Albums Etc.
JUST RELEASED! HAPPY'S "AMERICAN STRANGER" CD (with TAB BOOK) AND BONUS "IN CONCERT" DVD!
“An absolute gem...one of the best folk music albums released this year.” - Folk Scene Magazine
Happy Traum's second solo album, originally released in 1977, was widely praised for its excellent musicianship, fine traditional songs and the accompanying tablature book that came with all Kicking Mule Records. It has now been re-released as an enhanced CD, which includes the tab book as a PDF file on the disk, so that aspiring guitarists can learn Happy's arrangements and play along.
The accompanying personnel includes Pat Alger, Eric Weissberg, Roly Salley, John Sebastian, Andy Robinson, Betty MacDonald, Jodi Vogel and Howard Vogel.
This package includes a DVD of Happy playing a solo concert in 1981.
American Stranger (The CD) - Songs:
The American Stranger (Plains of Amerikee); The Eighth of January; Buckets of Rain; When I Was a Cowboy; I Am a Pilgrim; Doney Gal; Golden Bird; Sheebeg an Sheemor; Dark Road Blues; Delia's Gone; I'll Fly Away.
Happy Traum In Concert (The DVD)- Songs"
My Home's Across the Smoky Mountains; Dark Road Blues; Monday Morning Blues; Gypsy Davey; American Stranger; I Am a Pilgrim; Buckets of Rain; Sixteen Tons; The Bounty Hunter; Relax Your Mind; Friend of the Devil; Sheebeg an Sheemor; Golden Bird.
Order this CD and DVD package here
HAPPY & ARTIE LIVE RECORDINGS!
Slice of Life Records in Kyoto, Japan recently released the first new Happy & Artie CD in many years! "Live Recordings 1970s-1980s" is a compilation of shows recorded back in those days at various venues around the U.S, plus three that we recorded in 2005 especially for this disk. The 19-song list features several original songs from that period plus a number of folk and country standards with lots of guitar picking. You can now order copies of this limited-issue CD HERE.
If you live in Japan, this CD can be purchased at:
SLICE OF LIFE RECORDS
(a division of Pooh Yokocho, Inc.)
370-1-501, Kameya-cho
Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto 604-0941 Japan
e-mail address: slice@h6.dion.ne.jp
Here's the set list:
1. Rabbit's Luck
2. Hungry Dogs of New Mexico
3. Farmers Almanac
4. Golden Bird
5. Double Back
6. Goin' Down the Road to See Bessie
7. Earl's Crab Shack
8. Monday Morning Blues
9. Deep River Blues
10. Blow Your Whistle, Freight Train
11. Relax Your Mind
12. Buckets Of Rain
13. Gypsy Davey
14. Gambler's Song
15. When I Paint My Masterpiece
16. Jackhammer Blues
"Bonus" Songs:
17. Stack-o-lee
18. Riptide
19. Sporting Life Blues
HAPPY'S LATEST SOLO CD!
I Walk the Road Again (Click here for full description and ordering page)
The reviews continue to come in!
"Legendary folkie Happy Traum, one half of the admired Happy & Artie Traum duo, is back with his first album in more than a decade. Of the 13 tracks here, several are traditional, such as "Betty & Dupree" and "Danville Girl." Others were penned by Pete Seeger, Brownie McGhee, and Bob Dylan. The standout track, though, is a gorgeous rendition of Allan Taylor's country-folk anthem, "It's Good to See You," which was made popular by Don Williams. All this underscores Traum's superb taste, excellent ear for arrangements, and smart moves in choosing backup players. This is a tasty release for folk-music die-hards and, really, anyone who enjoys folk music. Thanks to Happy Traum, we can all walk the road again." - Dirty Linen July 2006
"Laid-back and bluesy, like an autumn hike down a Bearsville back road, Happy's distinctive fingerpicking and warm, welcoming "c'mon in" vocals give a vibrant new step to the standard stepping stones through folk. You'll play every track again and again...." - Chronogram June 2006
"A sweet gem of a CD.... Albums of this quality are all too rare." - Sing Out! Magazine
"One of the great under the radar gems of folk music comes back doing it the DIY way he's pretty much been doing it all along. With a great bunch of guests on board playing like they are glad to be there, this is a heartfelt set that goes back to his roots that stretch back a long, long time. Although the set is mostly good, old songs, there's nothing here longing for the past. This set is as fresh as the ground breaking sets he did with his brother for Capitol 35 years ago that were just a touch too ahead of the curve for the clueless label to know what to do with in the wake of the Beatles' recent break up. No matter, the here and now is a sweet thing indeed. A real winning creation." - Chris Spector, Midwest Record Recap Review August 28, 2005
