| All Artists: Ted Jacobs Title: The Days Gone By: Songs of the American Poets, Vol. 1 Members Wishing: 0 Total Copies: 0 Label: Music Little People Original Release Date: 8/1/2000 Release Date: 8/1/2000 Genres: Folk, Pop, Children's Music Style: Vocal Pop Number of Discs: 1 SwapaCD Credits: 1 UPCs: 081227997120, 081227997045, 081227997120 |
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Search - Ted Jacobs :: The Days Gone By: Songs of the American Poets, Vol. 1
 | Ted Jacobs The Days Gone By: Songs of the American Poets, Vol. 1 Genres: Folk, Pop, Children's Music It couldn't have been an easy assignment, to marry a smattering of much-loved poems by classic American authors to music. That Ted Jacobs tackled the task so handily on The Days Gone By, a country- and bluegrass-leaning co... more » |
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Amazon.com It couldn't have been an easy assignment, to marry a smattering of much-loved poems by classic American authors to music. That Ted Jacobs tackled the task so handily on The Days Gone By, a country- and bluegrass-leaning collection that expertly evokes the image-rich landscapes and fanciful musings of five great American poets, is one more reason to appreciate this project. Six solo vocalists of widely varied inclinations interpret the child-friendly works by Emily Dickinson, Eugene Field, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Edgar Allan Poe, and James Whitcomb Riley. Michael Sherwood performs the sentiment-stirring opening and closing tracks (Riley's "The Days Gone By" and Field's "Some Time"); he could pass for Peter Gabriel with a paternal bent. Tahkus Ekedal, singer of both Dickinson selections ("Will There Really Be a Morning?" and "Hope Is the Thing with Feathers"), besets her songs with an appropriate sense of wonderment in an unadorned child's voice. And David Vidal takes listeners deep into the American heartland of days gone by on Riley's "When the Frost Is on the Punkin" and Poe's "Eldorado," his Dobro-accented, harp-heavy numbers. Besides the poetry, whose every last syllable could easily be committed to memory by careful repeat listeners, what's really worth celebrating here is the music. Jacobs didn't skimp on instruments, throwing in everything from congas to clay shakers to djembe to bodhran, all the while keeping each track uncluttered. It's a shame to say so, but American poetry enthusiasts with a sure distaste for even the occasional twang ought to pass on The Days Gone By. On the other hand, those whose love of Americana extends beyond poetry to bluegrass, with its plucky, apple-pure, down-homey punch, are apt to be doubly delighted. --Tammy La Gorce Similarly Requested CDs
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CD ReviewsA surprising gem of an album; you will fall in love with it Lawrance M. Bernabo | The Zenith City, Duluth, Minnesota | 04/05/2002 (5 out of 5 stars) "Have you ever stumbled on an album where you just want to check it out and end up being blown away when you discover you have a real gem on your hands? I noticed "The Days Gone By" set poems by American Poets to music. Ever since "Hair" set Shakespeare's "What a Piece of Work Is Man" to music I have been entrigued by turning poems into songs, especially since I have a serious problem with my poetic soul. Chances are you will recognize a few of the poems that serve as lyrics on this album, with "The Arrow and the Song" by Longfellow the prime choice for the poem some teacher made you read once upon a time; I remember Poe's "Eldorado" from the John Wayne western where the James Caan character would periodically favor us with a relevant verse at various times during the action.Most of the music on this album is written by Ted Jacobs, who has has co-writers on a few songs, with "Wynken, Blynken and Nod" by Eugene Field featuring music by Lucy Simon. What impresses me the most are all the varied styles Jacobs employs on this album (think Lloyd Webber doing Eliot's poems for "Cats"--only better). "Eldorado" is done in western style while Riley's "When the Frost is on the Punkin" is pure country; both of these songs feature some guitar playing with serious attitude, which is important because it shows these are legitimate songs, not just incidental music to accompany poetic recitations. Some of the best songs on this album feature beautiful harmonies, such as Laura Dallvo on Field's "The Sugar-Plum Tree" as well as Tahkus Ekedal and Amy Deegan on Dickinson's "Hope is the Thing with Feathers." Teachers of poetry should absolutely love this album, unless they are absolute purists who turned off their radios at the start of the British invasion. If these songs do not help students make the connection between lyrical poetry and song lyrics, nothing ever will. Of course, you do not have to have students to enjoy this album, because it stands up just fine on its own. Actually, I would dearly love to hear "Eldorado" played on some C&W radio stations so the DJ can tell everybody, "Time for a little Edgar Allen Poe." You have to admit, Ted Jacobs has a most impressive array of lyricists. I actually had listened to this album a couple of times before I noticed it was a Music for Little People production. Of course, this does not surprise me because I have found the CDs they put out for children to be absolutely wonderful. The only thing is that this clearly says "Volume One," which implies more of the same should be coming down the road one day..."
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