JUDY RODERICK 1942-1992: contemporary of Dylan, Van Ronk, Odetta, Ramblin Jack Elliot, Tom Paxton. A set at the Philadelphia Folk Festival won her a contract with Columbia Records. An acknowledged inspiration to Bonnie Raitt, she impressed all who listened. "Judy was the first of her generation of blues women, and still one of the best. To this day, her phrasing, tone and above all her originality are unmatched. A very important singer." - Dave Van Ronk The live sound of the small group (7 out of the 12 tracks) was captured in two short sessions in NYC, Aug '83 by Malcolm Addey, previously an engineer at Abbey Road Studios in London. The winter before in Colorado Randy Rand recorded the bigger band, including Mac Rebennack. CD highlights: **(4, 5, 9, 11 with piano and Hammond B3 by Dr John) 8. Money Blues – Seems like some things never change! 2. Im So Glad - from Memphis Minnie **4. Surprises - a Mussel Shoals styled country waltz with horns **5. When Im Gone - "Please dont talk about it…" with Mac on piano & Hammond B3. 6. Live in Love - Hank Williams’ live radio theme song. **9. Denver to Dallas - Mollie OBrien recorded great covers of this & #5. **11. Shout Sister Shout - By Arthut Crudup (“That’s All Right Mama”) 12. Floods of South Dakota - solo, 1976 Covered in 92 by Tim & Mollie OBrien. ENHANCED disc: Put it in your computer, open the folder to see all the lyrics! For print ready photos, updated bio and press, see www.whenimgone.dexofon.com Cover drawing by Bob Holland at a live performance of Judy & the Forbears on the 1983 tour just before the recording was completed in NY. “She had me hooked from jump street,” from the album’s recollection by Dick Waterman, who rediscovered and road-managed Son House and other blues originals, and managed Bonnie Raitt's early career. www.dickwaterman.com A member of the Forbears, New Orleans icon Washboard Chaz Leary, who was recently featured in the playingforchange.com video, showcased the CD on WWOZ (New Orleans) with DJ Jamie Dell’apa – recalling his work with Judy and playing tracks from the CD. (http://www.virb.com/2681578360504589/music/albums/78096) Discography: NEVADA JUKEBOX (ATCO '71) Reissued on CD at www.ccmusic.com WOMAN BLUE (Vanguard '65) accompanied by Artie Traum & Dick Weissman Reissued by Vanguard. AINT NOTHIN but the BLUES (Columbia '64) with John Hammond Jr, Milt Hinton, Sidney DeParis, Lew McGarrity. OUT OF PRINT PRESS http://www.buffalonews.com/gusto/story/538321.html Judy Roderick & the Forbears: WHEN IM GONE [Dexofon] When blues musicologist Dick Waterman first saw Judy Roderick take the stage of Cambridge’s Club 47 back in the 1960s, he expected to hear something prim and preppy — like maybe “Greensleeves” — from this petite musician, dressed in plaid skirt and sensible shoes. What Waterman heard was an inspired blues belter, fluent in the form and so much more. Roderick, who died in 1992 just shy of 50, left behind a modest but remarkable body of work, born of the ‘60s folk revival and enriched by a contagious respect for myriad styles, from vintage jazz to country blues. Her commercial high-water mark was “Woman Blue,” released by Vanguard Records in 1965 and still available in retail racks to this day.” Her extended family, including notable musicians scattered hither and yon, fans of long memory and kin at Sardinia’s Olmsted Camp, continue to fly the flag for Roderick, who could perform in any company, bar none, and quite admirably. Longtime collaborator Dexter Payne, witness to this unique talent, has reassembled and re-released “When I’m Gone,” a 1982 recording of Roderick and her incredibly tight band, the Forbears: Washboard Chaz Leary, Don DeBacker, Tim Martin and Payne. The recording, which includes several guest slots by Mac Rebennack, aka Dr. John, is a rollicking reward from the git-go to git-gone. Extended-play honors go to the title cut, “When I’m Gone,” an achingly clever, slyly hip musing on being here — and not being here. Roderick soulfully surfs the crest of a strong horn section and Dr. John keyboards on three other barn-burners: “Surprises,” “Denver to Dallas” and Arthur “Big