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Rants & Raves - CD Reviews Bring Me Home
BMH review Rock 'n' Reel "Bring Me Home is an object lesson in how to engage an audience. These days it's maybe an audience of the mostly already enthralled, but for anyone new to her work, this CD is a good place to start. It's an album on which Peggy provides a master class in vocal delivery, nuance and musical setting. An accomplished guitarist and banjo player, Seeger is accompanied by a small bunch of fine musicians who deliver some stunning results, with "Napoleon" and "Newlyn Town" both being contenders for "definitive version" status. And whilst much of that is because the arrangements are both elegant and restrained, how she sings them is the key. She can fly solo, too -- the unaccompanied "Peacock Street" showing that ability is undimmed by the passing of time. The CD booklet provides Peggy's brief take on the songs. Towards the
end of her notes she discloses that she is taking a break to teach
song writing. It's a way of passing the torch along, which is what
Seeger has always done. Even in her seventies she still has plenty
of gas in the tank."
Bring Me Home (Appleseed) The third in a trilogy of traditional folk songs recorded in England with the children of her late husband, Ewan MacColl, Bring Me Home features Peggy Seeger's expressive, unadorned vocals in stark arrangements that compliment the power of old tunes like Peacock Street, Hang Me and Molly Bond. She sings those without accompaniment, but tunes backed by Seeger's banjo, guitar and concertina are equally compelling and dramatic. Her son Neill's contributions on autoharp, guitar, and mandolin add some lovely touches, as does his brother Calum's guitar and backing vocals. It's hard to pick out highlights from such a rich collection of performances, but I've got a soft spot for her version of Dink's Tune. By the time Peggy Seeger completes this 13-song cycle with her original title track, you've experienced a revelatory canon of American folk music. (Times Colonist, Canada, April 20 2008)
Bring Me Home It’s hardly a stretch to realise that Pete Seeger’s half-sister, and the former wife of the late Ewan MacColl, would sing the same traditional music held high by her revivalist bloodline. What is surprising is that, at 72 years of age, the New York-born songstress remains every bit the powerhouse performer she was in her heyday in the ’50s and ’60s. Her clear, crisp vocals are commanding and her prowess on the five-string banjo and guitar is nimble and equally spellbinding; she’s accompanied by autoharp, harmonium and hints of slide guitar across various tracks. Representing the third volume of her Home trilogy (trad songs learned in her childhood), these 13 time-polished gems remain integral to her outlook on life, and the strength and friendship they have provided her over the years translate like bedtime stories for another generation. From the rollicking, banjo-driven “Roving Gambler” to the uplifting “Little Birdie,” Peggy Seeger quickly distinguishes herself from the current barrage of olde-timey revivalists. She’s the real deal and she owns these songs. Her passion and confident delivery are downright inspirational and calming. (Appleseed)
ERIC ALPER Review Peggy Seeger, Bring Me Home, Appleseed Linking the legendary folk family of America - Pete and Mike Seeger are her brothers - with the British MacColls - she's the widow of folk revivalist Ewan and mother of Neill and Calum, both featured on this release - Peggy Seeger has long captured the darkness and betrayal of life's tragedies in song. Seldom have I heard her do so as eloquently as on Bring Me Home, the final component of a trilogy of recordings made with her sons. Like Jean Ritchie, Seeger removes all adornment from timeless Anglo-American
folk songs. People have been singing some of these songs for hundreds of years; because of people like Peggy Seeger, they will be sung for hundreds more. This is what folk music is all about. I know I'll keep an eye open for the previous two volumes in this series. Eric Alper
BMHOME - KIDMAN REVIEW This is the final installment in Peggy's "home trilogy" of recent recordings for Appleseed, following 2003's Heading For Home and 2005's Love Call Me Home. It consists for the most part of newly-recorded versions of some of Peggy's favourite traditional (or near-traditional) folksongs from the US and UK, to which 12-track sequence is appended the beautiful, poignant, reflective self-penned title track, which forms the most fitting conclusion to (and consummation of) the trilogy that one could imagine. It's a deeply personal composition (how could it be otherwise, with lines like "The first time ever I saw his face, his heart became my own"?), and yet its sentiments and experiences also can be seen to have an embracingly universal import; this aspect, together with its very simplicity of expression, renders it profoundly moving. As for the traditional material, well these new renditions are uniformly superlative and often intriguing; not only do we get here the voice of a master interpreter of these songs of many years' standing, one who loves and knows the songs in depth and clearly truly understands them, but Peggy's also a lady who has immense experience of actually thinking about these songs and carefully choosing the ideal versions for her to perform. Not least with regard to the tunes she uses: a case in point is Molly Bond, which Peggy sings unaccompanied here, to a tune which conveys the intrinsic eeriness of the ballad and is commendably far removed from the significantly sweeter "usual" melody, while conversely her chosen tune for Newlyn Town is sweeter and more plaintive than the "usual" one for this broadside. In fact, some of the tunes Peggy calls into service here were new to me, and these prove especially intensely rewarding and refreshing. Peggy's choice of songs is an interesting one by any standards, containing as it does variants of the fairly well-known (Home Dearie Home, Hang Me, Roving Gambler, Little Birdie) alongside other material which, though not exactly obscure, can be regarded more as the province of the hardened folksong buff (the Texas holler Dink's Song and the industrial complaint Let Them Wear Their Watches Fine, for instance). Aside from Peggy's own excellent performances, the songs are also blessed with beautifully considered yet spontaneous-sounding down-home-style backings courtesy of Cary Findley, Calum and Neill MacColl, John Herrmann, Rosemary Lackey and Vollie McKenzie (in varying permutations), and a further contributing factor in the success of the whole enterprise must surely be the sympathetic yet upfront production by Calum himself. Not to mention the ingenuity of the at times uncannily simple instrumental arrangements (special mention for the ghostly drone-enhanced concertina-and-harmonium backing for O The Wind And The Rain and the unusual use of slide-guitar on the Napoleon ballad). This is an exceptionally lovely release; in fact, the whole trilogy has proved eminently treasurable - thanks, Peggy, for everything.
