tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30378623107040111782024-03-05T09:45:39.433-08:00Mr. Chris' BlogNews, thoughts, and ideas from<br> Arhoolie Records Founder and President <br> Chris Strachwitz.chris strachwitzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05650486310780308469noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3037862310704011178.post-79875660130311316452013-10-24T17:49:00.001-07:002013-10-24T17:49:33.718-07:00I just found my ancient Blog again!<br />
Some news will soon appear - especially about travels with the film "This Ain't No Mouse Music" at film festivals. Also what are we working on here at Arhoolie Records. And if you live in the Bay Area and might have seen the film at the Mill Valley Film Festival or at the Rafael Theatre and you liked some of the music, come and visit us at the Down Home Music store at 10341 San Pablo Ave in El Cerrito where we are having a 20% OFF Sale on all USED goodies! CDs, LPs, 45s, 78s, books, etc. this week end October 26 and 27th! Open from 11 AM until 7 PM - don't miss it! I'll try and be in the store for some of the time - More propaganda soon! Mr. Chris chris strachwitzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05650486310780308469noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3037862310704011178.post-2515422753736112262012-02-15T17:13:00.000-08:002012-02-15T17:37:52.525-08:00A MUST HEAR EVENT!MOMCI at ASHKENAZ THIS Saturday at 9:00<br /><br />If you have any room in your musical heart and ears for the best damn band in the land - in the Tamburitza tradition (that is string band music from Croatia and Serbia)- you owe it to yourself to come to <a href="http://www.ashkenaz.com/">Ashkenaz in Berkeley this Saturday </a>to hear this remarkable family band - with the father leading his family which includes young Peter on prim - the lead instrument - and exchanging wild solos with his father and other members of his family band - uncle and other siblings - Peter is like a young David Grisman of the tamburitza scene!<br /><br />They also appear Sunday in SF at the <a href="http://www.slavonicweb.org/">Croatian American Cultural Center</a> - check out their link! Be there or be absolutely square! And don't come up to me and say you are sorry you missed it! Cheers - Chris<br /><br />PS - this is dance music and there will be dance lessons - so have fun - but they also make fantastic listening - and Peter turns on the girls with his youthful charms and his incredible hot playing! I doubt if they will do many schmaltzy tunes - this will be hot music from start to finish! CSchris strachwitzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05650486310780308469noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3037862310704011178.post-8759280063402874702011-12-12T18:43:00.000-08:002011-12-12T19:07:29.857-08:00Howdy Folks!Hello - just to let you know I am still kicking and will get on with this blogging business mighty soon! Adam Machado is my guide to this wierd empire out in the ether - and we will soon post some videos and assorted other goodies - stay tuned and check back soon for progress, because Progress IS progress - isn't that right?? I'll send an Arhoolie CD of my or maybe your choice to the first 5 cats out there who can tell me where I heard that phrase!<br /><br />Send us your answers via the Contact Us page at <a href="http://www.downhomemusic.com/"><strong><span style="color:#3333ff;">http://www.downhomemusic.com/</span></strong></a>chris strachwitzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05650486310780308469noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3037862310704011178.post-46662828345646462982011-03-03T14:07:00.000-08:002011-03-04T14:47:09.636-08:00Hello everyone:<br /><br />If you attended any of our events around Arhoolie's 50th Anniversary you no doubt noticed my hobbling around with a cane! Well, I just got a brand new right hip here at the Stanford Medical Center, and thanks to Dr. Malone, his team, and his great expertise, it seems to be a rousing success. Although the recovery period is a bit long, I look forward to getting back to work and hearing some fine music very soon!<br /> <br />The three day Benefit for the Arhoolie Foundation was a huge success and resulted in the Foundation making over $55,000.00 plus additional donations coming in from various friends. I wish I could personally thank every one of you who helped in this amazing production, but at this stage I can only say: Thank you all from the bottom of my sometimes cranky but well meaning heart!<br /> <br />I am glad to have received this computer from my local "angel" Rob Robinett, who along with his incredible wife Sandy Miranda, invited me to have this operation down here on the Peninsula, and my man at Arhoolie, Tom Diamant, who put my e-mail file on it as well as other goodies! But it is very tedious for me to type this since I am neither a fast typer nor quite used to this keyboard!<br /><br />I want to express special thanks to <span style="border-bottom: 2px dotted rgb(54, 99, 136); cursor: pointer;" class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1299189253_2">Ry Cooder</span> whose many loyal fans filled the Freight & Salvage to capacity for the Friday show and I believe many more were turned away. But that special THANKS does not diminish my THANKS to all the other fantastic musicians and all the many helpers! I am just now starting to listen to the music from those three incredible days and hope to pick out my favorite performances for a CD package release in the hopefully not too distant future.<br /> <br />I also want to go ahead with the production of several other projects which have been on my mind for some time: The Chicano Experience will be a book with four CDs, including the texts and translations of all the corridos, along with lots of illustrations. Another project is the Legacy of Dr. Harry Oster - again probably a book with some of his writings, transcriptions of texts and translations (for the Cajun/Creole material), and four CDs of his finest recordings covering a wide variety of American regional music.<br /> <br />Since the Arhoolie Foundation is now in better financial health, I also plan to move forward on several AF projects:<br /><br />1) Of course continuing the digitization of the 45s and rare cassettes in the Frontera Collection.<br /><br />2) Installing a listening station for the Frontera Collection at the Down Home Music Store so that fans, students, and scholars of the music can come in and listen to the complete recordings free of charge.<br /><br />3) Contacting (with your help!) all the schools in the Bay Area who have any interest in <span style="cursor: pointer; background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;" class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1299189253_3">Chicano Studies to make them aware of the listening station and</span> to invite their involvement in our efforts to preserve, document, share and celebrate this great music!