New Releases: March ->
December, 2011
Folk Music
Sandy Denny ->
Gabriel & Marie Yacoub + Books + DVD
MUSIC FROM THE TRUE VINE Mike Seeger's Life & Musical Journey by
Bill C. Malone |
● BOOK $28.98 |
Hardback, 235 pages, counts as
five CDs for shipping A musician, documentarian, and scholar and one of
the founding members of the influential folk
revival group the New Lost City Ramblers, Mike
Seeger spent more than fifty years collecting,
performing, and commemorating the culture and folk
music of white and black southerners, which he
called "music from the true vine". In exploring
Seeger's life and musical contributions, Bill
Malone argues that Seeger, although not as well
known as his brother Pete Seeger, may be more
important to the history of American music through
his work in identifying and giving voice to the
people from whom the folk revival borrowed its
songs. Seeger recorded and produced over forty
albums, including the work of artists such as Dock
Boggs and Maybelle Carter. In 1958, with an
ambition to re-create the southern string bands of
the 20's, he formed the New Lost City Ramblers and
thereby helping to inspire the urban folk revival
of the 60's. Mike Seeger was one of the folk
revival's most influential figures, and Malone has
presented a fascinating biography.
|
THE GREAT FOLK DISCOGRAPHY Vol. 1 Pioneers & Early Legends by
Martin C. Strong |
● BOOK $34.95 |
Paper, 627 pages, highly
recommended. Counts as 12 CDs for shipping. It's nice to see a book of this magnitude that
concentrates solely on Folk music and, although I
found occasional aspects of it a bit lacking,
overall it is the best book of its kind available.
The bulk of the book is dedicated to two
sections--"North American Pioneers and Early
Legends," and "Britain and Beyond"--with smaller
segments for Cult artists, oddball collectables,
lists of favorites and a brief overall history of
Folk music. So in the American section, you get
coverage from around The Almanac Singers to The Youngbloods, with the biggest entries for artists
like Bob Dylan, Woody Guthrie, Joni Mitchell,
etc., as expected. A pretty wide swath of Folk is
represented, with rural Blues acts like Pink
Anderson and Rock bands like The Band included in
the coverage. The English and beyond acts range
from Amazing Blondel to The Young Tradition with
appropriately large entries for the Likes of
Fairport Convention and so on. Each of the entries
includes bios, discographies, chart info etc., and
make for good reading. Unlike other books of its
type, there are no record cover or label
reproductions included, which would have been
nice. Overall, this is a quality addition to your
bookshelf, especially if that said bookshelf
already contains a number of Goldmine titles, Acid
Archives and the like. (JM)
|
AMERICAN FOLK |
BOB DYLAN |
Sony DVD 14466 |
The Other Side Of The Mirror - Live At Newport Folk Festival |
● DVD $14.98 |
83 mins, highly recommended
Captures what are probably the three most
important shows in Bob Dylan's career. This DVD
features fantastic footage and sound from the
shows that help make Bob Dylan a legend Not to
mention one of the most controversial Rock & Roll
performances of all time; Two songs Maggie's
Farm, and Like A Rolling Stone played
loud, proud and electric in front of a crowd that
had mixed feelings about what they were witnessing
(to say the least). You get to watch the scrawny
Woody Guthrie disciple turn into the brash enigma,
far better writers than I have been discussing and
dissecting both personas for the last 40 plus
years. Also featured are some clips with Joan
Baez, including a brief but fascinating interview
bit with her as she drives away from the festival,
as well as an even briefer clip of Johnny Cash
doing It Ain't Me Babe. It would be nice to
see all of Johnny's performance; maybe we will be
getting that as well soon. Certainly this is
essential for all of us Dylan-philes out there,
with great takes on North Country Blues/ With
God On Our Side/ Mr. Tambourine Man, and much
more. Bonus feature is an interview with director
Murray Lerner. If you have a Blu-Ray player there
is Blue-Ray version available (Sony 787462 -
$24.98) (JM)
|
AMERICAN FOLK |
BOB DYLAN |
Sony 787462BR |
The Other Side Of The Mirror - Live At Newport Folk Festival |
● DVD $24.98 |
Blue Ray edition.
|
ENGLAND |
SANDY DENNY |
Island (UK) 533 405-8 |
The North Star Grassman And The Ravens |
● CD $35.98 |
2CDs, 27 tracks, 96 mins, highly
recommended Sandy Denny's classic debut solo record gets the
deluxe treatment that it so rightly deserves.
