Saturday, May 31, 2008

Sandy Denny

"Ebbett's Field House, Denver" 1973


















DL

Friday, May 30, 2008

Bridget St. John

"Take the 5ifth"




















Fans of Bridget St. John's very acoustic albums will be a little nonplussed by this collection of tracks, recorded between 1975 and 1982, many of them in America, after she took up residence in New York. Even more disconcerting for purists is the fact that six of the 17 songs find her accompanied by ace session band Stuff. Get past those mental barriers, however, and it's the same old St. John, whether on the rustic simplicity of the lovely "Maybe If I Write a Letter" or the uptempo "Crazy Heart." There are oblique references to heroes on the album, from Dylan on "Chamille" and "Safe Place" to Leonard Cohen's "Suzanne" on "Make-Me-Whole." It's a bit of a patchwork quilt of a record, as is inevitably the case in sessions recorded over multiple years, but the songs stand up to anything from her earlier incarnation, especially the heartfelt "Song for John," a tribute to Lennon, whose lyrics place it firmly in America. There's even a take at late-'70s quality MOR pop with the perky "You Make It All Right," female backing vocals and all -- a long way from the early, trembling John Peel favorite perhaps, but still good. Her version of "Catch a Falling Star" could almost have come from that novice period, though, with its disingenuous charm. And closing with a song from the Stuff sessions finds her looking firmly ahead, rather than behind. ~ Chris Nickson, All Music Guide

Buy

Thursday, May 29, 2008

Hazy Jane I

Mike Westbrook Orchestra

"Mike Westbrook's Metropolis" (RCA Neon, 1971)






















Jazzis:
If the 1960s served as a period of establishment of the British Jazz scene, with scores of extremely talented instrumentalists and composers coming to prominence, surely the 1970s marked the “emancipation of British Jazz from American slavery”, a phrase brilliantly defined by British trumpeter / composer / musicologist / writer Ian Carr. One of the distinct heroes and champions of this new path was undoubtedly pianist / composer Mike Westbrook, whose compositions for large Jazz ensembles were the British answer and equivalent to the body of work composed by the great Duke Ellington. “Metropolis” marks a high point in a series of brilliant works composed by Westbrook and recorded by large ensembles comprising of the creme de la creme of British Jazz musicians. Westbrook sublimely expands the Ellingtonian framework with the inclusion of multi-layered sound ambience, group improvisation and Rock rhythms, creating a completely innovative and spectacular musical phenomenon, somewhat comparable to contemporary Classical music, but firmly based in Jazz idioms and traditions. “Metropolis” was recorded by an ensemble, which included 23 musicians, each and every one of which are absolute Masters of their trade, including Westbrook on piano, Mike Osborne, Ray Warleigh, Alan Skidmore, George Khan and John Warren on saxophones, Kenny Wheeler, Harold Beckett and Henry Lowther on trumpets, Malcolm Griffiths and Paul Rutherford on trombone, John Taylor on electric piano, Gary Boyle on guitar, Harry Miller and Chris Laurence on bass, Alan Jackson and John Marshall and drums and the divine Norma Winstone on vocals – more or less the entire core of modern British Jazz. The music is of course magnificent, full of pathos and expression with not a single dull moment from start to finish, and the performances absolutely chilling with one solo chasing another. There are few Jazz albums that come close to this masterpiece and although it is relatively little known by Jazz fans worldwide (as most great music) it is an absolute classic and a must for any serious listener, equivalent to hundreds of other less meaningful albums. Absolutely essential!


Complaint received from Mike Westbrook‏ himself... (July 5)

Wednesday, May 28, 2008

mike,
"Balance and Control" by Scullion is already posted at this blog

Caedmon





















psychedelicfolk:
The fragility in it is very nice. So is the cello addition. Christian music. I like very much the title track.

According to 'Rockinworld' : "Reissue of extremely scarce Irish folk- rock LP. Rocked out trad. sound, many original songs, male & female vocals. Definitely a Spriguns-like sound."

Label comments : Caedmon's privately issued 1978 LP, has since it's rediscovery in 1992, been established as an expensive collectors item, rated as the best folk-rock album ever made, perhaps 2nd only to “Mellow Candle”. The sublime sound of Caedmon results from an unusual blend of styles, the fragile female vocals, admirable use of tension and atmosphere, savage fuzz-guitar, art rock leanings - everything from exquisite understatement to frantic show-off musicianship - a classic, by golly!

Monday, May 26, 2008

Ron Sexsmith

"Belcourt Theater, Nashville" [April 21, 2008]





















01. Former Glory
02. Cheap Hotel
03. Jazz At The Bookstore
04. Reason For Our Love
05. Where's My Everything?
06. Secret Heart
07. One Last Round
08. This Is How I know
09. Lebanon Tennessee
10. Just My Heart Talkin'
11. Strawberry Blonde
12. For A Moment

DL

Whippersnapper

"Promises" 1985

Recorded ar the Abattoir, Birmingham, December 1984;
Produced by Whippersnapper;
Engineered by Alan Caves and Dave Snead;
Sleeve design by Andrew Esson;
Front cover photo by Jim Botton

Musicians
Dave Swarbrick, violin, mandolin, vocals;
Chris Leslie, violin, mandolin, vocals;
Martin Jenkins, mandocello, mandolin, flute, vocals;
Kevin Dempsey, guitar, vocals

Tracks:
01. Whenever
02. Banks of the Sweet Primroses
03. An Sean Bhean Bhocht / The Gipsy's Rest / Atholl Highlanders' Farewell to Loch Katrine
04. John Gaudie / John Broke the Prison Door
05. One Way Donkey Ride
06. Hard Times of Old England
07. Downtown Rodeo
08. Carolanning: Mrs. Bermingham / Mrs. Maxwell / John Jameson
09. Loving Hannah
10. Lizzie Wan

Tracks 1, 7 Martin Jenkins;
Track 2 trad. arr. Kevin Dempsey;
Tracks 3a, 4b, 6 trad. arr. Whippersnapper;
Track 3b Whippersnapper;
Track 3c Rose arr. Whippersnapper;
Track 4a Chris Leslie;
Track 5 Sandy Denny;
Tracks 8a,b Carolan arr. Dave Swarbrick;
Track 8c Carolan arr. Whippersnapper;
Track 9 words adapted Dave Swarbrick, tune trad. arr. Whippersnapper;
Track 10 words adapted Kevin Dempsey, tune Kevin Dempsey

