Will Kaufman: Woody Guthrie, ‘Old Man Trump’ and a real estate empire’s racist foundations
In 1950, Woody Guthrie moved to an apartment building in Brooklyn. His landlord: Fred Trump, father of Donald. And yes, Woody wrote a song about it.
Video: Daybreak Express
D A Pennebaker, who died recently, transformed documentary filmmaking. This is his first film. [running time: 5 minutes]
Video: The HU
The HU is a band from Mongolia that blends heavy metal and traditional Mongolian throat singing. Some of the band’s lyrics include old Mongolian war cries and poetry.
John Samuel Tieman: Variations
I heard the history
of the Huberman Stradivarius
how it was stolen and painted
with shoe polish to hide it
Video: The Mauritania Railway — Backbone of the Sahara
The Mauritania Railway: Backbone of the Sahara follows the journey of Malick, a 27 year-old merchant who relies on the train for his livelihood, even as he risks death each time he climbs aboard. Despite the danger, the train is a lifeline for Malick and the families that live along the railway’s path.
Video: Nora Brown plays two old-time banjo tunes
In a mesmerizing set, musician Nora Brown breathes new life into two old-time banjo tunes: “East Virginia” and “John Brown’s Dream.” An evocative performance paired with a quick history of the banjo’s evolution.
Mark Allan Jackson: Reactionaries love it, but country music has a progressive heart
Right from the start, country music spoke up with a progressive voice.
Video: “Optimism” by Jane Hirshfield
out of such persistence arose turtles, rivers,
mitochondria, figs—all this resinous, unretractable earth
Video: Mobilize
In her short film Mobilize, Caroline Monnet – a Canadian filmmaker and artist of French and Algonquin origin – uses archival documentary footage to honor the restless diligence of Canada’s indigenous people.
John Samuel Tieman: Caedmon’s Hymn
One evening, as the monks sang and played the harp, Caedmon slipped away. He knew no songs. Thus embarrassed, he spent the night sleeping with the animals. In his dream, “someone”, Bede says, approached Caedmon, and asked him to sing of the beginning of all things.
Cornelius Eady: Nina’s Blues
We drum rest
We drum thank you
We drum stay.
Video: Mumford & Sons — “Beloved”
A boy visits his mother in the hospital and imagines a perfect day with her: And as you leave you must know you are belovedAnd as you leave I can … Continue reading
Video: Lonesome Willcox
Rex Allen, The Singing Cowboy . . Willcox, Arizona is a country music town that isn’t … Continue reading
Video: Skylight — More Than Meets the Eye
This revealing video from the American Museum of Natural History guides us through celestial views at several electromagnetic frequencies, demonstrating how specialised telescopes reach beyond the visible spectrum to help demystify the observable Universe.
