NEWSLETTER #139
Folk Music - American, British Isles, etc.
The Albion Band ->
Various Artists
| NOTE: Unless otherwise noted all
DVDs offered are in NTSC format which means that they will not play on a
European DVD players unless you have a multiple format player. |
| AMERICAN FOLK |
JUDY
COLLINS/ ELIZABETH COTTEN/ ROSA VALENTIN & RAFAEL
MARTINEZ |
Shanachie DVD 610 |
Pete Seeger's Rainbow Quest |
● CD $16.98 |
DVD, 29 "tracks," about 2 hours, very highly recommended
Not many singers can say they were hauled in front of HUAC and blacklisted
and still went on to have their own TV shows. Seeger opens the first show
(circa 1966) telling stories of kings and Columbus and maggots. He doesn't
explain them because he assumes his audience has a brain. Then Judy
Collins comes out and they sing Dylan songs. She performs a beautiful
version of Seeger's own Turn Turn Turn as well as Russian Love
Song. The second show features the charming Puerto Rican duo Rosa
Valentin and Rafeal Martinez who perform various native folk numbers.
Elizabeth Cotton follows playing her right handed guitar left handed
(Hendrix style). Cotton, whom Seeger calls "Libba," is introduced as "not
a professional musician," although her songs have since been widely
covered. She spent over a decade working in the Seeger household, that is
the household of Pete's parents. Her numbers include Freight Train
and Mama Your Papa Loves You. Each show is a miracle of
informality, feeling more like a living room concert than a televised
production. It's no wonder Martin Scorcese featured footage from Rainbow
Quest in his recent Dylan documentary No Direction Home. A rare and
wonderful document of the folk music scene, and more evidence to suggest
that Seeger is more highly evolved than the rest of us. (JC)
|
| AMERICAN FOLK |
THE CLANCY
BROTHERS/ TOM PAXTON/ MAMOU CAJUN BAND |
Shanachie DVD 609 |
Pete Seeger's Rainbow Quest |
● CD $16.98 |
DVD, 25 "tracks," about 2 hours, highly recommended
That
the establishment allowed Pete Seeger to have his own television show in
1965 is unlikely enough, but that they let him do whatever he wanted,
which is apparently the case, probably means no one was paying attention
in the board room. Seeger, clearly a bit embarrassed at joining the other
side, feels the need to explain (almost apologize) for having a teevee
show, going so far as to explain briefly why he doesn't like the medium.
His show is as unpretentious as anything ever on the small screen. He
sings, he talks, his guests do the same. A remarkably young Tom Paxton
turns in an impressive 4-song set, including the anti-war-toy tune Buy
A Gun For Your Son and the humorous When The Lights Went Out.
The Clancys & T. Makem also get 4 songs, the most moving of which is
The Butcher Boy, and it's plenty moving. Seeger himself performs a
mini-Guthrie set that includes This Land Is Your Land. All that and
another one hour show to boot. The second offers the same low-key, casual
atmosphere, and this time his guest is the Mamou Cajun Band, a traditional
three-piece made up of the famous accordion player Cyprien Landreneau, his
cousin Adam on fiddle, and Revon Reed on percussion--important historic
footage as well as fine music! Their set includes Mardi Gras March,
Grand Mamou, I Passed By Your Door and 4 more. Seeger plays
a handful of charming songs, including Skip To My Lou, which
includes a banjo lesson, at no extra charge. Here's hoping there are more
episodes ready to be reissued soon. (JC)
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| AMERICAN FOLK |
VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Eagle Eye DVD 39101 |
Festival! |
● CD $14.98 |
First DVD reissue of Murray Lerner's documentary about the
Newport Folk Festival drawn from footage filmed at four different festival
during the 60s. Since the film is about the festival the musical
performances are all fragmentary but it's a treat to catch glimpses of
musicians like Jim Kweskin & His Jug Band, The Georgia Sea Island Singers,
Pete Seeger, Odetta, Bob Dylan, Donovan, Fred McDowell, Ed Young Fife &
Drum Corps, The Staple Singers, The Paul Butterfield Blues Band, Howling
Wolf, Spokes Mashiyane, Johnny Cash, The Osborne Brothers and others.
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| ENGLAND |
THE ALBION BAND |
Castle CMDDD 843 |
Albion Sunrise |
● CD $19.98 |
Two CDs with 32 tracks drawn from the years 1994 through
1999 when Ashley and ever changing band were recordings for the HTD label.
