Jack Rose was a pioneer and revivalist who played a major part in bringing ragtime and American Primitive into the spotlight as a modern musical outlet. In his big hands, Rose performed and recorded music for six- and 12-string acoustic guitars, as well as the Weissenborn-style lap steel guitar. Rose died suddenly last December of a heart attack, and took with him a warm, exploratory spirit. He was 38.
In February, Rose's Luck in the Valley was posthumously released, while Honest Strings: A Tribute to the Life and Work of Jack Rose followed soon thereafter. The latter includes six hours of American Primitive, noise, drone, free-improv and spoken word from his friends and fellow musicians -- touching on all the music that touched Rose.
In a session from World Cafe, Dave Shuford (a.k.a. D. Charles Speer) honors Jack Rose's musical career with a remembrance and a performance of "Medley/Prison Song." Shuford also appears on Ragged and Right, Rose's last recorded document, a romp-filled lowdown put to tape with D. Charles Speer & The Helix.
Copyright 2010 XPN
