NEWSLETTER
#124
Folk Music Of The British Isles & Europe
Jack Beck -> Various Artists
| SCOTLAND
| JACK BECK |
Tradition Bearers 1006 |
Scots Songs & Ballads - Half Ower,
Half Ower Tae Aberdour |
● CD $19.98 |
Fine Scottish singer who has been performing since the
early 60s. Mostly traditional Scottish songs - many sung acapella, some
with his sensitive guitar accompaniment and/or Neil Paterson/ pipes
& whistle, Pete Clark/ fiddle and George Haig/ concertina &
autoharp. Includes Fordell Bell/ The Twa Sisters/ Tattie Time/ The
Night Visiting Song/ The Heilan Sojer/ The Pills Of White Mercury/
Willie's Fatal Visit/ Tatie Jock/ Sir Patrick Spens and others.
|
| ENGLAND
| BLUE MURDER |
Topic TSCD 537 |
No One Stands Alone |
● CD $16.98 |
13 tracks, 49 mins, essential. Utterly magnificent - a
real tribute to the beauty and power of the human voice. Blue Murder
combines the voices of two of Britain's finest harmony groups - The
Watersons (Mike Waterson, Norma Waterson, Martin Carthy & Eliza
Carthy) and Coope, Boyes & Simpson (Barry Coope, Jim Boyes &
Lester Simpson). The combination is nothing short of spine chilling in
it's rich, awesome beauty. The opening track, the old gospel song No
One Stands Alone is so powerful and moving that it reduced this
curmudgeonly old fart to tears! The songs are a mix of English
traditional songs, American hymns, some delightful originals by Mike
Waterson and more. Martin provides occasional guitar accompaniments
and Lester Simpson plays accordion on Mike's Three Day Millionaire
but the focus is on those wonderful voices. Hands down, album of the
year! (FS)
|
| ENGLAND
| BRASS MONKEY |
Topic TSCD 531 |
Going & Staying |
● CD $15.98 |
11 tracks, 55 mins, essential This is only the fourth
album in nearly 20 years by this brilliant and innovative group and
like their previous releases is a cause for rejoicing. Brass Monkey
merges the talents of two of Britains finest solo folk performers -
Martin Carthy (vocals, guitar & mandolin) and John Kirkpatrick
(vocals, concertina and melodeons) with a quartet of brilliant brass
musicians - Howard Evans (trumpets), Richard Cheetham (trombone
& sackbutt), Martin Brinsford (saxophone, harmonica &
percussion) and Roger Williams (bass trombone and tuba). The result
is one of the most exhilarating sounds to have come out of the
British folk scene. There are some wonderful songs and tunes
including a stunning version of one of my favorite songs Heather
Down The Moor with vocals by Martin, a suite of dances by 16th
century British composer Anthony Holborne, a joyous version of Crockery
Ware
with vocals by John, the moving title song based on a
poem by Thomas Hardy and much, much more. Singing is wonderful,
arrangements are brilliant - full of little twists and surprises
that keep you listening again and again. British folk doesn't get
much better than this. (FS)
|
| IRELAND
| CRAN |
Black Rose 004 |
Music From The Edge Of The World |
● CD $17.98 |
14 tracks, 50 mins, highly recommended. I think Cran
are my favorite Irish group and I can't understand why they aren't
better known - maybe they aren't flashy enough, or progressive
enough, or young enough. What they offer is great songs and tunes
wonderfully sung and beautifully played featuring the stunning
lead vocals of Sean Corcoran and the spine chilling harmonies of
Ronan Browne and Desi Wilkinson. Between them they play a number
of instruments including uilleann pipes, flute, bouzouki, whistles,
etc. The material is mostly traditional Irish including some songs
sung in Gaelic. Gorgeous music. (FS)
|
| ENGLAND
| FAIRPORT
CONVENTION |
Compass 4332 |
XXXV |
● CD $16.98 |
The world's longest lived folk/rock band is now in
its 35th year and for their new album they revisit some of the
songs from the past. They are careful to avoid the most obvious
choices which have been recycled many times and, instead,
feature lesser know titles (mostly from their later years)
including Madeleine/ The Happy Man/ The Crowd/ The Deserter/
I Wandered By A Brookside/ Everything But The Skirl/ Now Be
Thankful and others.
