#Joemy Wilson

[mellowchouchou]

Medley: Sir Charles Coote / Lady Blayney - Turlough O'Carolan

Joemy Wilson (hammered dulcimer), Sylvia Woods (Celtic harp)

[onwardintolight]

30 years of songs - age 6

Naya’s Song - Joemy Wilson

As I’ve already said, we listened to a lot of folk/traditional music growing up. When I was little my parents started taking my sister and me to the local traditional music club. I have the best memories of sitting on the floor coloring while listening to the most marvelous music, from Celtic trad to mountain music all the way to Woody Guthrie and Oklahoma folk. There were workshops for a myriad of folk instruments, the “playaround” where people could sign up to share a piece of music with everyone and practice their performing skills, and jam sessions that went late into the night. We went there for years and some of my most cherished memories are there.

I particularly remember one beautiful spring day when the redbuds were all blooming. The local band Nonesuch was having a concert outside, and I remember staring up in awe at the hammered dulcimer player, Jacque, as she wove the most beautiful tapestry of joyful music with her little hammers, as beautiful as birdsong and the wind dancing in the blooming trees. 

Eventually Jacque taught my mom, and later me, how to play the hammered dulcimer too.

I’d heard the sweet sounds of the dulcimer for years; Joemy Wilson’s Dulcimer Lullabies album, along with other wonderful hammered dulcimer players such as John McCutcheon and Tony Elman, were constants in our house. This was my favorite tune by Joemy Wilson; it used to make me cry because it was so beautiful. Later I learned to play it too.

Honorable mention: Si Bheag Si Mhor, played by Tony Elman. This Turlough O’Carolan tune is one of my favorites. It (albeit played by a different artist) featured in the movie version of The Ugly Duckling I grew up with, the one narrated by Cher (the best version!). We also had a gorgeous picture book of The Ugly Duckling, and that story captured my heart like no other when I was little. It was yet another thing that would always make me cry because it was so heart-achingly beautiful.

age 0 | age 1 | age 2 | age 3 | age 4 | age 5

[bigboxochristmas]

Yuletidings 1989: Listen, the Snow is Falling (A Quiet Christmas)

1. The First Noel - John Fahey 2. Angels We Have Heard On High - The Roches 3. We Three Kings - Joemy Wilson 4. Away in a Manger - Emmylou Harris 5. The Christmas Song - Larry Coryell 6. O Little Town of Bethlehem - The Roches 7. What Child is This - John Fahey 8. Still the Night - Lisa Neustadt and Jean Redpath 9. Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming / Shepherds, Shake Off Your Drowsy Sleep - Joemy WIlson 10. Do You Hear What I Hear - The Roches 11. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen - Taj Mahal 12. Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring - Wind Machine 13. Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy - Tim Sparks 14. Adeste Fideles - The Roches 15. Mary's Cradle Song - Joemy WIlson 16. The First Noel - Emmylou Harris 17. We Three Kings - John Fahey 18. Star of Wonder - The Roches 19. The LIttle Drummer Boy - Nina Gerber 20. Away in a Manger - Lisa Neustadt and Jean Redpath 21. O Come, O Come Emmanuel / Masters in This Hall - Joemy Wilson 22. Il Est Né - Cris Williamson 23. Bring a Torch, Jeanette, Isabella - Nancy Wilson 24. Break Forth, O Beauteous Heavenly Light - The Roches 25. Waltz of the Flowers - Tim Sparks

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The title comes from the Yoko Ono song of the same name; I just liked the poetry of it.  And as the subtitle implies, it’s very laid-back and introspective.  It draws heavily on We Three Kings, the wonderful holiday album by the Roches, The New Possibility by acoustic guitar master John Fahey, Gifts: Traditional Christmas Carols, featuring Joemy Wilson on hammered dulcimer along with a small instrumental ensemble, Emmylou Harris’s Light of the Stable, Shout for Joy: An Unusual Collection of Christmas Carols, featuring Lisa Neustadt and Jean Redpath, and a collection called Christmas Guitars: A Benefit for the National Coalition for the Homeless.

When I was reconstructing this mix to post here I discovered that I no longer had one of my original sources, a low-budget cassette of holiday-themed acoustic guitar duets, and couldn’t find it online either, which is certainly unusual these days when nearly every recording ever made is available somewhere.  And of course I couldn’t have played it anyway, not having a functional cassette deck anymore.  So I substituted a couple of much better acoustic guitar tracks by the great Tim Sparks and a nice arrangement of “Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring” by the acoustic ensemble known as Wind Machine.

The cover art was created by literally putting my face right on the copy machine and hitting the button.  I like it because it sort of looks as though I’m listening to the snow falling, and also looks vaguely like snow, in an abstract sort of way. DOWNLOAD

[mellowchouchou]

Colonel John Irwin / George Brabazon, Second Air - Turlough O'Carolan

Joemy Wilson (hammered dulcimer), Valarie King (flute), Sylvia Woods (Celtic harp)

[mellowchouchou]

Medley: #179 / Lord Inchiquin / Carolan's Cup - Turlough O'Carolan

Joemy Wilson (hammered dulcimer, fretted dulcimer), Miamon Miller (violin), Sylvia Woods (Celtic harp)

[mellowchouchou]

Hugh O'Donnell - Turlough O'Carolan

Joemy Wilson (hammered dulcimer), Anisa Angarola (guitar), Valarie King (flute, piccolo)

[mellowchouchou]

Turlough O'Carolan (1670–1738) - Sí Bheag, Sí Mhór / Sí Beag, Sí Mór (“Small Fairy Mound, Big Fairy Mound”)

Joemy Wilson (hammered dulcimer), Anisa Angarola (guitar), Valarie King (flute), Miamon Miller (violin)

[mellowchouchou]

Turlough O'Carolan (1670–1738) - Hewlett

Joemy Wilson (hammered dulcimer), Anisa Angarola (guitar), Miamon Miller (violin)

[mellowchouchou]

Turlough O'Carolan (1670–1738) - Dr. John Hart

Joemy Wilson (fretted dulcimer), Anisa Angarola (guitar), Valarie King (flute, piccolo)

[mellowchouchou]

Turlough O'Carolan (1670–1738) - Betty Macneill / Planxty Burke

Joemy Wilson (hammered dulcimer), Sylvia Woods (Celtic harp)

[mellowchouchou]

Carolan's Concerto - Turlough O'Carolan

Joemy Wilson (hammered dulcimer, fretted dulcimer), Anisa Angarola (guitar), Valarie King (flute), Miamon Miller (violin), Sylvia Woods (Celtic harp)