It's really unfortunate that Peggy Seeger never got the same attention as her half brother. I know people will call this blasphemy, but I think they are fairly on par: both genius songwriters, genius players, and, well, essentially play the same songs. Younger than Pete by 16 years, and Mike by a few less, Peggy was born into music: musical parents, musical brothers, and a legacy to hold up. She did well, let me tell you. Bring Me Home is the third in the "Home" trilogy: three albums worth of songs she learned when she was young, and re-imagined. She doesn't rely on fancy technology to make her music sound good. Most of the tracks star only her and her 5 string banjo or acoustic guitar, just how folk should be. "Hang Me" holds banjo playing that is a step up from phenomenal, and "Molly Bond" is strictly acapella, showcasing Seeger's slightly shaking voice which only adds more color to these recordings. I honestly cannot get enough of this! The John Shelton Ivey List # 313
All Music Guide While Peggy Seeger was active as an artist as early as the 1950s, and while she played a vital role within the traditional faction of the folk revival, she seems to have recorded infrequently until recent years. Beginning in 2000, however, she has released a steady stream of albums on Appleseed, a folk label aptly suited for her bare-bones, traditional style. Many of Bring Me Home's songs, "Dink's Song," "Wagoner's Lad," and "O the Wind and Rain," will be familiar to fans of traditional music. As to why she has remained committed to these golden folk oldies, she comments in the liner notes: "These old songs...I wouldn't know how to live without them. I don't choose the songs for these albums - they choose me." In fact, Seeger's style and choice of material has changed very little since the 1950s (and she has always clung tighter to strict tradition than her half-brother Pete Seeger). The arrangements are very simple on Bring Me Home, acoustic guitars, banjos, and harmonium, allowing Seeger's vocals to hold the center. What makes Bring Me Home more fascinating than the average traditional album is that Seeger and a few other musicians proceed with relaxed confidence: they easily fall into the moment, allowing each song to unfold naturally. This easy-flowing confidence makes Bring Me Home easy to like. (4-1/2 stars out of 5)
01/30/08 Bring Me Home represents the conclusion of Peggy Seeger’s “Home Trilogy” of CDs (see Heading for Home and Love Call Me Home…both available from Appleseed). Seeger has long been a staple of American and British Folk Music. Her first recording was released by Folkways Records in 1955! “Bring Me Home” is a haunting collection of songs that feature minimal instrumentation (mostly banjo, guitar, and concertina), and a couple of a cappella cuts. Seeger’s voice is a bit rough around the edges, but I think this serves to make the songs seem more real and immediate. The dozen songs on the CD are mostly traditional versions of timeless situations…deserving chaps headed for the gallows (“Hang Me” and Newlyn Town”)…wandering lovers (“Dink’s Song”, “Roving Gambler”)…lost love (“Molly Bond” where the young girl is mistaken for a swan and slain by a bowshot from her lover (used to happen all the time in days of old). You have to check out Seeger’s liner notes for the old chestnut “O the Wind and the Rain”…”Sister drowning sister, brother stabbing brother, fathers burning their daughters at the stake, mothers strangling their babies…ah, family life!” The CD closes with the lovely and very personal title track…a gentle tribute to her extended family including her parents, half-brother Pete Seeger, brother Mike Seeger, husband Ewan MacColl, and her current partner, Irish vocalist Irene Piper-Scott. Backing musicians include her sons Callum and Neill. “Bring Me Home” is a solid effort from one of the most respected folk musicians. At 73, she is still going strong with plans for a couple of CD releases in 2008, a concert tour, and academia (she’s a visiting professor of songwriting at Northeastern U in Boston.)
from Chris Spector PEGGY SEEGER/ Bring Me Home: Back to tying up her home trilogy after a detour with her great birthday concert recording last year, the grande dame for the first family of folk music does not disappoint. Once you pass 70, you might not be as concerned with being an engineer as you once were, but you are concerned with comfort in your surroundings. The view of Seeger's vision of home rounds out the trilogy nicely. When taken with the two preceding sets, this is a pretty grand contemporary folk statement. With a gentle message and touch, Seeger knows that love can take you home again, even when some of the songs here make you want to run as far and as fast as you can from there.
First comment on Bring Me Home from Mike Harding on BBC Folk On 2: "I love Bring Me Home - it is so so good - like old friends, good music, a warm fire and a cold night outside. More power to your elbow!"
Three Score and Ten, Peggy Seeger, with family and friends (Appleseed APR CD 1100) The Chicago broadcaster and writer Studs Terkel wrote in the mid nineties that true wisdom is not obtained until three score and ten or 70 years of age. Many who have heard Peggy Seeger and remember her work with the Metalworkers Union in Australia in the 1970s and 1980s with her partner the late Ewan McColl would argue that she was pretty wise before this age. This album reveals Seeger at her very best, showcasing her considerable song writing ability and musicianship, with her political songs - If You Want a Better Life (with Billy Bragg), the somewhat mournful Che Guevara, Sing About Those Hard Times, Different Therefore Equal, Cavemen and Gonna Be an Engineer coming to the fore. Similarly, personal (and political?) songs such as Darling Annie (with Billy Bragg), My Mother is Younger than Me, Careless Love and Love Call Me Home are delivered with aplomb. In particular, Seeger displays great openness, as she delivers a poem for the late Ewan McColl, followed by the song he wrote on meeting and falling in love with her- First Time Ever I Saw You Face, which Roberta Flack had a big hit with in the early seventies. This is followed by a spoken word tribute to her current partner, I am Ill with Love. Other highlights were her duet with the talented Bragg and the collaboration with her brothers, the famous international folksinger Pete Seeger and the lesser known but talented Mike Seeger. Their banter about their early lives in a very musical family is most entertaining. They then sing, with all playing the banjo, a great traditional song from their childhood, Cindy and Pete Seeger songs, including Where have All the Flowers Gone, with the added bonus of enthusiastic audience participation. (Australian Options is a quarterly journal which aims to challenge the ideas dominating Australian mainstream debate. Each edition includes major articles by activists and progressive thinkers on contemporary political ,social and cultural issues.)
