CD Review

Music From the Anne & Frank Warner Collection - 2 CDs
Volume 1: Her Bright Smile Haunts Me Still
Volume 2: Nothing Seems Better to Me: The Music of Frank Proffitt and North Carolina
(Appleseed Recordings)

Frank and Anne Warner recorded and transcribed folksongs - and befriended and photographed their singers - as a labor of love for over 40 years. These volumes on Appleseed represent the first commercial release of these recordings, with 99 tracks selected from recordings of over a thousand songs by sons Jeff and Gerret Warner. Included also are snippets of conversation, banjo and dulcimer tunes, and a Mohawk Chant/War Cry from Louis Solomon. Being field recordings dating to 1940, the sound quality varies widely. But for those with patience, the rewards are great.

Some of these songs have already been made famous, notably "Tom Dooley," a local murder ballad collected from Frank Proffitt and popularized in the Kingston Trio's ghastly, cartoonish rendition. The Kingston Trio was hipper than death; it was funny. Frank Proffitt sings the story with compassion and understanding. Here we recognize it as an understated masterpiece. There are more treasures here: Proffitt's singing of "Poor Soldier" a weeping, stricken prayer from the lover left behind, from Civil War days; "Yankee" John Galusha sings "Springfield Mountain," an archetypal tale dating from 18th century Massachusetts; from the Outer Banks, the delightful Eleazer Tillett brings forth one wonderful, odd song after another. There's a strong representation of sacred music as well; Linzy Hicks sings "Palms of Victory," Sue Thomas "Nobody Knows" and "Hold My Hand, Lord Jesus." Volume 1 boasts two tracks from Richard Hamilton - "Deep Elm Blues" and "Freight Train Blues." His version of the latter brings out the remarkable chug-chug-chug song picture of a train far better than later recordings of the song, which catch its energy but speed it up too much for us to enter the scene. Great stuff. Ballad singer Lee Monroe Presnell sings in a centuries old, ornamented ballad style with a good deal of vocal strain. It takes some getting used to. There are remnants and entire versions of Scottish and English ballads, but for the most part the music of these people and their time has more life to it: Tom Smith's "Hey Get Along Josie" and Frank Proffitt, Jr.'s "Groundhog" are essential American songs and make thoroughly enjoyable listening.

Volume 1's 58 tracks are printed so tiny on a dark background that the tray card is nearly unreadable; it would have been better to lose the back photo and go up a point size. Liner and song notes, particularly those by Jeff Davis, are both thorough and passionate; the labor of love continues. Volume 2 could have done without Curt Mann's sentimental parlor song "Only A Friend," and "Nothing Seems Better To Me," the unintelligible croaking of a dying man. Its inclusion seems a breach of taste.

Small quibbles. The Warner Collection is essential listening for performers and lovers of folk music. Bring on the next 10 volumes!

-Andrew Calhoun