Rickolus, aka Richard Colado makes music that is like chicken soup for the hungry soul. Upon the release of his album Troubadour for Circle Into Square, and our debut of "Snow Globes"; his holistic oeuvre found us and our friends falling in love with his trad songs ripped straight from the heart and esoteric hymnals. So in the spirit of Thanksgiving, it is our plesure to present the video debut of Rickolus's "The Lonely Fox" that welcomes the audience to experience one of his infamous home jamborees firsthand.
Here in Rickolus's garage turned music room/public house; all members of The Jamoboree bring something to share to the equation. Gathering around the circle, acoustic guitars, accordions, xylophones, violins, voices, dances, with Richard commanding the piano bring the jam into full session. "The Lonely Fox" breathes with acoustic lunged life, as if grown in the backyard garden, as cookies are baked and friendship bracelets are made in the kitchen.
"The Lonely Fox" takes roots from the English and Irish folk ballads, presenting metaphors for life's hardships that are "never easy". The Mike Huddard video captures an 'all-together-now' inclusiveness where Colado invites all to the table with a creative appreciation through the sharing of gifts and communal contribution of talents and merits provided by all in attendance. More than just your run-of-the-mill house party, or routine band practice; Rickolus and The Jamboree give us all a comforting, and heartwarming gift of Thanksgiving-complete with everyone falling asleep and passed out by the song's end.
Rickolus continues the generosity and joined us for a discussion of his down home jamborees, and the causes of today's troubadours.
These Jamborees you throw in your home look and sound amazing. How long has this tradition been happening, how did it first start?
Well it's a two headed answer, first head is, I fell down a rabbit hole of Irish and English folk music and was learning all these songs, I like the idea of music that is everyone's, not owned by anyone, and I wanted to have a place to share this music.
The other head, is that I got tired of just having parties where the only activity is drinking, it gets boring after a while and usually ends up with some vomit or worse. So I thought why not play songs? So I started hosting these jamborees, if there were folks that wanted to come that didn't play music the rule was you just have to bring something to share. It became a place to try new ideas sometimes too, new songs people were working on. This has been going on for a few years now.
Your song is called "The Lonely Fox" and yet the Mike Huddard video presents nothing but togetherness, and all the key ingredients for anti-loneliness. Was this in any way a conscious decision?
The song has really nothing to do with the video, it just felt like something we would play at a jamboree.
As evident from the jubilant vibe of everyone in the Jubilee, your music brings about a certain happiness to people's lives. Everyone I played "Snow Globes" for was immediately moved by it in one awesome way another (one of my bros even wanted to use it at his wedding). What's the key to writing inspirational music that is truly alive?
Honestly I have no idea how these things happen, I just write what I'm feeling or what I'm thinking. What it does after I'm done recording it is beyond me. It's like having a kid, you do all this work making and raising it and then it just goes off and does whatever. Ha ha, but that is rad that your friend wants to play it at his wedding!
Like the name of your album Troubadour for Circle Into Square, what are the challenges facing today's modern day troubadours and tune-smiths, dedicated to the time honored craft and tradition of music making?
I think it's the same as it ever was, you have to love this job to do it or else it will eat you up. So just make the best songs you can, show as many folks as possible and don't stop.
Troubadour is available now from Circle Into Square.