A review written for the Folk & Acoustic
Music Exchange All and sundry may more familiarly know the surname through Pete Seeger, one of her brothers, but Ms. Seeger is a firm foundation in the modern folk movement and well she should be. With the singing voice of a 20-year old, the tone and temperament of a slightly acidic and world-wise 40-year old, and possessing the studied acumen of a 500-year old, the lady enjoyed a warm intimate gathering of friends and family upon the occasion of her 70th birthday at the Queen Elizabeth Hall in London, England. Guests included Martin Carthy, Billy Bragg, the aforementioned Pete and other bro Mike, and several others, all recognized celebs in the firmament. The 2-dics set proves to be a delight in more ways than the presence of these worthies. First off, Seeger's a daunting multi-instrumentalist, playing guitar, autoharp, banjo, piano, concertina, and of course singing. However, she doesn't just play, she demonstrates a fluency surprising even for an overachiever on the banjo, and her vocals can be either bird-on-a-wire delicate or gusty, ringing with authority and surprising projection. From the many gritty inferences, one suspects that fools trifle with this woman at their peril. Most of the songs are Seeger's own but she pulls in a few traditionals, including Hangman, which Led Zeppelin popularized in the 70s through a rendition entitled Gallows Pole. Irene Pyper-Scott joins with the star to imbue their duet signing with a hauntingly lyrical quality. Seeger's definitely an individual and listening to this gathering first evokes smiles at the loose ensemble nature, soon pulling up even more succinctly in a grinning smirk while taking in the vinegar in such songs as Home Sweet Home", decorously offset by the lullabye-ish piano figures. Obviously, Pete's not the only one who's had something to say, but then the whole Seeger family is rather known for its artistic creativity and rebelliousness. Readers may not know it, but the gorgeous The First Ever I Saw Your Face was written by husband Ewan MacColl for Peggy, and she turns in a light-spirited version recalling her love for the composer rather than weighing to the wistfull somberness Roberta Flack made famous. Pete's brought out to thunderous applause and proceeds through a series of songs and reminiscences, including Where Have All the Flowers Gone?". On only one song, though, unfortunately, do Mark, Pete, and Peggy all play and sing together for the first time ever in a recording, a shame because hearing that trio of banjos is a delight. The BBC thought the whole thing worth recording and did so, thank goodness, as one doesn't hear this sort of confab very often anymore, reminding one of the old Weavers and other tribal gatherings, intersecting between stage performance, pub get-together, and parlor sing-along, not to mention a revivified history lesson.
DIRTY LINEN August-September 2007 By Lahri Bond American-born folksinger Peggy Seeger first achieved renown in Britain-where she lived and performed more than 30 years with her husband/ singer/songwriter/folklorist/teacher Ewan MacColl. Since his death in 1989, she has lived in the States. In May 2005 she returned to England to celebrate her 70th birthday and gathered together an amazing group of traditional players and singers including members of her own family. Three Score & Ten documents this joyous concert with two CDs full of great songs and special memories. Seeger is a master musician in her own right, switching easily between guitar, banjo, concertina, piano and autoharp as well as leading or being part of all the evening's vocal chores. She's also a genial and warm master of ceremonies. She began the evening with an American version of "The Hangman," performed solo before filling up the stage with her famous friend. Pretty soon, Eliza Carthy was playing fiddle on the "Fiddling Soldier," while Seeger's sons Neill and Calumn MacColl joined in on "Logan County Jail." Carthy's parents, Norma Waterson and Martin Carthy added their rich voices to "Che Guevara," "Lowlands of Holland" and "Home Sweet Home. " Martin Carthy provided his distinctive guitar to the Humors of Bandon." Also on hand to lend instrumental support were accordionist Graham Henderson and percussionist James McNally. The evening's first set ended with a wonderful duet between Seeger and Billy Bragg on her ode to women's independence, "Darling Annie" before Bragg led the cast through a rousing rendition of the pro-union song "If You Want a Better Life." The second set opened with some very intimate and personal notes, as Seeger shared her tribute to her late husband, both in "Poem for Ewan" and her rendition of his love song to her "First Time Ever I Saw Your Face." She then brought the festivities into the present with the poem ":I Am Ill With Love" and the song "So Long Since I've Been Home" dedicated to her current partner, Irene Pyper Scott, who also contributed vocals and percussion to much of the evening's music. Seeger performed a loving tribute to her late mother, Ruth Crawford Seeger, a composer, arranger, pianist teacher and the first woman awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship for music. The concert then turned to other family matters, as brother Mike Seeger came on stage to play old favorites such as "When First Unto This Country," "Soldier's Farewell," and "Quill Ditty." Pete Seeger joined his siblings for the traditional "Cindy," making this the first-ever recording of the three Seegers together. Pete performed a short solo set highlighted by a stunning rendition of "Where Have All the Flowers Gone" before Peggy treated the crowd to her signature song, "Gonna Be An Engineer." The evening wrapped up with a lovely rendition of "Careless Love," sung by mothers and daughters Norma Waterson and Eliza Carthy and Peggy Seeger and Kitty MacColl, backed by Neill and Calumn MacColl. Encores included Peggy's "Sing About the Hard Times" and "Love Call Me Home" dedicated to her late friend, Christine Lassiter.