"'I Walk the Road Again' is a breathtaking collection of bittersweet country-folk and blues tunes. ...the effort boasts brilliant arrangements of a host of old favorites from Happy's voluminous repertoire. A low-key masterpiece, this album demonstrates that it's not the pace that matters so much as the road itself. It's a road we're glad to see Happy Traum walking so well again." - Peter Aaron, Kingston Daily Freeman Sept. 9, 2005
"A solidly entertaining and tasty new folk recording. Traum is still infinitely listenable, musically creative and about as good an acoustic folk guitarist as there is.... Simply put, "I Walk the Road Again" is a winner, an excellent addition to any collection and a must-have for any folkie." - Noah Fleisher, Pulse September 8, 2005
"This feel-good, laid-back disc goes down like a cool one after a couple of hours of autumn leaf-raking. Traum's gentle and timeworn voice provides a perfect complement to his economical fingerstyle guitar.” - Fred Knaus, minor7th.com
Read an article about the making of the CD in the Woodstock Times.
Songs and Players:
Happy Traum, Acoustic Guitar and vocals
1. Blues Ain't Nothin' - John Sebastian, baritone guitar; Artie Traum, acoustic guitar
2. Danville Girl - Jay Ungar, mandolin; Molly Mason, upright bass; Larry Campbell, fiddles
3. It's Good to See You (Allan Taylor) - Artie Traum, lead acoustic guitar; Jay Ungar, mandolin; Molly Mason, upright bass; Larry Campbell, pedal steel; Amy Fradon, Leslie Ritter, Jay Ungar, Molly Mason, vocals; Brian Melick - tambourine
4. I Walk the Road Again
5. Betty & Dupree - John Sebastian, harmonica
6. Step It Up and Go - John Sebastian - electric baritone guitar
7. Times A- Getting Hard (Lee Hays) - Cindy Cashdollar, Dobro; John Sebastian, harmonica; Molly Mason, upright bass
8. Empty Pockets Blues (Lee Hays & Pete Seeger) - Mike Dowling , resonator guitar; Scott Petito, electric bass; Russ Cashdollar, drums; Amy Fradon and Leslie Ritter, vocals
9. Sporting Life Blues (Brownie McGhee) - Adam Traum, slide guitar; Pete Levin, Hammond B-3
10. Fare Thee Well, Marianne - John Sebastian, Autoharp; Mindy Jostyn, accordion; Abby Newton, cello; Artie Traum, mandolin
11. Pinto Pony (Paul Siebel) - Mike Dowling, resonator guitar; Scott Petito, electric bass; Russ Cashdollar, drums; Brian Melick - Percussion; Amy Fradon and Leslie Ritter, vocals; Happy, 5-string banjo
12. Tonight I'll Be Staying Here with You (Bob Dylan) - Larry Campbell, pedal steel and mandolin
13. Friends And Neighbors - Jay Ungar, mandolin; Molly Mason, upright bass; Artie Traum , acoustic guitar; Abby Newton , cello
Also available:
Click image for a complete description and ordering informationBright Morning Stars
Buckets of Songs
Relax your Mind
My very first solo album for Kicking Mule, which I recorded in 1975, has recently been re-released. The original tab book, which will show you how to play the songs, is now included as a printable file right on the disk. This recording is very unadorned - just me singing with my guitar except for a couple of cuts on which my old friend Pat Alger plays mandolin. The arrangements are all in the fingerpicking style which I've become somewhat known for. Here's an excerpt from my original notes to the album, revised slightly to reflect the new edition:
"The songs on this album have all been favorites of mine for many years - some for as long as I have been playing guitar. Each one says something that touches me, or tells a story that I enjoy retelling. I have arranged them all in the fingerpicking style, for a unity of feeling and for the sake of those, who want to learn to pick. Most are, not terribly difficult, and if you play a little guitar you should be able to master them with the help of the PDF tab booklet that is on the CD. Hopefully, playing these instrumentals will give you ideas for songs that are special to you, and you will use them in your own arrangements”.