<br /><br />That's it for now - cheers from Chrischris strachwitzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05650486310780308469noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3037862310704011178.post-72181419347946761502010-04-23T17:24:00.000-07:002010-04-23T18:14:22.771-07:00Some News & Such!Have been too busy to squak lately - so here goes: Am off to Louisiana to visit friends and check out the celebration for Sammy Rimington during second week end of Jazz Fest - plus other good musical events. Jazz Fest is just getting out of hand and too many big stars! It ain't what it used to be - but then what is? Will be back in a week but then return to New Orleans for the ARSC (Association for Recorded Sound Collections) annual gathering there and will give a presentation that Saturday about song catching in sw Louisiana over the past 50 years!<br />I think this went out and was posted by mistake - anyway here goes some more:<br />Friend and folklorist Alan Govenar's new book LIGHTNIN' HOPKINS has just been released and you can get a copy in a few days at the Down Home Music Store! It's an excellent book with many good photos well printed on glossy in the center and a discography of his recordings. It's well researched and Alan interviewed a lot of folks still around who remember Poor Lightnin' - I gave him my two cents worth and Minnie Phillips really tells about her really amazing experiences with the man! It's the only book on Lightnin' and every blues freak ought to read it! Since Sam was such a prolific recording artist and for every label which came around looking for him, the emphasis is a bit heavy on the various sessions - but there is plenty of history, early life and getting to Houston and of course many folks talking about him and interviews - especially that with Les Blank early on was great! I was just a fan of his and never really pestered Lightning about all that background - but enjoyed hanging around with him and meeting Clifton Chenier and once recording the whole Hopkins family, traveling to Europe with him for Lippman & Rau's American Folk Blues Festival, the West Coast, and even Newport - although I missed the big fight there between Alan Lomax and Mr. Grossman who managed Bob Dylan who had plugged his guitar into an amp! My hangover that day was too horrible to get out of bed - but when the gang came back to the barracks - Willie Dixon and Howling Wolf and Lightning etc - all told me about the Big Fight - oh well, you can't be everywhere - especially when you had to get booze for Lightning and I got a bottle of peach brandy for myself! What a killer!<br />The Arhoolie Foundation has just been blessed to receive the good news from the NEH (National Endowment for the Humities) that we are getting over $ 200,000.00 under the "We the People" program which will allow us over the next three years to complete the digitization of the rest of the 45 rpm discs in the Frontera Collection of Mexican and Mexican American recordings which we have been working on for many years! Thanks to Adam Machado who wrote the grants and keeps in touch with the folks there and also thanks to our loyal digitizer, Antonio Cuellar who has listened to just about every one of these thousands of discs!!<br />Stay tuned cause Arhoolie will celebrate it's 50th Anniversary later this year - even though it seems to be the last round-up for the CD format! What a shame - the stupid inventors are never happy with anything that's really good - they always invent some new crap to keep the peons poor and begging for more to feed their addiction to the latest junk!!! But LPs and real records are making a come-back - even 78s are still the real thing but the collectors only want the rarest of the rarest - keep your turn tables folks, and don't waste your money on yet another stupid TV format or the latest Piss-pod! Enjoy Life while you can! Later - Chrischris strachwitzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05650486310780308469noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3037862310704011178.post-57818530009046083472010-02-10T19:27:00.000-08:002010-02-18T14:36:31.496-08:00The Down Home Music StoreAfter serving roots music lovers since 1976 the <a href="http://www.downhomemusic.com/"><span style="color:#3333ff;">Down Home Music Store</span></a> was facing a critical financial situation at the end of last year. We have had a long and successful run as a retail shop specializing in all sorts of Down Home, Roots or vernacular musical genres and as an outlet for my Arhoolie Records, but times have been very hard for record shops everywhere. Two years ago the staff felt that we should open a second store on Berkeley's fashionable 4th Street shopping area in an attempt to reach out to a wider audience. Unfortunately this last ditch effort to make the store more visible and accessible made our financial situation worse. We were forced to close on 4th Street, but our San Pablo Avenue store remained open and inherited a large number of listening stations and wonderful CD racks which I hope our customers appreciate for the wide variety of music they can now freely view and listen to.<br /><br />At the start of 2010 I personally took over ownership of the Down Home Music Store, but had to economize and cut the staff to three and the hours and days of operation to 11 AM to 7 PM from Thursdays through Sundays. Since I am fortunately the owner of the building and wanted the store to survive I am now trying to revitalize the place by having a lot of live, in-store events along with making it more and more a "collector's shop." We also started an <a href="http://stores.ebay.com/down-home-music-store?_rdc=1"><span style="color:#3333ff;">eBay store</span></a> where you will find our more collectable items, especially in the Mexican music field but soon also in other genres and including more and more items from my personal collection. Stay tuned also for Down Home's revitalized web site! We have always bought and sold used LPs, 45s, 78s, and other collectibles and we continue to do so. So, stop by and check out our revitalized stock of not only new and used CDs but older formats like LPs as well.<br /><br />I also want to take this oportunity to let you know that the <a href="http://www.arhoolie.org/"><span style="color:#3333ff;">Arhoolie Foundation</span></a> is a not for profit charitable organization which can accept donations of all kinds and give you in return a tax credit. If you have been wondering what to do with your old record collections (of CDs, LPs, 78s, or 45s) that the ARHOOLIE FOUNDATION would love to accept them as a donation, evaluate them fairly, and give you a generous tax deduction. The Arhoolie Foundation in turn could sell such collections at a reasonable price to the Down Home Music store - thus helping both the Foundation and the store! (Chris Strachwitz)chris strachwitzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05650486310780308469noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3037862310704011178.post-63985246693203341352010-02-01T12:08:00.000-08:002010-02-02T21:00:25.070-08:00With the Magnolia Sisters at the GRAMMYsHello again: Ann Savoy called me and said she and the Magnolia Sisters are flying out to LA for the GRAMMYs because their Arhoolie CD "Stripped Down" had been nominated in the Cajun/Zydeco category and wouldn't I like to come down and join them if she could get me admitted to some of the pre-TV parties and gatherings on Saturday. That I could not refuse - as long as I did not have to put on a monkey suit and attend the TV show! So I flew to LA and rented wheels - because I had been informed that the various events on Saturday were to be at several venues and the ladies needed a chauffeur! At 10:30 we met at the Figueroa Hotel and luckily I had rented a van since there were not only the four Magnolias but also Joel Savoy and Lisa's boy friend and that made it a party of seven!