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Backwoods HOBO JACK's
Out House of Downloads Since Jack is incommunicado most of the time, these downloads are the best way to acquire some of his works (unless you see him at an event). We don't know where communicado is located but Jack definitely spends most of his time in it. Fact is, he spends winters sitting on a wood heater stove reading and writing his books, practicing banjo and dreaming of warmer days and warmer climates. Your purchases just might help him find a place in the sun to warm those old bones. |
MUSIC DOWNLOADS
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Download Hobo Jack Mp3 Album
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The Best Of Backwoods HOBO JACK
We recorded these songs in what used to be a “Model A” garage behind my
house. Which may be kismetic, because Jack has collected Model A Fords for years.
He grew up near Washington University in St. Louis not far from where Gaslight
Square blossomed in the early 60’s. Gaslight was a rehabbed antique district inspired
by Greenwich Village and Basin Street. A much younger Jack became a huge fan of
Traditional Jazz and Folk Music being revived in the coffee houses, pubs and saloons
in Gaslight. The area was damaged by a tornado - then a tornado called Rock & Roll
forced the traditional music scene elsewhere. Jack headed for the country to build his
Utopian Junkyard, “As Seen On TV” and put his music on the back burner.
Yes, Jack’s love for music blew in on a “Mighty Wind.” But, the Folkie era,
considered so quaint and naive nowadays.. was a significant part of the Peace and
Civil Rights Movements. “Folk” was not trite or irrelevant just because it was mostly
white liberals playing it. The gradual “infiltration” of Folk songs into TV shows like
Hootenanny and The Tonight Show turned Folk into “Top Ten” Popular Music for a
while in the 60’s. Jack never watched TV - so, his bent for anti-establishment,
peacenik philosophy made protest music authentic - at least for him.
What makes Jack musically different from other Folk performers? Maybe it’s
the occidental dissonance that seems to subconsciously haunt his compositions. His
peculiar guitar finger-picking intricacies are overlaid by gypsyesque melody lines.
talent show judges might consider him “pitchy” in his attempt to achieve an atmosphere
of melancholy, mystery and romance. Admittedly, there’s a trace of 1930’s
crooning in his voice, similar to Dylan’s crooning attempts. This seems to be a
curiously common notion for poets attempting to sing.
Hobo Jack’s music is perfect for a circle of travelers around a campfire. In fact
I’ve heard his songs played around the fire at Buzz Potter’s Hobo Music & Poetry
Festival held under the Interstate bridge in Marquette Iowa. That’s where he received
his official hobo road name, Backwoods Jack (and mine, “VideoBob”). The bygone
HoboFest was where Jack’s performance of songs by the great activist, U. Utah
Phillips made him an instant favorite with other hobo performers.
Some may say that he’s not a real hobo because his traveling was mostly done
in old okie-rigged car campers, as an itinerant worker. But, life “On The Road” for
many writers and performers, was real enough.. and produced experiences to use in
writing and music. Jack’s persecution by coppers and bullies is also very real - and
as recent as last year. Perhaps that’s why these simple recordings and songs are
important to us in America where our tradition of protest is an essential responsibility.
The 4 previous CD recordings we made, had many cover songs by Hobo writers
who inspired Jack, like Utah Phillips and Liberty Justice. (We’ve included one of
Liberty’s best songs that Jack adopted) But after a decade of writing, there is a wealth
of original songs and poems to fill this “Best Of” compilation. As with Jack’s literary
works these pieces demonstrate his poetic nature and contempt for the status quo in
America (and his die-hard romanticism). They can all be enjoyed as melodic poems
by an aging artist whose perspective is nearly historic. They don’t make ‘em like
Jack any more.
“Video” Bob Whiteside
We recorded these songs in what used to be a “Model A” garage behind my
house. Which may be kismetic, because Jack has collected Model A Fords for years.
He grew up near Washington University in St. Louis not far from where Gaslight
Square blossomed in the early 60’s. Gaslight was a rehabbed antique district inspired
by Greenwich Village and Basin Street. A much younger Jack became a huge fan of
Traditional Jazz and Folk Music being revived in the coffee houses, pubs and saloons
in Gaslight. The area was damaged by a tornado - then a tornado called Rock & Roll
forced the traditional music scene elsewhere. Jack headed for the country to build his
Utopian Junkyard, “As Seen On TV” and put his music on the back burner.
Yes, Jack’s love for music blew in on a “Mighty Wind.” But, the Folkie era,
considered so quaint and naive nowadays.. was a significant part of the Peace and
Civil Rights Movements. “Folk” was not trite or irrelevant just because it was mostly
white liberals playing it. The gradual “infiltration” of Folk songs into TV shows like
Hootenanny and The Tonight Show turned Folk into “Top Ten” Popular Music for a
while in the 60’s. Jack never watched TV - so, his bent for anti-establishment,
peacenik philosophy made protest music authentic - at least for him.
What makes Jack musically different from other Folk performers? Maybe it’s
the occidental dissonance that seems to subconsciously haunt his compositions. His
peculiar guitar finger-picking intricacies are overlaid by gypsyesque melody lines.
talent show judges might consider him “pitchy” in his attempt to achieve an atmosphere
of melancholy, mystery and romance. Admittedly, there’s a trace of 1930’s
crooning in his voice, similar to Dylan’s crooning attempts. This seems to be a
curiously common notion for poets attempting to sing.
Hobo Jack’s music is perfect for a circle of travelers around a campfire. In fact
I’ve heard his songs played around the fire at Buzz Potter’s Hobo Music & Poetry
Festival held under the Interstate bridge in Marquette Iowa. That’s where he received
his official hobo road name, Backwoods Jack (and mine, “VideoBob”). The bygone
HoboFest was where Jack’s performance of songs by the great activist, U. Utah
Phillips made him an instant favorite with other hobo performers.
Some may say that he’s not a real hobo because his traveling was mostly done
in old okie-rigged car campers, as an itinerant worker. But, life “On The Road” for
many writers and performers, was real enough.. and produced experiences to use in
writing and music. Jack’s persecution by coppers and bullies is also very real - and
as recent as last year. Perhaps that’s why these simple recordings and songs are
important to us in America where our tradition of protest is an essential responsibility.
The 4 previous CD recordings we made, had many cover songs by Hobo writers
who inspired Jack, like Utah Phillips and Liberty Justice. (We’ve included one of
Liberty’s best songs that Jack adopted) But after a decade of writing, there is a wealth
of original songs and poems to fill this “Best Of” compilation. As with Jack’s literary
works these pieces demonstrate his poetic nature and contempt for the status quo in
America (and his die-hard romanticism). They can all be enjoyed as melodic poems
by an aging artist whose perspective is nearly historic. They don’t make ‘em like
Jack any more.
“Video” Bob Whiteside
