Holly Near And Still We Sing: The Outspoken Collection CD

Holly Near has made a career out of speaking out, so calling her collection And Still We Sing: The Outspoken Collection seems an apt one. In the tradition of the '60s protest singer, Near has never been shy about wearing her liberal beliefs on her shirt sleeve. Although some of the material dates back to the '70s, most of it has been recorded within the last 20 years or so. The first disc is made up of studio tracks from earlier Near albums, including 2000's Edge, 1989's Sky Dances, and 1981's Fire in the Rain; the second disc consists mostly of live tracks featuring a number of guests like Mercedes Sosa and Ronnie Gilbert. Near's songs and lyrics read like a list of left-leaning political causes from the past 20 years, covering everything from nuclear fallout ("Ain't No Where You Can Run") to war ("Foolish Notion") to workers without work ("I Got Trouble"). Although one can never doubt Near's commitment, the arrangements on many of these songs sound dated and occasionally bombastic. The political causes, likewise, sometimes seem like yesterday's news. Nonetheless, longtime fans, aware of Near's politics and style, will be glad to have all of these tracks gathered on And Still We Sing. ~ Ronnie D. Lankford, Jr.

2-CD collection of thought-provoking songs with magnificent musical contributions by Inti-Illimani, Rhiannon, Mercedes Sosa, Brian Lane Green, John Bucchino, Robben Ford, June Millington, and moreHolly Near is a powerful voice for change. After 30 years of work in social change movements, Near's historical perspective as well as her contemporary activism continue to challenge and inspire audiences around the country. The spectrum of her work is staggering. She presents an inspiring and entertaining keynote while her teaching is a mix of history, therapy, and investigation of craft. Her songwriting invites the listener to his/her best self and her singing voice is full of range and dynamics; indeed, her voice is stronger than it has ever been.She got a dynamic start in film and television in the early 1970s. But the world caught her attention, fueling her cultural and political perspective, and she began singing full time. Today, Holly calls herself "an elder in training". Experience has brought wisdom to her perspective and her singing has matured. In addition to solo concerts, collaborations and festival, her 2004 season includes conducting a three day master class at The Leaven Center in Michigan, delivering the keynote address for the American Family Therapy Association in San Francisco and the annual Ware Lecture for the Unitarian Universalist Association in Long Beach, California; participating in Healing Journeys: Cancer as a Turning Point™ in Seattle, Washington, and appearing at The HerbFest in Norway, Iowa. In the fall of 2003, Holly was invited to join Harry Belafonte, Dr. Bernice Johnson Reagon and Pete Seeger at Ohio State University to discuss political song and how it has affected social change, public policy and responsible citizenship. In summer 2003, she received standing ovations both before and after singing at the Falconridge Folk Festival, and she and Ronnie Gilbert were greeted with great enthusiasm at the Oregon Country Fair. Recently, she has participated in a gala performance of the Vagina Monologues as part of the effort to raise consciousness around issues of violence against women. Near has reissued her over 20 recordings on several historical collections (on her own label, Calico Tracks Music), and she continues to record new material: Edge (which includes the songs I Ain't Afraid and Planet Called Home) and Cris & Holly, a collaboration with Cris Williamson. She sings on the recent tribute recordings to Pete Seeger, released on Appleseed Recordings.

Liner Note Author: Jay Thompson.

Recording information: Universal Amphitheater, Los Angeles, CA.

Photographer: Mike Rogers.

Translator: John Sullivan Dwight.

Arrangers: Holly Near; Derek Nakamoto; John Bucchino; Brian Lane Green.

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