<br /><br />First stop was the Millenium Biltmore Hotel's Emerald Ballroom where at 11 AM a delightful lunch was presented for the 2010 GRAMMY nominees from Louisiana and their close friends by LED (Louisiana Economic Development) and the Louisiana office of the Lt. Governor. As we entered and sipped the champagne handed us at the door, we already heard the sounds of Cedric Watson (Ex Pineleaf Boy!) and his wonderful band, Et Bijou Creole . The food was fine served by a well known chef from Louisiana - I especially liked the sauce piquante - lots of green salad - the gumbo was already gone by the time I decided to eat! More great music by Harry Connick who was joined by a good rhythm section of bass and drums as well as a fine trumpeter, Shamarr Allen who I felt sang better than Mr. Connick and Trombone Shorty to do some great jamming. Also a fine female jazz/R&B singer - I think her name was Ledici - did some tasty scat singing.<br /><br />In the afternoon we walked over to the GRAMMY Museum - which had a show of photos about Elvis Presley and also a nice small theatre where the Zydeco/Cajun nominees were to present an informal concert at 9 PM. They all did their sound checks after which we returned to the hotel which seemed to be a nice, comfortable, old fashioned place with no glitz but a large, high ceiling lobby with old tiles and a funky feel from the past!<br /><br />Around 5 PM we drove over to the Wilshire Ebell Theatre where the GRAMMY folks hosted a spectacular Special Merit Awards Ceremony and Nominees Reception for all nominees and their partners - luckily Ann got me a ticket! All drinks and food were free and of incredible quality and quantity! As I was the chauffeur, I decided to only get one drink right at the start - and gave the out-in-the-patio bartender some directions to make a perfect margarita. He had excellent tequila and was not using syrupy mix but all fresh ingredients - all I had to ask for was more limes!! From there to the inside where I spotted a huge table with salads, asparagus, roasted potatoes, roast pork, beef, and lamb in superb gravies! I went for the incredible roast lamb - I think it was the best I have ever had with a superb gravy! (And I thought I was a good gravy maker!) Wenty for seconds in no time! Later I found out from Joel that there were other tables loaded with crabs, fish, lobsters, etc - and I am not sure what other foods! It was simply superb - very few expensive restaurants could top this! The amazing array of little pastries was also startling and every one delicious - I think I tried at least 8 different ones! I admit I became a hog for that food! There was also live music and nominees had their pictures taken - formally and with assorted well known artists!<br /><br />Then back to the GRAMMY museum for the evening's concert. Here again we were confronted by delicious guacamole, fruits, chips, as well as mineral water, beer and wine. I asked the lady in charge of service who made all this food and she told me that all the GRAMMY food was prepared by Austrian chef Wolfgang Puck who is apparently quite famous and certainly had trained his minions to perfection!! The concert started with the Magnolia Sisters doing a fine short but varied set after lengthy intros from Mrs. Buckwheat who after all was the prime force behind the establishment of the Zydeco & Cajun category in the GRAMMY's ever lengthening list of categories and the official MC whose name I don't recall but who seemed to be very involved and dedicated to many of the lesser or more regional musical traditions. Zachary Richard and C.C.Adcock followed and finally Cedric Watson and his group put down some great zydeco and were joined by Trombone Shorty and trumpeter Shamarr Allen for the last number which turned into a great long jam mixture of Zydeco and New Orleans funk! An unforgettable afternoon - thanks Magnolia Sisters - I hope you win the next time!<br /><br />PS I was curious as to who paid for all this fantastic food, and was told by the same nice lady who tended to us in the green room -- or maybe it was someone else who told me -- that all of the GRAMMY food extravaganzas were paid for by the TV show!chris strachwitzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05650486310780308469noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3037862310704011178.post-6908596563329514752009-12-18T17:15:00.000-08:002009-12-18T17:44:10.857-08:00Mr. Chris' Year End Letter and Tirade:December 18, 2009<br /><br />Dear Relatives, Friends, Artists, etc:<br /><br />All my best wishes for a Merry Christmas and a happy and healthy New Year!<br />Yet another year is drawing to a close and it seems time just gallops along with the ups and downs inherent under our uncontrolled capitalist system which makes “the rich get richer and the poor poorer” (or have children as a variant of this old saying goes)! Unfortunately young folks who grew up in the 1990s thought that the booming economy and its easy money would last for ever! They never heard of the rule of physics which says that everything that goes up has to come down! They only learned how to spend it all and never heard of saving! Then came the bust! Today no one claims that they were aware of the shenanigans of the greedy financiers and bankers who run Wall Street and our financial institutions throughout the world. But these trixters exert enormous influence via their lobbyists and clever lawyers in Washington and their shady paper money is spread all over the world. I hope we can soon regain control over the enormous power of the “Military & Industrial Complex” of which we were warned by the late President Eisenhower back in the 50s and the huge banking conglomerates which have been established since largely with our tax payer money! What ever became of anti trust laws?? Not to mention the unbelievable political influence of the health insurance and pharmaceutical corporations who are trying to kill once again any meaningful reform ! And how about the horrific growth and power of “chain stores” over the past 50 years which have decimated the centers of our small towns along with the continuing dependence on cars to get people to and from work with ever more wasted hours on the roads and using ever more polluting fuels. Perhaps my thoughts reflect my getting older – but it sure looks like life is on a down hill road! Why do people constantly claim that we are a Democracy when we are a Republic where we have to depend upon the representatives we send to Washington and Sacramento? They can hardly be held responsible for reading and understanding everything put before them and the polarization of the country has continued to mire us in a total lack of real progress in spite of the fact that we finally have a great president. I also somehow wish that people would refer to Republicans as Reactionaries (why conservatives?) and Democrats as Progressives (why liberals?). Just wishful thinking!