Sing Out Summer 2007 This two-CD live concert recording from May 2005 commemorates Peggy’s 70th birthday while painting a wonderful intimate musical portrait of Peggy’s work and life. You’ll get a first-hand snapshot of some of the significant contributions that Peggy (and her late husband Ewan MacColl) made to the world- - musically and socially. Recorded in London’s Queen Elizabeth Hall, notable friends and family are featured including brothers Pete and Mike Seeger and friends Martin Carthy and Billy Bragg to name just a few. Although Peggy pays homage to traditional songs and she generously shares the spotlight with her friends and family, it’s Peggy’s own star that shines brightly in the performances of her own material. Peggy’s indefatigable spirit still rouses and inspires us in her feminist anthem form the 70’s “Gonna Be An Engineer” A special treat are Peggy’s spoken word poems , including her striking rendition of “My Mother is Younger than Me” and the moving interplay of the poem she wrote for her husband Ewan and his song to her that most of us know as Roberta Flack’s 1970’s pop hit “ The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face.” Three Score & Ten is a tribute that can’t even begin to illustrate the numerous and important works of this artist/activist, but I hop will motivate those who listen to dig deeper into her history and song.
On May 29, 2005, American folksinger and songwriter Peggy
Seeger celebrated her 70th birthday with a landmark concert at London's
Queen Elizabeth Hall featuring members of legendary folk music dynasties
from both sides of the pond: Peggy's brothers Mike and Pete Seeger
(making this the first-ever recording of the three Seegers together);
Martin Carthy, his wife Norma Waterson and their daughter Eliza Carthy;
Peggy's three children from her marriage to Ewan MacColl (Neill, Calum
and Kitty); her longtime partner Irene Pyper-Scott; plus Billy Bragg,
Graham Henderson and James McNally. Now the full show including
amusing between-song chat and a glorious rendition of "Happy Birthday" has
been released as a double-CD set. This is a warts-and-all recording
that doesn't exclude the odd flubbed lyric or bum notes and that's
part of what makes it such a lovely testament to a life devoted to
music, family and friends.
Sunday, March 18, 2007 The sad part is, many of these tributes are offered after the subject have passed on. While memorials are important, it is fitting to recognize some names while they are still with us - AND while they are still creating and sharing treasures with us. Last year I had the honor of producing a recreation of a 1956 concert that honored the music and life of Woody Guthrie. The original production was the first "revue" of it's type, and the gathering of talent was a milestone moment of the folk revival as well as an event that helped galvanize the image and quality of work that Guthrie created. Now we have the opportunity to recognize another individual who I feel has not received the credit she deserves - Peggy Seeger. On the occasion of her 70th birthday in 2005, family and friends gathered in London for a concert that celebrated the music and life of Peggy Seeger. Appleseed Records has released a two CD set recording of the event called "Three Score and Ten". Beyond a doubt, Peggy Seeger is a national treasure. Perhaps I should say "international" treasure since her music and work had a significant impact on the folk music scene. Taking it a step further, Peggy Seeger has also been an important figure on social and political music scene. Her songs have grown beyond the folk world to become part of the fabric for a number of social movements, such as the feminist anthem - "I'm Gonna Be An Engineer". Peggy Seeger has inspired other songwriters to write about important issues. She is also one of the most charming performers that has ever graced a stage. Her wit and warmth captivates an audience. There must be something in the Seeger genes because the same trait can be said about her brother Mike and her step-brother Pete. Peggy is the daughter of the late ethnomusicologist Charles Seeger and his second wife Ruth Crawford Seeger - a composer, arranger, pianist and the first woman awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship for Music. She grew up around a incredible world of music. In addition to her parents lineage, Peggy's nanny was none other than Elizabeth Cotton, a brilliant guitarist and composer of songs such as "Freight Train". It seemed as if Peggy's life would circle around music. As a young adult, Peggy spent two years studying music at Radcliffe before deciding to head to Europe to become a professional musician in 1955. Her fate was sealed on March 21, 1956 at 10:30am when she first met Ewan MacColl in London. Yes, she remembers the moment which Ewan also documented in his song "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" - a #1 hit for Roberta Flack in 1972 and also recorded by numerous other artists. With Ewan, Peggy would spend the next 30 years of her life as a partner in life and professionally. Together they explored traditional music and the connection with social/political songs. One of their most recognized projects was a radio documentary series called "The Radio Ballads". Each program explored a different topic of social relevance by blending traditional and original songs with spoken word actualities based on the subject. (The landmark series is available on CD from Topic Records.) Ewan and Peggy were also involved with a controversial theatre group, they ran their own record label, and they organized and operated one of the U.K.'s most important folk venues - The Singers Club. They also found time to raise three children.Ewan passed away in 1989. Peggy continues to perform and now shares her life with Irene Pyper-Scott here in the U.S. In 2005, for the occasion of Peggy's 70th birthday, a "party" was organized by her three children at London's Queen Elizabeth Hall. Her family and friends gathered for the celebratory concert with a guest list including Billy Bragg, Martin Carthy and Norma Waterson with their daughter Eliza Carthy, and in a rare appearance together - Pete and Mike Seeger. (The CD is the first "official" recording of the three performing together!) The event was taped by the BBC and has become the CD that was released on Appleseed Records. The two-CD set kicks off with the host of BBC 2's folk music radio program, Mike Harding, introducing Peggy. The first few selections feature Peggy performing several old-time folk standards - induding "Hangman" - one of my favorite songs. Peggy is in fine voice and if you shut your eyes, the years drift away to return us to simpler times. The fun is really in full swing when the guests come out to join Peggy. Their appearances in the U.S. have been far too infrequent, so it is real treat to hear Peggy singing with Martin Carthy and his wife Norma Waterson and their daughter, Eliza Carthy. If folk music had a monarchy, this stage was graced by their presence. To think of all the performers and fans who have been influenced by this collection of musicians is staggering. One of the high points in this collection comes when Waterson-Carthy join with Peggy Seeger on her song "Che Guevara", a song Peggy wrote using the melody of the English folk song "The Banks of Sweet Primroses". Several of Peggy's social and political songs follow including two songs that touch on a post 9-11 world- "Cavemen" and "Home Sweet Home". Peggy tells her audience that applause does not seem appropriate after a song like "Cavemen" which is a reminder to all of us that songs serve a purpose beyond entertainment. These songs become powerful tools in teaching us lessons and helping us understand a point of view that we might have overlooked. Ewan MacColl and Peggy Seeger created a body of work that served this function. Even topics that seem commonplace can be looked at differently. Billy Bragg joined Peggy for her song "Darling Annie", a song that sounds like an old dusty folk song but describes the roles of husband and wife in modern times. Billy admirably closes the first disc with Peggy's "It You Want A Better" life - an anthem-like song that inspires. The second CD, also the second set of the concert, is a bit more personal. It begins with a moving poem that Peggy wrote shortly after the passing of Ewan MaColl which she follows by singing "First Time Ever I Saw Your Face". She then shares a poem and song that she wrote for her partner Irene Pyper-Scott. Another important figure in her life is remembered with a touching poem "My Mother is Younger Than Me". At this point, her brother Mike Seeger joins her onstage. The siblings share some memories of growing up and learning the banjo before launching into "When First Unto This Country" followed up by "Soldier's Farewell". Mike then brings out the quills and shaker to share a "Quill Ditty". Following Mike's solo, Pete Seeger walks onto the stage to thunderous applause. It had been a few years since Pete last performed in the U.K., and it was obviously a welcome return! Pete, Mike and Peggy then team up for a rollicking version of "Cindy", and remarkably this is the first time that the trio have ever recorded together! Pete, sounding in fine form, shares three songs - "English is Cuh-ray-zee"(a song from Josh White Jr. based on a book by Richard Lederer) and Pete's "Take it From Dr. King". The third song from Pete is his classic "Where Have All the Flowers Gone", and you can feel the emotion that must have been swelling in the concert hall. The tribute to Peggy reaches a crescendo with the final songs on the CD. Peggy launches into a song that is arguably her most recognizable - "Gonna Be An Engineer" - a song that has been recorded and sung by hundreds of artists. Peggy's children and grandchildren join the assembled artists onstage for a round of "Happy Birthday". The final celebratory songs bring the event to a stirring conclusion - the traditional "Careless Love" followed by two of Peggy's compositions - "Sing About these Hard Times" and a song that she wrote for a friend whose life was cut short by cancer - "Love Call Me Home". The concert captured on this CD took place in 2005. While they could not save a piece of cake for all of us, we are given a sweet treat with this two-CD collection. Peggy Seeger "fans" will rejoice with the songs that were selected for the occasion. The joy and warmth of the event are apparent, and the powerful songs are presented without any trace of self-importance or preaching - but they will learn a lesson or two. One of the lessons that I took away from this comes from a remark Peggy makes to the audience during a chorus of one of the final songs - "Remember to sing when there are hard times". We are lucky to have the opportunity to share and learn from Peggy Seeger. We desperately need more people like her. The two CD set "Peggy Seeger: Three Score and Ten" is now available from Appleseed Records - www.appleseedrec.com or from Peggy Seeger's website - www.pegseeger.com posted by Ron Olesko
Peggy Seeger - Three Score And Ten (Appleseed) Inevitably, Peggy dominates
the proceedings, but what a presence - imperious sometimes, yes,
and definitely in control (in the nicest possible way) of proceedings,
but also much humbled and even awed by the presence and contributions
of those so important to her. The gig was emphatically not an excuse
for an exercise in arrogant self-congratulation, but a highly organised,
affectionate and sincere thankyou that flows both ways between Peggy
and her fellow singers and musicians (and indeed her public). If
occasionally there's a faint whiff of didacticism about the event,
that's not entirely inappropriate in view of Peggy's enormously influential
role in the development and wider currency of folk music in all its
senses over the past half-century; let's face it, she still has plenty
to teach us all!… The celebration concert covered all possible bases from the broad church of folk that forms Peggy's musical world: from the traditional ballads she so loves through to her own original compositions that so ably and memorably espouse her personal preoccupations and responsibilities, particularly in the areas of war, feminism and union politics. These songs so deserve to be more widely heard, and if this CD is regarded even partly as a taster for Peggy's songwriting then that's no bad thing in my book (folks can then go on to investigate the lovely trio of albums Peggy recently recorded for Appleseed). So finally to the performances - Peggy's cohorts did her proud, fully rising to the occasion. Some were granted solo or lead appearances, and shone accordingly without eclipsing Peggy's own personality. Memorable
moments include: Cindy, on which Peggy, brother Mike and half-brother
Pete perform together for the first time in decades; Che Guevara,
with Peggy leading the ensemble (Eliza & Martin Carthy, Norma
Waterson, Calum & Kitty MacColl) in rousing chorus; Billy Bragg's
unrehearsed duet with Peggy on Darling Annie is quite touching in
true downhome "all fell together on the night" fashion.
