The Walter Martin Radio Hour airs every Sunday night at 8pm on WEXT in upstate NY. New episodes appear here biweekly for free, and update on all podcast apps.
Hi. This week we take a spin around Oklahoma and put together some shaky theories about the music down there. Then I take a couple questions from real live listeners (thank you!) and end up on an unexpected trip back home to DC. Lots of great music.
It was really fun fielding questions and comments, so if you have any, please send a voice memo to info@waltermartinmusic.com and I’ll try to get them on an upcoming episode. Thanks and enjoy the show!
Three Albums for Your Week
Ok, the leaves outside are beginning to fall and the music in our house is getting increasingly warm and mellow (when I’m DJing at least). Here’s some high-grade stuff I recommend for this week.
Molly Drake, The Tide’s Magnificence
Molly Drake is the mother of Scottish singer-songwriter Nick Drake. She recorded these pieces—all original compositions—at her home piano in the 1950s and you can clearly hear a familiar “Drake-ian” mournfulness and warmth in them. It’s really beautiful, transporting stuff and I’m a total sucker for the sound of a home recording.
My grandmother on my mom’s side (whom I never met) was a piano player and singer, and the one or two recordings we have of her are among my family’s most treasured possessions. These recordings of Molly Drake remind me of those of my grandmother. Grab a box of hankies for this one, folks.
Nora Brown, Long Time to Be Gone
I’ve played Nora Brown on my radio show, but I wanted to highlight this whole album here as the perfect soundtrack for this time of year—as the nights grow chilly and we start to head indoors.
I’ve seen Nora Brown perform three times, and each time she’s been totally captivating. She plays traditional Appalachian folk music, primarily on the gut-string banjo, and despite being barely 20, she has somehow sidestepped the common pitfalls that come up in this genre: the temptation to show off how fast you can play the banjo and the urge to turn albums/concerts into dry, educational experiences. Her music feels more like a spiritual and emotional exploration. And I love how she takes her time, never hurrying to the next verse. Instead she enjoys every breather—indulging in long passages of gentle, meditative banjo playing.
Yo-Yo Ma, Bach: Unaccompanied Cello Suites
I’m sure most of you know this music—and certainly everyone will recognize the hits—so, my proposal is this: it’s time to go deep.
I got really into this stuff after I heard Yo-Yo Ma on the Song Exploder podcast a few years ago. The episode is a great listen, full of cool musical and personal history. I loved hearing Yo-Yo Ma talk about how his relationship with these cello suites—and his approach to performing them—evolved over the course of his life.
In addition to being beautiful and haunting, this collection is also very functional—clocking in at a generous 2 hours and 10 minutes. I put it to good use daily, playing it throughout the house in the early morning when it’s still quiet, and in the evening when everyone is reading and getting ready for bed. I’m not gonna try to describe what it does, I’m just gonna recommend playing it a lot—like every day. See what happens.
Thanks for reading and I hope you find some stuff you like.
Have a good week.
✌️❤️-walt
Episode 15: Oklahoma to DC