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Izzy Young, The Conscience of the Folk Revival (new book, 2013)
It was a great kick back in 2004 when I performed (sang blues, read poems and showed some films) at Izzy Young's Folklore Centre in Stockholm.
Izzy is an inspiring, enthusiastic guy, hugely knowledgeable about all forms of folk music. He's a living legend. You only have to read Bob Dylan's "Chronicles" to understand why.
Izzy's original Folklore Centre was in Greenwich Village, New York (110 MacDougal Street): "To him, folk music glittered like a mound of gold. It did for me, too." Dylan writes a lot about Izzy in the first chapter of his autobiography. He even wrote "Talkin' Folklore Centre Blues" for Izzy. I performed a version of it that night, as a tribute to Izzy, but I changed the words so that they referred to his Stockholm Folklore Centrum. I also referred to the first concert that Dylan ever gave (at Carnegie Chapter Hall, November 4, 1961), which was organised by Izzy Young.
I have to say I was more than a little nervous that night in Stockholm. Along with Sun Studios in Memphis, Izzy Young's Folklore Centre (Greenwich Village/Stockholm) is one of the Meccas of modern music. Thanks again, Izzy! See www.izzy.young.com
I also looked up Izzy when I was in Sweden. I was able to spend 2 afternoons talking to Izzy ans hanging out in the FOlklore Center. Quite a few locals popped in to read books and discuss folk music with him and anyone else in there. It is a great historical place. Go there and help Izzy out by buying a few copies of his newsletter. - Ramblin' Pete
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