|
| ENGLAND
| FAIRPORT
CONVENTION |
Free Reed FRQCD 35 |
Fairport Unconventional - Rare,
Live And Classic |
● CD $59.98 |
Due end of May. Four CD box set devoted to this
great folk rock band featuring 75 tracks - mostly currently
unavailable including rare live, radio and TV performances,
outtakes and demos (including their first from 1967). Each CD
has a different theme and set comes in a box with a 148 page
book, a definitive "family tree" and a Cropredy
souvenir booklet.
FAIRPORT CONVENTION: A Sailor's Life (Southampton, 1969)/ A
Shattering Live Experience (BBC Radio Session, 1969)/
Accountancy Shanty (Live in Hull, 1989)/ Adieu Adieu (TV
Performance, 1976)/ Angel Delight (Cropredy, 1997)/ Autopsy
(1968)/ Battle Of The Somme (Troubadour, 1970)/ Bonny Bunch Of
Roses (Live In Australia , 1977)/ Breakfast In Mayfair (Sandy
Denny/Simon Nicol Vcls, 1973)/ Come All Ye (Liege & Lief
Out-takes , 1969)/ Crazy Man Michael (Out-take, 1969)/ Dear
Landlord (1968 )/ Dirty Linen (Cropredy, 1988)/ Farewell
Farewell (Fairport Rehearsal Tape, 1969)/ Farewell To A Poor
Man's Son (BBC-TV Babbacombe Lee, 1973)/ Fiddlestix
(Australian Single, 1973)/ Flowers Of The Forest (London,
1977)/ Fotheringay (Symonds On Sunday, 1969)/ General Taylor
(Live In Chicago, 1972)/ Genesis Hall (Cropredy, 1993 )/ Get
Together (1967)/ Here's To Tom Paine (Weston-Super-Mare,
1997)/ Hexamshire Lass (Capital Radio, 1976 w Dan Ar Bras)/
Hiring Fair (Cropredy, 1989)/ I Don't Believe You ('Nine'
Out-take, 1973)/ If I Had A Ribbon Bow (Single, 1967)/ It's
Now Or Never (with Steve Tilston, 2000)/ Jewel In The Crown
(Apollo 1995)/ John Gaudie (Bottom Line, 4 Mar 1998)/
Journeyman's Grace (1970)/ Lay Down Your Weary Tune (1st Radio
Session,'67)/ Lord Marlborough (El Pea, 1971)/ Matty Groves
(Special compiled multi-version)/ Maverick Child (David Rea
/Tom Farnell Line-up, 1972)/ Meet On The Ledge (BBC, 1968)/
Meet On The Ledge ({overture} (Cropredy, 1990)/ Mr Lacey
(Dutch TV, 1969 )/ Naked Highwayman (Bottom Line, 1998)/
Nottamun Town (Alternative Version, 1968)/ Now Be Thankful
(BBC World Service, 1970)/ One Sure Thing ({excerpt} Sound
Techniques, 1967 - Fairport's First Demo Re/ Percy's Song
(1968)/ Polly On The Shore (Live, 1973)/ Poor Will & Jolly
Hangman (Moat On The Ledge, '82)/ Red And Gold (Cropredy
1996)/ Reno Nevada (French TV, 1968 )/ Reynard The Fox (TV
Performance, 1987)/ Rising For The Moon (BBC Session, 1974)/
Rosie (Melbourne Assembly Hall, 1996)/ Rubber Band (Simons
Records, 1980)/ Sad Song (The Manor Sessions, 1972)/ Si Tu
Dois Partir (Radio Recording, 1968)/ Sir B Mckenzie (1976)/
Sir Patrick Spens (1969)/ Slip Jigs And Reels (Oxford Apollo,
1995)/ Sloth (UBU, 1974)/ Staines Morris (Philadelphia Folk
Fest, 1970)/ Stranger To Himself (UBU, 1974)/ Summer Before
The War (BBC In Concert, 1990)/ Suzanne (1968)/ Tam Lin (Liege
& Lief Out-takes , 1969)/ The Crowd (Woodworm, 2002)/ The
Deserter (BBC, 1970)/ The Lady Is A Tramp (BBC Top Gear,
1968)/ The Wood And The Wire (Cropredy 1999)/ Time Is Near
(Roger Hill/tom Farnell Lineup, 1972)/ Time Will Show The
Wiser (1968)/ To Althea (Cropredy 1984)/ Walk Awhile (Bumpers,
1970)/ Wat Tyler (York, 1992)/ Who Knows Where The Time Goes
(BBC, 1968)/ Wings (Cropredy, 1997)
|
| ENGLAND
|
FAIRPORT
CONVENTION |
Island (UK) IMCD 289 |
House Full - Live At The L.A.