After Fotheringay dissolved, Denny decided to try
a solo approach and, thankfully, this wonderful
record was the result. This is easily the most
complete and worthy re-issue of the album. Not
only do you get the full original album with five
bonus tracks remastered and sounding fine, but you
also get a second whole CD of bonus tracks. You
get demo tracks like: Next Time Around/ Walking
The Floor Over You (with Richard Thompson,)/
The Sea Captain, and Wretched Wilbur,
etc. Then also BBC sessions from 1971 and 1972
that feature fantastic takes on
Blackwaterside, and The North Star
Grassman And The Ravens, among others. It's a
beautiful package through and through with lots of
extra goodies that Denny fans will eat up. (JM)
Disc1: The Sea Captain/ Down In The Flood/
John The Gun/ Next Time Around/ The Optimist/
Let's Jump The Broomstick/ Wretched Wilbur/ The
North Star Grassman And The Ravens/ Crazy Lady
Blues/ Next Time Around (Demo)/ Walking The Floor
Over You (Duet with Richard Thompson)/ Lord
Bateman (previously unreleased instrumental)/ If
You Saw Thru My Eyes (Duet with Ian Matthews)
Disc 2: The Sea Captain (Rare demo)/ The Optimist
(Rare demo)/ Wretched Wilbur (Rare demo)/ Crazy
Lady Blues (Rare demo)/ Lord Bateman (Rare demo)/
Late November (BBC Session - 1971)/ The Lowlands
Of Holland (BBC Session - 1971)/ Blackwaterside
(BBC session - 1972)/ The North Star Grassman And
The Ravens (BBC In Concert - 1972)/ Bruton Town
(BBC In Concert - 1972)/ Next Time Around (BBC In
Concert - 1972)/ John The Gun (BBC In Concert -
1972)
|
ENGLAND |
SANDY DENNY |
Witchwood Media 2053 |
19 Rupert St. |
● CD $14.98 |
12 tracks, 34 mins, highly
recommended If you're not a big Sandy Denny fan you'll
probably be put off by the rough recording quality
and not infrequent instrumental fluffs. But if
you're a fan, like me, you'll be overjoyed to hear
some previously unissued recordings from this wonderful singer. Recorded in August 1967 at 19
Ruper Street in Glasgow the home of Scottish folk
giant and mentor to Sandy, Alex Campbell, this
features solo performances by Sandy, duets with
Alex's wife Patsy and a couple of songs from Alex.
Several of Sandy's songs here I don't believe she
recorded anywhere else like the traditional The
Leaves Of Life/ Willie Moore/ Balulow and John
Martyn's Fairy Tale Lullaby and the
performances are lovely with the gorgeous
crystalline fragility of Sandy's singing coming
through in spite of the rough recording. There is
also a version of Who Knows Where The Time
Goes which she had recorded a month earlier
with the Strawbs. Sandy and Alex are obviously
having a good time laughing and joking and Alex's
pride in the talents of his protégé are evident.
