Review: Various: Old Time School of Folk Music Songbook, Volume One

Although her label is renowned for its rough-edged, maverick, alt-country stable, label owner Nan Warshaw is a Mom too. She’s never forgotten her duty to educate her children and keep them attuned to the joys of real music that’s fun. The Old Town School is a revered institution that was formed in Chicago in 1957 to teach old-time music in the hopes of preserving it. Bloodshot has merged its artists, together with Old Town instructors and this library of classic old-time tunes to marvelous result. Fresh faces take on ballads and narratives that have existed throughout the 20th century. Chestnuts like “Shady Grove”, “St. James Infirmary” and “Goodnight Irene” get a good scrubbing from new-time artists like ex-Mekon Jon Langford, Wilco’s John Stirratt and the Bad Livers’ Danny Barnes – with results that are surprisingly faithful to the time-honored originals, but with a few fresh twists. The open embrace of change is what made this music great over so many years. The twenty-three tunes documented here prove to be fare that’s far from dry.  The extensive liner notes serve to teach you a thing or two but the music is the hero here and stand-out tracks abound: Alice Peacock’s heartfelt, bluesy “Trouble In Mind”, Robbie Fulk’s rousing “Browns Ferry Blues” and Dan Zanes' authentic-sounding “Drunken Sailor”. This is music for music’s sake and – without exception – these players are into celebrating the music first. For young, for old and for in-between. – Rating: 4.5/5