Troubadour |
● CD $14.98 |
10 tracks, highly recommended. Previously
available on Hannibal. A marvelously exciting live set
recorded live at the Troubadour in Los Angeles in 1970
featuring the great line up of Richard Thompson, Dave
Swarbrick, Simon Nicol, Dave Pegg & Dave Swarbrick. This
album is a considerably revised version of the album that
was originally issued as
Live At The Troubadour. This version features 3 additions -
the centuries old ballad Sir Patrick Spens, the
lovely Staines Morris and the beautiful march Battle
Of the Somme plus a different and better version of the
monumental Sloth . Held over from the previously
album are a couple of instrumental sets, Richard's chilling
and exciting versionn of Matty Groves and one of my
all time favorite songs Banks Of Sweet Primroses. The
tracks issued previously seemed to have been remixed to give
more presence to the vocals and to Richard's guitar. A
tremendously exciting album (FS)
|
| ENGLAND
|
FAIRPORT
CONVENTION |
Island (UK) IMCD 290 |
Heyday |
● CD $14.98 |
20 tracks, 72 mins, highly recommended A
real treat for Fairport fans - this is a reissue of the
1987 album featuring live cut for various BBC radio
programs in 1968 and '69 plus eight bonus, previously
unreleased, tracks. These recordings cover the period from
just after the release of their debut album on Polydor in
early 1968 through the release of their seminal
"Liege And Lief" in late 1969 and the line up on
most of the tracks is Sandy Denny, Ian Matthews, Richard
Thompson, Simon Nicol, Ashley Hutchings & Martin
Lamble. The earlier sessions find them sounding rather
like a U.S. West Coast folk rock band performing songs
from Eric Anderson, Bob Dylan, Judy Collins, Leonard
Cohen, Richard Farina and others while the later sessions
find a greater emphasis on original songs by Sandy &
Richard as well as their groundbreaking electrification of
traditional songs. Although some of the earlier
performances are not exceptional the group sounds like
it's having a good time and it's always a pleasure to hear
Sandy's superb vocals and to hear Richard playing a
differnt style guitar to the one we're used to. Songs
include Close The Door Lightly When You Go/ Some Sweet
Day/ Suzanne/ I Still Miss Someone/ Gone, Gone, Gone/
Shattering Live Experience/ You Never Wanted Me
(Sandy's breathtaking performance of this Jackson C. Frank
song is alone worth the price of this album)/ Fotheringay/
Cajun Woman/ Reynardine and more. Includes brief
original LP notes from Joe Boyd and new and more elaborate
notes from Ashley Hutching. (FS)
FAIRPORT CONVENTION: Autopsy (bonus Track)/ Bird On A
Wire/ Cajun Woman (bonus Track)/ Close The Door Lightly
When You Go/ Fotheringay (bonus Track)/ Gone Gone Gone/ I
Don't Know Where I Stand/ I Still Miss Someone/ If It
Feels Good You Know It Can't Be Wrong/ Nottamun Town
(bonus Track)/ Percy's Song/ Reno Nevada/ Reynardine
(bonus Track)/ Shattering Live Experience/ Si Tu Dois
Partir (bonus Track)/ Some Sweet Day/ Suzanne/ Tam Lin
(bonus Track)/ Tried So Hard/ You Never Wanted Me (bonus
Track)
|
| ENGLAND
|
FAIRPORT
CONVENTION |
Island (UK) IMCD 291 |
Liege & Lief |
● CD $14.98 |
10 tracks, 53 mins, essential. The crown
jewel in Island's recent series of newly remastered
reissues of classic Fairport Convention albums. This
1970 album is probably Fairport's finest hour and a
pivotal album in the development of English folk-rock
and a big influence all over the world. This is the
greatest line up of the band with breath takingly
beautiful vocals by Sandy Denny with Richard Thompson/
guitar, Dave Swarbrick/ fiddle, Simon Nicol/ guitar,
Ashley Hutchings/ bass guitar and Dave Mattacks/ drums.
