Show originally streamed on Folk Music Notebook on October 16, 2025
Gord’s Gold 1:Welcome My Gentle Listeners to Gord’s Gold. Most people know Steve Martin as a comedian, but that’s not how I first saw him, sitting in with the Nitty Ditty Dirt Band on some early 70s TV show. It turns out I had seen him earlier on the Smothers Brothers, but he had black hair and a common name, and I didn’t make the connection. I knew Alison Brown as the “other” bluegrass Alison, the banjo player, Fiddler Alison Krauss being the first. I’ve played Krauss more here and it’s about time Alison Brown got her due on Gord’s Gold. Alison and Steve Martin teamed up on a new album, Safe, Sensible, and Sane, three words I would never associate with a wild and crazy guy. So, what do two ambitious bluegrass artists do when they collaborate? make whatever kind of music they feel like. Statement of Your Affairs is Calypso.
Alison Brown & Steve Martin – Statement of Your Affairs
Harry Belafonte – Angelina
Gurf Morlix – Beelzebub
South for Winter – Styx and Bones
Gord’s Gold 2: Who could I follow Alison Brown & Steve Martin doing Calypso? Harry Belafonte of course. We heard his Angelina. Do you know which Island Belafonte was born and raised on? Manhattan. His parents were Jamaican. Now get ready for some tough names. We heard Beelzebub by Gurf Morlix. Beelzebub was a Philistine god whom the ancient Hebrews considered a demon, The Lord of the Flies. I bet many of you learned the name from it’s use in the book, Lord of the Flies. I first knew Gurf Morlix as the producer of albums by The Kennedys and Slaid Cleaves. I’m friends with both of them but never had the nerve to ask how they got a Martian to produce their album. You didn’t think Martian when I said “Gurf Morlix?” He’s actually a great Austin musician. I love his new album, Bristlecone. We continued the underworld theme with Styx and Bones, That’s Styx as in the river of Hades, by South for Winter. This is new arrangement from their album String Sessions.
When many people think of folk music the folk they think of are from the British Isles and the US. That leaves the rest of the world underserved. Our next set will feature acts from Africa, Europe, and Francophone Canada. The Kasambwe brothers hail from Malawi in East Africa, not to be confused with Mali in West Africa, which also has a rich musical tradition. It’s remarkable how accessible the Kasambwe Brothers are for fans of traditional American folk. As soon as I heard Ahedi, that means Head Teacher, I knew I had to share it with my Gentle Listeners. You’re going to want to hear more by them and if you listen to Gord’s Gold, you will.
The Kasambwe Brothers – Ahedi (Head Teacher)
Le Vent du Nord – Le Pari de Jeanne
Tone of Voice Orchestra – Hymn (Lived and Learned)
Gord’s Gold 3: After Malawi’s The Kasambwe Brothers we moved to Quebec to hear Le Vent du Nord sing Le Pari de Jeanne. That’s not Paree as in the French pronunciation of Paris, it’s spelled Pari. The title means The Gamble of Jeanne. We finished with a song that sounds thoroughly American, Hymn (Lived and Learned) by Tone of Voice Orchestra. They are from Denmark. We’ve also played their leader, Trinelise Vaering, solo work.
Last Thursday I got an email from radio promoter Nick Loss-Eaton asking me if I wanted to join him at the Owl Music Parlor to see Kissing Other ppl (the last word, all in lower case is ppl), Rachel Baiman, Viv & Riley. I love Rachel so said yes. He also sent me album. This is where things get confusing. Kissing Other ppl (Rachel Baiman, Viv & Riley) Is the name of the band, Kissing Other ppl is the name of the band. Kissing Other People with People spelled out is the name of the song you’ll hear. Rachel is a solo act from Nashville and Viv & Riley, a Durham based duo. They shared a bill, saw they had chemistry and decided to tour together and make an album of cover songs. Kissing Other People is by Lennon Stella. I didn’t know that I had seen Viv & Riley, they are half of Gord’s Gold favorites, The Onlies. It’s a small world.
Kissing Other People | Rachel Baiman, Viv & Riley – Kissing Other People
The Whispering Tree – By My Side
Mediaeval Baebes – October
Jill Sobule – October in Paris
Gord’s Gold 4: After Kissing Other People, we heard By My Side by the delightful The Whispering Tree. Not only are their folk not from the British Isles and the US there are also folk from different times. For the first time in ages the Mediaeval Baebes released a new album, October. These are not old songs but new compositions in the mediaeval style. We heard October. That was followed by October in Paris by Jill Sobule. Her premature death still hurts. She was not just a great musician but a great person.
Sherie Davis is a Boston born and bred, California based singer/songwriter. Let’s listen to Raven Guide Us from her just released album, The Raven and the Moon.
Sherie Davis – Raven Guide Us
Mimi & Richard Farina – Raven Girl
Sarah Kate Morgan & Leo Shannon – Down the Road
Gord’s Gold 5: We just heard Down the Road by Sarah Kate Morgan & Leo Shannon. I know Sarah Kate from her partnership with Nora Brown. Before that we heard Mimi & Richard Farina’s Raven Girl. Do I need to tell My Gentle Readers that Mimi is Joan Baez’s sister? That was proceeded by Raven Guide Us by Sherie Davis.
Thanks for joining me. Till next week, support the artists you love, and listen to live music. Lead Belly will show you out.
Wise Madness 