DL


"Tsubo" 1987





















Recorded at Magritte Studios, London;
Engineered by Dan Priest;
Assisted by Eric Hine;
Cover design and artwork: Linda Hill;
Lay-out: Kevin Dempsey

Musicians:
Dave Swarbrick, violin, mandolin, vocals;
Chris Leslie, violin, mandolin, vocals;
Kevin Dempsey, guitar, vocals;
Martin Jenkins, mandocello, mandolin, flute, vocals

Tracks:
01. Farewell My Lovely Nancy (5:10)
02. The Pride of Kildare (6:45)
03. Rouge & Red Shoes (3:49)
04. I Wandered By a Brookside (5:13)
05. The Seven Keys (4:18)
06. Romanitza (5:10)
07. Deneze-Sous-Doue (On the Wall) (5:55)
08. Frank Dempsey's Lament and Joy (6:30)
09. My Little Fiddle (4:21)
10. There's a River (3:50)

Track 1 trad. arr. Whippersnapper;
Track 2 words adapted Kevin Dempsey, tune Kevin Dempsey;
Tracks 3, 6 Martin Jenkins;
Track 4 words trad., tune B. Berry;
Track 5 Dave Swarbrick;
Track 7 Chris Leslie;
Track 8 Kevin Dempsey;
Track 9 prelude Dave Swarbrick/ Kevin Dempsey, Dave Swarbrick;
Track 10 Stevie Winwood

DL

posted by request...


Whippersnapper was formed in 1983 by Dave Swarbrick. His career to date meant he was already a legend on the folk scene - solo, with Beryl Marriott, The Ian Campbell Folk Group, Martin Carthy and, of course Fairport Convention. They were the first band he had brought together himself. Initial contact was with Martin Jenkins and Chris Leslie. Looking for a fourth member, Martin recommended fellow Coventry musician Kevin Dempsey to complete the quartet. Swarb now had three of the most respected acoustic string players in the country as his fellow musicians.

Martin Jenkins and Kevin Dempsey had both been members of Dando Shaft. After the group broke up in the early seventies, Martin joined Hedgehog Pie and Bert Jansch`s Conundrum, as well a pursuing a solo career. Kevin became an early exponent of world music, whose career embraced Indian classical, Latin, jazz-funk and big band: he played alongside such legendary figures as Alice Coltrane and David LaFlamme.

Chris Leslie was known both as an instrument maker and as a member of duos with his brother John and Steve Ashley; like Swarb he had played fiddle with Beryl Marriott`s groups. He had a growing reputation as a songwriter.

Whippersnapper made their debut at The Burnt Post, Coventry on January 15, 1984. The anticipation was enormous. Here was a coming together of great talents in an acoustic band able to command a stunning array of instruments (fiddle, mandolin, guitar, bouzouki, mandocello, mandola, whistle, cittern, flute) with great virtuosity. Giving us a taste of what to expect, Swarb told the papers, "It is very advanced music, quite intricate and swings like mad."

In their first year together they played at the two most famous folk festivals in the UK - Cambridge and Cropredy. They were also the unlikely pioneers of the way the music business was about to go, since their first release was a live video of the Cambridge set, filmed four months before they even began recording their debut album.

Through the second half of the 1980s Whippsnapper remained one of the must-see (and must-hear) bands playing on the British acoustic music scene. Tour gigs were inevitable sell-out dates and festival organisers vied to book them. They released five albums - the classic Promises (1985), Tsubo (1987), the live album These Foolish Strings (1989), Fortune (1989) and Stories (1991). By the time the final album was released, Swarb had left the band he had formed, leaving the others to continue as a trio.

Robin Williamson

"Five Humorous Tales of Scotland and Ireland" 1984
















01. The Kintail Witches
02. The Piper's Revenge
03. The Rights of Man (harp tune)
04. Wee Jack
05. The Downfall of Paris (harp tune)
06. The Man who Never Dreamed at All
07. Eleanor Plunkett (harp tune)
08. The Lad with the Goatskin

DL


"Five Legendary Tales Of Britain" 1985
















01. Gogmagog & the Early Kings
02. The Three Plagues of Britain
03. Vortigern's Tower
04. Arthur, the Early Legend
05. The Sory of Gododdin

DL

Link

Bruce Cockburn: That Was Then, This Is Now

Sunday, May 25, 2008

Andy Pratt

Andy Pratt said...
Hello
I don't know if I emailed you before or not. Thank you for the very kind review of my Andy Pratt Andy Pratt 1973 record on your blog. That record is available on cd at http://www.amazon.com/ and the ItsAboutMusic.com site below. Perhaps you would also be interested in other things I've done. Here are a couple of web sites. I attach a song from my most recent album, and still unreleased album, The Snake Charmer. Enjoy

Andy Pratt

www.itsaboutmusic.com/andypratt.html
www.myspace.com/andyprattlovesyou

by MJF #15

The Kingston Trio "All-Time Greatest Hits"
Quality: VBR 183-212


















The Kingston Trio was formed in 1957 in the Palo Alto, California, area by Dave Guard, Bob Shane, and Nick Reynolds, who were just out of college.
Greatly influenced by The Weavers, the calypso sounds of Harry Belafonte, and
other folk artists such as the Gateway Singers and the Tarriers, they were discovered playing at a Menlo College-area club, the Cracked Pot, by Frank Werber, a publicist then working
at San Francisco's hungry i nightclub. He became their manager, and secured them a one-shot recording contract with Capitol Records.
Shane would later tell concert audiences that the group considered itself at first to be primarily a calypso group, and therefore named itself after the capital of Jamaica.

The group's first hit was a catchy rendition of a traditional folk song, "Tom Dooley", based upon the life of the tragic figure, Tom Dula; it earned a gold record in 1958.
It was so popular that it entered popular culture as a catchphrase: Ella Fitzgerald, for example, parodies it during her recorded version of "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer".
It won the trio the first Grammy award for Best Country & Western Performance, at the awards inaugural ceremony in 1959. The next year, the group won the first Grammy Award for Best Ethnic or Traditional Folk Recording for the album The Kingston Trio at Large.