<br /><br />I am grateful for still being here and enjoying life to the fullest even though the record business has gone down the tubes or better: has been inundated by the availability of endless free entertainment via the internet. I tell people that we have had 100 good years making records or musical snapshots of some of the most wonderful sounds ever created by man all over the planet. Lets forget the garbage – but then one man’s junk is another ones treasure!<br /><br /><strong>Arhoolie Records </strong>has continued to function and present interesting and enjoyable roots music both on CDs as well as via down-loads on the internet (see below) thanks to my manager, Tom Diamant; product manager, Jonathan Schiele; and administrative assistant, Haley Ausserer. We have a <a href="http://www.arhoolie.com/"><span style="color:#3333ff;">brand new web site</span> </a>showing all our productions including LPs and 45 rpm discs still on hand and how to order them from us. There is also a link to I-Tunes and Amazon for downloads of all our CD goodies, including a lot of previously unavailable music – especially Tex-Mex conjuntos and orquestas – now available only by down loading (see below).<br />In the future we will continue to make more and more of our catalog of obscure material available via down loads. We would love to hear from you via e-mail as to what you would like to hear. The Arhoolie web site also has a link to my BLOG where I pontificate or enter tirades about various things – especially great music I have heard recently! And I really enjoy your responses – keep it up!<br /><br />On the Arhoolie web site you will also find a link to the incredible <a href="http://www.downhomemusic.com/"><span style="color:#3333ff;">Down Home Music Store</span> </a>which has served the Bay Area and beyond for over 33 years (that’s another good speed now that I am 78 years old!) with the best in roots music. The Down Home web site however is in great need of improvement but Allison, a kind volunteer, has appeared to help and there will be progress soon! In the mean time send them your e-mail address and you will receive regular Bulletins about in-store music and other matters of interest. The store has suffered along with all other retailers of CDs (and books) in light of the ever changing scenario as to how music is sold.<br /><br /><br /><br />I am determined to give the Down Home Music Store another chance to survive and have made some changes. <strong>First</strong>, I have dissolved the corporation and am once again the sole owner as of January 1, 2010. <strong>Secondly</strong>, we have reduced the days when we are open to the public to Thursday through Sunday. <strong>Third,</strong> we hope to increase the number of live performances of various types of music at the store and make the stage a permanent platform for good sounds and perhaps discussions (Paul Oliver will be in the area in early January and we hope to have him at the store – keep in touch as to date!). <strong>Fourth</strong>, I hope to enlarge the inventory by carrying other items related to the wonderful roots music we all enjoy such as instruments, turn tables for playing ever more popular LP records, or what else can you suggest? <strong>Fifth</strong>, the store will become more active on the internet to service you wherever you might live! The Down Home Music Store is already actively selling and auctioning rare LPs via our E-Bay store. I will also make more and more of my own collection available to them because I can’t ever listen to all the material I have accumulated over the many years. The crew now is John McCord, J.C., & Lyuba – please visit them!<br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">ARHOOLIE RELEASES for 2009:<br /><br /></span><strong>CD 367 – Ballads & Corridos: 1949 – 1975</strong>. Various artists – wonderful performances originally issued by the south Texas labels IDEAL and FALCON – ranging from old ballads from the late 1800s to the death of the Kennedys, civil rights, Carol Chessman, Patricia Hearst, Martin Luther King, Beulah, and Texas Rangers! One of my favorites! Listen to it all the time in my car!<br /><strong></strong><br /><br /><strong>CD 454/455 – Uncensored Folk Music of Austria</strong>. Recorded and collected by Chris Strachwitz & Johnny Parth between 1967 and 1998. Incredible stuff - from a solo girl yodler to a trio of risqué songsters with accordion, clarinet, and hammered dulcimer - to all kinds of musical styles and instruments from almost every part of Austria. Hard to sell but the people who have bought it are totally in love with this set. Includes transcriptions of all songs in a) dialect; b) high German; and c) English! Also includes a video track (plus more audio tracks) by the fantastic fiddle and vocal duet of Hermann Haertel and his wife with bass and accordion which I recorded on my video recorder in Graz!<br /><br /><br /><strong>CD 507 – Rumel Fuentes: Corridos of the Chicano Movement in the 60s</strong>. Interesting ballads about struggles on the Mexican border composed and sung by Rumel and accompanied by his then wife, Jo Zettler and two other guitarists. Spirited performances which I recorded at their apartment in Austin, Texas on a Nagra with two mics and which I wish I had issued earlier!<br /><br /><br /><br /><strong>CD 537 – The Best of Mance Lipscomb</strong>. The great songster and guitarist who filled the very first Arhoolie LP and whom I had first met with Mack McCormick in Navasota, Texas in 1960 with 22 blues, songs, ballads, instrumentals and more. It took me a good while to edit this from all the tapes I had made of Mance but it’s become one of my all time favorites and stays on my car stereo!<br /><strong></strong><br /><br /><br /><strong>CD 538 – The Magnolia Sisters: Stripped Down”.</strong> Ann Savoy, Jane Vidrine, Lisa Trahan, and Anya Burgess have now been making delightful Cajun music together for many years and they are in total synch! From unaccompanied ballads to contemporary dance hall favorites you will hear the incredible variety of voices and instruments by these talented Louisiana women and the CD has just been nominated for a GRAMMY – I hope they win so vote for them if you are qualified! It’s a real honest and raw gem!<br /><strong></strong><br /><br /><br /><strong>DVD AF 204 - The New Lost City Ramblers in “Always Been A Rambler”.</strong> A film by Yasha Aginsky and produced by the Arhoolie Foundation. The film celebrates 50 years of the NLCRs: John Cohen, Mike Seeger, Tracy Schwarz & Tom Paley with old historic footage from the 1950s and 60s as well as recent performances by the group at the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival in SF. Also seen are many of the old timers which the members introduced to a wider urban audience: Clarence Ashley, Balfa Brothers, Maybelle and Sara Carter, Elizabeth Cotton, Roscoe Holcomb, etc and contemporary singers like Ricky Skaggs, the Carolina Chocolate Drops, and Doc Watson (among others) are seen and heard. Unfortunately the world lost Mike Seeger shortly after we finished this project but he got to see it and gave his stamp of approval!