April 2, 2008

folkwaysAlive! joins Smithsonian Folkways Recordings in mourning the passing of Sam Gesser, the first distributor of Folkways Records in Canada, and the man responsible for many iconic recordings of Canadian performers and Canadian music.

The history of Canadian recordings on the Folkways label began in 1950, when Samuel “Sam” Gesser (1930–2008), an enterprising young commercial artist from Montréal paid a visit to Moses “Moe” Asch (1905–1986), founder and owner of Folkways Records in New York. Gesser, having purchased a Lead Belly recording in Chicago, was disappointed to discover that Folkways recordings were not available in Montréal. The two entrepreneurs quickly struck a deal, and Gesser returned home as the newly minted distributor for Folkways in Canada. Almost immediately he set about to remedy the dearth of Canadian traditional music albums, recording local folk singers himself and enlisting the aid of prominent folk music collectors. Between 1950 and 1964, he produced or commissioned about 100 Folkways albums, the earliest of which, Folk Songs of French Canada (Folkways 6929) in 1952 and Folk Songs of Newfoundland (Folkways 6831) in 1953, featured Alan Mills, the most important Canadian folk singer of that era. Contractually bound to purchase a minimum of 100 albums for each tape that he submitted, Gesser devised innovative ways to promote Folkways recordings, showcasing them together with live performances by Mills and his singing partner Hélène Baillargeon in world music programs written and produced for Canadian radio and television.
      When Gesser embarked upon his association with Folkways, Newfoundland and Labrador had just joined Confederation (1949); Canada boasted a population of 14,009,429 (1951); the flags flown were the British Union Jack and the Red Ensign (until the adoption of the Maple Leaf flag in 1965); and “O’ Canada” was yet to be proclaimed the official national anthem (1967). The Folkways recordings document the history of the Canadian folk music revival of the 1950s and 1960s—roughly parallel to, but far less politically motivated than its American counterpart—and furnish evidence of burgeoning nationalism in the years leading to 1967, the centennial of Confederation. (©2006 Smithsonian Institution, reprinted by permission from the booklet accompanying the CD: Classic Canadian Songs from Smithsonian Folkways SFW CD 40539, 2006)

Sam Gesser was a member of the Order of Canada and had been honored with other awards, including a 2005 certificate from The Smithsonian Institution, a 2007 lifetime achievement award from the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame, and late last year the very first Resonance Award ~ Prix Résonance, established by the Canadian Museum of Civilization to “honour outstanding lifetime contributions to Canada’s musical heritage” and presented at the annual Canadian Folk Music Awards. Resonance Award ~ Prix Résonance – Canadian Museum of Civilization

At folkwaysAlive!, we appreciated Sam’s generous spirit, his recollections of an extraordinary life well-lived, and his humble acceptance of the acknowledgement he received for his many achievements.

We join a large community of friends who remember Sam and send our most heartfelt condolences to his wife, Ruth, and his family.

A Tribute to Sam Gesser from Folk Roots/Folk Branches with Mike Regenstreif on CKUT, 90.3 FM in Montreal. Podcast from Thursday, April 24, 2008. The tribute begins approximately 35 seconds into the clip.
Sam Gesser’s Obituary in the Montreal Gazette
Smithsonian Folkways Recordings
Jewish Public Library & Archives, Montreal