Lovely! (FS)
|
AMERICAN FOLK |
BOB DYLAN |
Columbia 84742 |
In Concert Brandeis University, 1963 |
● CD $9.98 |
7 tracks, 38 mins, very highly
recommended A real treat for Dylan fans - a previously unknown
live recording made at the Brandeis University
Folk Festival on May 10th, 1963 - two weeks before
the release of his groundbreaking "Freewheelin'"
album. Four of the seven song appeared on that
album - Honey, Just Allow Me One More Chance/
Masters Of War (a particularly compelling and
savage performance)/ Talking World War III
Blues and his exquisite reworking of the
traditional song Lord Franklin as Bob
Dylan's Dream. Two of the songs Talking John
Birch Paranoid Blues and Talkin' Bear
Mountain Picnic Massacre Blues were recorded at
the the Freewheelin' sessions but never made the
final cut. The final song, the chilling Ballad
Of Hollis Brown had been written in 1962 and
appeared on his third album "The Time They Are
A-Changin'" in 1964. Bob is in great form, sound
quality is superb and there are informative notes
by Dylanologist Michael Gray. This won't excite
your average listener but will be invaluable for
Dylan fans both for the quality of the performance
and for it's importance in being the last live
performance recorded before he satarted heading
for superstardom. (FS)
|
AMERICAN FOLK |
BOB DYLAN |
LeftField 501 |
Folksinger's Choice |
● CD $18.98 |
11 tracks, 57 mins, very highly
recommended Cynthia Gooding was a performer in own right,
having recorded for Elektra, but was best known
for her radio show on New York station WBAI,
"Folksinger's Choice". In March, 1961, Gooding
hosted Dylan on her show, the transcription of
which is preserved here. This fascinating document
includes not only the earliest performances of
The Death of Emmett Til/ Standing on the
Highway, and Hard Times in New York Town,
and some well chosen (and performed) covers from
Hank Williams, Bukka White, Howlin' Wolf, and
Woody Guthrie, but also some engaging stories from
a clearly at ease Dylan. Although tall as these
tales may (or may not) be, it's Dylan's way of
telling them - not to mention Gooding's
willingness to believe them - that makes the
performance even more fun to listen to. As a
document of very early Dylan-before even his first
album had been released - this recording is
invaluable as history; but more than that, it's
also great to listen to. (GMC)
|
AMERICAN FOLK |
JOHN FAHEY |
Dust-To-Digital 21 |
Your Past Comes Back To Haunt You |
● CD $86.98 |
5 CDs, 121 tracks, 5 hours 51 min,
very highly recommended Between 1958-1965, before he formed Takoma
Records, John Fahey recorded for Joe Bussard's
tiny and obscure Fonotone label. Fonotone was a
one-man outfit, where Bussard issued 78 rpms as
late as 1970. Each 78 was a one-of-a kind acetate
cut on Bussard's own slightly off-speed disc
cutter. A mere 95 copies makes up the total number
of copies released of Fahey's first album, and all
his Fonotone material (where Fahey often recorded
as Blind Thomas) has been very tough to locate.
This LP-sized box set collects the Fonotone
material, including ultra-rare takes and even a
few fragments. Fahey explores the country blues,
murder ballads, gospel and country songs, and even
plays the sitar.The 88-page hardback book includes
essays by Glenn Jones and Malcolm Kirton, among
others, and features a 1967 interview with Fahey,
as well as label information, notes on every
track, and rare photographs. By itself, the book
would be enough to recommend this to Fahey fans.
In all, this box set shines a well-deserved light
on the often over-looked early career of one of
the acoustic guitar's greatest and most eccentric
and eclectic innovators. Hats off to
Dust-To-Digital for saving this great music from
eternal obscurity. A must have for any Fahey fan.
(JC)
|
SCOTLAND |
RAY FISHER |
Folk Legacy 91 |
Willie's Lady |
● CD $16.98 |
11 tracks, 43 mins, essential Ray Fisher is a member of a very talented family
of singers - her brother Archie and sister Cilla
are well known performers and although Ray is less
well known she might very well be the best of
them. Her voice has that incredibly melodious
quality you hear in the best Scottish and Irish
singers and the quiet intensity of her approach
will send shivers down your spine. Most of the
songs are traditional featuring Ray accompanied by
her own rather basic but effective guitar
accompaniment and include stellar renditions of
fairly uncommon songs like The Red-Haired Man's
Wife/ Are You Sleeping Maggie/ The Weary
Cutters and others. These performances are
enough to make this well worth your $16.98 but
what makes it essential is the stunning
Willie's Lady an amazing nine minute tale of
treachery, murder and magic which Ray put to a
Breton folk tune. On this track she is given some
sublime fiddle accompaniment by Johnny Cunningham.
