yFebruary 2002 Feature Story

Various: Down From The Mountain - Lost Highway
"Down From The Mountain", the companion concert to "O Brother" is more of a showcase for the older school country and gospel featuring some songs from the movie. The concert takes a tone of minimalism with no amplification and vintage radio microphones. One performer of special note is John Hartford, who died about a year after the film's taping (taped in May 2000). Hartford soaked himself in the music and lives of the people playing unadulterated roots music. His big interest was fiddle music and his playing embodies the simplicity and joy of making music-as evidenced in "Big Rock Candy Mountain".

The Whites' soaring high harmonies and The Cox Family's phrasing reflect the strengths of family musical unity. Representing more acoustic hardcore blues is Chris Thomas King presenting a heart-wrenching original piece "John Law Burned Down The Liquor Store," aided by Colin Linden's subtle slide guitar. Of course, "Down On The Mountain" would not be complete without "the man of constant sorrow", Dan Tyminski, whose plaintive and pure vocals shine on "Wild Bill Jones". The instrumental solos took picking in several different directions, including mandolin player Buck White's marching-type solo on "Sandy Land" and dobro veteran Jerry Douglas's "slide effects". Both "O Brother" and "Down On The Mountain" are produced by T-Bone Burnett. He is to be thanked for his efforts to preserve musical history in an age when a mechanized and maniac-driven market normally tops the charts. - Peggy Oliver

Various: O Brother, Where Art Thou? Soundtrack - Lost Highway
Showered with country music honors and nominated for several Grammies, the "O Brother Where Art Thou?" soundtrack is like a two-for-one movie. In a gigantic sense, this picture's musical collaborations help mold the journey of three escaped prisoners and their off-the-wall adventures-including their formation of a singing group called "The Soggy Bottom Boys". It's no surprise that "A Man Of Constant Sorrow" is a running theme and the most well-known song provided by the above-named group. There are no attempts at electronic reconstruction of, or tampering with, these old-school country and gospel selections and the artists represented are very well respected singer-musicians, including Norman Blake, The Stanley Brothers, and the late John Hartford. The songs sucessfully reflect the different turning points in the movie but some that deserve a bit more attention include "Didn't Leave Nobody But The Baby" featuring Emmylou Harris, Allison Kraus, and co-arranger Gillian Welch, complete with tiny baby squeals in the background and angelic harmonies. "In The Jailhouse Now," performed by baritone Tim Black Nelson, is counterbalanced with a comic foil of incredibly twangy yodeling. A relative newcomer in the bunch is Chris Thomas King who has the most contemporary arrangement with a soulful rendition of "Hard Time Killing Floor Blues". There are a few classic recordings inserted with the best being "Po' Lazarus" by James Carter (alias Alan Lomax) with a clanging ball and chain to keep the beat. Finally the echoing sentiments of The Fairfield Four on "Lonesome Valley" present another side of group harmonies, anchored by bass-baritone Isaac Freeman. The overall effort has generated a concert loosely based on "O Brother" with many of the soundtrack contributors called "Down From The Mountain". - Peggy Oliver

Chris Thomas King

- 2/13 @ Arlene Schnitzer Hall, Portland, OR; 2/14 & 2/15 (part of "Down from the Mtn.") @ Paramount Theatre, Seattle, 8p.


Chris Thomas King: Legend of Tommy Johnson-Act I: Genesis 1900's-1990's - 21st Century Blues - This recording was originally intended to be a 2-CD set, the first CD covering blues stylings of the 20th century and the second covering material from the 21st century. King later decided to split the releases so that his 21st Century Blues label could devote sufficient time to promoting each of the recordings individually. Tommy Johnson, a semi-fictional character portrayed by King in the Coen Brothers film "O Brother Where Art Thou?", influenced Act I's first 4 songs. The character was loosely based on the real life delta bluesman Tommy Johnson, whom King listened to as he prepared for his first acting role.

On this album, King does a nice job covering a century of blues stylings in 11 songs. For those first introduced to King by his film character, this recording provides a good introduction to what King has been doing for the last 15 years or so-covering a wide range of music with a blues sentimentality while simultaneously forging ahead to meet the 21st century. Act II will feature King's hip-hop/blues fusions which most new fans will be surprised to hear.
King has released two acoustic albums, and although he recorded Robert Johnson and Son House tunes on these previous releases, King hadn't immersed himself in the music of the delta until he listened to Tommy Johnson. Johnson's "Canned Heat Blues" is the lone cover tune on this album and along with "Flooded in the Delta", King shows himself to have done his studying well; he truly captures the feel of the delta on his steel-bodied guitar. "Trouble Will Soon Be Over" has a gospel feel reminiscent of another 1920s era slide player, Blind Willie Johnson.

Two tracks that King wrote for the "O Brother Where Art Thou?" soundtrack ("O Brother Where Art Thou?" and "John Law Burned Down the Law Liquor Sto'") are also included on Act I. The CD starts out in the solo guitar and vocal tradition while "John Law," moves the CD into post-WWII blues tradition with an electric "band" (so to speak, King actually plays all the instruments on this track) and barrelhouse piano.

"Red Shoes" follows the above migration and features a John Lee Hooker style boogie mixed with slide guitar reminiscent of Elmore James. "Bonnie & Clyde in D minor" moves into heavy Hendrix style blues with a minor blues progression twist that adds a slight Albert King feel. "Do Fries Go With That Shake" has a Chuck Berry feel to it. The album features electric and energetic version of the CD's opening track "O Brother Where Art Thou?", before closing with a soft ballad, "Spread the Glory (Requiem)". - Chris Morda