Musicians include Phil Beer, Julie Matthews, Simon Nicol, Chris While,
Chris Leslie, Joe Broughton, Ken Nicol and others. Mostly original songs
by various band members.
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| ENGLAND |
COOPE BOYES &
SIMPSON |
No Masters 22 |
Triple Echo |
● CD $19.98 |
The newest from this brilliant trio of acapella singers
features 15 traditional songs that were collected by Ralph Vaughan
Williams, George Butterworth & Percy Grainger. Includes Bushes and
Briars/ The Ploughboy's Dream/ The Turtle Dove/ Riley the Fisherman/
Lovely Joan and more. Includes 12 page booklet with informative song
collection notes.
|
| ENGLAND |
MARTIN CARTHY |
Topic TSCD 527 |
Waiting For Angels |
● CD $16.98 |
11 tracks, 56 mins., recommended
Every new outing by the
eternal Carthy is cause for celebration. This set of songs is slow,
pensive, and deliberate as only Carthy can be. His voice has finally
acquired the slight raspiness of age, but his languid storytelling is
still unmatched. And, as always, his scholarship offers another level of
enjoyment, as he introduces the songs in the booklet, explaining the
lyrical origins and how he embezzled melodies from elsewhere in the
tradition to give them new life and new meaning. A few instrumental tracks
break things up, notably a quirky take on the Harry Lime Theme. And
long-time fans will be interested in his revisiting of The Famous
Flower of Serving Men, his admitted favorite ballad ever and one he
hasn't recorded in over 30 years. Comparing this version to the one on
"Shearwater" shows how 30 years have mutated the story. Carthy's new
version doesn't soar like the last one, but the gruesome tale draws you in
just the same. (DC)
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| IRELAND |
KARAN CASEY |
Shanachie 78063 |
Chasing The Sun |
● CD $16.98 |
13 tracks, 50 mins., good
Casey's reedy, vulnerable voice
is a sweet instrument when matched up with a hot Celtic band and
well-crafted songs. Her work with Solas still stands as some of the finest
Irish trad music of this generation. And after launching off on a solo
career several years ago, she retained much of that power and panache. But
this fourth solo CD suffers from some less than stellar original songs
that all seem to share a pop shallowness that mostly went out in the
folk-pop decline of the 70s. Still, the backing quartet is solid and Casey
delivers the lyrics with cool confidence. Fans will no doubt be delighted
with this, but some of us would love to hear her run with stronger
material. (DC)
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| ENGLAND |
SHIRLEY COLLINS,
DAVY GRAHAM |
Fledgling Records 3052 |
Folk Roots, New Routes |
● CD $16.98 |
16 tracks, 49 mins, essential
Available for a while on
Topic and then deleted, this wonderful, groundbreaking album from 1964 is
now available on Fledgling and what a joy it is! Shirley sings a
collection of traditional English and American songs in her sweet, breathy
and vulnerable vocal style with guitar accompaniments from Davy Graham
who, at the time, was beginning to make an impression on the British folk
scene with his innovative techniques. The complex, yet never intrusive
accompaniments incorporates elements of blues, jazz and Middle Eastern
music and was to provide a benchmark for legions of future folk performers
to add intricate guitar arrangements to their telling of traditional
tales. Among the songs are Nottamun Town/ Proud Maisrie/ Hares On The
Mountain/ Pretty Saro/ Jane, Jane/ Hori Horo/ Dearest Dear and others.
