Dust-to-digital

[Globaltruth]

I reckon these Dust to Digital fellers deserve a thread of their own - exactly the kind of people that should have their own regular show on r3. Labour of love....featuring but not limited to raw 45's from Morocco, a survey of rural religious black music, 78rpm records from S-E Asia, classic & obscure 78's from the Thai countryside, Opika Pende (check it out), and not forgetting Lonnie Holley (Max will play him one day I am sure Paul) - Overall - what's not to like?

http://www.dust-digital.com/

Here's a sampler of free playlists from them to celebrate their first 10 years:

A Thousand Years of Sound
Ten Years in the Making
It has been a wonderful anniversary year for our company, topped off by the recent Grammy nomination for "Pictures of Sound." We are grateful for your support over the last ten years! While reflecting on our catalog, we prepared a couple of SoundCloud mixes for your listening pleasure.

Lance Ledbetter, founder and co-director of Dust-to-Digital, revisited each release (through summer 2013) to create a mix of some of his favorite songs.

https://soundcloud.com/dusttodigital/ledbetter-mix

(yes, the Rev A W Nix pops up less than 2 minutes in - we're still on the Black Diamond to Hell in 2014)
Joe Bussard's Country Classics podcast co-producer Jeremy Rials took it upon himself to create a personal hit parade from the Dust-to-Digital catalog.

https://soundcloud.com/dusttodigital/rials-mix

Additional Playlists
Several record collectors with whom we work made their own year-end playlists. David Murray, compiler of "Kassidat," "Luk Thung" and "Longing for the Past," used the seven inch format as the guide for his mix of 20 obscure, international 45-rpm records.

http://shellachead.bandcamp.com/album/seven-inches-of-love-twenty-obscure-45-rpm-records-from-around-the-world-shellachead-annual-2013

Jonathan Ward, compiler of "Opika Pende" and "Excavated Shellac: Strings," focused his year-end mix on flute recordings from around the world.

http://excavatedshellac.com/2013/12/15/the-flute-excavated-shellac-year-end-mix/

Jake Fussell, who is currently compiling field recordings made by Bill Ferris for a future Dust-to-Digital box set, assembled a Spotify playlist of songs that make his heart sing.

http://open.spotify.com/user/alabamachanin/playlist/0QYOBV01X2h8crtrync7ss

Will update this from time to time as new releases pour forth....


(just to avoid any doubt - I have absolutely no commercial interest in these people, but do buy their product from time-to-time; I'm a fan)

[johncorrigan]

I reckon these Dust to Digital fellers deserve a thread of their own -; I'm a fan)[/SIZE][/I]

Thanks for that Global - listening through the Ledbetter mix - Goodbye Babylon...I'm going to save up for the whole thing this year - at last a New Year's Resolution worth pursuin'.

[Paul Sherratt]

Global,

You'd be dismayed if Lonnie Holley didn't get played by loads of folk at both 3 and 6. And I'm sure he'd create a stir if Ken Bruce put Six Space Shuttles in his machine

[Paul Sherratt]

At last and not before time, Lonnie has broken his R3 duck thanks to Anne Hilde ( 30/1/2014 )

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-UKGmCMBP9E

One show down, quite a few still to go.

[Globaltruth]

Some new releases from this excellent bunch which look worth investigating...

https://www.dust-digital.com/folksongs/

something on there for everyone (even down to the sock pattern)

11. John H. Matheson – A Mhàiri bhàn òg / O Fair Mary
12. John H. Matheson – Stocainnean daoimean / Diamond-Patterned Socks
13. John H. Matheson – Eilean Leòdhais / Isle of Lewis

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ipq4FefX5Ps#action=share

[johncorrigan]

Thanks GT! Last day or so my pal sent me this excellent, if lengthy article from the New Yorker, a lot of it about Lance Ledbetter, the Dust-to-Digital Man and some fellow collectors/ archivists. As so often with the New Yorker it's really well written, this time by Burkhard Bilger. Really interesting but if you don't have time to read it all can I recommend that you read the bit about Ledbetter's encounters with Joe Bussard about halfway down the article. Labours of love indeed.

http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2008/04/28/the-last-verse?mbid=nl_Sunday%20Longreads%20(6)&CNDID=23901332&mbid=nl_Sunday%20Longreads%20(6)&CNDID=23901332&spMailingID=8027493&spUserID=MTAyNDEwOTUyMTI3S0&spJobID=743535296&spReportId=NzQzNTM1Mjk2S0

[Globaltruth]

Thanks GT! Last day or so my pal sent me this excellent, if lengthy article from the New Yorker, a lot of it about Lance Ledbetter, the Dust-to-Digital Man and some fellow collectors/ archivists. As so often with the New Yorker it's really well written, this time by Burkhard Bilger. Really interesting but if you don't have time to read it all can I recommend that you read the bit about Ledbetter's encounters with Joe Bussard about halfway down the article. Labours of love indeed.

http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/20...NzQzNTM1Mjk2S0

JC - I read every word! this is a wonderful evocative article, capturing the obsessive nature of the music collector and highlighting the great work these Dust-to-Digital people do.I'm committed to buying more from them but my first reaction was to scurry off to Spotify to see what they've got of the works mentioned - Goodbye to Babylon Vols 1-5 for a start.
That'll keep me going for a bit.
And, of course, thinking about that old song from these isles 'Awake awake you drowsy sleeper'.

Thanks v much for the link JC.

[Don Petter]

I can recommend 'Arkansas at 78 RPM: Corn Dodgers & Hoss Hair Pullers' (DTD 36), with many performers who few will know. Only a couple of tracks by Pope's Arkansas Mountaineers and Dr Smith's Champion Hoss Hair Pullers might be familiar.

