Blue Navigator

14/06/2024

https://americana-uk.com/essentials-top-ten-michael-hurley-songs

Michael Hurley is one of those rare artists who merit the term unique. Now in his 80s (and still performing and recording) Hurley is a living reminder of what Greil Marcus called “the old wei…

06/06/2024

A couple of shots from Michael Hurley's show at The Rockwell, Somerville, Wed 24 April. Very warm audience gave him a standing ovation at the end.

05/03/2024

Little Sue's 'Somebody to Say Bye Bye To' from Snockument CD and Michael Hurley's 'Boulevard' got a play and a plug from Noel Casey on his After Midnight radio show on Dublin City FM last night:

Presenter: Noel Casey Email Address: [email protected]

16/02/2024

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_RUf9lRZ6Qo

After 40 years of unpredictable live shows, drug addictions and breakdowns,psychedelic folk rock legends, The Holy Modal Rounders survived one of thestranges...

30/01/2024

Next April, Michael Hurley will be undertaking his first east coast tour since 2018. Glen Falls (NY state) with Ida has already sold out.

Tues April 16 - Union Pool, Brooklyn, NY
Wed April 17 - Union Pool, Brooklyn, NY
Fri April 19 - Johnny Brenda’s, Philadelphia, PA (with Shannen Moser)
Sat April 20 - Glen Falls House, Round Top, NY (with Ida) SOLD OUT
Sun April 21 - Meeting House, East Fairfield, VT (Advance tickets required. Call 802-827-6626)
Wed April 24 - Rockwell, Somerville, MA (with Stella Kola)
Thur April 25 - Space, Portland, ME (with Lisa/Liza)
Fri April 26 - Nova Arts, Keene, NH (with Stella Kola)

26/10/2023

Michael Hurley closing out the Sycamore Sessions at the Nelsonville Music Festival, July 23 2023.

Michael Hurley has played the Nelsonville Music Festival nearly every year, so it only made sense to have the folk troubadour close out the 2023 Sycamore Ses...

03/08/2023

From Smithsonian Records (via Paul Kerr at [email protected])

Today, singer-songwriter Cass McCombs and San Francisco-based preschool teacher Mr. Greg (aka Greg Gardner) present “Friends From Around the World (Hello Version),” the final single/video from their forthcoming collaborative album, Mr. Greg & Cass McCombs Sing and Play New Folk Songs for Children, out August 18 on Smithsonian Folkways (listen).

On “Friends From Around the World (Hello Version),” Gardner leads a morning singalong over a single electric guitar that wanders, but never far. Scattered throughout this song are additional vocal snippets from Folkways artist and legend Michael Hurley, Gardner’s daughter, and fellow teachers. “Friends From All Around The World (Hello Version)” comes from the daily morning routine in Gardner’s preschool classroom where the morning message begins with a greeting in a different language each day. Gardner explains, “In ‘Friends From All Around The World,’ my daughter returns each greeting (listeners are welcome to do the same) and sends a special hello to Boone and Jocko, characters that live in many of Michael Hurley’s songs and illustrations. There's even a special hello from our family cat. Listen carefully for the meow.”

Here's the song...

Listen to “Friends from All Around the World (Hello Version),” from the Smithsonian Folkways album ‘Mr. Greg & Cass McCombs - Sing and Play New Folk Songs fo...

20/07/2023

Michael Hurley plays Nelsonville Festival in Ohio tomorrow (Friday) and Sunday.
https://nelsonvillefest.org/nmf-artists/

27/03/2023

Michael Hurley will be playing Nelsonville Music Festival in SE Ohio, July 21-23 this year. Here's his Sycamore Session from last year (with content warning).

Content Advisory: The artist uses explicit language during this performance.Renowned folk musician Michael Hurley brought an impressive crowd to his rainy Sy...

06/01/2023

It's great to see so many radio producers and presenters getting behind The hackles who will be heading this way soon for a string of UK tour dates that includes their own show at Celtic Connections
One of the longest running radio shows - Folkal Point - presented each week by Colin MacDonald (in it's 49th year) is the latest to be reminding listeners this is one that's not to be missed!
The show is syndicated widely around the world and can be heard on Blues and Roots Radio ...

Playlist:

GIFT OF A BRAND NEW DAY - Harvey Andrews (Albion)
HURT BY LUCK - Suzie Vinnick (Canada)
SHE CAN'T BE HERSELF - Eric Brace and Peter Cooper
ONTARIO SONG - Maria Dunn (Canada)
DANCE WITH THE DEVIL - Chris Fox (Albion)
EL CAMINO - The Stillhouse Junkies featuring (fiddle and lead vocal) Alissa Wolf with (second fiddle) Becky Buller
LIFELINE - Kinnaber Junction featuring Gary Anderson (Scotia)
THE SHOW GOES ON - The Hackles playing Drygate Brewery in Glasgow for Celtic Connections on January 22
A MONTH OF SUNDAYS - Elliott Brood
OLD CHRISTMAS DAY - Tim O'Brien
AURORA - Carly Reirson (Canada)
FADING FAST - Chris Bullinger
ORDER OUT OF CHAOS - Xander & The Peace Pirates (Albion)
HOW CAN I SAY THIS? - Annie Capps
RELENTLESS - instrumental - Kyle Warren (Scotia)

04/01/2023

'Just A Bum' performed by Amy Annelle :: Music & Photographyle, from 'Snockument - Songs by Michael Hurley' on CD and Digital.
Film: "The Beauty & The Beast" by Seán Brennan (NY, mid-1960s). Editor: Donal Foreman

Just A Bum performed by Amy Annelle, from 'Snockument - Songs by Michael Hurley' on CD and Digital.Film: "The Beauty & The Beast" by Seán Brennan (NY, mid-19...