At one point in the early 1960s The Kingston Trio had four albums at the same time among the Top 10 selling albums, a record unmatched for nearly 40 years.
In spite of this, they had a relatively small number of hit singles.

The group's music was simple and accessible, with much use of tight vocal harmony, signature riffs (often played on the banjo), and repetitive choruses.
Capitol producer Voyle Gilmore enhanced their vocal sound with reverb and the relatively
new process of doubletracking, in which the performers sang along with their own
prerecorded part to produce a stronger sound than with a single voice, in part due to a natural gap of a fraction of a second between the original recording and the overdubbed part.
At first, pairs of tape recorders were used, then later multitrack recording machines, to produce the effect.

Several of the group's most popular songs were humorous numbers, such as "Tijuana Jail", the tale of an ill-fated trip to Mexico, and "M.T.A.", the saga of a man who "never returned" from the Boston subway system. A concert favorite was the darkly humorous "Merry Minuet",
a tuneful meditation on the prospect of nuclear war.


VOLUME I:
1. Tom Dooley
2. Lemon Tree
3. Turn Around
4. The Wreck of the John B
5. Wimoweh
6. The Patriot Game
7. Hard, Ain't it Hard
8. This Land is Your Land
9. Raspberries, Strawberries
10. Seasons in the Sun
11. They Call the Wind Maria
12. Scotch and Soda

VOLUME II:
1. The Tijuana Jail
2. Where Have All the Flowers Gone?
3. Reuben James
4. Scarlet Ribbons
5. The Reverend Mr. Black
6. Zombie Jamboree
7. Try To Remember
8. Greenback Dollar
9. It Was a Very Good Year
10. 500 Miles
11. This Little Light
12. Bad Man's Blunder

VOLUME III:
1. A Worried Man
2. Across The Wide Missouri
3. Desert Pete
4. Hard Travelin'
5. The River Is Wide
6. Everglades
7. M.T.A.
8. You Don't Knock
9. Blowin' In The Wind
10. Ally Ally Oxen Free
11. South Coast
12. EL Matador

MJF

Reups

Emmylou Harris & The Angel Band - Red Fox Inn, Bethesda 1974
Ewan MacColl & Peggy Seeger - Classic Scots Ballads
Harry Belafonte - Ballads, Blues and Boasters

Saturday, May 24, 2008

Andy Pratt






















Andy Pratt's self-titled album is a very quirky, idiosyncratic album that definitely establishes Pratt as a major force in the singer-songwriter arena. He also sounds very depressed as many of the song titles indicate (e.g. "Inside Me Wants Out," "So Fine, (It's Frightening)"). However, this doesn't diminish the album's power or the particular style that is very much Pratt's own. The highlight of the album is the near-hit "Avenging Annie." Sung mostly in Pratt's falsetto voice, it is a tale of a mythical heroine told from the woman's point of view. The fast piano technique is impressive, as are some other production touches (such as the cat sounds and descending guitar line). The song deserves its classic status hands down.

01. Avenging Annie
02. Inside Me Wants Out
03. It's All Behind You
04. Summer Summer
05. Call Up That Old Friend
06. Give It All to Music
07. Who Am I Talking To?
08. All the King's Weight
09. So Fine (It's Frightening)
10. Sittin' Down in the Twilight
11. Deer Song


Andy Pratt said...

Hello
I don't know if I emailed you before or not. Thank you for the very kind review of my Andy Pratt Andy Pratt 1973 record on your blog. That record is available on cd at http://www.amazon.com/ and the ItsAboutMusic.com site below. Perhaps you would also be interested in other things I've done. Here are a couple of web sites. I attach a song from my most recent album, and still unreleased album, The Snake Charmer. Enjoy

Andy Pratt

www.itsaboutmusic.com/andypratt.html
www.myspace.com/andyprattlovesyou

The Broadsiders





















Dublin based folk group featuring Joe Giltrap

01. Bottle of Wine
02. Sally O
03. Lady Mary
04. Lowlands of Holland
05. He Has a Quare One
06. Did He Mention My Name
07. Rocks of Bawn
08. Shores of Amerikay
09. Lord Lovell
10. Medley The Sash My Father Wore, Courtin' In the Kitchen, Dicey Riley, Bog Down In the Valley-O, One Eyed Riley

Plainsong

Martin Carthy

"Sweet Wivelsfield" 1974

Shepherd O Shepherd
Also from Dorset is Shepherd O Shepherd, collected by Henry Hammond of Dorchester. Although the song crops up in Scotland many times, this is the only English version. The tune is a modal version of the morris jig Greensleeves. You can find this in the ever-popular Penguin Book of English Folk Songs.

Billy Boy
The words of Billy Boy come from James Reeves' The Everlasting Circle and the tune from the magnificent Mrs Marina Russell of Upwey, Dorset whose predilection for tunes in the Dorian mode, whilst being a delight to people like me, is probably a source of some annoyance to those academics who like to say the English, as a race, like this or that kind of a tune (and make charts to prove it). She was one of Sharp's more extraordinary 'finds' in his hunt for traditional song, music and dance, being by all accounts an incredibly gifted and inventive singer (and person). From her also, comes Mary Neal of which she had three verses, so I took the liberty of filling it out from other printed sources.

Three Jolly Sneaksmen
There seem to be quite a number of songs (like Sam Hall) which treat very dramatic or tragic subjects in a quite lighthearted way, and usually by doing so they manage to be doubly effective. Three Jolly Sneaksmen, about three unnamed highwaymen, comes from Frank Purslow's excellent book The Wanton Seed. Rhino means money if you don't already know.

Trimdon Grange
On 16 February 1882 there was an explosion of either firedamp or coaldust at the Trimdon Grange colliery in South County Durham (which is still remembered to this day) in which seventy-four were killed. The usual fund-raising procedures - all unofficial of course - went into action, and one of them was the writing and selling on the streets of this song. The tune is the Victorian parlour ballad Go and Leave Me If You Wish It to which Tommy Armstrong wrote these words. The tune was also used by Evangelists as a hymn tune both here and in America where it is also known in the guise of Columbus Stockade. I thank Bob Davenport for teaching me the song.

