Tara Nevins "Nothing Really"

They should just go ahead and rename the month of December to Christmas. The radio stations have gone wall to wall Christmas music, The stores are decked, the lights are lit, the commercials are screaming ‘buy.’ I did see a very cool thing today, The Salvation Army at Rockefeller Center weren’t just ringing their bells, they were singing and dancing to the songs on the street. I must say, it elevated it to a brand new place. I was instantly infused with the spirit of the season. Don’t get me wrong, I am not saying bah humbug to the rest of the seasonal items, either. I love the holidays. Making new traditions, observing those handed down, spending time with the ones you love, sharing food and good times, exchanging gifts, thinking about what someone would like when you buy that gift. I don’t think we often take enough notice of the others in our life, and Christmas is a good excuse to get out of our own brains and focus on others. Lovely.

In the spirit of giving, we bring you Tara Nevins. She is the consummate musician. From her solo stuff, to Donna The Buffalo, and everything in between, she surround herself with like-minded minstrels. Last time we filmed her was two years ago at Americana Fest in Nashville. She brought The Believers with her to the Music Fog Bus, and we proceeded to have an inside window on hatching the creative process. This time, at Americana Fest in October, we had the honor once again when she brought Rose Sinclair and Chris Henry to play with her. She is fearless in her quest to explore. The song “Nothing Really” is on her latest album Wood And Stone, which came out this year, on which she peers into her own heritage. It is her first solo album since Mule to Ride in 1999. Here is the Music Fog rendition of “Nothing Really,” filmed at Marathon Recorders in Nashville.

-Jessie Scott

Gurf Morlix "The Parting Glass"

Heading to New York today, gonna see the sometimes sincere, sometimes funny, always entertaining Canadiana artist Corb Lund at Hill Country Barbecue Market. Leave it to me to leave Texas, land of serious smokers, to eat Texas Q in NYC, but it is the real deal. I like that the music is as much the real deal, as the food is, that makes for a perfect night out. Real stuff; life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness. Make the most of every day, because we only have so many. We share that too, the end, no one gets out of this world alive.

Gurf Morlix has today’s song. He introduced it to us by saying, ”A friend of mine emailed me and said you'd like it (the song), and I said why, does someone die in it?  He said yeah, but that's not why you'll like it. I learned it, and really liked it and starting doing some digging into it and found out it's at least 400 years old.  Maybe Robert Burns had something to do with it.  It's about a dying man's last drink, a pint of ale, and it's called “The Parting Glass.” It has the feel of Auld Lang Syne in it as well, and it would make for a mournful song as the year wanes. December starts today…the end is near. Gurf is the real deal too, catch him on a European tour for most of the month. We are so glad he came by Marathon Recorders in Nashville during Americana Fest to film “The Parting Glass” for Music Fog.

-Jessie Scott

JD Souther "Go Ahead And Rain"

Last week in New Orleans, I ran into the magnificent Ruby James and arranged a visit to the Music Box with her the next afternoon. Interesting place - living breathing art on a lot that formerly had a house on it which imploded in the late 90s. The material, brick, stone, wood and such, was repurposed to construct the mini buildings. Each building makes sound, and is a musical instrument, defying logic or expectation. Street Artist, Swoon is the impetus behind this new project which brings a whole new meaning to 'touching music.' The Music Box: A Shantytown Sound Laboratory is a remarkable offering. And trotting through the Bywater neighborhood, seeing how many artist are now camping out there, makes a statement about reclaiming communities and about planting seeds that will grow. The artists come first, don’t they? You have to see these pictures! This space has had three major performances where musicians have gathered to "play" the structural instruments. The final performance at the Music Box takes place on December 10, 2011. Also, it is open to the public on Friday and Saturday afternoons from 12-5, at 1027 Piety Street, New Orleans. I recommend a visit if you are in The Big Easy.

I don’t care what the artist crafts his work out of; I just so appreciate what that is. Whether it has physical manifestation, or is word craft and burns deep in one’s brain. Today we bring you a master wordsmith. JD Souther put a new record out earlier this year, stripping things down to the core. It is called Natural History.  It includes a few deep tunes from his rich catalog, one brand new one, and mega hits that are burned into your synapses like “You’re Only Lonely,” “Faithless Love,” “The Best of My Love,” “The Sad Café,” and “New Kid in Town.” JD Souther will be on WXPN’s World Café stage this Friday at noon (eastern) for Free At Noon, listen on line from anywhere. “Go Ahead And Rain,” was originally found on the 1984 Home At Dawn album. There is a period piece video here: ours was filmed in October during the Fall Music Fog Marathon at Marathon Recorders in Nashville.

-Jessie Scott