LouieB Posted July 10, 2006 Share Posted July 10, 2006 Archeophone Records is a label I just learned about in the last week or so. I read a review in The Reader and then remembered I had read about an earlier release that had interested me and then somehow passed through my brain. This is not your usual old stuff and some of the CDs come with labels indicating the material involves some derogitory racial material. For some time I have become more interested in Minstral music (something actually I learned a thing or two about from Michelle Shocked many years ago) and I intend to read a few books about it someday when I get the time. Meanwhile I have ordered a few of these releases to check them out and I am really interested in their three disk compilation of Bert Williams. This material is clearly a labor of love for the owners. It is great that we now live in a time when just about everything is available to everyone through massive reissue programs and small independent labels. We can get a glimpse of a world that disappeared long ago. LouieB Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Albert Tatlock Posted July 10, 2006 Share Posted July 10, 2006 ... something actually I learned a thing or two about from Michelle Shocked many years ago ...Do you refer to Arkansas Traveller?That's a great album. Also the first time I heard a note played made by JT - though I didn't know it at the time. I arrived there via the similar connection to the Hothouse Flowers. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
LouieB Posted July 10, 2006 Author Share Posted July 10, 2006 Do you refer to Arkansas Traveller?That's a great album. Also the first time I heard a note played made by JT - though I didn't know it at the time. I arrived there via the similar connection to the Hothouse Flowers.Yes, exactly. Allthough most of the material on there had nothing to do with minstral shows. There are several good books I understand, a few mentioned in A Change is Gonna Come. Minstrel shows were the longest running type of popular music in American history. Today we don't think much about it because of the obvious racial problems, but many early recording stars got their start in such venues (which also includes medicine shows). I am sure that the case could easily be made that much of what we think of as popular entertainment still has some overtones of that era, which lasted from after the Civil War until the 1930s or so. LouieB Quote Link to post Share on other sites
cryptique Posted July 10, 2006 Share Posted July 10, 2006 Thanks for the tip, I'll look into this when I get a chance. Hey Lou, if anyone would know this it might be you ... I have been trying to remember the name of a label I saw a feature about a few years ago. I don't remember too much about the feature (or even whether it was something I read, saw on TV, or heard on the radio), but I seem to recall that it was a small operation in Ohio or somewhere that was releasing extremely obscure old blues and/or soul recordings. This was supposed to be terrific stuff that few people had ever heard ... but I've forgotten the name of the label and I'm not even sure how I would go about Googling for it. I know that's not much to go on, but does that ring a bell at all? Anyone? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
LouieB Posted July 10, 2006 Author Share Posted July 10, 2006 There are so many. I don't know of one in Ohio. the Numero Group is putting out some cool stuff. They are being distributed by Bloodshot. I have not yet purchased any of their CDs. They cost more than most and I am a real cheapskate. this may be what you are refering to because they are covering some extremely obscure soul material from different parts of the midwest. But their catalogue looks terrific. We are living the best of times....everything is being reissued, even the most obscure artists are now well known. LouieB Quote Link to post Share on other sites
cryptique Posted July 10, 2006 Share Posted July 10, 2006 I do believe that's it! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
LouieB Posted July 10, 2006 Author Share Posted July 10, 2006 I do believe that's it! Yea, but sadly I don't own any. I plan to buy the one of the obscure Chicago label first. The story behind it is really cool. I think you can google and find some stuff. Guess I need to hop over to Bloodshot or Lauries and pick a few up. Now I am embarrassed. When these Archeophones arrive in the mail I will talk about them too. LouieB Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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