Good Old Friends
A Music Fan | 03/02/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)
"The late Dave Van Ronk, traditional jazz/folk singer and finger-picker extraordinaire, is remembered with fondness and awe by those who knew him. The raucous joy and the gentle sorrow he put in his music, and the consummate skill with which he performed, will not be forgotten by anyone who has heard him. By all accounts he was quite the character too. He was a guitar teacher and mentor to many New York folk singers. Among them is David Massengill, who has drawn this collection from Van Ronk's repertoire and added a few of his own, in honor of his friend.
At first these two would seem an unlikely pair, one who spins shimmering fantasies and the other who told the grittiest truths. They do have some things in common, though, besides the Greenwich Village folk community around them. Both were gifted with powerful, malleable voices that can go from cool to hot, from sweet to snarling, in an eyeblink; also, a taste for earthy humor, subtle irony and the Bohemian worldview; an ear for traditional songs; and the ability to create or interpret brilliantly. They admired each other's work, toured together for a time, and formed a lasting friendship.
This tribute album is more in the nature of a folk-style elegy than a New Orleans flavored jazz sendoff. This is David's Dave. He is careful, almost reverent, with Dave's material. As he tries on (what could be) Dave's mariner cap in photos on the jewel case, so he tries on the music in his own rich voice, with occasional direct quotes. Sometimes he arrives at a synthesis which is quite stunning, as with Last Call, a Van Ronk original. Dave didn't write a lot of songs, which is unfortunate because when he did, they were exceptional. David includes five of them here, among them fine covers of Honey Hair and Zen Koans Gonna Rise Again. There are also classics like Candy Man, and traditional songs that gained new life through Van Ronk's arranging, like Green Green Rocky Road and House of the Rising Sun. There are also David's own songs about Dave, folksy and funny and sad, that illuminate their friendship; you must hear My Good Old Friend, which is very touching.
The accompaniment is spare, mostly David's dulcimer in signature style, or his guitar. I especially like how the dulcimer and voice work together on the traditional Long John.
Economic realities dictate that folk music performing, touring and recording is often a solitary business. So as listeners we don't always recognize the cross-currents of influence, mutual regard, artistic swapping & borrowing (& thieving) that come of friendships and shared endeavor, and are at the heart of the folk experience. Dave Van Ronk loved to sing the songs of his musical heroes and pass them along; David Massengill honors him by doing the same.
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Track Listings (18) - Disc #1