Martin Carthy was so impressed by her approach
that he also did a spectacular rendition of her
version on his "Crown Of Horn" album. The booklet
comes separately and has notes by Ray on the
songs. Because of the separate booklet this counts
as three CDs for shipping. (FS)
|
AMERICAN FOLK |
WOODY GUTHRIE |
Rounder 1167 |
The Live Wire, Woody Guthrie In Performance 1949 |
● CD $18.98 |
18 tracks, 75 mins, highly
recommended Travel back in time to 1949 with Woody Guthrie,
towards the end of his most productive years, but
still fiery and impassioned, singing and talking
politics live at a community center in Newark New
Jersey. These historic spools of live recordings
were restored and transferred to disk so that we
all can enjoy them. Accompanied by his wife
Marjorie, who helped steer conversation, egging
Woody on to let loose his feelings on a number of
prescient issues in between performances of some
great tunes. Black Diamond/ Tom Joad/ Columbia
River/ Grand Coolie Dam, etc, fill out the song
list, but the real joy of this is to hear Woody in
such an intimate and animated way. The original
release of this won the 2008 Grammy for historical
recording. It is back in print again, in case you
missed it the first time. Pretty essential release
for Folk music fans. Includes historical notes by
Woody and Marjorie's daughter Nora Guthrie, who
has done a fantastic job here and with all of her
efforts managing her father's legacy. (JM)
|
ENGLAND |
BERT JANSCH |
Spectrum (UK) 2075 |
Angie - The Collection |
● CD $11.98 |
24 tracks, 77 mins, essential Bert Jansch has influenced artists from Paul
Simon, Donovan, and Nick Drake, to Neil Young and
Led Zeppelin, to Johnny Marr and the Smiths, among
countless others, and this collection does a fine
job of illustrating why. Bert Jansch
revolutionized acoustic guitar playing and his
skillful fingers and lyrical sense make for
amazing instrumentals as well as beautiful
accompaniment to his and others voices. Sampling
from Jansch's most prolific years 1965-1972-a
seven-year period that saw Jansch perform on five
solo albums, two collaboration LPs with John
Renbourn, and six as a member of Pentangle-this
collection does a fine job showing how much ground
he covered in that short span of years. Whether it
is his dynamic cover of Davy Graham's brilliant
instrumental Angie, his hugely influential
arrangement of the traditional
Blackwaterside, the heartbreaking Needle
Of Death, the Jazzy/ Donovan-esque A Little
Sweet Sunshine, or the dramatic No Love Is
Sorrow, each twist and turn along the road
finds Jansch creating something new & special:
beautiful music that has lasted decades and should
be loved for generations to come. This is a fine
introduction to his early career, he released a
whole slew of fantastic material over the years,
and so if you use this compilation as a jumping
off point, you have a lot of great music ahead of
you. Unfortunately I am writing this just days
after Jansch has died, so listening to his music
and writing this review was all the more
bittersweet. The world of music has lost a true
genius. (JM)
|
FRANCE |
MALICORNE |
Griffe 191252 |
Malicorne |
● CD $17.98 |
11 tracks, 37 mins, very highly
recommended The first album by this fantastic French folk
group originally issued in 1974 on the Hexagone
label is now available again at a lower price.
Malicorne were the most exciting and innovative
group to emerge from the folk revival in France
and one of the finest anywhere. Their approach to
traditional songs and tunes was strikingly
imaginative, using electric and acoustic
instruments, ancient and contemporary instruments,
weaving them together in a complex interplay of
sounds but always remaining faithful to the spirit
of the original. The group was spearheaded by the
magnificent singing of Gabriel and Marie Yacoub -
Gabriel has a rich baritone voice full of emotion
that is beautifully complemented by Marie's lovely
fragile soprano. At times all the group sing and
the result is spine chilling music with an almost
medieval quality to it - in fact much of their
music has an early music feel to it. At this time
the group included Gabriel Yacoub/vocal, acoustic
& electric guitars, dulcimer; Marie Yacoub/vocal,
electric dulcimer, bouzouki, hurdy gurdy; Hughes
de Courson/electric guitar, bass, crumhorn &
percussion; Laurent Vercambe/violin, bouzouki,
psaltery, harmonium and mandolin. On this first
album they perform a beautiful collection of
traditional songs and tunes from France and
Quebec. While the singing and playing are not as
multi layered as on their later albums the
performances are all utterly superb. (FS)
|
FRANCE |
MALICORNE |
Griffe 191262 |
Malicorne 2 |
● CD $17.98 |
10 tracks, 42 mins, essential Available again at a lower price. As good as the
group's first album was, their second from 1975 is
even better - the vocals are stronger and more
extensive use is made of harmonizations that bring
to mind Gregorian chants. The instrumental
arrangements are complex and multi layered but
never overpower the vocals. The 10 minute La
Fille Aux Chansons is a stunningly beautiful
performance and the harmonies on Marions Les
Roses are utterly spine chilling. This album is
so perfect it's hard to believe that the group
could do anything better but a year later they
came out with "Almanach" - in my estimation the
greatest traditionally based folk rock album of
all time! (FS)
|
FRANCE |
MALICORNE |
Griffe 191272 |
Almanach |
● CD $17.98 |
13 tracks, 49 mins, essential Available again at a lower price. This 1976 album
was the group's masterpiece. It consists of a
series of 12 traditional songs, one for each month
of the year, most of them with a magical theme.
