Dave Van Ronk - Dave Van Ronk: The Folkways Years, 1959-1961

Rough, gritty folk guitarist and singer, Van Ronk is one of the genre's most expressive musicians. These 20 tracks represent Van Ronk's best loved material and reveal his original synthesis of jazz and folk. Titles include Willie the Weeper, Come Back Baby, and Yas, Yas, Yas. Van Ronk's handpicked favorites from his Folkways LP's. Compiled and annotated by Kip Lornell and Dave Van Ronk. "...his carefully crafted guitar accompaniments are varied, inventive, and often surprisingly delicate. The reasons for Van Ronk's impact remain loud and clear." -- Sing Out Album Description

The Mayor of MacDougal Street Speaks For Himself In Song

I admit it. I LOVE Dave Van Ronk's music.... his styling, playing and singing .... I even like what I know about him from the book about him mentioned in the title of this review. I associate him and his music with my own coming-of-age in the early 60's. His music was gritty, tuneful and 'real' in a way that sharply contrasted the neatly produced works of such contemporaries as Peter, Paul and Mary, Joan Baez and The Kingston Trio. His sound spoke to the way I wanted to see myself - and today, at 60, I still listen to it quite a bit and enjoy playing my own renditions of these tunes on both the 6 and 12 string guitar. A necessary addition to any folk music collection! January 3, 2007

When Folk Was King (or Queen)

When I first heard folk music in my youth I felt unsure about whether I liked it or not. As least against my strong feelings about the Rolling Stones and my favorite blues artist such as Howling Wolf and Elmore James. Then on some late night radio folk show here in Boston I heard Dave Van Ronk doing `Come All You Fair and Tender Ladies' and that was it. That old-time gravelly voice (even though I found out later that he was relatively young at that time) still commands my attention in the same way.

The last time I saw Dave Van Ronk perform, after not seeing him for a fairly long period of time, was not a particularly good night as he was pretty sick by that time. Moreover, his politics seemed to have crumbled over time from that of the hardened Trotskyist of his youth going out slay the benighted Stalinists for the soul of the working class. His dedication to leftist politics, as testified to by those who knew him well like Tom Paxton, was well know and passionate. A man who can write an interesting ditty about the notorious Moscow Lubyanka political prisonm is definitely a political man. Although no one asks a musical performer to wear politics on his or her sleeves as a litmus test, given his status as a prime historian/activist of the folk revival of the 1960's, this was disconcerting.

That folk scene, of which Dave was a central and guiding figure not fully recognized outside a small circle to this day, was not only defined by the search for root music and relevancy but by large political concerns such as civil rights, the struggle against war, and the need for social justice. Some of it obviously was motivated as well as simply a flat out need to make our own mark on the world. Dave was hardly the first person from this period to lose his political compass in the struggle against injustice. I say this with sadness in his case but I will always carry that memory of that late night radio experience in my head. That said, please listen to this man reach under a song. You will not forget it either.
March 31, 2006

For the Folk Purist

My first exposure to Dave Van Ronk, although I've known his name for years. Definitely a winner for those interested in roots folk/blues. Fabulous unique and creative guitar rhythms blend perfectly with Van Ronk's rough voice. Mostly obscure songs from the early 1900s learned from friends and off the street - a plus for me. The album includes a sheet of comments about the songs.
My favorite: "Just a Closer Walk with Thee", the old spiritual done as never before. November 30, 2002

Preserved on CD, for better or for worse

I listened to Dave Van Ronk's old Folkways records a LOT growing up - most of these songs I have not heard in years. There are enough good songs to make this CD worth owning ("River Come Down" is a particular favorite of mine). My 12-year-old enjoys the same songs I enjoyed at his age: "Yas-Yas-Yas", "Willie the Weeper". A number of the old folk tunes sound so amateurish to me now they are painfully embarassing to listen to: "Saint James Infirmary" for example is just awful. Nevertheless this is a good collection and a good example of a genre that was extremely popular during the Folk Revival of early 60s. September 27, 2000

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