There are inevitably some entirely forgivable lapses in intonation,
but the charm of the performances and sense of occasion overrides
any concerns of a purely technical nature here. At times Peggy even
leaves the stage completely, yielding the spotlight to Norma and
Eliza (for Lowlands Of Holland), and later on to Mike and Pete individually.
Of course, the items which Peggy performs solo - and there are quite
a few - carry an intimate resonance all their own, and the gentle
power of her sharing these songs with us is well communicated even
through the CD medium. And the rather special bonhomie of the final
two items, Sing About These Hard Times and Love Call Me Home, is
genuinely irresistible. As is the whole concert (in spite of one
or two "you really had to be there" moments that you may
find less-conducive-to-home-listening). Yes, these two discs are
definitely to be cherished.
Steve Horowitz "She was gonna be an engineer" There's something odd about discovering that a concert one attended has been released as a live CD, especially when one didn't know it was being recorded. This was the case of a performance I went to in London more than 18 months ago and whose CD is scheduled for a late March release. Of course, an audio disc cannot capture the excitement of getting last-minute tickets to a sold-out show, the beauty of the South Bank venue, and the buzz one feels just being in the audience, but this double-disc set does a great job of faithfully delivering the good vibrations made musically and emotionally by the artists involved. I was there. I can attest to the CD's accuracy in presenting what occurred. The show was held to honor folksinger Peggy Seeger on her 70th birthday, featuring Seeger accompanied by her family and friends, including well-known musicians like her American brothers Pete and Mike, English folk legends Norma Waterson, Martin Carthy and their daughter Eliza Carthy, and folk-punk notable Billy Bragg, among others. The individuals involved have performed with each other many times during the past decades and have an easy rapport. They joke and tell stories, but mostly they play Peggy Seeger songs and familiar tunes from the traditional repertoire. The 70-year-old honoree has been a social activist her whole life and her self-penned compositions reflect this. She sings here with her guests about Che Guevara, human rights, and the cost of war. Seeger also performs her celebrated feminist anthem, “Gonna Be an Engineer”. This live disc documents Seeger's vocal problems at the beginning of “Gonna Be an Engineer” when she has to stop (“I have a frog in my throat”) and then makes a joke about Lady Di and Prince Charles while she cleans her pipes by going “ahem” several times. This incident shows the event's spontaneity and suggests how much the Yank musician has been accepted into the British fold. Seeger was born and raised in America, and currently lives here. Yet for more than four decades she lived in England, and with her husband Ewan MacColl, was at the center of the English folk scene from the mid-'50s (when her American passport was revoked for visiting Communist China) until the late '80s. The London audience clearly sees Seeger as one of their own. The guests who join Seeger are all given their star turns to shine, but brother Pete is clearly the biggest guest star. He's brought on next to closing and does three solo songs, although the latter statement isn't quite true as Pete always has the crowd join him in sing-a-longs.... As the concert was marketed as a birthday event, there was the obligatory
singing of “Happy Birthday” and cake brought on stage.
But really, the trappings of the birthday celebration were just an
excuse to have a concert to honor Peggy Seeger and feature her music.
It wasn't even really her birthday, just a convenient time to rent
a hall and get the guest artists together. That made the event even
more special as it wasn't held to commemorate a particular landmark,
but to simply pay tribute to one of contemporary folk music's most
important artists. Judging by Seeger's liveliness, she should be around
to celebrate many more birthdays. Let's hope she can use this as an
excuse to get her family and friends together again and have another
concert with them.
All Music Peggy Seeger has been involved in folk music since the '50s, even before the folk revival kicked into high gear. She's always practiced a more traditional strain of folk music like her half-brother Pete Seeger, and while her vocals were quite distinct, her recordings have been too few and hard to find. Three Score and Ten serves to remind folk fans, then, of Seeger's long commitment to the field as well as her talent as a singer and musician. The two-disc live set celebrates her 70th birthday in a manner befitting a well-respected insider. Seeger takes center stage, and she's joined by a number of well-known comrades in a variety of vocal and instrumental configurations which include Billy Bragg, Eliza Carthy, and Norma Waterson. Pete Seeger performs his own "Where Have All the Flowers Gone," while Mike Seeger performs "Quill Ditty." Highlights include Peggy Seeger's "Different Therefore Equal," a folk-rap of sorts backed by propulsive bodhran and spoons. There's also a group singalong behind Bragg on "If You Want a Better Life." In a way, the listener will feel as though she has been invited to an intimate, private party on Three Score and Ten, a party where she is surrounded by friends, memories, and lots of good music.
PEGGY SEEGER "Three Score and Ten" Appleseed Friday, March 16, 2007 EXPECT A CROWD ONSTAGE whenever the Seeger family celebrates one of its own. Turning up for folk music luminary Peggy Seeger's 70th birthday bash in London almost two years ago were brother Mike Seeger and half-brother Pete Seeger, plus an additional cast of offspring, friends and kindred spirits, including Martin Carthy, Norma Waterson, Eliza Carthy and Billy Bragg. Listening to "Three Score and Ten," a double-disc recording of the event, you get the feeling that there's always another grateful Peggy Seeger devotee waiting in the wings. Of course, there are lots of family-brand banjo sounds from Mike and Pete, though Peggy also picks up the instrument when she isn't playing piano, concertina, autoharp or guitar. Bragg sounds perfectly at home covering her pro-union anthem "If You Want a Better Life" in a plainspoken, Woody Guthrie-like manner, while Pete Seeger deservedly steps into the spotlight for a string of tunes that includes "Take It From Dr. King." Another highlight, albeit a purely musical one, finds Carthy on acoustic guitar, bringing a soulful lilt to the traditional tune "Humours of Bandon." The second disc, incidentally, opens on an elegiac note, with Peggy reciting a poem she wrote for late husband Ewan MacColl, best known on this side of the Atlantic for composing "First Time Ever I Saw Your Face." Seeger, who inspired that lyric, then quietly segues into a wistful, warmly affecting rendition of MacColl's signature ballad. It's among the reasons why "Three Score and Ten" seems to hold double-digit rewards. -- Mike Joyce
PEGGY SEEGER/Three Score and Ten: Chris Spector, Midwest Record (March 2007)
Amazon.com An accomplished
multi-instrumentalist, a prolific songwriter, and a luminous vocalist,
Peggy commands center stage through most of this two-disc set, while
joined by both of her brothers, the husband-and-wife team of Martin
Carthy and Norma Waterson along with their daughter Eliza Carthy,
and acolytes including Billy Bragg. From the feminist anthemry of "Different
Kind of Equal" and "Gonna Be an Engineer" to the pointed
protest of "Cavemen" to the poems and performances she
dedicates to her late husband, her late mother, and her current partner,
Irene Pyper-Scott, her concert exemplifies a life well lived with
love, humor, and purpose.