There is also one song by Shirley with her own banjo accompaniments, an
unaccompanied songs and three superb instruemntals from Davy. After more
than 40 years this album still has the ability to thrill and dazzle the
listener. (FS)
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| AMERICAN FOLK |
BARBARA DANE & THE CHAMBERS BROTHERS |
DBK Works 517 |
Barbara Dane & The Chambers Brothers |
● CD $15.98 |
9 tracks, 39 min., highly recommended
Recorded in 1965
(when few if any LP covers sported white and black performers together)
this stands as not only folk singer Barbara Dane's finest album, it's
easily the best thing the Chambers Brothers ever cut--recorded, as it was,
while they were still a gospel act. (Soon after this, the brothers gave
their talents to rock and roll with unspectacular results.) Unlike a lot
of folk albums of this vintage, this one has aged well, partly because the
human voice never goes out of style. The then 38-year-old Dane combines
her voice with the Chambers Brothers as naturally as can be imagined. The
recordings are spare and beautiful. Their version of Come By Here
will make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up in appreciation. And
their a capella versions of Freedom Is A Constant Struggle and
Go Tell It On The Mountain come close. (JC)
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| IRELAND |
DANU |
Shanachie 78061 |
When All Is Said And Done |
● CD $16.98 |
12 tracks, 51 mins., recommended
A joyous fourth outing by
this hot licks Irish band. Oisin McCauley and Benny McCarthy lock their
fiddle and accordion together like no one since Kevin Burke and Jackie
Daly. The crackling tune sets are nicely tempered by the songs featuring
Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh, though the band really catches fire with the
instrumental tracks. Nic Amhlaoibh 's version of Dylan's "Farewell
Angelina" doesn't quite work but she more than makes up for it with a
hilarious "Only Nineteen Years Old". Banjo whiz Gerry O'Connor sits in for
one track in this well-balanced set. (DC)
|
| ENGLAND |
FAIRPORT CONVENTION |
Island (UK) IMCD 310 |
Nine |
● CD $16.98 |
13 tracks, 56 mins, recommended
Newly remastered version
of the groups 9th album from 1973 with four bonus cuts. It features the
same line up as "Rosie" but is a stronger album with one of Swarb's best
vocals on To Althea From Prison - a 17th century poem by Richard
Lovelace set to music. Trevor Lucas does a fine job on the traditional
Polly On The ShoreBring 'Em Down
and Jerry Donahue shows us his guitar chops on the instrumental Tokyo.
One of the bonus is the great instrumental The Devil In The Kitchen (Fiddlestix)
originally issued as a single in Australia. The others are from a live
1973 show and includes a fine version of Dylan's George Jackson.
Includes booklet with new notes by Jerry Donahue. (FS)
|
| ENGLAND |
FAIRPORT CONVENTION |
Island (UK) IMCD 311 |
Live Convention |
● CD $16.98 |
14 tracks, 77 mins, recommended
Newly remastered reissue
of 1974 album, with five bonus tracks, with live recordings featuring the
group after Sandy Denny had rejoined the band. She is joined by her
husband Trevor Lucas, brilliant guitarist Jerry Donahue and the three Daves (Swarbrick, Mattacks & Pegg). The first nine tracks comprises the
original album features fine versions of songs from previous albums like
Matty Groves/ John The Gun/ Sloth, etc along with Dylan's Down
In The Flood and Chris Kenner's Something You Got. The last
five tracks are from a concert in Sydney, Australia in January of '74 and
includes versions of The Heamshire Lass/ Bring 'Em Down/ That'll Be The
Day and others. Excellent sound and booklet has notes by Jerry
Donahue. (FS)
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| ENGLAND |
FAIRPORT CONVENTION |
Island (UK) IMCD 312 |
Rising For The Moon |
● CD $16.98 |
15 tracks, 56 min., recommended
A newly remastered of
reissue of the 1975 album with Sandy Denny and Trevor Lucas handling most
of the vocals, joined by Swarbrick, Pegg, Mattacks, Rowland, and Jerry
Donahue on guitars. This is not one of the watershed albums and contains
no big hit, though Sandy's songwriting is good even when not inspired.
Lucas' songs tend toward American folky clich‚s with plenty of railroad
images, and sound like they're off in a very different direction from
Denny's. Still, they're handled well here. And a delightful surprise is
Swarbrick's Night-Time Girl, cocky and fun. This is the band in
transition, and a missing link worth filling in any Fairport collection.
