Smithsonian Folkways
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Smithsonian Folkways Recordings | |
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Founded | 1987 |
Founder | Smithsonian Institution |
Country of origin | United States |
Location | Washington, D.C. |
Official website | folkways |
Smithsonian Folkways is the nonprofit record label of the
History
The Smithsonian Folkways Recordings label arose when the Smithsonian acquired a vast collection of recordings from Folkways Records, maintained by Moses Asch. The original 2,168 titles produced by Folkways Records now make up the bulk of the label's collection.[1]
Folkways Records
In 1905, Moses "Moe" Asch was born in Poland. His father, Sholem Asch, a successful author, made enough money to move the family to Paris in 1912. In 1914, Sholem left Paris for work in New York City and, a year later, sent for his family. The experience at Ellis Island was traumatic for 10-year-old Moe, and, based on his own account, the memory was seared into his mind. Sholem believed in educating his fellow man through his literature, and Moe showed that same passion through his chosen career of audio engineering.[2]
In the mid-1920s, Asch studied radio engineering in Germany, a center for the new science. When he returned to the United States, he worked for various electronic firms before opening his own radio repair business, Radio Labs, during the Great Depression. In this business, Moe built equipment for radio stations and installed recorders for air use.[3] Asch wrote in a 1961 article, "Forming one of the first independent record companies it was natural for me to want to record folk music and people's expression of their wants, needs and experiences."[4]
In 1940, Sholem invited his son with him to New Jersey to meet physicist and humanitarian
Folkways Records released over 2,000 recordings between the years 1949 and 1987, spanning many genres, including
Smithsonian Institution
In 1984, looking for someone to continue the Folkways Records collection after him, Asch found Ralph Rinzler, who was then artistic director of the Smithsonian's annual Folklife Festival. Asch saw that the Smithsonian had the power to keep the collection alive and keep the sounds of the world in the people's hands.[7] Asch stipulated one main condition: that every recording was to remain in print forever, regardless of its sales. It was the way that he began the label, and he felt that the people deserved to have the sounds of the world preserved. There was opposition to the transfer, with some members of the Smithsonian citing the Folkways collection's "uneven quality" and "balance of repertory". Despite these criticisms, Rinzler persevered, and negotiations with Asch continued. Asch died in 1986 before the deal was completed, but his family finished the passing of the Folkways Records to the Smithsonian in 1987.[8]
Additional acquisitions
The collection became known as the Moses and Frances Asch Collection, part of the
Operations
After the creation of the collection in the Smithsonian Archives, only two full-time positions were funded. Rinzler recruited Anthony Seeger, well known in the ethnomusicology community as director of the Archives of Traditional Music at Indiana University, as director, and a full-time archivist, Jeff Place. The Smithsonian also stipulated a condition regarding the transfer: if they accepted the label, it would have to support itself through its sales. Seeger and Place had no experience running a record label, but took on the project. Though they could not retain all of Asch's business practices, they managed to preserve the essence of Folkways Records while creating the new label, Smithsonian Folkways. The label now relies on a small team of full-time staff, part-time staff, interns, and volunteers to continue the mission of Smithsonian Folkways.[10][11]
Artists
In addition to its vast catalogue of historical recordings, Smithsonian Folkways has recently begun signing and releasing material from living artists. Current artists with albums on Smithsonian Folkways include Dom Flemons, folk trio Lula Wiles, Kaia Kater, Mariachi los Camperos, Los Texmaniacs, Our Native Daughters (artists Rhiannon Giddens, Leyla McCalla, Allison Russell, and Amythyst Kiah), Anna & Elizabeth, and Elizabeth Mitchell (musician). They are releasing an album in September from American composer and musician Laurie Anderson, Tibetan musician Tenzin Choegyal, and activist and composer Jesse Paris Smith.
Projects
Smithsonian Folkways is engaged in several projects dedicated to increasing the awareness and use of its recordings, as well as the preservation of them.