Boy” Crudup’s “Shout Sister Shout.” She turns on the slow heat in a slinky and sultry take on Jimmie Lunceford’s “Dream of You.” The disc ends in a folkie mode, mining a late 1970s track of “Floods of South Dakota,” back in the days when Roderick and Payne kept company with a group called The Big Sky Mudflaps. “When I’m Gone” is a clear view of an amazing artist who deserves much more recognition. It is fresh and vital. — Randy Rodda (BUFFALO NEWS January 4, 2009) DIRTY LINEN: Judy Roderick Woman Blue Vanguard VCD 79197 In the mid '60s, [a] Midwestern artist named Judy Roderick recorded honest and highly original folk blues as interpreted by [a] young white performer. Thirty years later [her] music still rings as true as ever. WOMAN BLUE is a reissue of the original 1965 album that Roderick recorded when she was 22 years old. (An earlier LP called Ain't Nothin' But the Blues had already been released by Columbia and another for the same label was never issued.) For the reissue the label has added four additional cuts that had been originally held back because of space limitations. The repertoire consists of traditional, jazz and classic blues material with sparse but tasteful accompaniment by such people as Dick Weissman, Artie Traum, and Paul Griffin. The title song, for example, is apparently the first recorded version of Know You Rider, a song that later became a counter-culture anthem of sorts. However, what makes Roderick so special is her beguiling voice, her understated singing style and her nimble guitar accompaniment. Roderick was quite possibly the finest female folk-blues artist of her generation, but the recording legacy Roderick left behind is scanty. On January 28, 1992 Roderick died at the age of 49. Fortunately, there is a good possibility that some unreleased recordings will be made available in the future. Paul E. Comeau (Comeauville, NS, Canada) Dr. John/Judy Roderick: Now here's a double bill that should tell you everything you ever wanted to know about white blues. If you've never heard Roderick (a blues folkie of the 1960s), join the cult. August 16 & 17, Lone Star, 61 Fifth Ave, 242-1664. (Giddens) RODERICK'S MUSICAL MOVE For Dr. John to fly to Boulder (CO) for her session says a lot about Judy Roderick's talent. He described her singing as very unorthodox and very original, and contributed both his technical mastery and a genuine inspiration to the other players involved. The band was organized by veteran Boulder guitarist Don "Barbeque" DeBacker, and it included washboard wizard Chaz Leary, saxophonist Fly Mclard, Dusters' drummer Eugene Smith, trombonist Chris Lege and trumpeter Forrest Means of Octavio Figueroa's salsa band, bassist Tim Martin from Eugene, OR, Bernard Grant on backup vocals and Dexter Payne on alto saxophone. The production and engineering work was handled by Randy Rand of San Francisco's Record Plant. When all the components came together in the temporary studio housed in a log cabin in the Boulder foothills, with a hefty supply of burgers and beers, a special chemistry seemed to take over. Roderick had four tunes on the agenda, two funky R&B type numbers, "Denver to Dallas" and "When I'm Gone," a country ballad, "Surprises," and a swinging Arthur Crudup blues, "Shout Sister, Shout." The band had rehearsed, trying to find comfortable grooves and tightening arrangements. When Rebennack arrived he made some helpful suggestions, hipping something here, changing things in other spots. The band worked in a real group effort and created a good-time vibration that inspired Roderick, whose small frame and laid-back demeanor belies the energy and emotion packed vocals she delivers. The four songs are to be used as a demo tape that will be presented to rec companies in hope of finding finan support for the film and album project. Roderick is happy with the renewed interest in her music..... -----Bob Cataliotti (Boulder Daily Camera) Feb 19, 1982 Listen to more music at CD Baby on Dexofon Records: Pra Voce (Dexter Payne Quartet +1) Inspiration (Antonio Mello, Dexter Payne & Thiago de Mello) On Our Way to Memphis (Lionel Young Band)