The singing led by Gabriel Yacoub and his powerful
distinctive baritone is complemented by his wife
Marie's fragile soprano and when the rest of the
group join in on the vocal harmonies the effect
is spine chilling. The instrumental work is
spellbinding using acoustic and electric
instruments and weaving them together in a complex
interplay of sounds to create powerful and
tremendously beautiful music. All this comes over
with crystal clarity on this CD. On Les Tristes
Noces when the electric bass comes in to join
Gabriel and Marie's unaccompanied vocals the sound
reverberated through my spine! This album is one
of the greatest folk albums of the 70s and quite
deservedly won "Grand Prix" from the Academie Du
Disque Francais. The beautiful cover illustration
by Laurent Lesserre prepares you for the treasures
within and the 12 page booklet has notes on all
the songs by Gabriel (in French) and all the
lyrics. An all time classic! (FS)
|
FRANCE |
MALICORNE |
Griffe 191282 |
Malicorne 4 |
● CD $17.98 |
10 tracks, 41 mins, very highly
recommended Another classic Malicorne album available again at
a lower price. For their fourth album the group
added a fifth member Oscar Zdrzalik (electric bass
& percussion) and started experimenting with
synthesizers and other electronic instruments and
writing original songs but never lost sight of the
traditional music they were playing. The vocal and
instrumental arrangements are quite simply
breathtaking. This is music to listen to again and
again. (FS)
|
THE OLDHAM TINKERS |
Pier PIERCD 504 |
That Lanacashire Band |
● CD $15.98 $7.98 |
Charming collection of traditional and original songs
about Lancashire by this excellet trio featuring Gerry Kearns/ vocal &
guitar, Larry Kearns, vocal, whistle & mandolin and John Howarth/ vocal,
banjo & whistle. This CD reissues their 1979 Topic LP of the same name
along with four bonus tracks from the 1968 compilation "Owdham Edge."
Includes Old May Song/ Nowt About Owt/ / Oh! That Lancashire Jazz
Band/ Tribute To Owd Paddy/ The Crime Lake Boggart/ Canute, etc.
|
AMERICAN FOLK |
BETTY SMITH |
Folk Legacy 53 |
Songs Traditionally Sung In North Carolina |
● CD $16.98 |
CD-R, 15 tracks, 48 min., very
highly recommended The McGarrigle sisters must have had this music in
their record collection and their souls when they
recorded their first two LPs. Smith is pure of
voice as she accompanies herself on guitar or
autoharp or dulcimer or psaltery. The songs speak
of revenge, despair, murder, heartbreak, death
(and other human preoccupations) with a starkness
that is both beautiful and chilling. A recurring
subject is the transitory nature of this existence
and the getting ready for the afterlife (e.g.,
We'll Camp A Little While In The Wilderness
and Where Will I Shelter My Sheep Tonight).
