BOOKLET
"When the wooden man begins to sing,
the stone woman gets up to dance." An enigmatic phrase from a
ninth century Chinese poem. When the old songs are sung, singer, listener,
and the song itself come alive. That’s what it means to me.
The songs on Wooden Man have been
with me for many years. Most of them were written and recorded well
before I was born. They speak about lost love, natural disasters,
prison, death, and more–themes of folk music that have sadly
been discarded by the nabobs of popular music. But in a real sense
they are popular music. Old songs continue to be sung because
they carry truths about our lives. Such truths go beyond our direct
experience–I never waited out a dust storm or sat in a small
town jail or dreamed about kissing my dead lover. Vivid lyrics and
plain melodies open another’s experience to each of us. In a
strange sense, we live a new life, and the song becomes our own.
We recorded most of these songs in my
attic on Russell Street in Berkeley during the spring of 2000. Brendan
Doyle brought over microphones, stands, his computer, and a bunch
of other gear, and we set up a remote digital studio. The musicians
are old friends. We have been sharing music for many years, some going
back to high school and college days. I put together simple ensembles
that felt right for each particular song.
Although the material derives from styles
of American music of the rural south, these recordings, our playing,
and singing are infused with spirits of the place and time we inhabit.
I hear Berkeley and New York City in the mix, from the mid-2Oth to
the early-21st century. We have this wide circle of friends
who try to be as true as possible to tradition, source, and root feeling.
And who try to be completely ourselves. It’s an interesting and
creative tension to live with. Whether we succeed or fail, the effort
itself causes the wooden man to sing, the stone woman to dance.
–Alan Senauke
May 2002
Berkeley, California
ABOUT THE SONGS
1. The Bravest Cowboy is often
found in collections of cowboy songs. I learned it in 1980 when my
musical partner Howie Tarnower and I visited Tommy Jarrell in Toast,
North Carolina. Like many others who spent time with him, we found
Tommy warm, open, and full of music right up to the end. I am grateful
to have had these few days with him.
Bill Evans: banjo
Suzy Thompson: fiddle
Alan Senauke:
vocal, guitars
Traditional, arr. by Alan Senauke,
Fifth Child Music, BMI
2. Angelina Baker/Angeline the Baker
has two sources. The song was composed by Stephen Foster. As a slave-era
song it includes a verse or two I chose not to sing. I wonder if the
tune predates the song or vice-versa? I have always loved the tune,
and first heard the song from Mac Benford, when Mac, Jody Stecher,
and I did a short tour of the midwest together in the fall of 1981.
Bill Evans: vocal, banjo
Suzy Thompson: vocal, fiddle
Larry Hanks: bass vocal
Alan
Senauke: vocal, guitars
Traditional, arr. by Alan Senauke,
Fifth Child Music, BMI
3. The Blue Sky Boys’ version
of The Unquiet Grave caught my attention on a collection of
their songs issued by the Country Music Foundation in the 1970s. It
is a morbid and mysterious lyric, a dialogue between living and dead
that speaks to the persistence of grief and desire. I suppose that
is why I like it. This version is a variant of Child Ballad 78, "Cold
Blows the Wind." The duet is by myself and Kate Brislin, one
of my favorite singing partners for more than 20 years.
Kate Brislin: vocal, guitar
Jody Stecher: mandolin
Alan Senauke:
vocal, guitars
Traditional, arr. by Alan Senauke,
Fifth Child Music, BMI
4. The Preacher and the Bear was
an 1893 hit composed by Alfred Williams and Joe Arzonia. It became
a standard in the repertoire of white and black minstrel bands. This
version is adapted from a 1975 Library of Congress recording by George
& Ethel McCoy of East St. Louis, Illinois.
Bill Evans: banjo
Suzy Thompson: vocal
Larry Hanks: bass vocal
Alan
Senauke: vocal, guitar
Traditional, arr. by Alan Senauke,
Fifth Child Music, BMI
5. La Valse de Grands Chemin comes
from the playing of the great Cajun musician Iry Lejeune. In the late
1940s and early 50s, his impassioned singing and fiery accordion playing
set a new standard for Cajun music. He died before reaching thirty,
but his influence is still strong. It flowed freely in the playing
of our late friend Danny Poullard, who opened the door for many of
us in California who play and love Louisiana French music.
Suzy Thompson: vocal, accordion, fiddle
Alan
Senauke: vocal, guitars
Traditional, arr. by Alan Senauke,
Fifth Child Music, BMI
6. In his notes to Bear Family’s
monumental CD box set, The Carter Family–No household
is complete without it!–Charles Wolfe writes: "Diamonds
in the Rough was another old shape-note gospel song that A.P.
