The Harry Smith B-Sides, which I co-produced with John Cohen and Dust-to-Digital, is out today!
It presents the flip sides of the original 78rpm records included by Harry Smith on his original Anthology of American Folk Music.
We are thrilled to see this project put out into the world. I wrote for and produced/organized the liner notes and contributed to the research and record hunt needed to bring this project into being.
This was John Cohen’s last album project and we are so happy to see it issued as John wished. Thank you to John for making this possible.
July 12-14th Winnipeg, Canada
Winnipeg Folk Festival
w/ John Cohen
See website for schedule and ticket details: www.winnipegfolkfestival.ca
September 6th & 7th North Hillsdale, NY
Oldtone Roots Music Festival
With the Down Hill Strugglers & John Cohen
See website for set times and tix: www.oldtonemusicfestival.com
September 8th New York, NY
Washington Square Park Folk Festival
details TBA www.wspfolkfest.com
September 28th
Park Slope Bluegrass & Oldtime Jamboree
6:30pm
The Old Stone House 336 3rd Street Brooklyn, NY More Info
I did a whole lot of work, recording and as the "Traditional Music Arranger and Consultant", for the video game Red Dead Redemption 2 from Rockstar Games - which comes out today! It is a truly amazing game, a Western set in 1899.
You will find me playing banjo on the game's cinematic score, as well
as contributing to the in-game music. In the world of the video game
you will hear me playing banjo, guitar, jaw harp, mandolin and
whistling.
I also arranged and adapted old and traditional songs,
re-written to fit the game, and worked with the actors who play the characters, teaching them the songs to sing... And if you look real close you will find me in the game, in the role of a cowboy, sitting at a campfire playing guitar...
I worked on this game off and on for about 2 1/2 years and am very happy to see it finished and issued to the world.
Says one reviewer:
"If there is anything here in this game that feels actually, genuinely perfect, it's the music."
Says another reviewer:
"Rockstar Games’ new open-world western opus is exhaustively detailed
and exhaustingly beautiful, a mammoth construction of which every nook
and cranny has been polished to an unnerving shimmer. It is a stirring
tribute to our world’s natural beauty, and a grim acknowledgment of our
own starring role in its destruction. It tells a worthy and affecting
story that weaves dozens of character-driven narrative threads into an
epic tapestry across many miles and almost as many months. When the sun
sets and the tale has been told, it leaves players with a virtual
wild-west playground so convincingly rendered and filled with surprises
that it seems boundless."
And another:
"Even more impressive
is the selection of original music that references in-game locations
and events. Hearing a song about the fictitious city you’re in that
references all the other fictitious locations around really helps make
the world feel even more alive and connected."
Here are upcoming tour dates for Eli Smith as a solo and with The Down Hill Strugglers:
Sat. August 11th
John Cohen with the Down Hill Strugglers
8pm
Jalopy Theatre
315 Columbia St.
Brooklyn, NY www.JalopyTheatre.org
Fri. August 24th
Eli Smith, solo
w/ Bill & the Belles (Record release!)
8pm
Jalopy Theatre
315 Columbia St.
Brooklyn, NY www.JalopyTheatre.org
Thurs. & Fri. September 6th and 7th
Oldtone Roots Music Festival
John Cohen with the Down Hill Strugglers (On Sept. 7th)
Cool Whisper Farm
North Hillsdale, NY www.oldtonemusicfestival.com
Sun. September 9th
Washington Square Park Folk Festival
with the Down Hill Strugglers and John Cohen
2:30pm
Free & open to the public!
NY, NY, NY, NY www.wspfolkfest.com
Wed. September 19th
Clovene 7:45 doors, music shortly after 8!
BYOB and chair and donation
203 Pope St.
Louisville, KY
September 27th - 30th
Berkeley Old Time Music Convention
with the Down Hill Strugglers
Berkeley, CA www.berkeleyoldtimemusic.org
Tues. October 2nd
House Concert
with the Down Hill Strugglers
Santa Cruz, CA
Details TBA
Wed. October 3rd
House Concert
with the Down Hill Strugglers
Palo Alto, CA
Details TBA
Sat. Ocober. 6th BoulevardMusic
The Down Hill Strugglers
with Jim Kweskin
4316 Sepulveda Blvd, Culver City
Los Angeles, CA www.boulevardmusic.com
Wed. January 4th
Roots n Ruckus
The Jalopy Theatre
315 Columbia St.
Brooklyn, NY www.Jalopy.biz
Sun. March 5th
7pm
Dump Trump Benefit Party
The Brooklyn Commons
388 Atlantic Ave
Brooklyn, NY
Sat. March 11th
7:30pm
Benefit Concert to Preserve St. Ann's ChurchSt. Ann's Church
157 Montague St, Brooklyn
With:
Eli Smith
Eva Salina & Peter Stan
Square Dance with Dave Harvey & The NYC Barn Dance
All proceeds benefit the much needed restoration of St. Ann's Church, home of the Brooklyn Folk Festival! Buy Tickets
Wed. March 15th
11pm
Roots n Ruckus
The Jalopy Theatre
315 Columbia St.
Brooklyn, NY www.Jalopy.biz
