Joel Okida’s Top Tens 2010
Joel Okida’s Ten + Bests of 2010
Effin’ Best Folk/World Music Recordings of 2010
(in no particular order)
1. Laura Marling– I Speak Because I Can: Fearless!
2. Leslie Stevens and the Badgers– Roomful of Smoke: Fertile!
3. Anaïs Mitchell– Hadestown: Fiery!
4. David Greely– Sud du Sud (2008-09): French!
5. Bassekou Kouyatè– I Speak Fula: Ferocious!
6. Mike and Ruthy– Million to One: Felicitous!
7. The Secret Sisters– The Secret Sisters: Fresh-squeezed!
8. Crooked Still– Some Strange Country: Far out!
9. Carolina Chocolate Drops– Genuine Negro Jig: Fiddle-icious!
10. Sausage Grinder– Delicious Moments: Fermented!
Best Live Shows
1. Justin Townes Earle, Amoeba Music, 2/11
2. Rosie Ledet, The Mint, 2/15
3. Bassekou Kouyatè, The Getty, 3/20
4, The Living Sisters, The Getty, 4/11
5. Chris Hillman. The Grammy Museum, 5/20
6. Maria McKee, Rhino Pop-Up Store, 5/26
7. Tom McDermott, house concert, 7/17
8. Roots Roadhouse, the Echo/Echoplex, 7/31
9. Crooked Still, McCabe’s, 8/22
10. Lucinda Williams, Queen Mary Events Park, 8/26
11. Andre Thierry, The Mint, 8/28
12. Dr. John and the Lower 911, Santa Monica Pier, 9/2
13. Fall Equinox Festival, Rancho Cordillera de Norte, Northridge, 9/12
14. VOCO, Freddy and Francine, Time Warp Guitars, 10/2
15. Yuval Ron Ensemble, Theatre Raymond Kabbaz, 10/9
16. Mike and Ruthy, California Traditional Music Society, 11/2
17. Anaïs Mitchell and the Hadestown Orchestra, McCabe’s, 12/10
Joel Okida is a struggling artist, struggling writer, and struggling musician. It occurs to him that life is all about the struggle. Fortunately, he did not take up acting. However, he’s not half-bad as a zydeco dancer and the ability to make a mean gumbo and lovely walnut tortes has gotten him by.