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for life!…
fRoots is a truly independent,
activist magazine that recently cele-
brated its 30th anniversary! We are
very proud that we have published
every single issue on time.
If you value, enjoy and believe in
fRoots, you can help us to build on
what we have achieved, continue
our musical activism, and train peo-
ple to carry it on. You can become a
Lifetime Supporting Subscriber
by making one lump contribution.
You will then receive every fRoots
until you shuffle off this jumping
sphere, and you’ll be helping to
secure the future of the one maga-
zine which has consistently support-
ed this music through thick and thin
for nearly three decades.
We’ve set a minimum of £550 for the
UK, £750 for Europe and surface else-
where, £950 for airmail outside
Photo: Judith Burrows
Europe. But if anybody feels able to
Kamel El Harrachi
be a more generous patron, they can
specify their own figure.
tion. But Kamel’s album stays true to his pater- composer Alan Bush just as World War Two
Every Lifetime Supporting Sub-
nal chaabi roots. Guitar, violin and virtuoso was about to erupt. Liberally illustrated and
mandole interweave over the fast percussive cleanly presented, it gives a thorough back-
scriber will also get access to the
rhythms of derbouka and tar. Kamel’s voice is ground into the records that have made Topic
digital edition, the option to claim
softer than his father’s, but just as strong. the revered pre-eminent British folk label for
free VIP tickets for any events we
Seven of the songs on Ghana Fenou are
so long with various pages focusing on those
promote, and automatically receives
new adaptations of classic Dahmane material.
who’ve loomed large in its history – Bush, A L any special CDs we are involved in.
Kamel’s versions are faithful to the originals,
Lloyd, Ewan MacColl, Bill Leader, Reg Hall,
More info at www.frootsmag.com
and are performed with youthful vigour. Just
Gerry Sharp and the man who, for approach-
as interesting, much to my surprise, are his
ing 40 years, has steadfastly guarded its lega-
three new compositions. Khoudi Rahtek has
cy as a label designed to give ‘a voice to the
some wonderful meandering improvisation,
people’, Tony Engle.
bribery!
and Hyati Maâk is a downtempo catchy num- Which is all very rewarding, but it’s the
1 YEAR SUBSCRIPTION BRIBE!
ber. The strongest of the new songs is Ghana seven CDs (working out at 144 tracks and
As an introductory offer to new first
Fenou, the opener, a track with strong hints of around eight hours of music) where you get
time 1-year subscribers, we'll give
Dahmane’s greatness. Ya Rayah appears last a proper grasp of the enduringly vital role it
on the album as the ‘bonus track’. There’s has played in recording and providing access
you 3 FREE BACK ISSUES of your
nothing shocking about this faithful render- to so much of the tradition that has brought
choice – double issues with CDs
ing. Then again, even Taha didn’t stray too far us here in the first place. That amazing first
count as 2 – from the list at
from the sound of the chaabi original; per- Watersons LP Frost & Fire recorded in one
www.frootsmag.com
haps it would be sacrilegious to drastically day in 1965, the early Lloyd and MacColl
reinvent such a classic. Yet by the end of this stuff, classic records by Shirley Collins, Anne
2 YEAR SUBSCRIPTION BRIBE!
excellent collection, I’m looking forward to Briggs, Martin Carthy, Nic Jones, Dick Gaugh-
Open to new subscribers or
hearing more of Kamel’s own ingenuity. an, June Tabor and Peter Bellamy and, most
renewals: a FREE CD if you sub-
www.turnagainmusic.com; www.mys-
importantly of all, the singers and musicians scribe for 2 years. See the full list at
pace.com/kamelelharachi [sic]
like Jeannie Robertson, Harry Cox, Fred Jor- www.frootsmag.com which
dan, Levi Smith, Sam Larner and Willie Clan-
includes albums by Oumou San-
John Ridpath
cy. We even get a smattering of American
gare, Jim Moray, Chango Spa-
pioneers like Hedy West, Woody Guthrie and
siuk, Franco, Bellowhead, Eliza
VARIOUS ARTISTS
Rambling Jack Elliott.
Carthy, Les Amazones De Guinée,
Engle and his heir apparent David Suff
Toumani Diabate, John Spiers &
Three Score & Ten: A Voice To The People have clearly had the mother of all labour of
Jon Boden, Kries, Orchestra
Topic TOPIC70 loves trawling through the rich treasure trove
of the Topic archives to come up with a series
Baobab, Yasmin Levy, Martin
It’s a book, it’s a boxed set, it’s a rich, living,
of compilations that not only represent a vivid
Simpson, Oysterband, Balla Et
breathing history of British and Irish folk
picture of the label’s output all these years
Ses Balladins, June Tabor, Blue
music…
but, apart from their obvious cultural signifi-
Blokes 3, Andrew Cronshaw, The
Whatever else, Topic knows how to cele- cances, stand as a series of CDs that are thor- Copper Family and great compila-
brate an anniversary. Its 60th birthday was oughly entertaining in their own right. This tions including Authentiques, Step-
signalled by the mind-boggling 20-CD Voice might be the greatest achievement of the
ping Up, Hidden English and various
Of The People series that – without thought whole project because the choices are shrewd-
Rough Guides.
of the commercial suicide it was knowingly ly programmed, not by chronology, but into
committing – made accessible the singers and different topics – covering geographical loca- Allow 3 weeks for UK delivery,
musicians who carried the tradition when tion, songs of dissent, contemporary songwrit- longer abroad. Alternatively, pick 6
nobody else wanted to know. For the 70th, it ing, etc. The results make beautifully balanced
FREE BACK ISSUES – double issues
issues a handsome 108-page book detailing sets with the first records ever released on
with CDs count as 2 – from the list at
the tale of Topic from its modest beginning as Topic – The Man That Waters The Workers’
www.frootsmag.com
a mail order club launched as a branch of the Beer by Paddy Ryan and The Internationale by
Marxist-based Workers Music Association by the Topic Singers & Band nestling easily along-
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