All in a Row
See track notes for All in a Row

Skewbald
In 1847 a New England racehorse owner came to Ireland with his Skewbald horse to face the might of Irish distance racers, and the result astounded racegoers there because the American horse won. American horses were nicknamed circus horses or quarter horses meaning that they were good for a quarter of a mile but no more, and Skewbald horses were just not worth bothering about. The idea of a combination of the two incarnate left Irish sages helpless with laughter, but the prospect of a Gold cup and two hundred guineas to the winner helped them contain their mirth and sent them scurrying for their savings. To their cost.

Mary Neal
The words of Billy Boy come from James Reeves The Everlasting Circle and the tune from the magnificent Mrs Marina Russell of Upwey, Dorset whose predilection for tunes in the Dorian mode, whilst being a delight to people like me, is probably a source of some annoyance to those academics who like to say the English, as a race, like this or that kind of a tune (and make charts to prove it). She was one of Sharp's more extraordinary 'finds' in his hunt for traditional song, music and dance, being by all accounts an incredibly gifted and inventive singer (and person). From her also, comes Mary Neal of which she had three verses, so I took the liberty of filling it out from other printed sources.

King Henry
King Henry is a heavily anglicised Scottish way of telling the Beauty and the Beast story, the only difference being that the sexes are reversed. It is a song that I very much wanted to do for a very long time and tried several tunes, none of which seemed to work satisfactorily The American tune Bonaparte's Retreat seemed in the end to carry the song best so with respectful nods towards Mike Seeger, Doc Watson and many others, I swiped it.

John Barleycorn
Both John Barleycorn and All of a Row are, in their separate and different ways, songs about the cycle of seasons. One has the idea that the corn spirit is indestructible no matter what, and alive in all things remotely touched by it, and the other the idea that the cycle of planting and reaping is of necessity never ending. In a way one idea cannot survive without the other.

The Cottage in the Wood
I have always thought of The Cottage in the Wood as being a fragment which, if taken one way was The Laird of the Windy Wa (Cold Haily Windy Night [which is on Martin Carthy's Landfall]) but if looked at another way is a totally different kettle of fish. What I did was to take it and combine it with another fragment collected by Ralph Vaughan Williams from one Billy Waggs called The Lady Looked Out or The Proud Pedlar and with the song part of a cante-fable collected from Kate Thompson by Kidson called One Moonlight Night (which incidentally was versified by Kidson's wife and called he Robber Groom). I added a couple of verses, and this is the result.

Friday, May 23, 2008

by Greg

Magna Carta "Live In Bergen" 1978

01. No Place to Sleep
02. Idle Wind
03. Midwinter
04. In Tomorrow
05. Fragments
06. Dink's Song
07. C'est la Vie
08. Nothing So Bad (It Can't Get Better)
09. All My Blues
10. Young Wackford's Rant [Instrumental]
11. Lord of the Ages: Suite
12. Forever (Reprise)

Wednesday, May 21, 2008

Wizz & Simeon Jones

"Late Nights & Long Days" 1993


















WIZZ JONES’s extraordinary career would, and hopefully one day will, fill a couple of fat autobiographical tomes. 1994 sees him as irrepressible as ever, and, at the grand age of 54, celebrating (rather belatedly) the release of his first full collaboration with son, Simeon, on ‘Late Nights and Long Days’ (Fellside FE CD 91).

by Béatrice

Hi folk fans !
It seems that Bert Jansch's "Santa Barbara Honeymoon" and "A rare Conundrum" aren't anywhere to find on the web. So I made a vinyl rip of both albums.

You can download them here :

Bert Jansch "Santa Barbara Honeymoon" 1975



















DL


Bert Jansch "A Rare Conundrum" 1977



















DL

Enjoy !

Béatrice

by Jhonny #15

Grupo Chalas de Tilcara "Memorias De Una Pirca"
Argentina - Humahuaca


















José Luis Quispe: guitar and erquencho.
Martín Villafañe: charango.
Daniel Martínez: quenas and sikus.
Franco Tolaba: quenas, sikus, erke and legüero drums.
Julio Alberto Herrera: wankara. Ulises Altamirando: electric bass.

buy


Jose Gonzalez "In Our Nature" 2007





















In Our Nature is the second album by Swedish singer-songwriter José González. It was released September 25, 2007 by Mute Records in the United States, Imperial Recordings in Sweden and on Peacefrog Records in the UK. Its lyrical thrust centers around the human condition, or the nature that the title refers to. Though the sonic palette remains based around classical guitar and vocal melody, as in his debut Veneer, it is occasionally expanded. Hand claps, backing vocals and synthesizer are some notable additions.

In Sweden, the first single was "Killing for Love," whereas in the rest of Europe it was "Down the Line." Both singles came with the same B-side, a cover of "Smalltown Boy" by Bronski Beat. The second single released was "Teardrop" (backed with the exclusive instrumental B-side "Four Forks Ache"), and the third single was another split--"Killing for Love" in the UK, and "Down the Line" in Sweden. Both singles came with the same B-side, "Neon Lights."

by Jhonny #14

Hi !
I know about Giorgos Romanos and Panos Savvopoulos
via your blog "music saves lives".




















I found other Savvopoulos rip: DL
via: arcofgreekmusic.blogspot.com


I do not understand the language and it´s hard research.
Are you in greece?
can you recommend more greek folk artists and share some rips?

Thanks

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Peter Bellamy

"Oak, Ash and Thorn" 1970

Released by: Decca’s Argo Division in 1970 as 12-inch LP ARGO ZFB11
Produced by: Frederick Woods, engineer: Adrian Martins
Recorded at: Decca Recording Studios - Argo Division
Personnel were: Peter Bellamy
Also featuring: Royston Wood, Heather Wood, Barry Dransfield, Robin Dransfield
Re-Released as Part of Private Issue Cassette of ‘Puck’s Songs’ by Peter Bellamy in 1974.

