Ronald Clyne – Folkways Records.

by Amy@AQ-V on March 10, 2011

Call of Freedom
Various artists / United States, 1962 / Design by Ronald Clyne
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“A record cover should be seen at a glance. You shouldn’t have to study different sections of it. You should see the total instantly. I tried to avoid going to an office. I had freedom; I didn’t have to deal with an art director. I wanted to pursue what I was interested in.”
–Ronald Clyne (2005 interview)
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In 2007 ARTSPACE in New Zealand exhibited 50 album covers by American (Folk) Modernist Ronald Clyne (1925–2006). Mr. Clyne’s remarkable graphic work created what essentially became the visual legacy of Folkways Records during his 30 year tenure designing covers for the label from 1951 to 1981. Minimal, compelling, 2 color layouts on matt stock incorporating great typography and graphics and/or photographics comprised his signature style.

From the ARTSPACE website:

Ronald Clyne was a freelance graphic artist who worked with various New York publishing houses producing book jacket designs. Between 1951 and 1981, alongside this ongoing work, he designed over 500 LP covers for Folkways Records, from some 2,000 records released during the three-decade lifetime of this successful though highly independent company from 1948 –1986. Whilst other graphic artists including Irwin Rosenhouse, David Stone Martin and Craig Mierop also designed covers, it was the covers by Clyne that came to represent the dominant Folkways style or look.

Folkways Records was founded and directed by Moses Asch with a personal vision to document and be a depository for the sounds and music of the world, making up the culture of man from the USA to New Guinea. Beginning with folk, the label also included traditional and contemporary music from many countries as well as spoken word and ethnic field recordings. Visually the cover designs for Folkways Records differ considerably from those of other commercial record labels. They distinctively use only two-colour printing on matt paper glued over a thick matt black cardboard sleeve always leaving a thin black line around the cover’s edge.

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Clyne’s use of carefully considered typography, layout and image is outstanding in its simplicity and beauty. “To do work that you like and can do, quickly, effectively…perfect!”, Clyne says, summing up his streamlined approach. His body of record cover designs encompasses a wide diversity from the ethnic to the experimental, reflecting the inclusive spirit of the Folkways label.

–John Nixon, 2007 / Read more >>
(Show curated by Nixon, Stephen Bram, Warren Taylor from records in their collections.)

As many of you know I am an enthused music vinyl/album cover collector. I was thrilled to recently unearth a JAZZ cover gem by Clyne which I featured in my last mid-century album cover post (Vol. 9). So imagine my excitement when I landed deep in the Smithsonian Folkways archive of Ronald Clyne. That totals 1,200+ albums to gleefully wade through. I have featured many of my favorite LP covers by Clyne above and below. The Smithsonian archive is a treasure trove. In addition to admiring the cover art and previewing the music tracks, you can purchase the albums as cds and many are available to buy as digital downloads. I encourage you to spend some time in the archives and check out more resources related to Clyne at the end of this post.

[ All images © Smithsonian Folkways ]

Jazz, Vol. 8: Chicago 1
Various artists / United States, 1953 / Design by Ronald Clyne
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Steel Band
Trinidad Panharmonic Orchestra / Trinidad & Tobago, 1957 / Design by Ronald Clyne

Negro Folk Music of Africa and America
Various artists / Various countries, 1951 / Design by Ronald Clyne
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Jazz of the Forties, Vol. 1: Jazz at Town Hall
Various artists / United States, 1960 / Design by Ronald Clyne

Modern Brazilian Poetry: Read by Professor Cassiano Nunes
Cassiano Nunes / Brazil, 1965 / Design by Ronald Clyne
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Bentley on Biermann: Songs and Poems of Wolf Biermann
Eric Bentley / Germany, 1968 / Design by Ronald Clyne

Sound Patterns
Various artists / Honduras, United States, Yugoslavia (former), 1953 / Design by Ronald Clyne
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British Traditional Ballads in the Southern Mountains, Volume 1
Jean Ritchie / United States, 1960 / Design by Ronald Clyne

Voices of the Satellites
Various artists / United States & Russia, 1958 / Design by Ronald Clyne
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Music of the Orient in Hawaii
Various artists / United States, 1963 / Design by Ronald Clyne

The Songs and Stories of Aunt Molly Jackson
Aunt Molly Jackson & John Greenway / United States, 1961 / Design by Ronald Clyne
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André Charles and His Quisqueya Ibo Combo Group
André Charles / Haiti, 1975 / Design by Ronald Clyne

Creative Writing
Morris Schreiber / United States, 1964 / Design by Ronald Clyne
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Sounds of New Music
Various artists / United States, 1957 / Design by Ronald Clyne

Puerto Rico: Algo Se Quema Allá A Fuera! (Something Is Burning Out There!)
Estrella Artau / Puerto Rico & United States, 1975 / Design by Ronald Clyne
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The Elephant Calf and Small Comments on Large Themes
Isaiah Sheffer & Eric Bentley / Germany & United States, 1968 / Design by Ronald Clyne
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More resources:

Ronald Clyne at Folkways (U:D/R01) – 64 pg “newspaper” by Unit Editions
An anthology of Folkways album cover art featuring the work of Ronald Clyne.
(Also available for purchase at Smithsonian Folkways for those within the US.)
Ronald Clyne: American folk modernist – Unit Editions blog

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Psst… to keep up to date: