NYT Music Review . . . Pete Seeger Celebrates 90th With A Concert . . .

[OneBlueSky]

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/05/arts/music/05seeg.html?_r=1&hpw


Bruce Springsteen, Joan Baez, Dave Matthews, Tao Rodriquez and Pete Seeger perform onstage at Pete Seeger's 90th Birthday Celebration benefiting Clearwater at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

By JON CARAMANICA
Published: May 4, 2009

The celebrant who made the most noise and aroused the strongest sentiment during the celebration of Pete Seeger’s 90th birthday at Madison Square Garden on Sunday night was the one who couldn’t make it.

In an updated version of the 1930s labor anthem "Which Side Are You On?" Ani DiFranco sang, "Now there’s folks in Washington that care what’s on our minds." Bruce Springsteen told of rehearsing for the recent presidential inauguration with Mr. Seeger, who had relayed the story of "We Shall Overcome," crucial to both the labor and civil rights movements. Watching the transfer of presidential power, Mr. Springsteen said, "was like, ’ Pete, you outlasted the bastards, man.’ It was so nice."

President Obama was nowhere to be seen, but he did send a letter, praising Mr. Seeger for voicing "the hopes and dreams of everyday people."

And, as was evident throughout this four-hours-plus event — a birthday party masquerading as a fund-raiser for Hudson River Sloop Clearwater, a preservation charity founded by Mr. Seeger — many have attempted to follow in that path, or at least capture some of his refracted glow. More than 40 performers gathered here to pay tribute to Mr. Seeger — one of the lions of American folk music and, at 90, indefatigable — who, save for a handful of exceptions, outworked them all.

- more . . .

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/05/arts/music/05seeg.html?_r=1&hpw

[Echo In Light]

1. K&R

[babylonsister]

2. This sounds so great! How much fun that would have been! nt