fritz
Richmond, certainly the greatest living jug player, contributes his
splatting and spitting to our jug band sound. In 1975-76, Eric &
I played in a band called the Blue Flame Syncopators with pianist
Hoyle Osborne. This band did not last long but it was a time that
changed all of our lives forever. I greatly admire Del Rey's inventive
guitar and uke stylings, Tony Marcus' elegant, swingy guitar playing
and Paul Hostetter's simple but punchy rhythms. Eric's deep guitar
runs and glossy tremolo won my heart many years ago. Jody Stecher
was my fiddle teacher when I was in my late teens; he's been one of
my musical heroes ever since. I've been in a number of bands with
Kate Brislin, one of my alltime favorite singers. Dave Murray and
Steven Strauss share an uncanny understanding of oldtime music groove.
These days, I'm very fortunate to play in a band called the Bluegrass
Intentions with Bill Evans, who has the best time, tone and taste
of any bluegrass banjo player I know. Larry Cohea plays thumpy old-style
bass with the Intentions and wins the good attitude prize. Alan Senauke
(another Intention) has been a musical partner and friend for over
20 years and his help with this project was very much appreciated.
Finally, thanks are due to my daughters, Allegra and Corrina, as well
as the various folks who helped care for Corrina during the making
of this CD. Suzy Thompson
Recording Notes
Recorded at Bay Records
by Bob Shumaker and by Jim Nunally at his Crockett, California studio.
Mixed by Bob Shumaker and
Eric Thompson (plus Jody Stecher on Lonesome Shack, No Mockingbird,
and Prodigal Son)
Thanks to Alan Senauke
and Jody Stecher
Artwork by Lisa Berman
Needlework by Laurel Bliss
Photo by Irene Young
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