Pete Seeger's Rainbow Quest - Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee; Mississippi John Hurt, Hedy West, & Paul Cadwell

Rainbow Quest is a ground breaking television series from the height of the folk boom of the 1960s featuring authentic traditional music played in the atmosphere of an informal back porch picking party. Hosted by one of folk music's best known personalities, Pete Seeger, guests were drawn from across the spectrum of traditional music including bluegrass, country, folk, blues, gospel and more, showcasing legendary older musicians as well as young contemporaries making a name for themselves.

Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee were among the most enduring blues acts of the post-war era, forming an association that was to last three decades. Terry's distinctive harmonica style combining whoops and hollers blended well with McGhee's warm voice and tasteful guitar picking. Along with Pete Seeger, Leadbelly and Woody Guthrie, Brownie and Sonny were part of the burgeoning New York folk scene around 1940, and in their musical reunion here with Pete they perform a captivating mix of traditional blues and folk music. Mississippi John Hurt's superb guitar playing and gentle, expressive voice made him one of the most acclaimed figures in blues history, and his appearance here shows his skills had not diminished since his classic 1928 recordings. Hedy West brought the musical heritage of her Georgia roots to the folk revival of the 1960s and performs several songs accompanying herself on the 5-string banjo. Paul Cadwell drew his material from turn of the century ragtime and plays a number of rags, cakewalks and traditional banjo pieces.

DVD Info:

“

Amazon.com wrote: Product Description Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee were among the most enduring blues acts of the post-war era, forming an association that was to last three decades. Terry's distinctive harmonica style combining whoops and hollers blended well with McGhee's warm voice and tasteful guitar picking. Along with Pete Seeger, Leadbelly and Woody Guthrie, Brownie and Sonny were part of the burgeoning New York folk scene around 1940, and in their musical reunion here with Pete they perform a captivating mix of traditional blues and folk music. Mississippi John Hurt's superb guitar playing and gentle, expressive voice made him one of the most acclaimed figures in blues history, and his appearance here shows his skills had not diminished since his classic 1928 recordings. Hedy West brought the musical heritage of her Georgia roots to the folk revival of the 1960s and performs several songs accompanying herself on the 5-string banjo. Paul Cadwell drew his material from turn of the century ragtime and plays a number of rags, cakewalks and traditional banjo pieces.

”

“

Alfred Johnson, Amazon.com wrote: In a year that has featured various 90th birthday celebrations it is very appropriate to review some of the 1960's television work of Pete Seeger, one of the premier folk anthologists, singers, transmitters of the tradition and "keeper" of the folk flame. This DVD is a "must see" for anyone who is interested in the history of the folk revival of the 1960's , the earnest, folksy style of Pete Seeger or the work of Mississippi John Hurt, Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee, Hedy West or banjoist Paul Cardwell. This DVD contains some very interesting and, perhaps, rare television film footage from two Pete Seeger shows entitled "Rainbow Quest". Each show is introduced (and ends, as well) by Pete singing his old classic "If I Had A Golden Thread" and then he proceeds to introduce and play banjo along with the above-mentioned artists. No date is given (as far as I could find) but these shows must have been fairly early in the 1960's because I believe that John Hurt died in about 1964 or 1965. Pete's relationship with Sonny and Brownie went back to the days of the Almanac Singers (that included Woody Guthrie) and New York City in the early 1940's. That segment gives some details about various goings on of those times and the genesis of some of the songs that are sung in the set. I have read elsewhere that at some point in their joint careers Sonny and Brownie stopped talking to each other even as they continued their professional lives together. Here, at least, they appeared to be civil to each other as the combination of Brownie's guitar and vocals, Sonny's smokin' harmonica and accompaniment by Pete on the banjo is a rare treat. The second segment is a little less entertaining as Pete introduces the mountain banjo man Cadwell doing traditional reels and jigs and Hedy West doing a couple of numbers . Then there is a magic moment. Mississippi John Hurt, with his clean, simple guitar picking, doing " Lonesome Valley". Wow. And then ending with his version of Lead Belly's "Goodnight, Irene" (with the others joining in). These, alone, are worth the price of admission. Wow, again. One final note. This is a piece of folk history. Pete Seeger is a folk legend. However, the production values here are a bit primitive and low budget. Moreover, for all his stature as a leading member of the folk pantheon Pete was far from the ideal host. His halting speaking style and almost bashful manner did not draw his guests out. Let's just put it this way the production concept used then would embarrass a high school television production class today. But, Pete, thanks for the history lesson.

”

Check out the other Rainbow Quest offerings here on AvaxHome:

Johnny Cash & Roscoe Holcomb
Judy Collins & Elizabeth Cotten
The Stanley Brothers & Doc Watson
The Clancy Bros. & Tommy Makem, Tom Paxton, Mamou Cajun Band
The New Lost City Ramblers & Greenbriar Boys