<br /><br /><strong>Arhoolie Records</strong> now also has the following classic Texas-Mexican music available <strong>ONLY for DOWNLOADING</strong>:<br /><br /><br />All from IDEAL master recordings:<br /><strong>Narciso Martinez</strong> (Vol.1 & 2): THE great accordion pioneer who established the norteno sound!<br /><strong>Carmen y Laura</strong> (Vol.1 & 2): Delightful women dueto – they sound like Latina Andrew Sisters!<br /><strong>Beto Villa</strong>: THE most popular Tejano orquesta during the 1940s and 50s<br /><strong>Rosita Fernandez</strong>: Famous San Antonio singer who later became a TV star<br /><strong>Balde Gonzalez:</strong> Blind vocalist, pianist, and band leader best known for his smooth crooning voice.<br /><strong>Tony De La Rosa</strong>: The great accordion polka king of south Texas – his first recordings.<br /><strong>Las Abajenas</strong>: Nice women dueto from northern Mexico<br /><strong>Gaytan y Cantu</strong>: Juan Gaytan, well liked singer and composer with his partner from San Antonio.<br /><strong>Los Dos Manueles</strong>: Well known male dueto from San Antonio.<br /><strong>Rosita y Laura</strong>: Rosita Fernandez singing duets with Laura Hernandez of Carmen y Laura fame.<br /><strong>Delia Gutierrez</strong>: Well liked female solo vocalist with her father’s orquesta from south Texas.<br /><strong>Isidro Lopez</strong>: Known as El Indio, a superb singer, saxophonist and leader of a powerhouse Tejano Orq.<br /><strong>Hermanos Maya</strong>: Best known for their boleros and as pioneers on radio in Nuevo Laredo.<br /><strong>Hermanas Mendoza</strong>: Lydia’s sisters, Juanita & Maria formed a superb and very popular dueto.<br /><br />Re: The world situation: I just thought of an old blues verse sung by country blues artist Texas Alexander:<br /><strong>“If you see a mule run away with the world – let him go ahead on!!”<br /><br /></strong><br /><strong><span style="font-size:180%;"> My Year 2009<br /></span><br /></strong>I just want to share a few of my experiences during this past year but I will try to be short!<br /><br /><br /><br /><div align="left">In January Wayne Pope finished the fine brochure for the Arhoolie Foundation – the Savoy Family Band played a number of gigs in the Bay area prior to their appearance at the wonderful Benefit for the Arhoolie Foundation which was held at Los Cenzontles Center in San Pablo on January 18th and also included Ry Cooder, Linda Ronstadt, Taj Mahal, Laurie Lewis, Tom Rozum, Suzy Thompson, and of course Los Cenzontles themselves who just two weeks ago got a raving review for their recent CD (which also features Taj Mahal and David Hidalgo of Los Lobos) in the New York Times editorial page no less!! The money we raised has kept us going to continue the digitization of the Frontera Collection’s 45 rpm discs. But we urgently need more funds to get us to the New Year when we hope to get support from some sources where we have applied this year – with the help of our new assistant, Adam Machado.<br /></div><br /><br /><div align="left">In February I once again heard the truly wonderful and dynamic Croatian band, Momci from Detroit who appeared at the Tamburitza Festival at San Francisco’s Croatian Cultural Center. It’s a family band with a father, sons and a daughter plus his brother – it is one red hot string band – if you have a chance to catch them you must do so! Unfortunately the family is spread out and according to the father they have a hard time getting together – I really would love to record them!<br /></div><br /><br /><div align="left">On March 22 we lost our great friend, board member and mentor, Archie Green – who did so much for real folklore study and preservation in this country – a truly remarkable person who will always remain in my memory as a driving force and how we should all act! On March 26th Los Tigres del Norte, who have been the prime sponsors of our digitizing the 78 rpm discs in the Frontera Collection, held a press conference at UCLA in Los Angeles celebrating the completion of that part of the collection and which Tom Diamant and I attended with great pleasure and joy. Los Tigres are THE super stars of the Norteno music field and have a powerful protest song on You Tube which you should check out – the title of the song is “La Granja” which really hits at the heart of so much what is troublesome in US – Mexico relations.<br /></div><br /><br /><div align="left">On April 10th the great Cajun band, Beausoleil avec Michael Doucet, gave a superb in-store concert at Down Home Music – and Los Cenzontles appeared that night at the Freight & Salvage folk club in Berkeley. On the 18th I flew to New Orleans for the annual trek to check out Jazz Fest etc. Some of my highlights were Lars Edegran’s String Band at the Norwegian Seaman’s Church in NOLA, then the Savoy Family and others at the Balfa Camp up the country near Ville Platte, La. – then back to NOLA for the Savoy Family Jam Session brought to the Fais Do Do stage – all 30 odd participants! The full Del McCoury Band played their classic bluegrass but at the tiny Preservation Hall with Ben Jaffe on tuba and a few jazz horns joining in at the end with spectacular results. Finally in NO for the Ponderosa Stomp. The most amazing part for me was meeting and hearing from Joe Bihari about how he as the youngest brother was elected to do the pressing for their then up-start Modern Music record label. The Capitol Records pressing plant told the Biharis that they did not have time to press their stuff but if they could furnish a guy to do the pressing in the middle of the night, then he would let him in there! Joe remembered even how they mixed the shellac with cotton filler to make those discs at the time (ca. 1947) and how he after pressing records loaded them in his car and went to Central Avenue and sold them to stores! Then he told stories about how he and Ike Turner drove through Mississippi recording all kinds of great down home blues. Modern, RPM, etc Records owned by the Bihari Brothers, was of course one of the major producers of what was then called Rhythm & Blues – and those guys inspired many of us who came later trying to capture what was left of real blues down south! Meeting Joe was in connection with the release of John Broven’s wonderful book about the record men of that era! Marshall Chess was also there but he was no substitute for his late father and he hardly let Joe Bihari get a word in! A great evening at the Gaslight club in the Treme district where I first recorded the Re-Birth Brass Band many years ago! Then back up the country again to catch Wilson Savoy with Jason Frey at Fred’s Lounge in Mamou!