A Song And A Jug Up

Thank you Mike Waterson!

2011-08-01T01:13:00.000-07:00

One could think that we have heard most of the classic English folk-songs out there but of course this would be totally wrong!

Since Matts and me were off to Great Britain last week we took some time to buy a couple of albums. I'm a big fan of Eliza Carthy so we poped in at Fopp and bought her latest album. Less folk than we usually have on this blog but it's still nice.
Here's the opening track live:

We also bought a collection called Simply Folk which had a few surprises! Nice.

As a small, small, token of appreciation from us to a great voice, here's Mike Watersons acapella version of Cold Coast of Iceland.

But as he himself explains the folkscene in this video (at 0:24)

you carry on singing songs! Music, at least, is forever.
We will sing the next Bellman to Mikes' memory!

Finally, if you like, you can have a look at how truelly music inspires and continues though everything!! This lady make do of what she has. Like a light-bulb...

IDUMEA

2011-04-24T12:15:00.000-07:00

Idumea times three:

Tim Eriksen: Raw, naked and sensitive (even in a bigger setting context)

Molly and Maggie: Laid-back, dreamy and charming

Sacred Harp Singers (a special kind of singing, wiki-info here): Mighty, eternal, flow

Since the Watersons version of this song is not available on YouTube you might appreciate this splendid alternative:

New songs

2011-04-20T06:43:00.000-07:00

Suggestions for new songs has been on our minds lately. Some came quite easy to us and some needed some listening to before deciding. One suggestion from Emma was the joyful tune Dogger Bank eller Sailing over the Dogger Bank. It’s a tongue-twisting kind of song and when searching for it on YT it also revealed being a SpongeBob SquarePants fav! Fun fact. I really want to sing some Swedish tunes but in “an English kind of way”. I’m having trouble explaining what that means exactly so it’ll probably be a while (or never) that I get my wish. Perhaps a wise decision from the rest of ASAAJU…

Hear ya! ;-)
Nanna

Airs

2011-01-20T22:59:00.000-08:00

Hello!

I was thinking that I ought to learn a couple of airs and make use of my fantastic low whistle! So: Today I will start scanning youtube and try to learn something (rather easy to start with, I suppose).

What else?

Some of us has caught a stubborn cold that refuses to pass. We still struggle on and rehearse anyway. Next rehearsal will be on tuesday. We are also looking for places in which to perform, since we feel that it is time to get on stage. =D

Until next time!

XXX

/Karin, ASAAJU

Singing in the new year

2011-01-08T13:04:00.000-08:00

So, all the holidays are over and done. Now begins the new year AND our weekly rehearsals.
Happy times!
For all of you (like the two people who read this blog :-D) who liked the swedish folk-music we last bloged about I can recommend a swedish documentary which is currently on svt/play. It's from a big camp in the middle part of Sweden. Features a lot of fiddel!

Swedish folkmusic from Dalarna

2010-10-19T11:50:00.001-07:00

Latest song-choice

2010-07-22T11:00:00.000-07:00

Big steamers. We are inspired by The Wilson Family's version of this song and last time we met we tried it out. Loads of singing-fun!

This clip is fab - watch and learn...

Cool Water

2010-03-03T09:54:00.000-08:00

Different genre - but absolutely lovely.
A sweet childhood memory:

Matts

In times of illness

2010-03-03T07:35:00.000-08:00

We have tried to sing at Emma's place for several times now. We have been stopped by such things as train-chaos (which lasted for days due to the weather) and illnesses of different kinds. Now it is apparently my turn. I have been ill for several days now and I really long to sing, a task that is impossible with a sore throat.

I hope I'll be well soon so we can practice at Emma's place. I'm looking forward to saturday :-)

With love from K and the whole of ASAAJU with me

Shallow brown in a different setting, K's YouTube-find

2010-02-27T09:17:00.000-08:00

Practice singing - and it get's better

2010-02-23T12:19:00.000-08:00

K's father, who incidentally is M's brother and N's brother-in-law is turning a good number and we are practicing for his celebration.
We’re singing South Australia, Thousands Or More and, if these pleases the crowd, Blood and Gold as a finish. It sound better and better, must be all the food ;-D

Love /K, M & N from ASAAJU

Tip on a consert with swedish christmascarols!

2010-01-21T07:07:00.000-08:00

So, the holidays are over and we all survived. Today I'm giving you a link to a christmas-consert from last year. It's in swedish but has folkmusic as it's core. There's a bit of commentary (wich is not texted) but I like all the rest - even for you english-speaking guys!
Enjoy!
Nanna

Happy Holidays!

