Episode 239: Folk Music and Jazz, Part 1

A lot of folk songs—and I’m talking mostly about traditional tunes—have been adapted into jazz. And in a lot of cases the results have been spectacular!

Right from the earliest years of jazz when Louis Armstrong with Earl Hines had the 1929 hit of St. James Infirmary.

And today, 94 years later, we have the Daniel Hersog Orchestra from Vancouver and their “Folk Songs Reimagined” album. You can hear what they do with Red River Valley.

Lots more, too. Even some Flatt and Scruggs style bluegrass jazzified. Then there’s something called DAWG music. And the traditional Swedish song arranged and retitled by Stan Getz that has become a Miles Davis ‘standard’.

The program is rounded out with selections by John Sccofield, Patrick Boyle, Cecille McClorin Salvant with Aaron Diehl, and Carol Welsman with a bit of a ‘twinkle’ in her eye.

The highlight, to me, isn’t even a folk song—but you’d swear it was. It’s by Scottish pianist Fergus McCreadie who was much influenced by the folk ballads of the British Isles.