<br /></div><br /><br /><div align="left">In May the Pine Leaf Boys visited us in the Bay area followed by ex-Pine Leaf boy, Cedric Watson playing the Eagle Hall in Alameda. Cedric has become a truly incredible performer and musician with his own band and has learned how to get a dancing audience turned up to full steam. Then I visited Washington, DC for the annual ARSC conference and from there down to Chapel Hill, NC to visit with archivist Steve Weiss and then drove up to Fries, VA to visit with Joe Wilson of the NCTA (and his wife Kathy) who works with the Blue Ridge Music Center and produces fine concerts there. Also attended the Mt. Airy Fiddlers Convention in Mt. Airy, NC where besides some fine mountain music, I saw Mike Seeger working with Yasha Aginsky documenting various banjo players on film.<br /></div><br /><div align="left">In June there was a wonderful Memorial for Archie Green in San Francisco where Mike Seeger organized the fine music – unfortunately that was the last time I saw him. On July 4th we head our annual Birthday Party here at Arhoolie – celebrating my 78th and of course Uncle Sam’s birthday as well. Yet another Archie Green memorial was organized in September by the Folklife Center at the Library of Congress which of course was largely established through the lobbying efforts by Archie. I went and am glad I did – it was very moving hearing from many of the people he influenced in many ways – from labor union organizers to scholars and folk musicians etc. That evening was a musical celebration of Joe Wilson at the Coolidge Auditorium with a full House of Prayer black church brass band along with various other traditional musicians – what a program! Late in September the Arhoolie Foundation was invited by the Busto Media company to do a two hour radio program of historical Mexican norteno music and corridos over their extensive network of stations serving primarily recent immigrants all over the country.<br /></div><br /><div align="left">This is getting out of hand! The Savoy Family returned for Bay Area shows in November and with Ann unable to sing due to a bad cold, Wilson had to do the honors on all songs – and he did it with superb results and taste. They really are now the First Family of Cajun Music – I just hope more festivals will engage them whenever possible – that is when Wilson is free from gigs with his Pine Leaf Boys! Just call Ann Savoy direct! Finally, I just returned from the Savoy Boucherie in Eunice, LA which was not only perhaps the best one ever but also the occasion for a Christening of the latest addition to the Savoy family – daughter Sara’s little daughter! The porker was superbly tender because he had been corn fed and raised by Marc himself for this occasion – and the music was non-stop in several places. Cajun jam in the main room – old time and Irish outside – country and swing in the kitchen with Mark Rubin making his multi talented presence felt everywhere – at the end a marvelous duet between Cajun fiddler, David Greely and a delightful girl cello player – like at our Arhoolie parties! The whole event was held at a brand new barn at the Lake View Park just north of Eunice – the place where I first saw a Cajun music broadcast back in 1963 or so – with Revon Reed, several drunk musicians and Paul Tate who led me to Marc Savoy! The previous night there was a public dance at this same barn with Jason Frey’s band which included Joel Savoy on fiddle. The surprise for me was that the pretty good sized audience was made up mainly of young people who seem to be once again enjoying their own culture and music – all having a great time dancing and partying! Let the bon ton roulet!<br />Cheers from Chris and have a good New Year! </div>chris strachwitzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05650486310780308469noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3037862310704011178.post-11110694069636253462009-12-04T12:48:00.000-08:002009-12-04T17:39:51.044-08:00The GRAMMYs: The Savoy Family and Arhoolie!The GRAMMY nominations are in and I am pleased to say that <span style="font-weight: bold;">all five nominees</span> in the <strong>Best Zydeco or Cajun Music Album </strong>category have appeared on Arhoolie Records and three of the five nominations are members of the First Family of Cajun Music, our good friends the SAVOYS!<br /><br /><a style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);" href="http://www.magnoliasisters.com/">The Magnolia Sisters</a> led by Ann Savoy have been given the nod for their latest Arhoolie release <a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.arhoolie.com/titles/538.shtml"><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">Stripped Down</span></a>! The Magnolias <span style="font-size:100%;">include </span><span style="font-size:100%;">Jane Vidrine, Lisa Trahan, and Anya Burgess</span>. These gutsy, soulful and very talented Louisiana women play a wide variety of Cajun/French music styles and breathe new life into old obscure ballads just as comfortably as they rock the house! <span style="font-style: italic;">Stripped Down</span> is their second release on Arhoolie. Their first, <a href="http://www.arhoolie.com/titles/439.shtml"><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">Prends Courage</span></a>, is still available! Ann is also involved with several other agregations including the Sleepless Knights, the Savoy Family Cajun Band, and the Savoy-Doucet Band!<br /><br />Ann and Marc Savoy's son Wilson and his amazing band <a href="http://www.pineleafboys.com/"><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">The Pine Leaf Boys</span></a> are also among the nominees for their latest CD<span style="font-style: italic;"> </span><strong style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Live At 2009 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival</span>. But this is not their first nomination! </strong><a href="http://www.arhoolie.com/titles/533.shtml"><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">Blues De Musicien</span></a>, their second Arhoolie release, was nominated for a GRAMMY in the first year of this category. Our Arhoolie CDs by the Pine Leaf Boys both also feature the great Creole fiddler, Cedric Watson!<br /><br />Ann and Marc's other son, Joel, started Valcour Records, which released the currently nominated Cedric Watson CD "L'Esprit Creole." Joel and Wilson are also proud members of the Savoy Family Cajun Band which has just completed a wonderful short but wild Bay Area tour which included an in-store appearance at the <a href="http://www.downhomemusic.com/"><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">Down Home Music Store</span></a> as well as the Great American Music Hall in San Francisco, the Beatnik in Sacramento, Don Quixote's in Felton, plus a fantastic private party! Unfortunately Ann was suffering from a terrible cold and was not able to sing but Wilson took over in true Cajun style and sang superbly on every song!<br /><br />Nominee Beausoleil, fronted by Michael Doucet has made many recordings for Arhoolie and is part of the famous Savoy-Doucet Cajun Band! Buckwheat Zydeco is of course Stanley Durald who recorded on organ for Arhoolie with <a href="http://www.arhoolie.com/titles/347.shtml"><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">Clifton Chenier</span> </a>and his famous Red Hot Louisiana Band! We congratulate all the nominees!