The songs are mostly traditional along with a few
written by band members in tradional vein. Fabulous
versions of Matty Groves and Tam Lin plus Come
All ye/ Farewell, Farwell/ Instrumental Medley/ Crazy
Man Michael, etc. This newly remastered version has
a cleaner and richer sound than previous issues and
includes two previously unissued tracks from the Liege
& Lief sessions - the epic traditional ballad Sir
Patrick Spens and an exquisite rendering of Richard
Farina's Quiet Joys Of Brotherhood (a different
take to the one previously issued). The set comes with a
16 page booklet with new notes by Ashley Hutchings and
producer Joe Boyd, the original vintage illustrations
from the LP set and some wonderful photos taken in 1969
at Farley Chamberlayne where the band rehearsed for this
album. (FS)
|
| ENGLAND
|
BERT JANSCH |
Castle CMEDD 009 |
Dazzling Stranger |
● CD $22.98 |
A two CD, 44 track, wide ranging
retrospective of recordings by this brilliant and
influential English singer and guitarist. The
recordings range from Strolling Down The Highway
from his debut album "Bert Jansch" album
in 1965 to October Song from his album
"Crimson Moon" released in 2000. Along the
way we hear collaborations with John Renbourn,
recordings with Pentangle, with his group Conundrum,
with a 15 piece orchestra and more. Includes fold
out booklet with notes by Jansch biographer Colin
Harper.
BERT JANSCH: Angi/ Bells/ Blackbird In The Morning/
Blacksmith/ Blackwaterside/ Blues Run The Game/
Carnival/ Chambertin/ First Time Ever I Saw Your
Face/ Fresh As A Sweet Sunday/ I Am Lonely/ Is It
Real/ It Don't Bother Me/ January Man/ Lady Fair/
Looking For Love/ Lost And Gone/ Lucky Thirteen/
Morning Brings Peace Of Mind/ Needle Of Death/
Nobody's Bar/ October Song/ Oh My Father Moonshine/
Old Routine/ One To A Hundred/ Ornament Tree/
Playing The Game/ Poison/ Rabbit Run/ Reynardine/
Rosemary Lane/ Running From Home/ Soho/ Strolling
Down The Highway/ Summer Heat/ Sweet Mother Earth/
Three Dreamers/ Toy Balloon/ Train Song/ When I Get
Home/ Where Did My Life Go/ Wishing Well/ Woe Is
Love My Dear/ You Are My Sunshine
|
| ENGLAND
|
BERT JANSCH |
Essential ESMCD 921 |
Live At The 12 Bar -
An Authorized Bootleg |
● CD $13.98 |
Fine live set recorded in 1996 at
the small 12 Bar Club in London and originally
only available as souvenir at Bert's gigs. Bert is
in excellent form on a selction of new songs, old
songs from the early years of his career and some
English and American traditional songs. Includes Summer
Heat/ Walk Quietly By/ Blackwaterside/ Morning
Brings Peace Of Mind/ Kingfisher/ Just A Dream/
Blues Ran The Game/ Strolling Down The Highway
and others. Includes extensive notes by Colin
Harper adapted from his biography of Bert
published in 2000.
|
| ENGLAND
|
SID KIPPER |
Leader 2120 |
East Side Story |
● CD $22.98 |
28 tracks, highly recommended.
