Uprooted: W.C. Handy en Leadbelly + Music by Friends
First edition of a new series on roots music
First edition of the new roots-focused series begins with two vital early American Blues musicians, W.C. Handy and Lead Belly. Siebren Smink will play an opening guitar set, celebrating fellow Amsterdam composers.
Uprooted is a new series by Splendor musician River Adomeit, reimagining roots and folk music in a new form. The first edition focuses on two icons of the blues tradition: W.C. Handy and Lead Belly.
W.C. Handy was a musician, composer and publisher, and a major figure in 20th-century American popular music. He is credited with pieces such as St. Louis Blues, Careless Love, The Memphis Blues and Atlanta Blues. Much of his music draws on American folk melodies, which can also be found in other blues and folk songs. His influence was immense, and he is often referred to as the “Father of the Blues.”
Huddie Ledbetter, better known as Lead Belly, was a singer and musician who rose to prominence with the help of John and Alan Lomax, a father-and-son team of ethnomusicologists who discovered him while recording music in the prison where Ledbetter was serving time. After his release, Ledbetter made numerous recordings and performed extensively in New York City. Several of the songs he sang went on to become widely known, including Goodnight Irene, Pick a Bale of Cotton, Rock Island Line and Where Did You Sleep Last Night.
Despite their very different life stories, these two musicians both had an enormous influence on American popular music, and their work is deeply rooted in American folk traditions.
About Music by Friends:
"During my time in Amsterdam, I’ve had the privilege of playing music by many inspiring musicians and composers. For this concert, I bring together nine pieces by friends and colleagues that I’ve played and recorded over the past few years, as a tribute to the people and music that have shaped me. For each piece, I’ve created a solo guitar arrangement, exploring how its melodies, harmonies, textures and different voices can live within a single instrument." - Siebren Smink
First set:
Siebren Smink - guitar
Second set:
Cem Karayalçin - guitar
Frances Amado - voice
River Adomeit - bass