01. Frankie's Trade
02. Poor Honest Men
03. Cold Iron
04. Sir Richard's Song
05. The Looking Glass
06. Oak Ash and Thorn
07. King Henry VII and the Shipwrights
08. The Brookland Road
09. A Three Part Song
10. The Ballad of Minepit Shaw
11. Our Fathers of Old
12. Philadelpia

DL

Monday, May 19, 2008

by Jhonny #13

It's really hard research about greek musicians,
I can´t found more 60´s rips of giorgos romanos ( greek: Γιώργος Ρωμανός )
but apparently giorgos turn to psychedelic about 1970:


George Romanos "2 Mikra Galazia Aloga" 1970
(aka "Two Small Blue Horses")




















Bootleg version of this 1996 reissue. "First emerging on the Greek scene around 1967, singer songwriter George Romanos released a few LP's in the folk tradition plus In Concert And In The Studio (with backing by members of Aphrodite's Child) before diving headlong into lysergic realms for 1970's Mikra Galazia Aloga(aka Two Little Blue Horses). Jangly acid-rock with fuzz and wah-wah leads, lyrics in the non-obtrusive native tongue and plenty of Mediterranean touches make it rightly deserving of shelf space next to other area delights such as Erkin Koray and Churchill's. Things eventually got 'heavy' in Greece, George followed Vangelis and cohorts to friendlier locales and has recorded sporadically ever since."

DL

info: 1, 2, 3

I have other greek artist, if you like i share it.

bye

by Jhonny #12

Kim Doo Soo "Bohemian" 1991

















DL

Sunday, May 18, 2008

Folque

"Landet Ditt" 1981
















01. Min Sjel, Min Sjel
02. Landet Ditt
03. Gesellvise
04. 15 Mil Til Oslo
05. Kvinnemorderen
06. Liti Kjersti Og Herreper
07. Fanfare
08. Gamle Olaves
09. Heks
10. Knut Liten Og Sylvelin
11. Reinlender Fra Amot
12. Opiumsdrum

DL

Saturday, May 17, 2008

The Wolfe Tones

"Spirit of the Nation" 1964





















1964's Spirit of the Nation, in retrospect, is one of the oddest albums by the Wolfe Tones. Only the Irish quartet's second release, the album is in the spirited mold of the college folk scene that was so prevalent in the early '60s. Songs like "Protestant Men" and "Paddle Your Own Canoe" have the cheery singalong trio of the Kingston Trio, and it's not until one pays attention to the lyrics of songs like "Padraic Pearse" (a ballad about one of the Irish Republican martyrs of the early 20th century) that one notices the sharp, biting political commentary so prevalent all over this album. The dichotomy is a little odd at first, and then it seems subversively brilliant; one can imagine this album getting slipped onto the turntable during a drunken St. Paddy's Day fraternity bash at some Ivy League college in the '60s and, in the argot of the day, raising a few people's consciousness. The terribly dated sound of the album makes it much more of a relic than most of the Wolfe Tones' early albums, but Spirit of the Nation is at the very least an interesting curio. ~ Stewart Mason, All Music Guide

Side One
Dingle Bay (B. Warfield)
No Irish Need Apply (D. Warfield)
Down By The Glenside (Peader Kearney)
Bold Fenian Men
Paddle Your Own Canoe
Padraic Pearse (B. Warfield)
The Lough Sheelin Eviction

Side Two
Song of the Celts
Butterfly (B. Warfield)
Protestant Men (B. Warfield)
Only Our Rivers Run Free (Micheal McConnell)
Saint Patrick was a Gentleman
Ireland Unfree (B. Warfield)
Carolan's Concerto
Streets of New York (Liam Reilly)

Derek Warfield
Brian Warfield
Noel Nagle
Tommy Byrne

amazon.com

Dick Gaughan

"Outlaws and Dreamers" 2001





















Former Boys of the Lough and Five Hand Reel guitarist and vocalist Dick Gaughan continues his exploration of Celtic-tinged originals and covers on the 2001 release Outlaws and Dreamers. Crisp and fiery guitar work contrasts his strong, clear voice on Phil Ochs' "When I'm Gone and Si Kahn's "What You Do With What You've Got," as well as on the traditional "Dowie Dens o Yarrow." Most of the tracks are simply Gaughan alone accompanied by his guitar, with a few fiddle and concertina highlights from former Battlefield Band member Brian McNeill. After nearly 30 years performing music, it would be easy for Gaughan to grow dull and complacent, but Outlaws and Dreamers proves that he still has the same spark that was evident on his earliest releases. ~ Zac Johnson, All Music Guide

amazon.com

by Shawn & Amadeus

shawn said...
Here is Sylvia Woods (member of Robin Williamson's former Merry Band) with a treasure box of Celtic Harp.

Sylvia Woods "The Harp of Brandiswhiere" 1982
vinyl rip, mp3, 128 kbps,





















01 - The Legend
02 - In The Forest
03 - Dialogue with a Brook
04 - Lament
05 - Gypsy Mirage
06 - Gourenspur
07 - The Harper's Vision
08 - Morning Calm
09 - Forest March
10 - Metamorphosis
11 - Brandiswhier's/Triumphant Return

The Harp of Brandiswhiere is the musical interpretation of an old Celtic legend about two harpers, Brandiswhiere and his apprentice/true love, Telena, who lived on the Island of Spring. An evil sorcerer, Gourenspur, created a mirage of gypsies dancing and singing to ensnare the harpers, but only caught Telena. When the mirage faded away, it took her with it.

Poor Brandiswhiere searched for Telena but could not find her. Early the next morning, he heard a shepherd playing a flute. He joined with his harp in a lament to Telena. He did find Telena's harp in the woods and she sent him a telepathic message by playing the harp and creating images in his mind, forewarning him of Gourenspur's evil magic.

Brandiswhiere did battle with Gourenspur, snatching the island back and forth between winter and spring. Eventually, Brandiswhiere won and Telena was released from the spell. Spring returned to the island forever.

This is an awesome collection of tunes. I loved every one and was torn between them for a favorite. "Morning Calm" is so relaxing! I put it on repeat when I went to bed and could feel myself relaxing and beginning to float away. It is the best 3:18 minutes of relaxation therapy to be found.

"Forest March" is a solid tune that will produce images of soldiers
stepping along in formation. It is well executed with appropriate
militaristic vocals. "Gourenspur" is a wickedly layered piece utilizing three types of harps and heavy percussion. It is out of this world. The wind chimes are so cool in "Metamorphosis." That selection also features Don Snyder whistling, which is quite interesting.