2009-12-25T04:51:00.000-08:00

Love and wishings of a joyful ending of this, and start on the new, year!
ASSAJU

Hey! Here's one of my favs with a new-ish song

2009-12-22T02:27:00.000-08:00

Oranges and seasalt.
A charming Eliza Carthy.
Live.
It's all good.

Just for fun I can tell everyone that my favorite christmas-shot is tequila and - yes you guessed it! - oranges. Ordinary salt though. Or suger and cinnemon.
Happy Holidays!

ps. just for the fun of it you get another one from E.C. This one's Two tears.

Blood and Gold

2009-11-17T11:53:00.000-08:00

En helt sjukt fantastisk sång! Lyssna på hela. Jag fick ståpäls :D

A totally fantastic song! Listen to the hole thing. I got goose bumps :D

There was a YouTube-clip here before but it got deleted. But since we really love the song we want to give a tip that the Tabor/Prior-album No more to the dance is great and includes this song! Buy it or just make a friend who has it play it for you! Real laud!

//Karin & Asaaju

I nice one with "dancing waves"

2009-11-04T00:25:00.000-08:00

It's almost magical this one. Matts sent me the link to one of this groups other performences but this first one is my fav! The kids going up and down and the night around - yeah I like it very much. A classic tune also that many knows and can sing.

This other video is Matts link, the same group - very different setting though!

All the best!
Nanna/ASAAJU

What N and M is loving at the moment

2009-10-26T05:47:00.000-07:00

I know it's a bit corny - but I love these "sisters". Here's a taste of what you might enjoy.

Mr M has another favorit - Da VInci's Notebook singing one of their hits. It isn't exactly our type of music - but it IS a capella!

Love,
N o M from ASAAJU

Vi spelade in övningen / Recording in the kitchen

2009-10-22T08:42:00.000-07:00

It was almost like recording the real album! Fun and inspiring. Karin, Nanna and Matts sat in the kitchen, recording as we sang, song after song. Sometimes we only recorded the harmonies since Emma was missing, yet it worked out quite well. At the moment we don't know how to up-load a mp3-file as a taste of what to come - but as soon as - it'll be here!
Keep singing! ASAAJU

Det blev nästan som att vi spelade in hela skivan! Mycket roligt och inspirerande.
Karin och Nanna och Matts satt alltså i köket och spelade in låt efter låt. Ibland blev det bara inspelning av stämmor eftersom Emma saknades men det blev ändå bra.
Just nu vet vi inte hur man lägger upp ljudfiler här men när vi kommer på det så läggs det upp - var så säkra!
Sjung lugnt!
ASAAJU

Det här gillar Götgatan just nu.../what we like at the moment...

2009-10-18T06:54:00.000-07:00

Here follows a couple of YouTube-clips with outstanding folk-musicians (all song-birds of high qualitee).
In the first Maddy Prior and June Tabor is singing one of the classics. This is live - and even better than the recordings!! Excellent!
The second (inbedded) is Eliza Carthy - as always great - she's sooo cool, stomping away! The sound is a little off but great anyway.
Enjoy! Love ASAAJU

Här kommer några bra YouTube-klipp på andra sånggalningar...etablerade folkmusiker!
Maddy Prior och June Tabor sjunger klassikern Four Loom Weaver. Lite äldre - mycket bättre. Vi fick alla ståpäls. Det är seriöst bra.
Eliza Carthy är helcool i denna video. Tyvärr lite dålig ljudkvalitet, men ändå superb!
Hon manglar på!

Idag träffas vi för att äta stark chili con carne - utan bönor - och för att sjunga. Vi kommer att öva öva öva.
Kramar ASAAJU

Vi övar inför skivan / Practice before recording

2009-10-12T11:28:00.000-07:00

Biggest news is that the songlist is decided. We're set on recording some time this fall and we're adding practice-time. After this week-end singing we've added on song, The Bonnie Ship The Diamond. We'll see how it all turns out! We can also tell you that one beloved piece of song, The fields of Athenrye, is going to be on the album.

To show you that we sometimes have some time off - here's a pic from another week-end with ASAAJU. Möja, the Stockholm archipelago, May 2009

A health! Keep coming back for more news and progress - ASSAJUJust nu har vi spikat låtlistan inför inspelning och har haft extra övning inför den. Vi har efter helgens sång lagt till en låt, The Bonnie Ship The Diamond, antagligen kommer också studiotiden ge oss svar på om låtarna blir bra till slut.
Redan nu kan avslöjas att vi har flera älskade bitar på gång - bl.a. Fields of Athenrye.

För att visa att vi inte alltid övar när vi "övar" kommer här en bild från en sånghelg. Möja, Stockholms skärgård, maj 2009.
Allt gott!
Vi höres med alla nyheter inför detta stora och härliga projekt!
ASAAJU