The Newport Folk Festival 2008
by Michael Rathbun
In 1959 a handful of visionary musicians including Pete Seeger founded the Newport Folk Festival. The list of performers reads like a historical list of the musical families of the world. Dylan, Baez, Ochs, Hammond, Hooker, Hurt, Helm, Watson, Marley, Monroe, Carter, Waters, Buffet, Wiseman... yes they are and were.. the topic of who should be there upon investigation shows that the second festival was advertised as combining Primitive and Populor. Based on the spelling I give that one a rest. The Marley brother's summed up their view on what folk music was...“It's just like Raggae it's the people's music“.
I would like to focus on 3 sets of the two days.. They were engaging and I was honored to also photograph the performers.
First off, Jakob Dylan's set. Jakob, son of the ultimate traveling troubadour Bob Dylan has had signficant success as he mentioned in breaking away from irony that would be there every day he steps out the door. At 38 years old the writer is just a month older than this unassuming and kind young man, so to see his set from the photographer's pit and to see his melodic songwriting and stage prescence really took hold. Backed by 2 members of Chris Robinson's New Earth Mud solo band one sees that among the children gleefully swinging in the sun and sea mist this is truly a “family“ event.
Jakob's most recent album, “Seeing Things“ is an emotional and thought out set of well written acoustic augmented songs. As he mentions, he's not one of those “the music flows through me“ kind of guys although you would think if anyone would have that it would be Jakob. He details that he works very hard at it. My thoughts are that if you get the gift of the riff in the middle of the night and put it down, and forget you do it; if you're Keith Richards in the right cosmic space well then the light is truly Shining on you, but great songwriting is a craft. Wood that needs to be honed with a tool, with great intent and perseverance. The set included the beautifully melodic material from the new album, get your coffee and sit down and look at the view on a Sunday and smile at life tunes and what I would call railroad shuffle. Levon Helm would have been at home on the drums and it shows that the vine of American music is branching out and seeking it's nectar. The distillation of their predecessors noting the best rocks to cling on.. Jakob surely has the skills and any material coming forth from this young man is to be anticipated...
Jakob Dylan's setlist, interview and full 53 minute recording of his set are on NPR below:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=93224500
Next up, The Black Crowes..
In case you missed the last 18 years of the Robinson brother's music let me catch you up. After their rocketship to the front-line with their first album "Shake Your Moneymaker" they've been on the road performing well over 2000 shows globally... They have grown more than anyone could anticipate musically.. I consider them and anyone they play with a true force in music. Their choice of material to open with at the Newport Folk Festival "Girl From The North Country" and "He Was A Friend of Mine" with the Brother's Robinson and augmentation by newly added guitarist Luther Dickinson on mandolin succinctly stated their respect for the festival and the music. Listening to it now, their set was a peak of powerful performance of the festival. Let the backdrop audio (as they allow recording soon to be added, speak for itself)... Because their music does speak for itself and has to be seen..Coming to a town near you this year... October for New England. Frankly, I like the band too much to give an un-jaded perspective... That flew off when they knocked me out 16 years ago.. Checkem out they'll show you what live music is about..
For an idea of what it must have been like:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=irVi73pIRMY&feature=related
The Black Crowes setlist at the Newport Folk Festival from THE information repository for the Black Crowes - Crowesbase.com:
http://www.crowesbase.com/tapelisting.cfm?TapeID=2106
 Richie Havens: Speaking of supposed to be there, this man is truly one of my musical greats.. A kind human being a see-er of truth since growing up the eldest of nine children in Brooklyn.. A man who steps decidedly and with true optimism of the human spirit with each step.. Speaking of spirit this man opened the Woodstock Music and Art Fair on August 15th, 1969 at 5:07 p.m. with this set:
High Flyin' Bird
I Can't Make It Any More
With a Little Help from My Friends
Strawberry Fields Forever
Hey Jude
I Had A Woman
Handsome Johnny (marching himself off to war again M.R.)
Freedom/Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child
Revisting the songs on the Woodstock Directors release pounds in the significance.
Stylistically he stands alone.. his heartfelt right hand ripping through the strings straight from his unsheltered heart. His feet pounding the stage in time. His eyes shut and searching through the darkness for truth.. Interspersed with the soulful performances of the songs he smiles at you... Joking about running through guitar picks by the gross and that his left and right ears hearing tuning arguments differently.. Frankly I believe the man's found a space of peace that we all should strive for.. Meeting the man seals the deal.. His smiles and excitement for your life and happiness is inspirational..
As he sang at Woodstock and did at this year's Newport Folk Festival...Freedom... Feeeedom... Freeeeedom!
Thank you for the honor... it truly was a dream come true...
Oh and Helm and Buffet were amazing from the water.. but's that's another story for another day..
Michael Rathbun is a free-lance music writer, photographer and recording engineer.. He can be reached at rathbun_michael@yahoo.com. Artists are immediately welcome to the photographs for their own promotion without fee.
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