(Carter) found and rearranged. The song itself had been written and
copyrighted back in 1897, with composer credits to C.W. Bryan."
Suzy Thompson: vocal, fiddle
Bill Evans: banjo
Eric Thompson: mandolin
Larry Hanks: bass vocal
Alan Senauke:
vocal, guitars
A.P. Carter, APRS, BMI
7. Jon Sholle and I have been
playing Tom Cat Blues since high school in Great Neck, N.Y.
We cobbled together our first oldtime/bluegrass band, The Smokey Mountain
Revelers, in 1963, and we have stayed good friends. Without overstating
the case, Jon is the most astonishing, fluid, and energizing guitar
player I have ever met. I thought that in 1963, and I think it now.
It was great fun to record this at his home studio in Ossining, N.Y.
"Tom Cat Blues" comes from Cliff Carlisle via the New Lost
City Ramblers, whose repertoire has been a treasure house for me and
many others from the start.
Jon Sholle: vocal, Papoose guitar
Alan
Senauke: vocal, guitars
Traditional, arr. by Alan Senauke,
Fifth Child Music, BMI
8. Special Agent was written and
recorded by the Sleepy John Estes in the 1930s. Unlike many of his
contemporaries, Sleepy John wrote many of his songs from real events
in his life and in the life of society around him, painting with a
keen eye, rather than assembling songs from a store of vernacular
verses. When Sleepy John says on record, "Got to do some recording,
ought to be recording right now," he brings an early expression
of post-modern thought of into his blues. I remember seeing Sleepy
John and his partner Yank Rachell at Carnegie Hall in the middle 1960s.
Eric Thompson: guitar
Bill Evans: banjo
Alan Senauke: vocal,
mandola
John Adams Estes, Songs of Universal,
BMI
9. She Has Forgotten comes from
the country duo Karl & Harty, via Don Reno & Red Smiley, who
recorded it on their album Country Songs. The sentiment in
this sentimental song is enhanced by the singing of Suzy Thompson.
Suzy and I have been singing together since the late 70s. The clear
quality of her voice and her musical intelligence continue to astonish
me.
Suzy Thompson: vocal, fiddle
Eric Thompson: mandolin
Bill Evans: banjo
Alan
Senauke: vocal, guitars
Karl Davis, Hartford Taylor,
Patrick McAddry, Universal Duchess Music, BMI
10. Dock Boggs was a rounder in
his youth, so it is only natural that he spent some time in the Wise
County Jail in western Virginia where he lived. At least he got
a good song out of it. Although he didn’t record "Wise County
Jail" until the 60s, it doubtless dates from a 1928 run-in with
the "law" during prohibition. I first heard this from Jody
Stecher, who has been a good friend and musical hero since the middle
1960s.
Jody Stecher: fiddle
Kate Brislin: guitar
Alan Senauke:
vocals, guitars
Dock Boggs, arr. by Alan Senauke, Fifth
Child Music, BMI
11. In the late 70s, thanks to
Paul Silvius, I came into possession of a bunch of live recordings
of the Lilly Brothers & Don Stover taped off shows on the Harvard
University radio station in the early 1960s. The Spanish Cavalier
caught my ear right off. The song never made it onto their records.
It was written by William D. Hendrickson in 1881 and drifted in and
out of popular music for the next fifty years. The Sons of the Pioneers
recorded a version in 1947.
Kate Brislin: vocal
Jody
Stecher: vocal, mandolin
Marty Cutler: banjo
Alan Senauke: vocal, guitars
Traditional, arr. by Alan Senauke,
Fifth Child Music, BMI
12. Dust Storm Disaster
was written by Woody Guthrie in the 1930s. It was a time when storms
in Oklahoma and other parts of the west blew away a vast part of the
fertile topsoil, that had been over-cultivated, thinned, and worked
to death. The song was included in Dust Bowl Ballads, a compelling
and unmatched song cycle that Woody recorded in 1940.
Alan Senauke: vocal, guitars
Woody Guthrie, TRO, BMI
13. George Jones & Melba
Montgomery recorded one strictly bluegrass album, Bluegrass Hootenanny,
in 1964. Will There Ever Be Another is a gem from this album
that Mary and I have sung together for years.
Mary Gibbons: vocal, guitar
Marty Cutler: banjo
Alan Senauke:
vocal, guitars
Melba & Carl Montgomery,
Glad Music, BMI
14. I made up Fairbanks
in 1983, while I was living with Ray Bierl on Fairbanks Street in
Oakland, California. It came out of a wonderful, very beat-up 1943
Martin D-18 I had just bought–against my better judgement. Still
have the guitar and the tune. My old friend and guitar partner Eric
Thompson shares the spotlight here.
