Happy Music Monday! Scott's starting out this year with an exciting tribute to the always-interesting Smithsonian Folkways label, home to some of the least-known and most-sought-after vinyl records ever produced. Thankfully they have also gone digital so modern people can listen too. Want to find some examples? Sure ya do!
Of course this is the relaxing classic, just plain ol' ocean sounds behind a lovely cover. This one probably surprised more than a few people who were expecting a slow moody jazz record, but it also probably made more than a few people pretty happy. Releasing nature sounds is always risky, but surprisingly, it's not the most risky thing that Folkways has ever done. You'll find out what I mean by that in just a few seconds.
Four more, coming up. And hey, if you like these, you can visit the Folkways website and discover some more insanity genius.
3 Flute Players And 300 Turkeys
Okay, before you hit play, let's explain what you're about to hear. As part of an experiment in interspecies communication, artist Jim Nollman took his flutes out into a field of turkeys and tried to form a kind of duet. What came out of that is completely up to you to decide. Is this a very complex performance piece? Is this blatant comedy? Is this high art? Is this a new direction for music? Society can now be the judge. All we know for sure is that no place but Folkways ever would have released this thing. And for that, we must be grateful.
At the Zoo: Puma ยท Arthur Merwin Greenhall
If you're in the part of the country where pumas live, then you probably know these sounds. If you're not, this might be your first chance to hear a puma chattering. Today it's easier to make find puma sounds on YouTube (as you're doing now) but when this record came out, it was either live or nothing. And live isn't as safe as a record.
This is a lovely recording of what it would be like to sit in a little Mexican town and enjoy a mix of church bells and firecrackers together. Close your eyes and you can fill in the visual gaps in your head. It's maybe not pop music, but it's charming, isn't it? A little moment in time captured by a microphone is what Folkways excels at.
Have you ever wondered what each frequency sounds like? Or what frequency that traditional EBS test transmits at? Folkways understands. This collection of the various frequencies gives you the power to sample all the different high-pitched beeps of your dreams. What a gift!
Remember that even though Scott's picked the weird stuff, Folkways also has old blues artists, lots of music from foreign countries, and yes, folk. Check out the Folkways website and be dazzled, then maybe post some of the cool stuff you find in the comments below. See you next week!