Delightful new solo album by Sid Kipper who
previously worked with his father Henry as The
Kipper Family. A collection of hilarious folk
song parodies - some based on actual songs and
others completely fictitious. Some tracks are
solo and some are with various instruemntal
aggregations. The songs are, ostensibly, about
Sid's home county of Norfolk. Includes The
Belles Of St. Just/ Hard As Oak/ Times Of The
Rigs/ Queensbury Rules/ Talking Postman Blues/
Where Have All The Cauliflowers Gone/ Polly On
The Floor/ The Bold Low Way Man/ Old King Cod/
Down, Duvet. Down/ Way Down In The Bayeaux
Tapestry and many more unforgettable (unforgiveable?)
ditties. (FS)
|
| SCOTLAND
|
KEVIN
MACLEOD |
Greentrax CDTRAX
178 |
Springwell |
$15.98 |
Excellent collection of
instrumental music by this talented multi
instrumentalist performed on guitar, mandolin,
cittern, bouzouki, banjo and steel guitar with
accompaniments from such fine musicians as
Alec Finn, Frankie Gavin. John Martin, Malcolm
Jones and Freeland Barbour. The tunes are
mostly traditional Scottish along with a few
surprises.
|
| SCOTLAND
|
MATT
MCGINN |
Essential
ESMCD 930 |
The Best Of
... |
$13.98 |
25 tracks, highly recommended.
Most welcome compilation of this fine and
important Scottish folk performer drawn from
recordings made for Transatlantic & Xtra
between 1967 and 1969. Matt (who tragically
died in a fire in 1977) was a talented
songwriter, a comic and a commited socialist
and his songs reflect both his comedic wit
and his social concerns. Though not an
exceptional singer Matt was most appealing
and his thick Glasgow accent is a joy. The
songs are all original and include The
Dundee Ghost/ Honesty Is Out Of Fashion/ The
Ballad Of John McLean (one of his finest
efforts)/ The Boys From Lisbon/ On The
Road To Aldermaston/ The Pill/ The Rolling
Hills Of The Border (another gem)/ Three
Nights & A Sunday/ Eternity Will Soon Be
Over and others. The enclosed booklet
has notes by Matt's widow Janette. (FS)
|
| SCOTLAND
|
ALISON
MCMORLAND |
Tradition
Bearers 1003 |
Cloudberry
Day |
$17.98 |
First album in a while from
this splendid Scottish singer with a fine
collection of mostly traditional songs
with occasional accompaniment from her own
banjo, Norman Chalmers on concertina or
mbira and Derek Hoy/ fiddle. Includes Traivellers
Joy/ Edom O'Gordon/ The Twa Sisters/ Hap
And Row/ The American Stranger/ Belt Wi
Colours Three/ Cloudberry Day, etc.
|
| ENGLAND
|
BRIAN
PETERS |
Pugwash
004 |
Lines |
$19.98 |
New album by this
exceptional English performer. Brian's a
very singer and a brilliant melodeon,
anglo concertina player and occasional
guitarist and chooses his material,
mostly traditional, with exquisite
taste. The songs here are all
traditional including The Rambling
Blade/ Polly On The Shore/ Hind Horn/
Young Hunting/ The Derby Ram and
others. The tunes are mostly originals
in traditional vein. Well worth your
attention.
|
| ENGLAND
|
CAROLYN
ROBSON |
Reiver
002 |
All The
Fine Young Men |
$19.98 |
Collection of 15 songs -
mostly traditional English and
Scottish. Carolyn is a pleasant, if
somewhat clinical, singer. Half the
cuts are unaccompanied and the rest
feature keyboard accompaniment with
occasional other instrumentation.
Includes I Drew My Ship Into The
Harbour/ The Hexhamshire Lass/ Down
The Long Road/ Miss Otis Regrets/ Lord
Yester/ The Border Widow's Lament/ The
Rambling Comer/ All The Fine Young Men,
etc.
|
| ENGLAND
|
RICHARD
& LINDA THOMPSON |
Polydor
542 456-2 |
Best
Of Richard & Linda Thompson -
Island Records Years |
$17.98 |
Great collection of 16
sides drawn from Richard's solo 1972
album and the three the duo recorded
for Island between 1973 and 1975.
