The timeline for this week’s show is far ranging. British Folk was firing on all cylinders in the Seventies as evidenced by a number of tracks from that decade including Ramblin’ Robin from Peter Bellamy‘s self-titled 1975 album; Anne Briggs with Tangled Man from her 1971 album The Time Has Come; Martin Carthy with Famous Flower Of Serving Men from Shearwater (1972); Silly Wizard with The Shearing from their 1976 self-titled album and the folk-rock of Five Hand Reel (featuring the unforgettable vocals of Dick Gaughan) with The Beef-Can Close from Earl O’Moray (1978).
Earlier than all the above, we have the legendary Bert Jansch and John Renbourn with In this Game from their 1966 album Bert & John and Tim Hart & Maddy Prior with The Dalesman’s Litany from their 1968 album Folk Songs Of Old England Vol. 1.
There’s a heap of favourites from the not so distant past including Sean Doyle, Solas, Chris Wood, Kris Drever (with Éamonn Coyne and Megan Henderson), The Rheingans Sisters and more.
A few tracks were inspired by some of my favourite artists that I managed to catch recently at Purbeck Valley Folk Festival – Siobhan Miller, Thom Ashworth and Jez Hellard & The Djukella Orchestra.
As always, there a number of new releases:
Assynt with the title track of their new album Road to the North which was released at the end of last week and is a Featured Album of the Month. “The melodies that make up the sets are special in their own right – full of craft and tradition, but with a distinct contemporary flavour.” You can read Neil McFadyen’s review of the album here.
Trail West with a track from their latest offering From Sea to the City which finds them in the finest of form with an expanded line-up and a wide selection of songs as evidenced here with the traditional Mo Ghruagach Dhonn which was previously covered by Julie Fowlis on Cuilidh (2007).
Jeff Warner with Beautiful Life from his new album on WildGoose: Roam the Country Through. “I learned this from Ohio fiddler Jeff Goering who learned it from Amish sisters Mary and Emma Yoder from the village of Charm in eastern Ohio. As I found later, it was written by William Golden in 1918. It became a country and bluegrass standard, often performed faster than the Yoders’ version. But this is the way I first heard and loved the song.”
Hamish Napier with Up the Hill from his new album The Railway (released August 3rd). Returning to his hometown of Grantown-on-Spey, Napier’s collection of new compositions and songs were specially commissioned by the new Grantown East: Highland Heritage & Cultural Centre – the formerly derelict Grantown East railway station that is been lovingly restored as a cultural centre and is set to open on 2nd November 2018.
The album showcases a stellar line-up of Scottish musicians including Ross Ainslie, Patsy Reid, Ewan Robertson, James Lindsay and Eraser Stone. The Railway also features two songs written for the project by Hamish’s brother Findlay Napier, and cameos from the Strathspey Railway’s whistles, wheels and brakes.
Jimmy Aldridge & Sid Goldsmith with the beautiful Reedcutter’s Daughter taken from their forthcoming album Many a Thousand which is due for release on 7 September. It’s a traditional song “about a traveller who falls in love with a girl from Hoveton”, a village very close to where Jimmy and Sid grew up. The organ you hear in the song is from St Helens, Hoveton.
They have a special album launch at London’s Kings Place on 6 September – you can book tickets and find out more here: https://www.kingsplace.co.uk/whats-on/folk/jimmy-aldridge-and-sid-goldsmith/
Folk Show: Episode 35 Playlist
00:00:00 – Peter Bellamy – Ramblin’ Robin
00:02:05 – The Rheingans Sisters – Green Unstopping
00:06:14 – Sean Doyle – The Hawk And The Crow
00:10:54 – Siobhan Miller – Pound A Week Rise
00:14:06 – Solas – The Newry Highwayman
00:17:23 – Kris Drever – Shady Grove
00:20:58 – Assynt – Road To The North
00:24:41 – Five Hand Reel – The Beef-Can Close
00:28:01 – Trail West – Mo Ghruagach Dhonn
00:31:57 – Chris Wood – The Cottager’s Reply
00:35:52 – Jimmy Aldridge & Sid Goldsmith – Reedcutter’s Daughter
00:40:52 – Tim Hart and Maddy Prior – The Dalesman’s Litany
00:45:37 – Bert Jansch & John Renbourn – In This Game
00:49:41 – Anne Briggs – Tangled Man
00:53:00 – Thom Ashworth – Tyne Of Harrow
00:57:30 – Martin Carthy – Famous Flower Of Serving Men
01:06:42 – Jez Hellard & The Djukella Orchestra – Real Revolution
01:12:21 – Bryony Griffith – The Recovery & The Red House
01:17:20 – John Doyle – North Sea Holes
01:19:47 – Michael McGoldrick, John McCusker & John Doyle – The Wicked Belfast Man
01:23:48 – Hamish Napier – Up The Hill
01:27:46 – Jeff Warner – Beautiful Life
01:31:28 – Matthew Byrne – The River Driver
01:34:59 – Silly Wizard – The Shearing
Photo by Rick Hatch on Unsplash