Eric Thompson: guitar
Alan
Senauke: guitars
Alan Senauke, Fifth Child Music,
BMI
15. All Night Long is an old-time
classic from Burnett and Rutherford recorded in the late 1920s. I
used to be good all night long, but now I just sing the song.
Suzy Thompson: vocal, fiddle
Eric Thompson: mandolin
Bill Evans:
banjo
Alan Senauke: vocal, guitar
Traditional, arr. by Alan Senauke,
Fifth Child Music, BMI
16. Meeting is Over comes from
the repertoire of Jean Ritchie and the Ritchie family of Kentucky.
Jean is an astonishing singer with a vast repertoire. My good friend
Yassir Chadly, originally from Morocco, collaborated on this unusual
setting, drawing out a deep spirituality that transcends cultures.
Yassir Chadly: gimbri, bendir
Alan
Senauke: vocal, guitars
Ritchie Family, arr. by Jean
Ritchie, Geordie Music Publishing, ASCAP
I include two so-called "bonus
tracks" after all the recent recordings. These were both recorded
in New York City during June of 1981, when Kate Brislin was visiting
out east.
17. The Honky Tonk Song is a classic
country rocker which was performed by Webb Pierce in the 50s.
Mel Tillis & Buck Peddy,
Universal Cedarwood, BMI
18. What Was I Supposed To Do
was written and sung by Paul Williams, who played mandolin on many
of Jimmy Martin’s classic recordings. Kate and I recorded it
again with The Blue Flame Stringband, along with Eric &
Suzy Thompson.
Sam Humphrey & Paul Williams,
Universal Champion Music, BMI
Kate Brislin: vocal (on "What Was
I Supposed To Do")
Jon Sholle: Fender guitar
Matt Glaser: fiddle
Evan Stover: fiddle (on "What Was I Supposed To Do")
Roger Mason: electric bass
Michael Holleman: drums
Alan Senauke:
vocal, guitars
Biographical Sketch
Alan Senauke is a guitarist, singer, and
music writer who has been privileged to work with many wonderful bluegrass
and folk musicians over the years. Alan was editor of the folk music
magazine Sing Out! in the 1970s. Also in the 70s, as half of
The Fiction Brothers, Alan toured extensively and recorded two albums
for Flying Fish Records. He currently plays in several Bay Area bands
including the Bluegrass Intentions (Old As Dirt, Native and
Fine 906-4), the Earls, the Aux Cajunals, and the Blue Flame Stringband.
In the early 1980s Alan and Eric Thompson recorded an instrumental
album, Two Guitars (Flying Fish 393).
Alan is also a Zen Buddhist priest, living
at Berkeley Zen Center with his wife Laurie and their children, Silvie
and Alexander. From 1991 through 2001 he was Executive Director of
the Buddhist Peace Fellowship, an international organization devoted
to Buddhism and social action.
Produced by Alan Senauke and Brendan Doyle
at home in Berkeley, California between March 2000 and May 2002. Recorded
by Brendan Doyle.
"Tom Cat Blues" recorded and
mixed by Jon Sholle in November 2000.
"The Honky Tonk Song" &
"What Was I Supposed To Do" recorded at Right Track Studio
in NYC, June 1981.
Digitally mastered by Myles Boisen at
Headless Buddha Mastering Lab.
Special thanks to Brendan Doyle (without
whom this would not be in your hands. I am glad he didn’t know
what he was getting into!), Eric & Suzy Thompson, Bill Evans,
Maxine Gerber, Laurie Senauke, Silvie and Alexander Senauke, all the
musicians who helped out, and all those living and dead from whom
I have borrowed music. Thanks also to Jim Nunally, Chris Strachwitz,
Mike Cogan, David Gans, and Henry Kaiser.
Musicians: Kate Brislin, Yassir Chadly,
Marty Cutler, Bill Evans, Mary Gibbons, Larry Hanks, Jon Sholle, Jody
Stecher, Eric Thompson, Suzy Thompson.
Musicans on the "bonus tracks":
Kate Brislin, Matt Glaser, Michael Holleman, Roger Mason, Jon Sholle,
Alan Senauke, Evan Stover.
Album design by David Lynch
Photographs of Alan Senauke by Eric Thompson
Photograph of Brendan Doyle by Alan Senauke
For information and bookings contact Alan
at:
510-845-2215
E-mail: alans@kushiki.org