The four bonus cuts include the B-side of the White Dress single
and three demos by Sandy of songs on the album. (DC)
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| ENGLAND |
DAVY GRAHAM |
Fledgling 3051 |
Hat |
● CD $16.98 |
14 tracks, 34 mins, highly recommended
First CD reissue of
Davy's final Decca album from 1969. An astonsihingly eclectic selection of
material including traditional songs plus songs from Lennon & McCartney,
Paul Simon, Bob Dylan, Willie Dixon and others and an equally eclectic
selection of instrumental pieces which includes a Bulgarian dance, an
African inspired tune from Art Blakey and others. While Davy's singing
isn't always that compelling his playing consistently dazzling and
inventive and always appropriate. On some tracks he is joined by preier
bassist Danny Thompson and drummer Johnny Spooner. Includes reproduction
of original garish cover art plus booklet with new notes by Ken Hunt. (FS)
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| AMERICAN FOLK |
WOODY GUTHRIE/
LEADBELLY |
Smithsonian Folkways 40000 |
Folkway - The Original Vision |
● CD $16.98 |
26 tracks, 62 min., highly recommended This repackaging of
the 1989 initial offering from the newly-formed Smithsonian Folkways label
(a non profit organization, mind you) adds a healthy 12 cuts and notes on
each song, including some by Guthrie and Lead Belly themselves. The songs
are more or less evenly split, with the final cut (We Shall Be Free)
being a duet between with both men. The recordings are from the 1940s, and
while relatively spare sounding, they feature, at times, such musicians as
Cisco Houston, Sonny Terry, Brownie McGee, Pops Foster, and Willie "The
Lion" Smith. But it's Guthrie and Lead Belly that command all the
attention. This disc highlights two of the most influential and talented
folk artists of all time. Guthrie tracks include: Do-Re-Mi,
Philadelphia Lawyer, Car Song, This Land Is Your Land,
Grand Coulee Dam, among others. Lead Belly cuts include Bring Me
A Little Water, Sylvie, Gray Goose, Midnight Special,
Rock Island Line, Cotton Fields, and more. What's not to like?
(JC)
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| ENGLAND |
JOHN
KIRKPATRICK & CHRIS PARKINSON |
Fledgling Records 3056 |
The Sultans Of Squeeze |
● CD $16.98 |
15 tracks, highly recommended
Delightful collection of
songs and tunes from these two masters of the squeezebox. Between them
they play a vast array of different concertinas, melodeons and accordions.
The material is as eclectic a scan be with traditional English folk songs
sitting alongside dance band favorites like Under Paris Skies and
the tango El Choclo. We also get Pete Townshend's naughty
Squeeze Box, Clifton Chenier's Zydeco blues I'm A Hog, some
original tunes and a whole lot more. Throughout the duetting squeezeboxes
work wonderfully full of imagination and wit and there are also some great
vocals. A winner all the way. (FS)
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| ENGLAND |
JACQUIE MCSHEE'S
PENTANGLE |
Park PRKCD 53 |
At The Little Theatre |
● CD $14.98 |
12 tracks recorded live at the Chipping Norton Theatre -
She Moved Through The Fair/ Once I had A Sweetheart/ That's the way It
Is/ I've Got A Feeling/ Cruel Sister, etc.
|
| AMERICAN FOLK |
JEAN RITCHIE |
Smithsonian Folkways 40145 |
Ballads From Her Appalachian Family
Tradition |
● CD $15.98 |
16 tracks, 72 min., highly recommended Not a new release
but not reviewed before. Reissuing the 1961 Folkways LP, this CD features
traditional singer and American national treasure Jean Richie bringing to
life 16 of the "Child Ballads" (named for the 19th century scholar Francis
James Child, who collected an impressively large number of English and
Scottish ballads and their many variations). As it happened, British
ballads thrived in Appalachia (home of the singing Richie family), long
after most were thought extinct. To listen to these songs (mostly a
cappella, a few with Appalachian dulcimer accompanying) is to be
transported back in time, sometimes as far as the 17th century. And yet
the ballads still have the power to transfix listeners, from the Mary,
Joseph, and Jesus tale of Cherry Tree Carol to the mostly
nonsensical lyric of Old Bangum. Other songs include Gypsy
Laddie, Lord Thomas And Fair Ellender, Sweet William And
Lady Margaret, and others. Booklet notes are included for each song as
is a note from Richie herself. As beautiful as treachery, jealousy,
revenge and misery are ever likely to be. (JC)
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| ENGLAND |
DAVE SWARBRICK |
Castle CMDDD 933 |
It Suits Me Well - The Transatlantic
Anthology |
● CD $18.98 |
Two CD set with Swarb at his best. The first disc features
21 tracks drawn from the four albums he recorded for Transatlantic/ Logo
between 1976 and 1983 including solo sides, tracks with Martin Carthy or
Simon Nicol on guitar and tracks with the "Full House" Faiport Convention
line up. The second disc features nine sides mostly previously unissued
recorded live at The Cambridge Folk Festival in 1982 and 1984 - four with
a group including Simon Nicol, Timi Donald, Dave Pegg and Beryl Marriot
and five with his new group Whippersnapper.
|
| ENGLAND |
VARIOUS ARTISTS |
DejaVu Retro 4280 |
A History Of Progressive Folk |
● CD $12.98 |
Two CD set with 22 tracks (mostly from live shows).
