It was serialised on BBC R4 last year. It was an eye opener for me. I knew this album but not the story.
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Crazy Man Michael - from Cropredy 2023 - Fairport Convention.
(Ashley Hutchins on Bass)
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It was the last one of theirs that I bought, having bought all the previous ones. I thought it was OK, but really not up to their previous standards. The first two were, I think, definitely their best, particularly the first one. Basket of Light was good, as was Cruel Sister. Reflections was OK, but not really pushing any boundaries.
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Thanks for your recommendation. I don’t think I ever bought the first two. Time to listen to them. I should go through my CDs to see what I really have as there are some I’ve not looked at since I began streaming.
The first Pentangle album is also an outstanding recording, a first press vinyl should be your goal but I’ve never heard a bad version digital or vinyl.
The Cherry Red records box set of a few years ago contains everything and more, including some audience tapes that I made back in the day. Sadly compared to the official tracks they sound like they were recorded in a dustbin but actually it was The Guildford Civic Hall, so historic interest only I think.
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Streamed in hi-res and listened to on headphones. Amazing sound textures. A very different experience to LPs naturally, but I have no turntable (and had I bought this in 1968 I’d have heard it on a Dansette!)
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Bryn Terfel ‘First Love’ London Symphony Orchestra. Part of a charity shop haul - 8 CDs for £2. Lots of folk songs familiar from my school days and a wonderful voice.
Carrickfergus, Scarborough Fair, Cariad Cyntaf (First Love), Loch Lomond, Danny Boy, Molly Malone, Passing By, Blow the Wind Southerly, O Waly Waly, The First Time I Ever Saw Your Face, Marwnad Yr Ehedydd (Elegy to the Lark), My Lagan Love, My Love is Like a Red, Red Rose, My Little Welsh Home, She Moved through the Fair, Ae Fond Kiss. Features Ronan Keating and Sharon Corr.
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One of the great joys of going to Wales football games at home is walking through Cardiff behind some drunk singing powerfully only to discover that, yes, it’s that bloke Terfel again.
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BBC Sounds has Poetry Extra: John Clare’s Scrapings, which was first broadcast in 2020 and includes Jon Boden playing fiddle tunes from Clare’s music books. John Clare’s reputation as a poet continues to rise as he charts our loss of the natural world. He was a complex character but deserves attention. https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m00223vg
[John Clare - Wikipedia]
Discussion and performance.
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Ashokan Farewell played on the tin whistle popped up in my You Tube feed. Here’s the original composer Jay Unger and Molly Mason Family Band.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2kZASM8OX7s
Jay writes about the piece here: https://web.archive.org/web/20110212081011/http://www.jayandmolly.com/ashokanfaq.shtml
Ken Burns used this tune in his series on the American Civil War and it was the only contemporary music used. The Scottish influence of the Lament is apparent.
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John Martyn, ‘Spencer the Rover’ Peel Session, 7 Jan 1975.
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Said to be the first film of Appalachian music (1928) Bascom Lamar Lunsford and band play ‘Doggett Gap’ which must be a variation of ‘Cumberland Gap.’
The background noise has been removed, personally I’d have watched this without the computer colourisation, but I can see that colour makes the film more attractive to a general audience.
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Marry Waterson & Emily Barker (Marry is Lal’s daughter and when not performing is Maria Gilhooley)
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I own this album on CD but have not properly listened at great length to date, trouble is, I am always drawn to the obvious album, I want to see the bright lights tonight. Every time I listen to this, I just have to keep on until the end, just something about this that I never tire of. I have recently purchased a couple of Albion Band CD’s and I understand both Richard and Linda feature, also being a big Fairport fan, this seemed like a good punt, Rise up like the Sun & Battle of the Field, anyone know much about this band?
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I have this on Sunday’s Child, I absolutely love John Martyn, discovered him quite late on really, I know Solid Air is a great album but for me, One World captured my interest, I have since purchased a number of his albums, all that I have are great recordings.
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Just discovered the Unthanks, & Winterset and First Aid Kit, great to see some newer artists in the genre, I have very much focused on 60s, 70s prior to this. Any others to consider, please recommend.
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The Albion Band ran for about 40 years with many changes of line up, it featured a lot of the great English folk rock musicians. (I think the Albion Christmas Band still does its winter tours.) It was an Ashley Hutchings project, more traditional that his other main bands Fairport and Steeleye. They had incarnations as the Albion Country Band and Albion Dance Band to give you an idea of style. They’re a great listen for folk fans, fine performances of traditional and trad-sounding songs. Richard and Linda didn’t do a lot with them after the first album, they were on a few songs on some others, but I’d expect you to enjoy the albums.
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Thank you for your insight, I look forward to listening to these albums when I get a chance, definitely sounds like my type of thing
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