Excellent transfers, and notes by Tony Russell, the only slight drawback being the digipack, which I've never liked.

[Globaltruth]

I can recommend 'Arkansas at 78 RPM: Corn Dodgers & Hoss Hair Pullers' (DTD 36), with many performers who few will know. Only a couple of tracks by Pope's Arkansas Mountaineers and Dr Smith's Champion Hoss Hair Pullers might be familiar.

Excellent transfers, and notes by Tony Russell, the only slight drawback being the digipack, which I've never liked.

thanks for the recommendation Don - that's also on Spotify

https://open.spotify.com/album/743elRSf4Jiboc6uQJAoMB

but, to be fair to the D-to-D people, it is only $12 from their store

https://www.dust-digital.com/arkansas/

As you say, shame about the gatefold packaging - they break so easily, not a friendly thing.




Meanwhile, here's an interesting source on 'Awake, Arise you Drowsy Sleeper'.

http://digicoll.library.wisc.edu/WiscFolkSong/data/docs/WiscFolkSong/100/000043.pdf

I never knew about the link with The Silver Dagger (pace Joan Baez https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MX-QApWIXs4 , Dolly Parton [URL="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OCZYAeHrBEU"] and Bob Dylan)

[Don Petter]

thanks for the recommendation Don - that's also on Spotify

https://open.spotify.com/album/743elRSf4Jiboc6uQJAoMB

but, to be fair to the D-to-D people, it is only $12 from their store

https://www.dust-digital.com/arkansas/

As you say, shame about the gatefold packaging - they break so easily, not a friendly thing.

Available in UK from Red Lick at £12.95, who deserve all support for their fantastic service to blues and old timey over many years (no connection, except as customer). The price difference might change after shipping charges, anyway.

http://www.redlick.com/index.php

You can read reviews of two other recent Dust-to-Digital issues on their current site. (Folksongs of Another America and Ola Belle Reed)

[Globaltruth]

Available in UK from Red Lick at £12.95, who deserve all support for their fantastic service to blues and old timey over many years (no connection, except as customer). The price difference might change after shipping charges, anyway.

http://www.redlick.com/index.php

You can read reviews of two other recent Dust-to-Digital issues on their current site. (Folksongs of Another America and Ola Belle Reed)

Good point - Don, I also have no connection except as a customer - they have the most fantastic list and deserve all the support they can get. Here's the review of Ola Belle Reid

http://www.redlick.com/review_read.php?id=524

[Globaltruth]

Another labour of love from D2D (and available from Red Lick in UK) this time Blind Alfred Reed, the Appalachian Visionary:

http://www.dust-digital.com/blind-alfred-reed/

Their work not yet on Spotify but there is some other material

https://open.spotify.com/track/20OjxB3pMdg9qY2YKEHeC4

This song was subsequently covered by Bruce Springsteen (Ho hum) and another by Ry Cooder...

http://youtu.be/NO8GHot0Uhc

[Don Petter]

Another labour of love from D2D (and available from Red Lick in UK) this time Blind Alfred Reed, the Appalachian Visionary:
http://www.dust-digital.com/blind-alfred-reed/

Blind Alfred Reed is one of my all-time favourite Old Timey artists, and I've had the Document issue since the year dot. The extra two tracks on the new DtD (W Va Night Owls) are also on other compilations.

Worth duplicating for the booklet at about £24? I'm a completist, so I'll be getting it. Transfers might be slightly better, though the Document always sounded pretty good.

I see that although the DtD site says released on 19th Feb, that may be in the US. Amazon UK says 18th March, and Red Lick don't mention it yet, even in their latest releases list.

[Globaltruth]

Blind Alfred Reed is one of my all-time favourite Old Timey artists, and I've had the Document issue since the year dot. The extra two tracks on the new DtD (W Va Night Owls) are also on other compilations.

Worth duplicating for the booklet at about £24? I'm a completist, so I'll be getting it. Transfers might be slightly better, though the Document always sounded pretty good.

I see that although the DtD site says released on 19th Feb, that may be in the US. Amazon UK says 18th March, and Red Lick don't mention it yet, even in their latest releases list.

Thanks Don - I must admit, I only had a quick look for this on the Red Licks site, but got immediately sidetracked elsewhere (...) but I'm sure they will stock it in time (unless you know different, it's always good to have an assumption challenged ) I reckon, as you said before, better to get it from them, looks a lovely item.
It would be great if you felt like doing a more in-depth review at some point, as you are clearly more knowledgable than many on this particular artist (and maybe more?).

[Don Petter]

Thanks Don - I must admit, I only had a quick look on the Red Licks site, but got immediately sidetracked elsewhere (...) but I'm sure they will stock it in time (unless you know different, it's always good to have an assumption challenged ) I reckon, as you said before, better to get it from them, looks a lovely item.
It would be great if you felt like doing a more in-depth review at some point, as you are clearly more knowledgable than many on this particular artist (and maybe more?).

Well, as always I'm reticent about any pontificating - I'm really just a long term enthusiast for the genre, which gives me great pleasure. (This being coupled with not only classical, but Irish and British traditional music, no wonder we can't move for CDs in this house!)

However, I will comment on the DtD when I get it, at least in terms of the book and how it fares against the old Document issue. For those who want a flavour of Blind Alfred Reed, the DtD site you quoted has a complete track to listen to. To me, apart from the inherent interest in the lyrics and their place in the time in which he lived, the songs are a simply superbly tuneful blend of voice and fiddle, the sort that can give you the shivers down the spine when you hear them again after a break.