Songs include the familiar Black Is The
Color and Foggy Dew, as well as the less
familiar Little Rosewood Casket/ Mary Of The
Wild Moor/ Young Charlotte, and more. Not to
be missed. (JC)
|
RICHARD THOMPSON |
Omnivore 8 |
Strict Tempo! |
● CD $16.98 |
12 tracks, essential
Limited edition 30th anniversary
reissue of the only all instrumental album released by musical giant
Richard Thompson. His treatment of traditional fiddle tunes, hornpipes,
reels and even Duke Ellington's Rockin' In Rhythm must be heard
by all guitar freaks and folkies - his playing is masterful throughout,
and the highly original arrangements range from somber to sprightly to
wacky. This album was recorded at home in 1981, and Richard plays nearly
all the instruments including electric, acoustic & Dobro guitars, bass,
banjo, harmonium, mandolin, mandocello and hammered dulcimer! Dave
Mattacks guests on one cut. Essential. (MB)
|
ENGLAND |
RICHARD THOMPSON |
Universal 533 290-9 |
Featuring Linda Thompson - Live At The BBC |
● CD $86.98 |
Just arrived. Incredible three CD
plus DVD set of mostly previously unissued music
and videos made by the British Broadcasting
Corporation of live performances featuring one of
the greatest talents to emerge from Britain -
singer, songwriter and guitarist Richard Thompson.
The first disc features 20 tracks featuring with
his then wife Linda Thompson - one of folk rock's
truly great vocalists. They perform acoustically
and with a band including a full concert
performance with a band following the release of
their last album together "Shoot Out The Lights."
The second and third CDs feature recordings by
Richard solo or with one of his bands recorded
between 1985 and 2009. The set includes four
original compositions by Richard that have never
been released before on CD and three versions of
traditional songs not available elsewhere. The DVD
features 18 live performances by Richard and Linda
together and by Richard on his own filmed between
1975 and 1985 - only one that has ever been issued
before. Includes 36 page illustrated booklet with
extensive notes including new interviews with
Richard & Linda. (FS)
|
AMERICAN FOLK |
VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Not Now 058 |
The Newport Folk Festival, 1959 |
● CD $11.98 |
A snapshot of the American folk
music scene in 1959 featuring recordings made at
the Newport Folk Festival that was founded that
year. Three CDs with 42 tracks featuring artists
like Pete Seeger, Leon Bibb, Odetta, Joan Beaz &
Bob Gibson, Barbara Dane, Earl SCruggs, John Jacob
Niles, Frank Warner, Oscar Brand, Ed McCurdy and
others. JOAN BAEZ AND BOB GIBSON: Virgin Mary
Had A Son/ We Are Crossing The Jordon River/ LEON
BIBB WITH JOHN STAUBER & ERIC WEISBERG: Every
Night When The Sun Goes Down/ Lonesome Traveller/
Sinner Man/ Times Are Getting Hard/ OSCAR BRAND
WITH BILLY FAIER: Which Side Are You On?/ BARBARA
DANE: Little Maggie/ Dink's Blues/ CYNTHIA
GOODING: Jalisco/ Un Domingo/ FRANK HAMILTON: Lady
Gay/ TOM MAKEM WITH PAT CLANCY & PETE SEEGER:
Cobbler's Song/ Mountain Dew/ ED MCCURDY: Frankie
And Johnny/ The Old Fisherman/ Twinkle, Twinkle
Little Star/ When Cockle Shells Turn Silver Bells/
THE NEW LOST CITY RAMBLERS: Beware, O Take Care/
Hopalong Peter/ When First Into This Country I
Came/ JOHN JACOB NILES: The Hangman, Or The Maid
Freed From The Gallows/ ODETTA: Cotton Fields At
Home/ Great Historical Bum/ I've Been Driving On
Bald Mountain-Water Boy/ Joshua Fought The Battle
Of Jericho/ JEAN RITCHIE: Pretty Saro/ Shady
Grove/ What're We Going To Do With The Baby-Oh/
Paper Of Pins/ MARTHA SCHLAMME WITH FRANK
HAMILTON: Hey Daroma/ Que Bonita Bandeira/ There's