My favorite has to be "Gypsy Mirage." It has such an astounding
layering of instruments and moving parts. The walking acoustic bass is
bad to the bone, while the Marxophone kicks it into high gear. Once you add the pennywhistle, cimbalom, tambourine and percussion, you get enough depth to immerse yourself and get lost.

The list of instruments utilized in these compositions is extensive and
impressive. When you read through the list, you will feel the anticipation building. You know that you are in for a listening paradise.

Sylvia Woods - Celtic harp, finger cymbals, autoharp, metal-strung harp, Marxophone, percussion, Gwydion harp, wind harp,
xylophone and celeste

Christopher Caswell - (keyed wooden flute, pennywhistle)
Alexander Eppler - (Bulgarian kaval, cimbalom)
George Green - (drums)
John Hatton - (acoustic bass)
Don Snyder - (tambourine, whistle, wind chimes)
Don Nicoloff - (trumpet)
Buddy Collette - (silver flute)
Steven Mirkovich, Paul Petersen,
Conway Snider, Son Snyder and Tom Woods - vocals

I fell in love with this CD and cannot praise it enough. Even the fastest, most emphatic pieces are still relaxing and soothing. If you read the legend beforehand, you can follow the action through the musical selections and will envision much of what is happening. I recommend The Harp of Brandiswhiere highly.

There is a book that contains the complete legend, with full-color
illustrations and sheet music for this suite for piano or harp. It is
available from Woods Music & Books in Los Angeles, Calif.

(review written by Alicia Karen Elkins @ rambles.net, published 28
August 2004)

Listening to this wonderful CD always transports me! It evokes rich, magical images. It is hauntingly beautiful with lush and insteresting instrumentation. Sometimes I like to just have it playing quietly in the background... but my favorite thing ever was to have it playing loudly on my car stereo system as I drove through forests in the Pacific
Northwest. Magical things were sure to happen!!

Who but Sylvia Woods could have thought to write an entire suite for Celtic Harp! What a treat!

(an Amazon-reviewer)

Friday, May 16, 2008

by Jhonny #11

Giorgos Romanos "Balandes"
















DL

The Boys of the Lough

"The Piper's Broken Finger" 1976






















01. Lady Ann Montgomery
02. The Greenland Man's Tune
03. O'reilly From The County Cavan
04. Colonel Robertson
05. The Shamrock Shore
06. Da Sixereen
07. The Lament For Limerick
08. Millbank Cottage
09. The West Of Ireland
10. Johnny Will You Marry Me
11. The Rushes Green
12. The Torn Petticoat
13. The Old Favourite

Thursday, May 15, 2008

Norrlåtar

"Folkmusik Från Norrbotten" 1975

An internationally well-known Swedish folk band, formed in 1974 in Luleå. Traditional folk tunes from Norrbotten, the Swedish Lapland. Their 1st album.

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

Classical

J. S. Bach
"Brandenburg Concertos 1-6 / Brandenburgische Konzerte"

"Brandenburg Concertos"
Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach
Performed by English Chamber Orchestra
Conducted by Benjamin Britten

"Concerto for Oboe, Violin and Strings in C minor"
Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach
with Tess Miller, Carmel Kaine
Conducted by Neville Marriner

"Concerto for Flute and Strings in G"
Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach
with William Bennett
Conducted by Neville Marriner

Benjamin Britten's Bach is a "middle-of-the-road" version of these delightful works. They offer no startling departures from the Baroque style favored in the 1960s, but are ripe, polished performances with a fearless trumpet soloist in No. 2, and outstanding flute and violin solos throughout. Modern instruments and moderate tempos may seem stodgy these days, but there's integrity in Britten's music-making and this set, recorded in 1968, still sounds fresh, easily holding its own against more recent versions. As an added attraction, London includes concerti for violin and oboe, and flute and strings, both done in the 1970s with Neville Marriner leading light and springy readings of distinction.

CD1
01 - Brandenburg Concerto No. 1 in F major BWV 1046 I. Allegro
02 - Brandenburg Concerto No. 1 in F major, BWV 1046 II. Adagio
03 - Brandenburg Concerto No. 1 in F major, BWV 1046 III. Allegro
04 - Brandenburg Concerto No. 1 in F major, BWV 1046IV. Menuetto- Trio I
05 - Brandenburg Concerto No. 1 in F major, BWV 1046V. Polacca- Trio II
06 - Brandenburg Concerto No. 2 in F major, BWV 1047 I. Allegro
07 - Brandenburg Concerto No. 2 in F major, BWV 1047 II. Andante
08 - Brandenburg Concerto No. 2 in F major, BWV 1047 III. Allegro assai
09 - Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 in G major, BWV 1048 I. Allegro
10 - Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 in G major, BWV 1048 II. Allegro
11 - Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 in G major, BWV 1049 I. Allegro
12 - Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 in G major, BWV 1049 II. Andante
13 - Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 in G major, BWV 1049 III. Presto

CD2
01 - Brandenburg Concertos No. 5 in D major, BWV1050 Allegro
02 - Brandenburg Concertos No. 5 in D major, BWV1050 Affettuoso
03 - Brandenburg Concertos No. 5 in D major, BWV1050 Allegro
04 - Brandenburg Concertos No. 6 in B flat major, BWV1051 Allegro
05 - Brandenburg Concertos No. 6 in B flat major, BWV1051 Adagio ma non Troppo
06 - Brandenburg Concertos No. 6 in B flat major, BWV1051 Allegro
07 - Concerto for violin, oboe & strings in D minor, BWV1060 Allegro
08 - Concerto for violin, oboe & strings in D minor, BWV1060 Adagio
09 - Concerto for violin, oboe & strings in D minor, BWV1060 Allegro
10 - Concerto for flute and strings in G minor, BWV1056 Allegro
11 - Concerto for flute and strings in G minor, BWV1056 Largo
12 - Concerto for flute and strings in G minor, BWV1056 Presto

DL

On November 24, 1974, Nick Drake died in his sleep in Far Leys, England.
An insomniac, Drake had ingested an excess amount of Tryptizol, an anti-depressant, so that he could fall asleep. Next to his bed lay a copy of Albert Camus' The Myth of Sisyphus.
On his phonograph rest Bach's Brandenburg Concertos. Drake's body was found here, in his childhood bedroom.

