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Nic Jones: ‘Little Musgrave’
This is taken from one of the lost Nic Jones albums – ‘Ballads and Songs’ – ‘lost’ because they have been caught in a record company dispute for years. But this is a fine interpretation of the ballad...
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The New Roots Exchange, Vol. 1
This makes me very happy! The New Roots Exchange, Vol. I – A vinyl release of the first recorded collaboration between Red Tail Ring and Lindsay Lou & The Flatbellys. Vinyl, digital download, and...
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Sam Carter plays Nic Jones’ arrangement of Canadee-i-o
Sam Carter is going to be in Alberta this summer, playing at the Calgary Folk music festival. Here’s his excellent rendition of Nic Jones’ arrangement of Canadee-i-o. Sam’s website is here.
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Andy Irvine and Donal Lunny: ‘Plains of Kildare’
Andy and Donal will be making some appearances in Alberta this summer, and rumour has it that this will include a certain Folk Festival in a city where I live (which Andy’s website would appear to...
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Andy Irvine plays ‘As I Roved Out’
I first heard this wonderful old folk song on a ‘Planxty’ recording from the 1970s, with Andy singing the lead. Here he is giving us a recent solo performance of this great song. I am so looking...
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Andy Irvine: The Close Shave
This song is obviously related to ‘Barrack Street’ which I first heard on Nic Jones’ ‘Penguin Eggs’ album but it has travelled quite far! By the way, folks, this is how you play a bouzouki!
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Coming soon to a folk festival near me: Lúnasa
Never mind all that sensitive singer-songwriter stuff – this is the sort of thing I love to hear at a Folk Festival! Lúnasa’s website. They’ll be at the Edmonton Folk Music Festival this summer.
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Nic Jones: Master Kilby
I know I’ve posted this before, but this is the inimitable Nic Jones at his best, with a superb live recording of his take on the traditional song ‘Master Kilby‘. I believe this recording is taken from...
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Coming soon to a folk festival near me: James Keelaghan
This traditional song was recorded by James on his CD ‘A Few Simple Verses‘. He is better known, of course, as an excellent songwriter in his own right. James Keelaghan’s website is here. James will be...
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Maggie Boyle and Steve Tilston: ‘Fair Annie’
I’ve discussed this ballad before (see here). I originally learned it from Martin Simpson’s recording on ‘The Bramble Briar’, but Martin learned it from Peter Bellamy, although he did not use Bellamy’s...
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Kacy and Clayton: I’ll Be So Glad
Ever since I got it a couple of weeks ago, Kacy & Clayton‘s album ‘The Day Is Past and Gone’ has been playing pretty steadily on my car CD player. If you like traditional old timey folk music –...
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Coming soon to a folk festival near me: Andy Irvine and Donal Lunny
Because what everyone needs in their life is a talking racehorse. Andy and Donal will be playing at the Edmonton Folk Music Festival August 7th-10th. Years ago they used to be part of a little band...
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Martin and Eliza Carthy: ‘Died for Love’
On June 23rd, father and daughter duo Martin Carthy and Eliza Carthy will release their new CD, ‘The Moral of the Elephant’, in Canada. It has already been released in the UK and I have had a chance to...
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Martin and Eliza Carthy: ‘Bows of London’
This is day two of our Martin and Eliza Carthy week. Here they are a few years ago doing ‘Bows of London’. This is a very close relative of a well-known North American folk song called ‘The Wind and...
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Martin Carthy: ‘Scarborough Fair’
Paul Simon learned the English traditional song ‘Scarborough Fair’ from Martin Carthy in the 1960s; he and Art Garfunkel recorded it and of course had a huge hit with it. It’s obvious when you listen...
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Eliza Carthy and the Ratcatchers: Gallant Hussar
And here’s Eliza with her band The Ratcatchers (Jon Boden, John Spiers, and Ben Ivitsky). The quality of the video isn’t all that good, but if you want the original recording you can get it on Eliza’s...
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Waterson: Carthy: ‘Raggle-Taggle Gypsies’
So here’s a whole band: Martin Carthy, Eliza Carthy, Norma Waterson, Saul Rose, and Tim Van Eyken, singing ‘Raggle-Taggle Gypsies‘. This song exists in many versions, including ‘The Seven Yellow...
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Martin Carthy: ‘The Devil and the Feathery Wife’
A little comic relief this morning from Mr. Carthy. Information about this song can be found at Mainly Norfolk.
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Lady Maisery: ‘Willie’s Lady’
This is Child Ballad #6. The best known version is that originally created by Ray Fisher, who married the lyrics to a wonderful Breton drinking tune, and recorded it on her 1982 album Willie’s Lady....
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‘Patrick Spens’– a rewrite
You have to have a particular kind of hubris to attempt a rewrite of an iconic traditional folk song like ‘Sir Patrick Spens’, I guess – especially with the ghosts of all who have done it before...
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