Heard about this by way of a discarded copy of the Metro on the train this morning:

Lomax the Songhunter

“Whether neo-roots rockers realize it or not, their amped version of a Leadbelly tune is thanks in part to one man’s dogged passion for documenting local cultures and traditions. ‘Lomax the Songhunter’ chronicles the life of folklorist and musicologist Alan Lomax, featuring commentary by a number of his friends and subjects, including Pete Seeger and Woodie Guthrie.”

The “neo-roots rockers” thing made me laugh.

This one, let me tell you, is absolutely not to miss. Shirley Collins, Peggy Seeger, Jean Ritchie, tons of Lomax footage (he was a charismatic bugger), and bright-eyed Peter Kennedy (!!!) all make appearances. The scenes of the filmmaker returning to the places and people that Lomax filmed 30 and 40 years before are incredibly moving, almost as much as the music itself (of course, that’s the point). And, my God, what music… pinch me, but is that a human being making that sound, from deep within the mines of Siciliy?

Be sure to check out the site above; there are all sorts of fun resources on Lomax that are worth flipping through, even if you don’t watch the documentary, which is scheduled to be rebroadcast a-plenty throughout the rest of the month, so check your local listings.

I had no idea that Peter Kennedy had passed away, as I haven’t been to the Folktrax site in some time. Readers of the PLATFORM blog might remember me nerding out over the guy some time ago. He was sweet about it. Anyway, on the documentary he’s alive and well, and totally lucid, with the music still clearly running through his veins. It’s always such a delight to see the passionate people, even on a TV screen.

Here’s another fun thing found just now: an archive of American folklore films, complete with plenty of Lomax. Last thing: I love this obituary:

” There was a time when, if you were out studying traditional music in America, you could not help but cross a path Alan Lomax and his father had blazed. You probably still can’t.”

I think it’s safe to say you still can’t.