Folque

"Dans, Dans, Olav Liljekrans" 1978





















First a new vocalist, Jenn Mortensen, and then a new fiddler, Øyvind Rauset, joined in the spring 1977. That summer we played at Kalvøya, the biggest festival in Norway at the time, and at the Horten Festival. In 1978 we left Phonogram to join up with the left-wing record company Mai. They released "Dans, dans, Olav Liljekrans" (Dance, dance, Olav Liljekrans) the same year. The title track was maybe our most popular song, but the album was the worst we ever made. The critics blamed it on the new members of the band, but it was the producer who stunk.

DL

Tuesday, May 13, 2008

by Amadeus

Amadeus (D.C. Share blog) said...
here is an album that I can't post on my blog at the moment (because it wouldn't really fit to the other psots...), but I uploeded it for someone...
so feel free to post this on your blog, that would be cool :)


Donovan "Celtia" (1990, Unreleased Album)

Celtia is an unreleased studio album from Scottish singer-songwriter Donovan. Had it been released it would most likely have appeared sometime during 1990. The music on the album was arranged by Maire Bhretnach and engineered by Dan Fitgerald..

Musicians:
• David Gilmour (guitar)
• Nigel Kennedy (violin)
• Sharon Shannon (box accordion, fiddle)
• Noël Bridgeman (congas, drums, percussion)
• Anthony Thistlewait (mandolin, slide mandolin)
• Colin Blakey (whistles, flutes)
• Eleonor McIvoy (violin, backing vocals)
• Maire Bhretnach (violin, celtic strings, backing vocals, electric violin)
• Dan Fitgerald (tambourine)
• Steeve Cooney (bass, didgeridoo, lead acoustic guitar, bass, finger picking guitar)
• Mandy Murphy (backing vocals)
• Astrella Celeste (spoken)

History:
In February 1990, Donovan entered Sulan Studios in Ireland to record tracks for what was likely intended to be his eighteenth studio album and nineteenth album overall. The songs were produced by Donovan's manager Patrick Hehir, who had recorded several of Donovan's concerts for Mellow Records throughout the 1980s. Those recordings would be released in 1990 as Rising in the UK, The Classics Live in the U.S., and 25 Years in Concert in Europe.

The songs recorded during the Celtia sessions were written at various stages throughout Donovan's life. "The Ferryman's Daughter" was originally written and recorded for Moon in Capricorn, another unreleased album whose sessions dated from 1968 and 1969. "Everlasting Sea" was reportedly written during the sessions for The Hurdy Gurdy Man and later appeared on Donovan's 1996 album Sutras. "Lover O Lover" was originally released on Donovan's 1981 album Love Is Only Feeling and later recorded and released on his 2004 album Beat Cafe.

While it is not publicly known why Celtia was not released, it has been speculated that Donovan and his manager and producer Patrick Hehir had disagreements about the running of Donovan's business affairs. Celtia was released in 2002 by Durga Records and was made available on Patrick Hehir's "Donovan's Friends" website. The album was quickly withdrawn, however, and that release of the album is now viewed as a bootleg.

01. "Watching the Sun Go Down"
02. "Moon over Clare"
03. "Glasgow Town"
04. "The Ferryman's Daughter"
05. "Ghost of Pagan Song"
06. "Where Are You Now"
07. "Living on Love"
08. "Madrigalinda"
09. "Lake Isle of Innisfree" (words by William Butler Yeats, music by Donovan)
10. "I Love You"
11. "Wahine"
12. "Down by the Harbour"
13. "Against Your Will" (Patrick Hehir, Donovan)
14. "Rock Me"
15. "Lover O Lover"
16. "Awakening Year"
17. "Everlasting Sea"

DL

Roisin Elsafty & Treasa Ni Cheannabain

"Irlande: L'art du Sean-Nos" 1998
(Ireland: The Art of Sean-Nos)
















This recording of sean-nos singing (unaccompanied old-style singing, primarily in Gaelic)from Connemara, the Gaelic-speaking area of Co. Galway, was a revelation,
and what it revealed was the incomparable voice of Roisin Elsafty. Mind you, Treasa Ni Cheannabain, her mother, is no slouch. But Roisin's singing has to be heard to be believed. The two singers perform 12 songs, among which some classics like "Barbara Allen," "Donall Og," and "A Stor Mo Chroi." By the way, if you were wondering about Roisin's last name, her father is Egyptian-born.

1. Maire Ni Ghriofa
2. Oiche Dorcha ou An Sagaritin (Roisin)
3. Una Bhan (Treasa)
4. Barbrellen (Treasa)
5. Talliuir An Mhagadh (Roisin)
6. Donall Og (Roisin)
7. Neainsin Bhan (Roisin)
8. Una Dheas Ni Nia (Roisin)
9. Sceilpin Draighneach (Treasa)
10. Skibbereen (Roisin)
11. A Stor Mo Chroi (Roisin)
12. Coinnleach Ghlas An Fromhair (Roisin)
13. Maire Ni Ghriofa (Treasa)

by The Alchemist #2

The Alchemist said...
Hello again all friends at "Time Has Told Me". The Alchemist here again.
I have got another two Pentangle albums for you guys to share and enjoy.
I have ALSO got four more albums waiting to be ripped from LP to my computer and then uploaded!
For the time being here are the two albums I have done. Enjoy!