20/12/2022

Digital version of Snockument out today on Michael Hurley's birthday.
https://open.spotify.com/album/7j8IQ9WsMHIgbvZ5yPqACZ?si=hG575PhNTWO6c-6x1M9DFw

08/12/2022

Here's a promo page with some info on all our exceptional Snockument contributors. Officious release date for CD and Digital is 20th December, Michael Hurley's birthday

18/11/2022

What some of us in Blue Navigator get up to in our spare time.

31/10/2022

O My Stars performed by The Hackles, from 'Snockument - Songs by Michael Hurley' on Vinyl and CD.
Kati Claborn (Baritone Guitar, Clarinet, Vocals), Luke Ydstie (Nylon String Guitar, Lap Steel Guitar, Vocals), Adam Selzer (Sound Mix), Tyler Little (Director/Camera), Donal Foreman (Editor). Order here: https://bluenavigator.com/shop-2/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dkhGP3JWWE

O My Stars performed by The Hackles, from 'Snockument - Songs by Michael Hurley' on Vinyl and CD.Order here: https://bluenavigator.com/shop-2/Kati Claborn (B...

19/10/2022

Now available. 'Snockument - Songs by Michael Hurley' in CD alternate mix. Transparent Jewel Case CD pack, encrusted with hi-end Snock Art. 13 tracks, including 5 new additions to this unique tribute to Michael Hurley and his music. Cass McCombs, Steve Gunn, The hackles, Calexico, Little Sue, Vernon Tonges, The Chicken Chokers, dbh and Jason D Williams reprise their appearances on the Snockument LP. Some LP tracks were licensed exclusively for vinyl, allowing other contributions to be included in this wonderfully diverse CD collection. Amy Annellle, Bingo, James Yorkston and Adrian Crowley also recorded songs specially for this tribute project, while Phillip Johnston & The Coolerators's Jimmy Giuffre-like version of The Revenant was previously released. Includes 12-page leaflet with lyrics and Hurley art.
Free Postage Worldwide!

https://bluenavigator.com/shop-2/

13/08/2022

Recently unearthed!
Troubled Waters is a 1985 award-winning 15 minute film by Dean Wetherell with soundtrack by Michael Hurley. It's the story of Vinnie Daley - a fourth generation bayman from Long Island. The end-title song is by John Herald, adapted by Michael for the film. The soundtrack was recorded in Robert 'Froggy' Nickson's NY Bleecker Street apartment (Swamp Sound Studios). Nickson regularly played drums with Michael (Long Journey, Snockgrass, Have Moicy and Redbirds in Folk City) and other bands in Vermont before becoming a professor of film in NYU. Dean Wetherell was one of his students. Nickson died earlier this year. There was a commemorative memorial event for him in Vermont last June. Blue Navigator are currently re-mastering the original soundtrack tapes (some of which does not appear on film) with the idea of a special, limited edition CD and book, to be released later this year.

Troubled Waters is the story of Vinnie Daley - a fourth generation bayman from Long Island. A century of clam digging has come down to him. Pollution, greed,...

23/06/2022

Last Minute Gig News from Michael Hurley:

All my friends are invited to come to The Old Church Concert Hall tomorrow night Friday (24th). I will be playing a set at like 8:00 in support of my friend Lindsay Clark's album release. This will be in Portland OR; 1422 SW 11th Av. I won't cause any heedless trouble. And welcome to the summer everyone!

https://www.theoldchurch.org/

09/05/2022

Johnny Fewings from Whitstable UK (where Michael Hurley has played a few times) has a fascinating and wide-ranging chat with Michael on his 'Jazz Blues and Beyond' radio show. An hour of great music and interesting stories on some Hurley songs. https://www.mixcloud.com/WhitstableSessionsRadioShows/jazz-blues-beyond-vol74-8th-may-2022-michael-hurley-with-johnny-fewings/

20/04/2022

Here’s a recently unearthed artyFact. The original (and font corrupted) PDF of the first issue of Blue Navigator zine from February 1996. Much of the content came from Vermont musician Nancy Beaven who was then living in Dublin. Features contemporary reviews of Watertower and Blue Navigator LPs (Nancy sang on both), plus live gig reports and Vermont Hurley profile from 1979. Includes the first mention of Snockument project! It’s news dipped in time...
https://bluenavigator.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/BlueNavigator_Issue1.pdf

18/03/2022

6-page feature on Michael Hurley and his album 'The Time of the Foxgloves' in recent March issue of Uncuthttps://bluenavigator.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Uncut_Michael_Hurley_Feature.pdf

17/03/2022

Because it's St. Patrick's Day 2022, here's St. Patrick driving the snakes, as imagined by Michael Hurley - his original cover art for Issue 8 of Blue Navigator (November, 2002).

14/09/2021

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=5089547814395555&id=196388727044846

27/07/2021

SNOCKUMENT LP gets an in-depth and very positive review from Glaswegian writer Paul Kerr

Long rumoured to be in the works, an album of Michael Hurley songs performed by others has finally emerged, blinking, into daylight. For those not aware of him, Hurley is one of the surviving links…

21/07/2021

Our sales team are currently in Di**le, Co. Kerry and 'the smallest record shop in Ireland' is the first Irish store to stock SNOCKUMENT LP since its release last Friday. More to follow!

16/07/2021

It's out there! Released today: Snockument - Songs by Michael Hurley, on limited edition vinyl LP. Ten Hurley tunes, all different great artists, specially selected and produced by the great Michael Hurley to create a fine unity as if they were all performed in the same place one day. Includes bonus gatefold insert featuring original Michael Hurley art. Contributions from Cat Power , , , , dbh, , Vernon Tonges, and the Chicken Chokers. https://bluenavigator.com/product/snockument/