The more rough-edged and ragged old-time folk sounds, the more likely it is to strike a chord with me. By contrast, if the music sounds too clean and polished it loses something of its rugged, direct aspect.
Five-piece string band The Crooked Jades from San Francisco would therefore appear to be on a hiding to nothing in their "mission to move old-time music out of segregation and show its relevance in modern times".
In fairness, they seem fully aware of the pitfalls of 'cleaning-up' or otherwise prettifying the sound.
They just about manage to keep of the essence of the source material although tracks like the a cappella Sea Lion Woman and the closing track, Ain't No Grave, illustrate that they are prepared to sacrifice rawness for a purer sound.
A rousing version World's On Fire, which was also the title track of their 2006 album, is an example of them reinventing rather than merely interpreting traditional material. They keep the old-timey gospel holler but the use harmonium, slide and bass give the song a very modern feel.
This album is a soundtrack for a work of contemporary dance by the New York based Kate Weare Company. Most of the twenty songs are drawn from their previous six albums and rearranged to fit the format of the fifty minute performance.
Lead vocals are divided between band leader and producer Jeff Kazor, who also plays guitar, and co-founder and multi-instrumentalist Lisa Berman.
Lively fiddle pieces like Old Man Below and Old Blue Sow/Johnny Don't Get Drunk are the tracks that seem most danceable but there are no shortage of darker, mournful ballads like one of the non-traditional story songs, Lucy Mollen, co-written by Tom Lucas and Kazor.
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They use instruments like banjo and fiddle but they are not slaves to tradition. Purists might therefore turn their noses up at the use of slide scratch rhythm on New Lost Mission Blues and a toy piano on Ida Red.
The project was partially funded by The Warren Hellman Foundation but I imagine the budget didn't extend to DVD release. This is a shame as it would be interesting to see how these songs were interpreted by the dance group.
Kate Weare says she was drawn to the band by the darkness within the songs but, unless you've been fortunate enough to see the show, you have to guess from short clips on You Tube if/how the mix of the old music with the new dance works.
As it stands, what we have here is essentially a Crooked Jades compilation album and if, like me, you are new to the band it makes for a good introduction to their life affirming music.
The Crooked Jades' website
Kate Weare's Bright Land website
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