Uncle Bob Ledbetter
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I have spent sometime listening to the amazing recordings/interviews of former slaves made by John and Alan Lomax in the thirties and forties for the Library of Congress. For this piece I decided to ‘score’ a portion of John Lomax’s interview with Uncle Bob Ledbetter.
Uncle Bob, who was the uncle of the famous blues singer Leadbelly, is repeatedly asked by Lomax to sing the songs he learned in the fields. These bits of song make for a particularly striking and beautiful interview. The notes of the trombones are tuned to the resonance in Bob’s voice.
Image: Uncle Bob Ledbetter at his grand-daughter’s home, Mooringsport LA, October 1940. Library of Congress.
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The Lincoln Shuffle
Bryce Dessner is the guitarist for The National and Clogs. Bryce has performed/and or recorded with some of the world’s most creative musicians, including songwriters Antony Hegarty and Sufjan Stevens, Sonic Youth guitarist Lee Ranaldo, and composers Michael Gordon, Philip Glass, and Steve Reich. In addition to touring with The National, Bryce’s upcoming projects include a new commission for the Kronos Quartet and a new work for BAM”s Next Wave Festival in 2009.
Bryce offers up “The Lincoln Shuffle,” a series of short compositions inspired by Lincoln and the music of his era, featuring primarily brass instruments. Bryce hopes his work will be the seed of an archive that starts to grow, so we invite you to remix his music or create your own.
Composed by Bryce Dessner
Performed by:
Bryce Dessner – Guitar
Aaron Dessner - Guitar
Benjamin Lanz- Trombone
Kyle Resnick- Trumpet
Recorded and Mixed by Bryce Dessner
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Rosenbach Museum & Library
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