Digital distribution
As part of their mission in spreading the sounds of the world, Smithsonian Folkways has made the recordings of their archives available digitally in various ways, in addition to retail distribution of CDs (some titles
Smithsonian Global Sound
In February 2005, Smithsonian Folkways launched
folkways.si.edu
Smithsonian Folkways now offers the entire Folkways collection for digital download through its website, at $0.99 for most songs and $9.99 for most albums, available in both MP3 and FLAC format. In addition, Smithsonian Folkways distributes digitally via outlets such as iTunes and eMusic.[13]
Jazz: The Smithsonian Anthology
In 2011 Smithsonian Folkways released a new jazz anthology to update their previous release, the 1973 Smithsonian Collection of Classic Jazz. The anthology includes 111 tracks on six discs, held within a 200-page compilation of historical essays, musical analyses, and contemporary photographs of the musicians.[14]
Woody at 100: The Woody Guthrie Centennial Collection
In 2012 Smithsonian Folkways released
Lead Belly: The Smithsonian Folkways Collection
In 2015 Smithsonian Folkways released
The Social Power of Music
In February 2019, Smithsonian Folkways Recordings released The Social Power of Music, a four-CD anthology and 124-page book exploring the power of music to bring people together, through various musical and social movements from across the United States and the world. The collection includes tracks from The Freedom Singers, Suni Paz, Clifton Chenier, and many others.
Jazz Fest: The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival
In May 2019, Smithsonian Folkways released Jazz Fest: The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, a five-disc, 136-page book and box set featuring 50 live tracks recorded live at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival in celebration of the festival's 50th anniversary. The collection includes music from Allen Toussaint, Professor Longhair, Dr. John, and The Neville Brothers.
Pete Seeger: The Smithsonian Folkways Collection
Also in May 2019, Smithsonian Folkways released Pete Seeger: The Smithsonian Folkways Collection in celebration of what would have been Pete Seeger's one hundredth birthday. The anthology contains classic recordings, 20 previously unreleased tracks, historic live performances, and special collaborations from Pete Seeger's career, as well as six discs and a large-format, 200-page book.
Save Our Sounds
In 2003, Smithsonian Folkways, in conjunction with the
Awards
Smithsonian Folkways and its collection of labels have earned a variety of awards and honors including 7 Grammy Awards, one Latin Grammy award, 10 Grammy Lifetime Achievement Awards, and 19 Independent Music Awards.[17]
See also
- Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage
- List of Smithsonian Folkways artists
- List of record labels
References
- ^ "Moses and Frances Asch Collection". Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage. Retrieved 2013-01-02.
- ISBN 978-0-06-156355-3.
- ISBN 978-0-06-156355-3.
- ^ Asch, Moses (Feb/March 1961). "Folk Music – A Personal Statement". Sing Out!
- ISBN 978-0-06-156355-3.
- ^ Rogovoy, Seth (Summer 2002). "Moe Asch: Collector of Culture". Pakn Treger, pp.8–10.
- ^ Burdick, Alan (01 July 2001). "Now Hear This: historic sound recordings at Smithsonian Folkways Records". Harpers Magazine.
- ISBN 978-0-06-156355-3.
- ^ "Archives". Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage. Retrieved 25 February 2019.
- ISBN 978-0-06-156355-3
- ^ "Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage". Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage. Retrieved 25 February 2019.
- ^ Trescott, Jacqueline (April 1, 2005). "Smithsonian Folkways to Open MP3 Music Store". Washington Post, p.C01.
- ^ (May 25, 2006). "Gigs & Bytes:Downloading Woody". Pollstar.
- ^ Burgess, Richard. "Producer's Note," liner note essay. Jazz: The Smithsonian Anthology, 2010, Smithsonian Folkways Recordings.
- ^ January 27, 2003. "What's that Sound?: Could be anything at the Library of Congress". The Holland Sentinel, p.A12.
- ^ “Save Our Sounds:America’s Recorded Sound Heritage Project”. Library of Congress. Retrieved 2010-05-14.
- ^ "Awards". Smithsonian Folkways Recordings. Retrieved 25 February 2019.