LOVE CALL ME HOME REVIEWS
RAMBLES - a cultural arts magazine online In a world where stars can fade by age 25, it is great to review an album by a lady approaching her 70th birthday who has entertained and enlightened us for half a century. I believe that the second part of that accolade is the more important in assessing this diva of folk. Her songs always entertain but by making us think she achieves her greatest hold. Love Call Me Home marks her 21st solo release, and there is more to come -- it is only the second of a planned trilogy of albums. It mixes old and new songs, but always great songs. The magnificent feat here is not just the choice of material but the fact that many of the traditional songs are released in her voice for the first time. Imagine 50 years and 21 albums and she is still coming up with "new" old songs. This release is like an anthology of folk. We get the full range of songs from the ever-popular murder ballad "Poor Ellen Smith" through supernatural tales like "Rynerdine" to romance and betrayal in "Careless Love." I loved the old stuff but was mesmerized by the two new compositions that open and close the album. The title track refers to a friend of Peggy's who passed away, and it will tug all the more at the heartstrings for knowing that it is about a real event. But my favourite track is the opener, "Singing about Hard Times." This is a brilliant song that does not refer to the hard times of the Stephen Foster song. It reminds us that we live with job losses, wars and suffering every bit as bad as the 19th century and makes us wonder what progress has been. This is a great release from a wonderful singer, interpreter and writer of folk songs.
NET RHYTHMS REVIEW Love Call Me Home This is a truly delightful record. I absolutely loved Peggy's last two releases on Appleseed, especially the beautiful Heading For Home (released in the fall of 2003) which formed the first instalment of a projected "Home Trilogy" (the fluid concept of "home" embracing her American birthplace, England, stages where she's performed, her physical body and the music that has shaped her career) - of which Love Call Me Home is now the second. Believe it or not, Peggy's fast approaching her 70th birthday, but on this record she sounds virtually ageless, ie every bit as fresh as she has in ages, radiating the good vibe that can only come from a singer so deeply connected to her material and displaying that innate and comprehensive understanding of the songs she chooses to sing. Love Call Me Home is Peggy's 21st solo album, on which she again mixes old songs with new compositions of her own, of which here there are just two, bookending the album. Dealing with the latter category first, these - although highly contrasted - are particularly fine examples of homage-writing; Sing About These Hard Times is kinda based (at any rate musically) on the spiritual Down To The River To Pray, and updates the mood of the times as a contemporary response to an exhibition of artwork of the Great Depression, whereas the album's title track is a tenderly felt remembrance of a friend Christine Lassiter who died of cancer four years ago (for in the end, love calls everyone home). The rest of the songs are traditional in origin; as Peggy explains in her liner notes: "I love new songs, yet I still find myself returning to the old ones… songs handed down to us by singers who loved and tended to them, as I love and tend to them for those who come after me." These are loving performances indeed, and tremendously affecting; they include a stark, superbly authentic unaccompanied rendition of Bad Bad Girl (a song her mother had transcribed from a 1936 recording of Ozella Jones), while the second of the unaccompanied tracks - Love Is Teasing (where Peggy uses the American melody, different from the usual English and Irish versions, which is well worth reviving) is delectable. There are also very fine versions of Rynerdine and Loving Hannah, not to mention two hanging ballads (Hangman and Poor Ellen Smith), an eerie, quite chilling rendition of Who Killed Cock Robin? and a derived playparty song (London Bridge). Accompaniments are homely and simple, using favourite instruments like autoharp, Appalachian dulcimer, banjo, psaltery, guitar, fiddle and mandolin; musicians include two of her sons by Ewan (Calum and Neill) and daughter Kitty contributes some backing vocals. Much of the album was recorded in England in fact, five of the tracks at Calum's studio here. The whole project has a tangible and highly satisfying unity that's brought to it by Peggy's own potent and thoroughly likeable presence (the personification of a folk artist) and her inborn understanding of the repertoire, songs with which she's truly at one and at home. The press release is spot-on - for this is indeed an album that will call you (too) home. Net Rhythms Magazine UK, David Kidman Note: Kidman's review also appeared in FOLK ROUNDABOUT, Issue 136, June 2005
from Midwestern Record Recap: PEGGY SEEGER/Love Call Me Home: One of the pre-eminent traditional singers still working delivers the second in her home trilogy of new works. Tackling a raft of traditional music she hasn't recording in her 50 years of waxing, Seeger delivers like a true pro that could do it with her eyes closed but thinks her fans deserve more than that. True, classic folk fans will go nuts for this set. APR 1087
HEADING FOR HOME REVIEWS PEGGY SEEGER/Heading for Home:
Sing Out! The Folk Song Magazine Peggy Seeger Heading for Home Although only Peggy is billed, this is actually a family recording. But, not your typical family recording, as the Seeger-MacColls are not your typical musical family. The music on Peggy Seeger's Heading for Home has its genesis in the early part of the last century. Raised by classical musicians and folk music enthusiasts, Peggy has been surrounded by a great variety of sounds her whole life. Her marriage to Ewan MacColl and the many years she spent living in England add another unique dimension to her take on those traditional songs that ended up on this joyous new release. Peggy Seeger rented a cottage in England, set up a recording studio, and invited her family in to celebrate the music and songs that have been a part of her since she was a child. Heading for Home opens with the title cut, penned by Seeger and perfectly appropriate for the spirit of the remaining twelve, mostly traditional songs. With solid support from her children, Calum MacColl on melodica, harmonium, bowed psaltery and vocals, Neill MacColl on mandola, guitar, harmonica and vocals, and Kitty MacColl adding vocals, Peggy sings and plays banjo (better than ever, by the way) mountain dulcimer, Autoharp and guitar. The result is a magical mixture of tradition, family and song. The relaxed atmosphere of this home studio away from home comes through
on every track. I can only imagine Peggy Seeger, surrounded by her
talented family, singing songs that have been with her for over sixty
years, grinning ear to ear. It's easy to imagine because you will have
a similar grin while you listen.