A Hole In My Bucket/ EARL SCRUGGS: Cumberland Gap/
Earl’s Breakdown/ Flint Hill Special/ PETE SEEGER:
Careless Love/ One Grain Of Sand-Abiyoyo/ The
Bells Of Rhymney/ SONNY TERRY AND BROWNIE MCGHEE:
My Baby Done Changed The Lock On The Door/ Pick A
Bale Of Cotton/ FRANK WARNER: Old Racoon
|
IRELAND |
VARIOUS ARTISTS |
Traditional Crossroads 4284 |
Ballinasloe Fair: Early Irish Music In America, 1920-30 |
● CD $15.98 |
18 tracks, 63 mins, very highly
recommended 1998 release. Fabulous collection of Irish music
recorded in the 1920s for Victor by a diverse
selection of performers - mostly recently arrived
immigrants along with a couple of performers born
in North America. About two thirds of the tracks
are instrumentals including solos (with piano
accompaniment) on fiddle (Michael Hanafin, Michael
J. Cashin), accordion (Frank Murphy), tenor banjo
(Neil Nolan), flute (John Sheridan) and piccolo
(Murty Rabbett) as well as and ensemble piece from
the great Dan Sullivan's Shamrock Band. There are
a number of vocals including a fabulous rendition
of Johnny Will You Marry Me by Murty Rabbett
& Dan Sullivan - a song revived by several artists
in the 1970s. There are also sentimental songs
(My Gray Haired Irish Mother by John
MCgettin, etc.) and vaudeville songs (One, Two
Three by Packie Dolan, etc.). All in all a
superb collection with superb sound remastered
from original metal parts and extensive notes by
Irish music expert and musician Mick Moloney. (FS)
MICHAEL CASHIN: Touhey's Favorite-Lamb On The
Mountain/ PACKIE DOLAN & MELODY BOYS: A Drink In
The Morn/ PACKIE DOLAN & THE MELODY BOYS: One,
Two, Three/ The Lady Of The House-Ballinasloe
Fair/ DINNY "JIMMY" DOYLE & LARRY GRIFFIN: Let Mr.
McGuire Sit Down/ Tommy Murphy Was A Soldier Boy/
MIKE & CONNIE HANAFIN: Rodney's Glory/ JOHN
MCGETTIGAN & HIS IRISH MINSTRELS: My Gray Haired
Irish Mother/ FRANK MURPHY: Rakes Of Clonmel/ The
Mason's Apron/ NEIL NOLAN: Miller's Reel-Duffy The
Dancer/ The Boys Of The Lough-The Teetotaler/ The
Floggin'-Miss McLeod's/ MURTY RABBETT: Molly
Durkin/ Polkas/ Johnny Will You Marry Me/ The
Donkey/ JOHN SHERIDAN: Killarney-Believe Me, If
All Those Endearing Young Charms/ The Jackets
Green/ DAN SULLIVAN'S SHAMROCK BAND: The Ricket's
Hornpipe-Stack Of Barley
|
FRANCE |
GABRIEL & MARIE YACOUB |
Griffe 191852 |
Pierre De Grenoble |
● CD $17.98 |
12 tracks, 37 mins, essential After leaving Alan Stivell's band in 1973 and
prior forming the great band Malicorne in 1974,
Gabriel Yacoub and his wife Marie put out this
album of traditional songs and tunes under their
own name on Barclay. This gem is now available
again on CD. Joining them are fellow Stivell
alumni Dan Ar Bras and Alan Kloatr as well as
other fine French musicians. As in Malicorne their
approach to traditional songs and tunes was
strikingly imaginative, using ancient and
contemporary instruments (acoustic and electric
guitars, dulcimer, hurdy gurdy, harmonium,
psaltery, bagpipes, bouzouki, crumhorn, etc)
weaving them together in a complex interplay of
sounds but always remaining faithful to the spirit
of the original. Gabriel has a rich baritone voice
full of emotion that is beautifully complemented
by Marie's lovely fragile soprano. A number of
tracks feature those spine chilling, almost
Gregorian chant sounding, harmony vocals that were
to become a trademark of Malicorne's sound. The
material is consistently fine with the highlights
being the beautiful title song which segues into a
wonderful bransle and the powerful Le Prince
D'Orange but it's all superb. You owe it to
yourself to hear this! (FS)
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