Pentangle "Cruel Sister"





















Tracklist:
1. A Maid That`s Deep In LOve
2. When I Was In My Prime
3. Lord Franklin
4. Cruel Sister
5. Train Song


Pentangle "Sweet Child" 1968





















Tracklist:
Disc: 1
1. Market Song
2. No More My Lord
3. Turn Your Money Green
4. Haitian Fight Song
5. Woman Like You
6. Goodbye Pork-Pie Hat
7. Three Dances: Brentzel Gay/La Rotta/The Earle of Salisbury
8. Watch the Stars
9. So Early in the Spring
10. No Exit
11. Time Has Come
12. Bruton Town
Bonus tracks:
13. Hear My Call
14. Let No Man Steal Your Thyme
15. Bells
16. Sovay
17. Waltz
18. Way Behind the Sun
19. John Donne Song
Disc: 2
1. Sweet Child
2. I Loved a Lass
3. Three Part Thing
4. Sovay
5. In Time
6. In Your Mind
7. I've Got a Feeling
8. Trees They Do Grow High
9. Moon Dog
10. Hole in the Coal
Bonus tracks:
11. Hole in the Coal [Alternate Version]
12. Thre Trees They Do Grow High [Alternate Version]
13. Haitian Fight Song [Studio Version]
14. In Time [Alternate Version]

The Chieftains

"Live Over Ireland: Water from the Well" 2000





















Prolific and popular since the 1970s, the band members of the Chieftains -- Derek Bell, Kevin Conneff, Martin Fay, Sean Keane, Matt Molloy, and Paddy Moloney -- talk about what Irish music means to them, what inspired them in the past, and what continues to motivate them. Included are guest appearances and performances by noted Celtic music groups and individuals such as Ashley Mac Isaac, Altan, Steve Cooney, Van Morrison, The Ballyfin Set Dancers, Tommy Peoples, Michael Kelleher, Seamus Hynes, and Los Lobos. Irish scenes are shown while the band members tell stories and share anecdotes about people and places in Ireland. ~ Leslie Birdwell, All Movie Guide

Monday, May 12, 2008

by Anonymous

01 Savoy Brown - Louisiana Blues
02 May Blitz - I Don't Know
03 Fotheringay - Memphis

Live bootleg...

DL

Sunday, May 11, 2008

Silly Wizard

"Live Wizardry" 1988





















Tom Knapp:
A decade since its release and nearly a decade since I first heard it, Live Wizardry remains on the pinnacle of traditional Celtic releases. Originally issued as two live albums, Live in America and Golden, Golden, in 1985, Live Wizardry was released by Green Linnet Records in 1988 as a compilation of the two. The musicians, the tunes and the energy combine to make it an album which should hold a favored place in every music collection. The album features the sonorous tenor vocals of Andy M. Stewart, the blistering fiddle work of Johnny Cunningham and the amazing Phil Cunningham on accordion, whistles, mandola and keyboards. With Gordon Jones on guitar and bodhran and Martin Hadden on bass and guitar rounding out the band, it's about as good a set as you're ever going to find.

Add to that the energy of a live performance in front of an enthusiastic audience in Cambridge, Mass., and you have an album which cannot be beat. Silly Wizard, from Scotland, put out several excellent albums during their all-too-brief tenure together, but none has this kind of staying power ... likely because any good Celtic band feeds on the excitement of a live performance and grows stronger because of it.

On it, you'll find a host of instant classics, tunes which today are Celtic folk standards but got their start right here on the Sanders Theatre stage. How often have you heard a lusty rendition of "Ramblin' Rover" at a packed pub or Renaissance faire? It's a Silly Wizard original. So, too, is "The Queen of Argyll," still one of the best songs of unrequited, but still cheerful, love. Prefer your love requited? Another of Stewart's songs, "Golden, Golden," is a soothing, flowing anthem to romance.

Mix these and other originals with a solid core of traditionals arranged by these musical Wizards and you'll have an album worth playing 'til the laser burns through the disc and you have to buy another one. (I'm pretty sure that's what happened to my first copy.) Traditional tunes include the lively and silly "The Parish of Dunkeld," the melancholy "The Banks of the Lee," the martial "Donald McGillavry" and the sizzling set led off by "The Humors of Tulla" and "Toss the Feathers."

Stewart fronts the band with strong vocals, at times soulful and at times bursting with humor. Behind him, the band mixes up skillful harmonies and arrangements which accent, but never overshadow, the songs. Then turn the band loose on an instrumental number like "Scarce o' Tatties," "The Curlew," "Saint Anne's Reel" or "Jean's Reel" -- all cunningly blended into some very lively sets -- and step back and be amazed. The Cunningham brothers in particular put out some dazzling sounds, especially in "The Humors of Tulla" set, that must be heard to be believed.

Goliard

"Fortune My Foe" 1978






















From the booklet:
"The prime objective of GOLIARD's performances is to achieve as authentic a sound as possible, removing the instruments from the hallowed atmosphere of the museum showcase to present their strange voices to as wide an audience as possible. Because they themselves started from scratch in both the fields of music and instrument-making, a great sympathy has grown between GOLIARD and mediaeval music, for they are following exactly the same pattern set by 12th and 13th Century wandering musicians who had to construct their own instruments and develop their own styles of performance.
A lot of beautiful recordings of mediaeval music have been made in the last ten years by many skilled people, but GOLIARD hope to add some correct perspective to the mediaeval sound by giving to their performance a vitality and understanding which they feel cannot be created by classically trained musicians, nor approached by a large group of specialist musicians brought together on the concert platform."

Tracklist:
01. 13C Dance, A L'Entrada del Tems Clar
02. Dulce Solum
03. Winder, wie ist Nu Din Kraft
04. El Mois de Mai, De Se Debent Bigami, Kyrie
05. Estampie Royale
06. Der Kuninc Rudolp
07. Chose Tassin, Chramer Gip Diu Varwe Mier
08. Vite Perdite
09. Rex Immense, Vinum Bonum Cum Sapore
10. Estampie
11. In Taberna Quando Sumus
12. Exul Ego Clericus
13. A Solis Ortu, Danse Royale

Goliard is raw medieval folk from 1978. The archive includes a pdf of the accompanying 20 page A4 booklet, with detailed notes and illustrations of medieval instruments.

DL

Link

Don't forget to try this one...

Natalie Merchant "The House Carpenter's Daughter"



















01. Sally Ann
02. Which Side Are You On?
03. Crazy Man Michael
04. Diver Boy
05. Weeping Pilgrim
06. Soldier, Soldier
07. Bury Me Under The Weeping Willow Tree
08. House Carpenter
09. Owensboro
10. Down On Penny's Farm
11. Poor Wayfaring Stranger

Natalie Merchant (vocals)
Erik Della Penna (guitar, lap steel)
Gabriel Gordon (guitar)
Richie Stearns (banjo)
Judy Hyman (fiddle)
Elizabeth Steen (accordion, piano, organ)
Allison Miller (drums)
The Menfolk (background vocals)
2006 - - - - - - 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
2007 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
2008 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
2009 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
2010 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
2011 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
2015 - - - - - 5 6