Progressive folk refers to a genre that emerged alongside the rise of Progressive Rock in the UK and the USA during the late 1960s, developing at the end of the British and American Folk revivals of the period.
Prior to being used to describe a musical grouping, the term was originally (and perhaps more commonly) used as a thematic label for the progressively political lyrics of 1930s USA folk singers such as Woody Guthrie. Three decades later, 'prog
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Progressive folk refers to a genre that emerged alongside the rise of Progressive Rock in the UK and the USA during the late 1960s, developing at the end of the British and American Folk revivals of the period.
Prior to being used to describe a musical grouping, the term was originally (and perhaps more commonly) used as a thematic label for the progressively political lyrics of 1930s USA folk singers such as Woody Guthrie. Three decades later, 'prog folk' emerged as a genre during the experimentation and progressive nature of the general music climate of the era. It drew from a variety of sources to subvert traditional acoustic song forms, with diversity ranging from Jazz to Medieval music to various regional music traditions. Its inception was heavily influenced by the rise in the mid-1960s of combining folk music with other musical sources to significantly break away from folk traditions, namely Rock (Folk Rock) and Psychedelia (Psychedelic Folk). The Folk Baroque fingerpicking by British guitarists Bert Jansch and John Renbourn with The Pentangle is also considered to have heavily influenced and provided early blueprints for the genre.
At the turn of the decade, prog rock or folk rock acts such as Strawbs, Jethro Tull, Trees and Fairport Convention were incorporating prog folk into some of their work. The early 1970s saw the heyday of the genre, exemplified by Roy Harper's 1971 landmark album Stormcock. Due to the esoteric and abstract nature of much of the music, several milestone releases in the genre were released by underground acts, including Comus and Third Ear Band. The scene was not limited to the UK and the USA, for example, Sui Generis from Argentina, Fausto from Portugal and Harmonium from Quebec, Canada (the latter demonstrating the effect the Quebecois chansonnier Singer-Songwriter tradition had on vocal arrangements within the prog folk landscape).
Musically, as with prog rock, prog folk artists are not limited to one particular distinct sound, instead adopting a similar set of approaches, including typical progressive traits such as long track times, multiple sections/suites, abstract structures, ornate arrangements, rhythm and tempo changes, non-standard time signatures and general complexity. Acoustic instrumentation is typically at the forefront, almost always featuring guitars, with additional backing from instruments such as electric guitar, double bass, keyboards, flute, symphonic strings and various percussion also common. The music is associated with a high level of technical skill, with many performers considered virtuosos of their instrument.
In the early 21st century, progressive folk experienced a resurgence due in part to the exposure and critical success of Joanna Newsom and 2006's Ys in particular. The harpist was also responsible for putting Roy Harper back into the spotlight, citing Stormcock as her favourite album and inviting him to open for her on tour.
