Pete Seegers Rainbow Quest Johnny Cash Roscoe Holcomb Disc Art
Episode 16: Mimi and Dick Fari�a
Originally broadcast Saturday, Feb 26, 1966
at 7pm on channel 47, WNJU-Television set.
Back in the mid-sixties Pete Seeger had an educational Television receiver testify called Rainbow Quest. In 1962 the Court of Appeals had ruled that the House Un-American Activities Committee was faulty in its charges against Seeger and dismissed the case against him. With his newfound liberty, Pete was anxious to appear on Television again and promote the cause of folk music. But in spite of the courtroom ruling, networks and sponsors were still wary. The producers of the new testify Hootenany claimed that they wanted Seeger, just that the sponsors weren't willing; and the sponsors claimed they wanted Seeger on the testify, simply that the public wouldn't correspond it.
Following the do-it-yourself ethic of folk music, Seeger finally decided to outset his own evidence, Rainbow Quest. It began on UHF aqueduct 47 in New York and had only been picked upward by 7 stations when Seeger began to run out of funds. During its cursory run of 38 episodes, Pete talked and strummed with such guests as Elizabeth Cotten, Patrick Sky, Donovan, Judy Collins, and Buffy Sainte Marie. Richard and Mimi Fari�a also appeared on the show in Feb of 1966.
This episode is a must-see for all Fari�a fans. Richard and Mimi perform several of their own songs and back up Seeger on some other songs. They also talk about their involvement with Joan's Establish for the Study of Non-Violent Action. Oddly enough, there was little talk of Richard'due south forthcoming novel and no mention of his piece of work on Joan'due south rock album (perhaps considering it was an educational show fugitive capitalism or promotion).
Seeger shows his considerable knowledge of folk music through many observations of Richard and Mimi'due south music. He notes how Richard combines two or three old traditions on the dulcimer and improvises and accelerates like a sitar player as he and Mimi trade off rhythms. Seeger as well recalls their Newport Folk Festival performance, when the couple performed in the pelting and inspired the audience to go upwards and trip the light fantastic and take off their apparel. Seeger describes this equally a sight that "I'll never forget in all my life...Information technology was pandemonium...it was wonderful!"
Richard is suprisingly nervous in this video; readers who were enchanted by Hajdu'southward evocative portrait of Fari�a every bit the mercurial entertainer who turned every chat into theatre, every repast into a banquet, may be surprised to observe him so demure here, although both of them loosen up somewhat after a few songs, peculiarly on the upbeat numbers, "House Un-American Blues Activeness Dream" and "Joy 'Round My Brain."
Production values have inverse enormously in 35 years, and the mod viewer raised on flashy MTV videos may feel something missing in this footage. At that place is no rapid splicing, no computer graphics flying across the screen; the set is a dark, blank kitchen in what looks like a log cabin; at that place is no studio audience, and when you expect applause at the end of Richard and Mimi's fantastic performances, there is only a brief, awkward silence, followed by Pete saying "WOO-WEE!" Merely the historical value of this video lies partly in the slight civilisation stupor one experiences. Information technology's like traveling back in time.
Pete clearly admired Richard and Mimi's music, and fifty-fifty predicted that their synthesis of various eclectic styles would be influential: "This is going to be happening all effectually the globe." And indeed, a year or two afterwards, popular music explored a bewildering array of styles (though Richard and Mimi received scarcely whatsoever credit for helping to initiate this trend). Pete ended the show past saying, "You ain't seen nothin' all the same." Sadly, we would come across no more than of Richard and Mimi every bit a duo. This was 1 of the final--if not the very last--recording of Richard and Mimi, as Richard died a month later.
This is a unique opportunity to observe Richard's dulcimer technique and to see Mimi's guitar playing. I plant it fascinating just to scout them moving and talking. Information technology'southward besides impressive to hear Seeger improvise and then effortlessly on the duo'south songs. Although Richard and Mimi just appear on the show for maybe 35 or 40 minutes, it is withal a priceless piece of history and absolutely a must-see for any fan of theirs. Unfortunately, it is currently out of print, simply you can see some clips on Youtube.
Oh, Had I A Golden Thread (Rainbow Quest theme song)
I Know Where I'yard Going (Handsome Johnny)
Lonesome Valley
Dopico / Celebration for a Gray 24-hour interval
Pack Up Your Sorrows
Bold Marauder
Firm Un-American Blues Activity Dream
All Mixed Upwardly
Traveling Man
Joy 'Circular My Encephalon
Devil-may-care Love
Oh, Had I A Golden Thread
Extract from Local Lore, newsletter of the Portland Folklore Society, vol. 27, no. ii, March-April 2003. By Erik Wikner.
I'g familiar with the Farinas, having played most of their music on dulcimer and guitar. Fifty-fifty so, it was heady to see a video of their performance, to actually see them, and to spotter their playing styles.
Richard ran his left-paw dulcimer bass sequences using his thumb every bit a noter, with his fingers serving as a sliding guide along the outer border of the fretboard. In treble, he palmed a noter, gripping it with pollex and forefinger, the other fingers curled in. For multi-cord treble note sequences, hammer-ons/ pull-offs, single-note and barre-harmonics, he'd anchor his hand with pollex on the soundboard and play it like a piano.
With his correct hand, it looked like he used a Fender full triangle light-guage pick, chasing his fretting fingers and thumb upwards the scalloped fretboard every bit far toward the nut as the existing playing range comfortably allowed, unless it was necessary to shade the tone by dropping back to the recession almost the bridge.
Mimi and Richard played a dazzling mix of rhythms with dulcimer and guitar, accenting them with open and muted strums, blending them with the same intrigue and enchantment as their vocal harmonies. Into this mix throw a dejection harp, maracas, a duck-call and Pete Seeger's 12-string guitar and v-string banjo. Yeah! (Did I mention that I was a fan?)
A review wouldn't be complete without commenting on Richard's lyrics. He has written many cute and poetic pieces, but among his work are quite controversial songs criticizing and lampooning irresponsible government and the senseless pursuit of state of war (this was during the Viet Nam conflict). Similar Pete, Phil Ochs, et al, they didn't get much in the way of air play on radio or television. Pete had to exist affected by Richard and Mimi'due south functioning of "House Un-American Blues Activity Dream", having so recently been freed from the years of haranguing pursuit past HUAC and the resultant ostracizing, threats and violence to which he and his family had been subjected (HUAC got plenty of air play). A similar song "Bold Marauder" depicts a nation of hubris, making considering it tin, insatiably seeking greater power and wealth....
At one signal all 37 episodes were available on video from Norman Ross Publishing. Unfortunately, all the videos are out of print. Shanachie has released a few episodes on DVD. Sadly the Fari�a episode is not among them, just they are moderately priced and with two episodes per disc, and they are all of great historical importance and worth watching.
Available:
605 - Stanely Brothers & the Clinch Mountain Boys with Cousin Emmy; Doc Watson with Clint Howard & Fred Price
606 - Johnny Cash & June Carter; Roscoe Holcomb with Jean Redpath
607 - Sonny Terry & Credibility McGhee; Mississippi John Hurt, Hedy West & Paul Cadwell
608 - New Lost Urban center Ramblers; The Greenbriar Boys
609 - Clancy Brothers & Tommy Makem; Mamou Cajun Band
610 - Judy Collins; Rosa Valentin & Rafael Martinez and Elizabeth Cotten
fleischmannexprion.blogspot.com
Source: http://richardandmimi.com/rainbowquest.html
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