<br /><br />If you live in the Bay Area - especially the East Bay - come to the Down Home Music Store in El Cerrito to do some of your Holiday shopping or searching! We will soon be totally re-organized with more interesting items and more frequent in-store performances - and check out the tons of vinyl and 78s, books, DVDs, etc - and e-mail us your suggestions and let us know what you think or want!<br /><br />Cheers from Mr. Chrischris strachwitzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05650486310780308469noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3037862310704011178.post-9224966009666043522009-11-23T17:44:00.000-08:002009-11-24T15:11:08.268-08:00Back from UNC - Symposium for Archie Green & more!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjJmtEYgrASRHq_z4PyHrhI-XgIJ2PgGIDsubX9V8g6DeQ9YbUA9mhVCIEOcacUDPSFc_vbJ5rvQzRkReaOmxrJ6nM-nIwgLB59j9Kcs5IRik6SsSi5s0PmelbFF9v54EwixwTUuhghkDm/s1600/chris,+bob+%26+adam+at+the+symposium.jpg"><img style="width: 320px; height: 240px;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5407784408209898402" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjJmtEYgrASRHq_z4PyHrhI-XgIJ2PgGIDsubX9V8g6DeQ9YbUA9mhVCIEOcacUDPSFc_vbJ5rvQzRkReaOmxrJ6nM-nIwgLB59j9Kcs5IRik6SsSi5s0PmelbFF9v54EwixwTUuhghkDm/s320/chris,+bob+%26+adam+at+the+symposium.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><span style="font-size:85%;">Mr. Chris, Bob Cantwell & Adam Machado</span></div><div></div><div> </div><div><br />Just came back from North Carolina - I visited my sister Rosy and her family in Tryon after landing in Charlotte and then drove over to Chapel Hill. Had a great talk over dinner with my good friend Dave Freeman of County and Rebel Record fame who is still riding high with many Ralph Stanley CDs and other more modern bluegrass bands. We started out about the same time - but he was smart and concentrated on building up a huge catalog of older styles of country music and has continued to serve that large clientel with energy, knowledge and enthusiasm - while I jumped all over the place trying to capture and re-issue various vernacular sounds which captivated my ears! I wish our <a href="http://www.downhomemusic.com/"><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">Down Home Music Store</span> </a>had kept up the kind of loyal mailing list that County Sales developed! Oh well, we can't do it all!<br /><br />Steve Weiss, director of the Southern Folklife Collection at UNC at Chapel Hill, NC had kindly invited a whole bunch of Archie's friends - mostly scholars who wrote books and such - to put down some of our recollections about Archie and listen to each other. It was a full day (November 21, 09) of formal and informal opening remarks, then a Laborlore panel with several recipients of the Archie Green Occupational Folklife Graduate Fellowship. Then a keynote address from Norm Cohen - lunch - then a Music Panel with Pat Huber who just put out the book "Linthead Stomp", followed by John Hubbell - an interesting fellow who is the director of Old Bridge Media in Memphis and with whom I had some lunch on the way home at the Charlotte Air Port! Then David Whisnant followed by Jack Wright who produced the fine double CD "Music Of Coal" - he is a great down home type guy and I really enjoyed him. He showed a video of the girl, Molly Slemp, who sings the opening ballad on that set and she was only eleven when recorded - seeing her do that ballad just knocked me out! She is something and apparently has a band now who appeared at Obama's Inauguartion! But I just looked for her on YouTube and it was awful stuff!<br /><br />Finally the last "Remembrance Panel" had a bunch of us giving out with some remembrances of the great Archie! Julie Ardery, Robert Cantwell, Adam Machado and yours truly pontificated a while! At the end of the session, Bob Cantwell recognized Derek Green, Archie's son, who had been listening to the proceedings and was probably the only union member present and who finally had a chance to say a few words. Derek spoke about the<a href="http://www.laborculture.org/"><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);"> Fund For Labor Culture & History</span></a> and mentioned many of its accomplishments but my very favorite project has been the annual Labor Lore Conversations where all sorts of people including actual union members are encouraged to present papers or anything about their work - even songs and such to join in Archie's world!!!<br /></div><br /><div><div>After a "Reception" with food and drinks, there was a concert with Elizabeth La Prelle, a nice ballad singer but a bit stiff compared with the young Molly Slemp. She was followed by the absolutely superb musician, entertainer and educator, <a href="http://www.folkstreams.net/pub/FilmPage.php?title=135"><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">Stephen Wade</span> </a>(this film is 20 years old but does give you some idea as to what this remarkable charater can do!) - accompanied by Mike Craver on an old Salvation Army pump organ and some vocals - but it was Stephen's show - and what a variety of American music he dished out!! He has to come to the next <a href="http://www.strictlybluegrass.com/"><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">Hardly Strictly Bluegrass </span></a>Fest in SF - he is a one-man theatre! An old bassy sounding banjo which he played like a man possessed was my favorite banjo! But he played some great medley including a march, a rag, and another March: "Under The Double Eagle" which has always been a favorite of mine since I first heard it back in high school when Bill Boyd's version was played on XERB - back in 1947! Am getting old! The final entertainers of the evening were the <a href="http://www.myspace.com/newnorthcarolinaramblers"><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">New North Carolina Ramblers</span></a>! Well, they were a surprising delight because of the variety of material they put down from Charlie Poole to Gid Tanner with some really nice vocal and guitar duets on the way giving out with Carter Family and Dixon Brothers songs - the fiddler had an uncanny way of imitating Gid Tanner including those high pitched yells and squeaks!<br /><br />I was also reminded that Arhoolie is sitting on all those JEMF LP releases of historical stuff and we need to put those out in one form or other and soon! Also the LP revolution was brought to my attention - especially by a young student at UNC, Reed Turchi, among others! More on this later - Cheers for right now - but don't forget the <a href="http://www.gamh.com/artist_pages/savoy_family_112709.htm"><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">Savoy Family</span> </a>this coming week end here in Northern California - Great American Music Hall on Friday 27th and at Down Home Music Store on Saturday the 28th from 2 to 3 PM - see you there and in Sacramento and Santa Cruz! Chris</div></div>chris strachwitzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05650486310780308469noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3037862310704011178.post-84789875960343637012009-11-05T14:44:00.000-08:002009-11-09T18:30:05.737-08:00My first tirades and comments!<strong>Hello folks</strong>: I am curious if anyone will find or read this - so let me know if this might be of some amusement or interest to anyone!