FAIRPORT CONVENTION: Madeleine/ Matty Groves-Dirty Linen/ Meet On The
Ledge/ Now Be Thankful/ KARNATAKA: After The Rain/ Heaven Can Wait/
LINDISFARNE: Anyway The Wind Blows/ Lady Eleanor/ Meet Me On The Corner/
MOSTLY AUTUMN: Shindig/ Shrinking Violet/ MOSTY AUTUMN: Prints In The
Stone/ PENTANGLE: No Love Is Sorrow/ People On The Highway/ Will The
Circle Be Unbroken/ Willy O'Winsbury/ STEELEYE SPAN: Black Jack Davy/ Cam
Ye O'er Frae France/ Thomas The Rhymer/ THE STRAWBS: Lay Down/ Ringing
Down The Years/ The River-Down By The Sea
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| IRELAND |
VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Fremeaux & Associes 5061 |
Irish In America, 1910-1942 |
● CD $25.98 |
2 CDs, total 36 tracks, 149 mins., good
As history, this
is a fascinating look at the immigrant Irish-American musicians in the
first half of the 20th century and the breadth of their artistic
expression. As listening music it leaves a bit to be desired. Admittedly
the sources are many and of varying quality, from awful to merely
passable. And there's little continuity of instrumentation or feel from
track to track, so it's difficult to just sit and listen through top to
bottom. But there are a few gems tucked away here among the average tracks
by sadly average players. The greats like piper Michael Carny and fiddlers
Michael Coleman and Paddy Killoran are given their moment in the
spotlight. But other better albums by these masters are available
elsewhere without all the odd fillers included here. The historical notes
are in good French and oddly translated English. (DC)
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| AMERICAN FOLK |
VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Smithsonian Folkways 40159 |
Dark Holler - Old Love Songs And Ballads |
● CD $15.98 |
CD/ DVD combination. The CD is a stunning collection of
traditional, mostly unaccompanied, ballad singing recorded in Madison
County, North Carolina in the mid 60s by musician/ folklorist John Cohen.
It features performances by Dillard Chandler, Dellie Norton, Cass Wallin
and others. The DVD is documentary on Chandler "The End Of And Old Song"
filmed by Cohen in 1967 and 1968 and released in 1973. Includes 32 page
illustrated booklet with extensive notes by Cohen.
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| ENGLAND |
VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Vetern 150 |
Heel & Toe |
● CD $19.98 |
20 recordings of traditional songs, music hall songs and
traditional tunes collected by enthusiast Sam Steele between 1959 and 1962
in Norfolk, Cambridgeshire & Essex. Includes Percy Brown (melodeon
player), Charlie Giddings (singer), Hockey Feltwell (singer), Walter &
Daiser Bulwer (fiddle & piano), Reg Bacon (singer) and others. Includes 24
page copiously illustrated booklet with extensive notes.
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| SCOTLAND |
VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Wax 01 |
Bayside & Benside - Scottish Music From
Northern Califo |
● CD $14.98 |
17 tracks, 56 min., highly recommended This thoroughly
delightful album features some of the finest musicians in the Northern
California Scottish music scene working their magic on a traditional (yet
varied) set. Among the better known is the Santa Cruz-based Molly's
Revenge, who offer up an exclusive track (Jagged Rocks Set); while
Wicked Tinkers cofounder Aaron Shaw adds both highland and lowland
bagpipes to several tunes. Album engineer Joe Weed also fiddles on a
charming rendition of Charlie Is My Darling to beautiful effect.
Lesser known (though no less talented) performers include the promising
new band Hamewith, which offers up two exclusive cuts, including
Shetland Blues, one of the finest numbers here. But perhaps the
biggest treat is the utterly gorgeous sound created by Calli Morrow (harp)
and Susan Worland (fiddle) of their three tracks: Butterfly Jig,
Fhear a'Bhata (The Boatman), and Rowing From Islay To Uist.
This CD, the brainchild of Berkeley Scotophile and bodhran player Michael
Bentley, was conceived as a fundraiser for the Northern California
Camanachd Club, the first shinty club in the U.S. (Shinty is a
2000-year-old Scottish team sport, a sort of combination of golf, soccer,
and open warfare.) So proceeds benefit the NCCC, but the real reason to
partake is to support your own habit for great Scottish music. (JC)
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