Saturday September 3 * 4pm * in the backyard * TICKETS
A CELEBRATION OF FONOTONE RECORDS & JOE BUSSARD
Joe Bussard has been an invaluable collector and preserver of American music since he began canvassing for old 78s as a teenager in the 1950s in Frederick, Maryland. As a radio DJ, he has introduced the world to seemingly lost pre-war jazz, blues, country, gospel, and folk music. As the founder of Fonotone Records, he has produced over 100 records, documenting great acoustic guitarists like John Fahey and fiddle/bluegrass groups like his own Jolly Joe and His Jug Band. He was the subject in the 2006 documentary Desperate Man Blues and has been featured in countless other publications as the ”King of 78s.” In recent years, his health has declined but he is planning to join us at Rhizome to celebrate his 70 years of preserving American music. We will celebrate with:
Max Ochs & Neil Harpe (guitar duos) - Guitarist and singer-songwriter Max Ochs recorded for Fonotone Records in the 1960s as well as for Fahey’s Takoma Records label. Neil Harpe is a guitarist, painter, and printmaker who has been recording music since the early 1970s for labels like Adelphi Records. Combined they have over 140 years of excellent music making and will perform together at Rhizome.
The Capital Hillbillies, featuring Joel Bailes, piano, Pearl Bailes, harmonica, Brendan Bailes, slide guitar, are a DC tradition that goes back at least 40 years and bring the spirit of New Orleans to the heart of DC. With steam engine energy and carnival charm, the District's favorite street ensemble rolls out a good time shindig rooted in barrelhouse blues and hot jazz of the 1920s and 30s. This bona fide family band plays a panoply of downhome American roots music, spanning delta blues, early country, earlier gospel, and jugband tunes, along with Cajun, bluegrass, and Chicago blues.
The Sardine Family Band is made up of local musicians from a variety of other ensembles who, under the direction of Marc Minsker, perform music from the South with an emphasis on the traditional and under represented classics from the American music cannon.
This is an outdoor, all-ages show, and folks should bring chairs and picnic items (BYOB) to enjoy this celebration of Joe Bussard and Fonotone. Records will also be on sale from a few local dealers.