FROM PAUL STAMLER "NO TIME TO TARRY" After reporting on his playlist that he'd played Peggy Seeger: "Soldier's Farewell" ("Heading for Home", Appleseed), Paul Stamler commented: I'll eventually play everything on this cd; there's not a weak track on it.
Rich Warren's Midnight Special Favorites for 2003 Peggy Seeger: Heading For Home (Appleseed APRCD
1076)
Dirty Linen My face to the sky There are names that are synonymous with folk music; Guthrie and
Lomax come quickly to mind. Seeger is another such name. Its mere
mention conjures a mental laundry list of talented, politically active,
musical personalities who are woven into the fabric of American folk
music. Seeger family members have been studying — and making
— folk music history for more than seven decades. (click
here to read the entire article on the Dirty Linen website.
Review of Love Will Linger On This ranks as the most beautiful work created by Peggy Seeger. Few artists can claim as long and varied recording career as Seeger. From her start as a singer of traditional songs, to her partnership with Ewan MacColl singing mostly topical songs, returning to her solo career of political/topical songs, to this gem of songs of the heart. It consists of a baker's-dozen love songs from various perspectives and sources. This CD is really a joint project between Seeger, her son Calum MacColl (who produced the CD) and Irene Scott. In fact, Scott contributes a particularly stunning vocal on the Ian Davison lyrics set to a traditional melody "My Joy of You". Seeger's voice has never sounded better and it is a pleasure to hear this gentle departure from her more political material. (Strangely, this recording was released almost simultaneously with a CD of entirely topical songs. Seeger is one prolific artist.) There's not a disappointing song or performance on Love Will Linger On. From the opening "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face", written by Ewan MacColl for Seeger, the songs flow in a beautiful stream of lyric and melody. Following "First Time" comes "Autumn Wedding," a wise and moving song Seeger wrote for her brother's wedding. Then there's the traditional "Down by the Flowing River." She sings a capella Chris Culbert's "Mysterious Lover" showing the resilience and loveliness of her voice. Seeger contributes six of her own compositions that prove she is very much in love and more than able to communicate the intensity in words and melody. For comic relief she includes Lou and Peter Berryman's "The Dog of Time." As a hidden track at the end, she reprises the title song in a slightly different arrangement, a more ethereal version. MacColl's accompaniments are so perfect and delightful - they demonstrate not only his talent but also his exceptional empathy for the material and his mother. If you're not currently in love, this CD will fill the voice and provide hope; if you are currently involved you must share this recording with your partner. If you're about to propose, this says it better than any diamond. -Rich Warren, Sing Out, Summer 2001
Review of Period Pieces ALMOST COMMERICALLY VIABLE REVIEW "There is a lovely story of how the intriguing name for this duo (No
Spring Chickens) and the album (Almost Commercially
Viable) came about, told on the CD cover. You can also read
the words to the songs, which is handy (although they can all be
heard
clearly). Most of the songs have been written by Peggy in the 80s
and 90s, the rest being by her partner of many years, Ewan MacColl,
who
died in 1989, and others. Peggy shows herself to be a very accomplished
song writer, at home in many styles - contemporary folk, jazz, jokey
and serious. She has the fun of Tom Paxton combined with the social
awareness of Roy Bailey and has produced a very varied CD.
ODD COLLECTION REVIEW 
"The muse who inspired Ewan MacColl's 'First Time Ever I Saw Your Face' has produced a body of work that is unparalleled in its vehemence and remains a fountain of inspiration in a sea of bogus political correctness. Many of her songs are genuinely, sometimes uncomfortably, challanging and with all but four of the 19 songs hitherto unreleased, An Odd Collection delivers an abundance of themes, ranging from a tribute to the folklorist Ralph Rinzler to wife-battering. Easy listening this is not but, if difficult, it is difficult only in a stirring sense." (Ken Hunt, Q Magazine, London, England)
SONGS OF LOVE AND POLITICS REVIEW "Fortunately, Peggy Seeger is one of the compilers of this album. The result is that this retrospective is one of the jewels in the S/F [Smithsonian/Folkways] catalog. Eight of the 21 cuts have never been released at all. These, as well as the other previously released songs cover the gamut of styles. As the title succinctly states, these are songs of love and politics . . . Songs of Love and Politics is a wonderful introduction to Peggy Seeger for those of you who are not familiar with her work and a delight to those love her work."(Don Jacobsen, KVMR Radio)
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