[Dixielandjazz] Bruce Springsteen's take on Modern Folk includes Dixieland

[Steve barbone]

Snippets from a Springsteen review. Apparently his reinvention of himself
includes a little Dixieland. Interesting performance information for us old
folks in OKOM.

Cheers,
Steve Barbone


Springsteen's modern take on folk flies in Glendale
By Larry Rodgers - The Arizona Republic - June 4

Bruce Springstreen brought a mix of joy, faith, bawdiness and sadness to
Glendale Arena on Saturday for his latest musical adventure, an acoustic
sampling of American folk music.

Judging from the reaction of a crowd that was heavy on baby boomers but also
included some younger fans reaching into the teens, Springsteen is
succeeding in reminding listeners how important such classics as "John
Henry" and "Erie Canal" are while showing that modern interpretations can be
loads of fun.

Backed by a 17-piece band that was nothing short of fabulous, Springsteen
played much of his new "We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions" CD, inspired
by the music of 87-year old folk icon Pete Seeger.

He mixed gospel overtones with a four-piece Dixieland horn section a number
of times during the 2-1/2 hour set, including a rave-up version of "O Mary
Don't You Weep," a Black spiritual that was adapted for the civil-rights
movement of the '50s and '60s.

While he had killer players on banjo, accordion, two fiddles and pedal
steel, the horns came close to stealing the show at times. Seeger never
enlisted sax, tuba, trumpet and trombone, but with Springsteen as the happy
conductor, it works in 2006.

But that was just a small part of a successful bid to stay relevant past age
50. Lovers of folk music and adventurous art alike should continue to be
thankful that Springsteen still has his eyes on the prize.