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NEWSLETTER #123
Folk Music Of The British Isles & Europe

Peter Bellamy -> Gabriel Yacoub

 

IRELAND PAUL BRADY PBMCD 001 The Missing Liberty Tapes ● CD $21.98
10 tracks, 59 mins, essential
Paul Brady is best known these days as a contemporary rock singer/ songwriter but back in 1978 he was best known as an interpreter of traditional Irish songs and tunes and that year issued his first (and last) solo album of all traditional material "Welcome Here Kind Stranger". After more than 20 years that album is still one of the very finest examples of interpreting traditional Irish songs and music in a modern way thanks to Paul's spine chilling vocals, sublime guitar work and added accompaniments from some of Ireland's finest musicians. On July 21st, 1978 the record was launched with a concert at Liberty Hall in Dublin and this wonderful album is a recording of that concert featuring Paul recreating the album live with the addition of a couple of songs he had recorded previously on a duet album with Andy Irvine. Joining Paul were several of the musicians who were on the album along with other distinguished musicians. The arrangements stick pretty close to those on the studio album but even if you have that you'll want this for the added spontaneity of the live setting. The songs are all wonderful Paddy' Green Shamrock Shore/ I Am A Youth That's Inclined To Ramble/ The Jolly Soldier/ Jackson & Jane/ Lakes Of Pontchartrain/ Arthur McBride & The Sergeant and all the rest. After going missing for many years the tapes showed up last year in Paul's attic and he decided they were good enough to issue - they most certainly are - the music and the sound quality are superb. (FS)
 
SCOTLAND IAN BRUCE Linn CKD 112 Alloway Tales ● CD $15.98
14 tracks, 48 mins, highly recommended
Superb collection featuring 14 of the songs of the great Scots Bard Robert Burns performed beautifully by this excellent singer with sensitive accompaniments from Tony McManus/ guitar, John Martin or Catriona McDonald/ fiddle, Ian Lowthian/ accordion, Dougie Pincock/ small pipes and bodhran and others. The only drawback to this collection is that two thirds of the songs have already been issued as part of the "Complete Songs Of Robert Burns" series on Linn but there are several songs not on that series and it's nice to have all the performances by this splendid singer in one place. Includes Ye Jacobites By Name/ Galloway Tom/ The Soldier's Return/ A Man's A Man For All That/ Craigieburn Wood/ Now Westlin Winds And Slaught'ring Guns/ The Thames Flows Proudly To The Sea and others. (FS)
  
IRELAND DANU Shanachie 78049 All Things Considered ● CD $14.98
New album by this superb Irish group.
   
IRELAND SEAMUS ENNIS RTE 199 The Return From Fingal ● CD $18.98
Lovely collection of traditional music, mostly played on the Uillean pipes, by the much loved Seamus Ennis - an important figure in the story of Irish music in the 20th century. Ennis was a piper, whistle player, singer, storyteller, folklorist, broadcaster, teacher and much more The recordings on this set were made between 1940, when he was 21, and 1980, a couple of years before his death. Includes 24 page illustrated booklet with notes on Seamus's life and music and notes on all the tunes.
 
SCOTLAND DICK GAUGHAN Appleseed 1058 Outlaws & Dreamers ● CD $15.98
New album from this brilliant Scottish singer, songwriter and guitarist is mostly just Dick & his guitar with occasional contributions from his good friend Brian Mcneill on fiddle and concertina and, on the traditional Dowie Dens Of Yarrow a synthesizer drone. Includes a couple of originals along with songs from McNeill, Woodie Guthrie, Phil Ochs and others.
 
IRELAND PADDY GLACKIN & MICHAEL O DHOMNAILL Gael Linn CEFCD 180 Reprise - Athchuairt ● CD $17.98
Two of Ireland's top musicians - fiddler Glackin and singer/ guitarist O Dhomnaill join forces on a fine selection of traditional songs with various guest musicians including Noel Hill/ concertina, Paddy Keenan/ whistle & pipes, Triona Ni Dhomnaill/ vocals & bodhran, Mairtin O'Connor/ accordion and others.
 
IRELAND MICHAEL GORMAN Topic TSCD 525 The Sligo Champion ● CD $18.98
Two CD set featuring recordings made by this legendry fiddler from County Sligo in the 50s and 60s, often in the company of Margaret Barry on banjo. There are also some recordings featuring his brother Martin singer, his nephew Michael on flute and others. Features 56 page illustrated booklet with copious notes by Reg Hall.
 
SCOTLAND OSSIAN Greentrax CDTRAX 127 The Carrying Stream ● CD $15.98
11 tracks, 51 mins, highly recommended
Ossian was one of my favorite groups of the 80s so a new release after nearly 15 years is most welcome. Although the line up has changed significantly it is still fronted by the brilliant William Jackson whose stirring harp work was and is one of the foundations of this exceptional group's subtle yet powerful approach. Vocalist and guitarist Billy Ross who was one of the founding members of the group is back on vocals and guitar and both his singing and guitar playing is much more impressive than on the bands earliest recordings. They are joined by Iain MacInnes on Scottish smallpipes and whistle and Stuart Morrison on fiddle, cittern and mandolin who both perform brilliantly. The material is a fine collection of traditional and more recent compositions including a couple of songs sung in Scots Gaelic. I particularly like the moving song The Working Man about the lot of the working man that I had heard previously in a very different version by Martin Carthy. Truly lovely and haunting music. (FS)
 
ENGLAND JOHN ROBERTS & TONY BARRAND Swallowtail 001 Spencer The Rover Is Alive And Well ● CD $13.98
Reissue of 1971 album featuring two expatriate Englishmen living in the USA performing traditional English songs, ballads and music hall songs - mostly as acapella duets. Delightful unpretentious performances of songs like Spencer The Rover/ I Wish They'd Do It Now/ What A Mouth!/ Silicosis/ The Lincolnshire Poacher/ Dahn The Plugghole/ Martin Said To His Man/ So Green As The Leaves/ Thyme, etc.
 
ENGLAND STEELEYE SPAN Park PRKCD 40 Sails Of Silver ● CD $14.98
Reissue of 1980 album when the group reunited in their most successful incarnation after going their own ways for a couple of years. Mostly original songs, often in traditional mould - others in Richard Thompson style - a nice return! This CD includes three bonus live tracks from 1996/97.
 
SCOTLAND DAVIE STEWART Rounder 1833 Go On, Sing Another Song ● CD $15.98
Recordings made in 1957 by Alan Lomax of this wonderful singer and distinctive accordion player from Aberdeenshire. Davie is a wonderfully expressive singer though his very thick accent makes following the lyrics difficult. He does a version of his most famous song Macpherson's Rant along with other great songs like The Tarves Rant/ Mormond Braes/ McGinty's Meal And Ale/ (Auld Jock) Bruce O The Fornet/ The Dying Ploughboy/ The Dowie Dens Of Yarrow and others including a couple of delightfully bawdy and quite explicit songs The Highland Tinker and Maggie The Milkmaid. Also includes some fascinating interview tracks where Davie talk about his life as one of Scotland's traveling people and even a short lesson in their secret language. Includes detailed 36 page booklet.
 
ENGLAND SWAN ARCADE Fellside FECD 160 Round Again ● CD $16.98
23 tracks, 78 mins, highly recommended. Swan Arcade are a superb, mostly acapella, harmony group comprising Dave & Heather Brady and Jim Boyes who have worked together on and off since the early 70s. This terrific collection features two complete albums "Together Forever" from 1983 and "Diving For Pearls" from 1986 plus one track from a 1987 compilation. The focus is always on the blending of three superb voices, sometimes extended by the use of multi-tracking or the the occasional instrument. The material is a mix of British and American traditional and contemporary. Among the former are such beautiful performances as Dives & lazarus/ Boomers Story/ Donibristle Mine Disaster/ Weary Whaling Grounds and others. The contemporary is varied and, at times, unexpected ranging from Bruce Phillips beautiful Goodnight Loving Trail (one of the few accompanied songs) to The Kinks Lola (which works surprisingly well in acapella harmony). There are also songs from Richard Thompson, Lennon & Mccartney, John Tams (the fabulous Raise Your Banner - one of the highlights here), Tommy Makem, Elvis Costello and others. (FS)
 
ENGLAND JUNE TABOR Green Linnet 3139 Rosa Mundi ● CD $15.98
Newest from top English singer is all songs about the Rose - old and new songs, traditional songs and more with piano, violin, viola and cello accompaniemnts - Roses Of Picardy/ Deep In Love/ Rose In June/ Winterrose/ The Crown Of Roses/ Maybe Then I'll Be A Rose, etc.
 
IRELAND VARIOUS ARTISTS Goilin 004 Where Linnets Sing ● CD $18.98
16 tracks, highly recommended Splendid collection of traditional singing featuring four singers from Dublin's Traditional Singers Club. Grace Toland and Jim McFarland sing in English, Mairead Ni Oistin sings in English and Gaelic and Antaine O Farachain sings exclusively in Gaelic. Although not nationally known they are all very fine singers with a real feel for their material which mostly features lesser known but fine songs. Includes True And Single Sailor/ Johnny Seoighe/ Mountain Streams/ Willie Ward/ Seacht Ndolas Na Maighdine Muire/ Donall Og/ The Four Seasons/ An Raicin Alainn/ Pride Of Moville Town and others. (FS)
 
SCOTLAND VARIOUS ARTISTS Linn CKD 107 Robert Burns - The Complete Songs, Vol. 7 ● CD $15.98
20 more songs from the pen of Scotland's great bard sung by George Duff, Bobby Eaglesham, Alistair Hulett, Aimee Leonard, Gillian MacDonald, John Morran, Karine Polwart with many fine instrumentalists providing musical accompaniment.
 
ENGLAND VARIOUS ARTISTS Topic TSCD 535 Street Cries ● CD $15.98
Ashley Hutchings does it again! He has taken a bunch of great traditional songs rewritten them so they are set in the present day and gotten some of the finest singers in the British Isles to perform them including John Tams with Coope, Boyes & Simpson, Cara Dillon, Dick Gaughan, Judy Dunlop & John Tams, Kathryn Roberts with Equation, Dave Burland, June Tabor and others. A fascinating and worthwhile experiment.
 
FRANCE GABRIEL YACOUB Celluloid 67030 Yacoub ● CD $17.98
Newest from this great French singer/ songwriter/ guitarist. Mostly original songs with varying accompaniments including hurdy gurdy, violin, uillean pipes, guitars, etc.
 

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