Lots of classic songs like Roll
Over Vaughn Williams/ When I Get To
The Border/ I Want To See The Bright
Lights Tonight/ The End Of The
Rainbow/ Hokey Pokey/ A Heart Needs
A Home/ Night Comes In/ Dimming Of
The Day and more.
|
| SCOTLAND
|
VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Castle
PLS CD 148 |
The
Best Of Scottish Folk |
$8.98 |
Nice collection of
Scottish folk music from the mid
60s through mid 70s drawn from the
Transatlantic label. It's all been
out before but there's some fine
music at a very reasonable price
and gives us a chance to hear some
fine performers who are a little
known these days but were
important figures in their day
like Matt McGinn, Hamish Imlach
(his wonderful version of McPherson's
Farewell is worth the cost of
the album), Alex Campbell and Ian
Campbell. There are a couple of
tracks from Archie Fisher's splendid
1968 Xtra album, a track
from the obscure but fine Owen
Hand and tracks by McCalmans, Watt
Nicoll, Billy Connolly, Isla
Cameron and, surprisingly, Dave
Swarbrick whose not Scottish but
was living in Scotland at the time
he recorded the tracks here.
|
| IRELAND
|
VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Dara
TORTV 105 |
Eist
- Songs In Their Native Language |
$16.98 |
14 tracks, 53
mins, highly recommended Lovely
album featuring some of
Ireland's finest folk performers
performing traditional and
contemporary songs in Irish
Gaelic. Some of the cut are
drawn from other available
albums but many are newly
recorded for this collection.
Among the highlights are an
unexpected Gaelic performance
from Paul Brady on the beautiful
Gleanntain Ghlas Ghaoth
Dobhair sung to the tune of Paddy's
Green Shamrock Shore. There
are also fine and unexpected
Gaelic performances from Maura
O'Connell and Christy Moore. I
was also impressed by Sinhead
Lohan and John Spillane - two
excellent performers I had not
heard before. Also included are
Altan, Van Morrison & The
Chieftains, Clannad, Frances
Black, Mary Black, Kate Bush and
others. Instrumental
accompaniments are from the
likes of Nollaig Casey, Donal
Lunny, Maire Breatnach, Arty
McGlynn and others. The booklet
has the song lyrics in Gaelic
and English. Very fine. (FS)
|
| MISCELLANEOUS
|
VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Free
Reed FRTCD 25 |
This
Label Is NOT Removable - 25
Years Of Free Reed |
$29.98 |
Terrific three
CD set with 61 tracks - nearly
four hours of music from the
vaults of Neil Wayne's Free
Reed label. Although not a
particularly prolific label it
released recordings featuring
some of the finest revival
performers on the British
Isles folk scene as well as
some excellent recordings of
source singers and musicians.
Most of the recordings are
from the 70s and this set
includes 14 previously
unissued tracks. Among the
artists featured are Peter
Bellamy, Eddie Butcher, Nellie
Power, Gordon Cutty, Tufty
Swift, Robin & Barry
Dransfield, Tony Hall, John
Kirkpatrick, Eddie Upton, Old
Swan Band, Sue Harris, Trotto,
City Of Liverpool Concertina
Band, Bernie Parry, Roaring
Jelly, Les Barker, Nic Jones
and many more. Includes 80
page extensively annotated
booklet.
|
| MISCELLANEOUS
|
VARIOUS ARTISTS |
RYB
2001 |
Raise
Your Banners - Festival Of
Political Song |
$12.98 |
A fine 19
track collection of
political song featuring
some of the artists who have
appeared at the Raise Your
Banners Festival Of
Political Song held in
England every two years
since 1995. The tracks are
drawn from previously issued
albums and includes
contributions from Roy
Bailey (If The Come In
The Morning), Attila The
Stockbroker (Haider),
Ray Hearne (Rother Sing A
Don Song), Rebel Voices
(They All Sang Bread And
Roses), Julie McNamara (Fly
Like An Eagle), Faith
Petric (Siege On Union
Street), Leon Rosselson
(It's Just The Song),
Coope, Boyes & Simpson (The
Rhyme Of No Man's Land),
Tommy Sands (Sons &
Daughters), Dick gaughan
(Worker's Song) and
others. 19 thought provoking
tracks in all.
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