<br /><br />Recently <strong>I heard three local Bay Area bands</strong> at the new and super modern Freight & Salvage here in Berkeley:<br /><br />First was the huge Western styled swing band: <strong>Lost Week End</strong> - with 3 horns, lead guitar, steel guitar, 2 fiddles, singer and rhythm guitarist <strong><span style="color:#000000;">Don Burnham</span></strong>, piano, bass, and drums! They were very tight and played good dance music and at times as many as a dozen couples were having fun on the dance floor which is a real asset for the New Freight! It was a fine program and the music was very good - my only complaint is that due to the size of the band very few of the excellent musicians really get a chance to solo at length and really get hot - especially I would have loved to hear much more from the 2 fiddlers!<br /><br />On another night at the Freight & Salvage I heard two very different bands on the same bill - <a href="http://www.devinesjugband.com/"><strong><span style="color:#3366ff;">Devine's Jug Band</span></strong> </a>opened and did a nice job with some old time jug and novelty tunes from the late 20s with the jug player, <strong><span style="color:#000000;">Pete Devine</span></strong>, and the wonderful hot and amazing fiddler, <span style="color:#ff0000;"><strong><span style="color:#000000;">Mayumi Urgino</span></strong>,</span> being the outstanding players to my ears. They are especially strong on the fast and hot instrumentals. In the case of this band I felt their CD on the Porto Franco label is actually better than their live performance. The second band was the <a href="http://www.cahoneydrops.com/"><span style="color:#3366ff;"><strong>California Honeydrops</strong> </span></a>who put on a killer live performance featuring leader, vocalist, guitarist, & trumpeter , <span style="color:#000000;"><strong>Lech Wierzynski</strong> </span>- who offers an unusually broad spectrum of superb rhythmic music from contemporary New Orleans sounds to Blues, to almost country type songs done with just Lech on guitar acc. by his tub bass player and the drummer playing washboard - to what delighted my ears perhaps the most, a wonderful version of the "Weary Blues" (also known as "Shake It and Break It") done in really rough, old New Orleans style with of course Lech on tumpet dishing it out a la Kid Shots Madison and his soprano sax player sounding like Sidney Bechet - with the entire rhythm section of piano, tub bass, and drums falling being in total synch in real old time black NO style! They also did a fine version of "Junko Partner" - anyway pure delight from start to finish. The band under Lech is unbelievably tight musically but their personal interplay is delightfully casual and informal - just the perfect mixture in these days of super egos on stage or boring singer song writers! However their CD I felt was disappointing - it lacked the drive and power of their live show - I hope they can appear again at the Freight and make a live recording - Arhoolie would love to issue it!<br /><br />I made the mistake to catch <span style="color:#000000;"><strong>James Cotton</strong> </span>and <span style="color:#000000;"><strong>Hubert Sumlin</strong> </span>at the Hebst Theatre in SF - part of the SF Jazz Fest. This nice concert hall is simply not the place for an electric bass player to drown out the entire proceedings with his constant overly loud drone and rumble - it was atrocious!<br /><br />If you are interested in what is happening in <strong>Mexico</strong> I would strongly urge you to check out on YouTube: <span style="color:#000000;"><strong>Los Tigres del Norte</strong> </span>and their latest hit <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZDAjHI1BVY">"<span style="color:#3366ff;">La Granja</span>"</a> - it is a most remarkable protest song but written by Mexico's # 1 composer who is illiterate but has the uncanny ability to come up with a corrido in this case - which can be interpreted many ways - but basically as far as I can detemine, accuses the Narco trafficers, the Mexican government, and the US and it's Berlin style Wall, for ruining not only Mexico's farmers but the entire country. You will also see on that YouTube site a remarkably informed Mexican comentator wearing a black mask who gives his interpretations of that corrido as well as of many other corridos by Los Tigres Del Norte - and the blogs are amazing! Viva Los Tigres - the voice of the underclass!<br /><br />That's it for right now - let's talk up some of the best we have heard or seen!<br /><br />While I have your attention: The<strong> </strong><a href="http://www.downhomemusic.com/"><strong><span style="color:#3366ff;">Down Home Music Store</span></strong></a>, like all record shops is going through tough times and they are in the process of letting folks know what's available from them - so check out the Down Home Music Store <a href="http://stores.ebay.com/down-home-music-store"><span style="color:#3366ff;"><strong>on EBay</strong> </span></a>- they are auctioning LPs etc - including many of the Mexican LPs I am selling. I will also auction off many of my 45s of Blues and Cajun Music via the DH E-Bay site! Check it out - I will not have the time to do this on my own and hope it will help Down Home survive.<br /><br /><span style="color:#ff0000;"><span style="color:#000000;">The </span><a href="http://www.myspace.com/savoyfamilycajunband"><strong><span style="color:#3366ff;">Savoy Family Cajun Band</span></strong></a></span><a href="http://www.myspace.com/savoyfamilycajunband"><span style="color:#3366ff;"> </span></a>- Marc, Ann, Wilson, & Joel - are coming to the Bay Area! One night only in <strong>San Francisco</strong> at the <span style="color:#000000;"><strong>Great American Music Hall</strong> </span>-<strong> Friday November 27th</strong> - right after Turkey Day - get on your dancing shoes - direct from Louisiana - a rare treat with this authentic family band - with meistro Marc on accordion, wife Ann on vocals and powerhouse rhtyhm guitar, Joel on fiddle and Wilson on hot piano, accordion, fiddle and real Cajun yells!! You never know what interesting combinations will appear - all four also play fiddle - maybe a 4 fiddle tune? Or accordion duets? Jerry Lee Lewis style piano romps - Wilson is guaranteed to rock the joint!<br /><br />Cheers from Chris Strachwitzchris strachwitzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05650486310780308469noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3037862310704011178.post-7627641540116772512009-11-05T10:02:00.000-08:002009-11-05T10:35:05.681-08:00WelcomeWelcome to Mr Chris' Blog. Here you'll find the words, thoughts, observations and news from Chris <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">Strachwitz</span>, founder and President of <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">Arhoolie</span> Records and <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">President</span> of the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">Arhoolie</span> Foundation.chris strachwitzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05650486310780308469noreply@blogger.com4