81 f
2 Jigfoot Nothing At All (Melting Pot MELTP9CD). Southampton-based purveyors of English dance music strut their stuff with exuberant bounce, swing and syncopation employing two violins, cello, melodeon and guitar, making a rich, jolly sound on horn- pipes, jigs, morris and session tunes and including a couple of songs for good mea- sure.
www.jigfoot.com
2 Pharis & Jason Romero A Passing Glimpse (Lula Records LULA1102). Lovely down-homey sounds from the backwoods of BC, the banjo-making Romeros live and sing in close harmony. Symbiotic in nature, cf Gillian Welch & David Rawlings.
www.jasonandpharis.com
@ Joanne Maciver & Christophe Saunière The Cannie Hour (Buda 2774094). Arran piper MacIver sings a baker’s dozen of Scottish-flavoured self-penned songs, and plays small pipes, flute and whistle in tandem with eclectic jazz/concert/celtic harpist part- ner. Pleasant, vaguely Poozie-ish sound and feel, except words and music more-or-less instantly forgettable, I’m afraid.
www.budamusique.com
2 Duotone Ropes (ECC Records ECC 005). Cellist Barney Morse-Brown (Imagined Vil- lage, Chris Wood) and percussionist/singer- songwriter James Garrett together make refreshingly different contemporary acoustic music. Their songs are thoughtful and slightly melancholy, ethereally poignant in a kind of minimalist way; their delicate yet mildly lus- cious soundscape belying the depth of emo- tion within. Seriously spellbinding. www.duo-
tonemusic.com
2 The Quiet American The Quiet Ameri- can Vol II (Boulder Acoustic Society Music 884501517287). The Quiet American aka Aaron Keim is an American banjo and uke- toting singer, adroitly performing an unas- suming selection of trad and self-penned material, rooted in the dustbowl tradition, with gutsy accompaniments on fiddle, man- dolin, lap steel and bass. Simple and effective.
www.quietamericanmusic.com
1 Kepa Junkera & Melonious Quartet Fandango: Provença Sessions (Hirire HR002). Kepa’s trikitixa melodeon with the two mandolins, mandola and mandocello of the Quartet – Patrick Vaillant, Thomas Bien- abe, Patrick Osowiecki and Jean-Louis Ruf – in new arrangements of 14 of his tunes. Inge- nious, skilfully smart playing, but best taken track by track; as an album it blurs into a mass of intricacy. UK distributor
www.discovery-records.com
2 Various Artists Gilles Peterson Pre- sents: Havana Cultura: The Search Con- tinues (Brownswood Recordings BWOOD076P). Gilles Peterson produces pianist-composer Roberto Fonseca’s Havana Cultura Band and an eclectic host of young Cuban artists—Danay Suárez, Julito Padrón, Osdalgia, Ogguere, Telmary, Anónimo Conse- jo, Obsesión, Creole Choir Of Cuba and more—the upbeat shape of Cuban things to come.
www.brownswoodrecordings.com
2 Jimmy Reed I’m Jimmy Reed (Charly/Vee Jay SNAX630CD). The iconic Reed album that was treasured by 1960s UK fans with its cover of a guitar propped on a chair, expanded to two CDs with lots of good but rare sides that aren’t on the usual Reedx- ploitation sets (gosh, no Big Boss Man or Shame Shame Shame, folks!). Good value, nicely packaged in the original cover.
www.snappermusic.co.uk
2 James Hill Man With A Love Song (Borealis Records BCD207). Canada’s energet- ic ukulele virtuoso has come up with concise, well-turned lyrics in a multitude of styles. As well as playing slide and banjo uke, he’s also no mean fiddler. The title waltz features Anne Davison’s cello and Nova Devonie’s accordeon.
www.jameshillmusic.com
1 Kalio Gayo Parti Y Prije (Own label, dis- tribution XMD). Happy-go-lucky bunch of Dutch radicals who, as musical liberals, bring just about everything to the party. It’s fine as a philosophy but in reality it makes for a schizophrenic listen. As they jump from style to style in the name of ‘party folk’, things just get too confused. What doesn’t work in the studio though will mean they’re a hoot live.
www.kaliogayo.nl
1 Ghalia Benali Romeo & Leila (Zimbraz MWCD 3042). A re-release for the Tunisian singer’s 2006 personal concept album about an impossible but enduring love. It’s a theatri- cal chamber piece, Benali singing her own compositions alongside melodies from Abdul- wahab and Sonbati.
www.ghalia.be
2 Tim Edey /Brendan Power Wriggle And Writhe (Gnatbite GB010). A somewhat inspired and dynamic duo combining New Zealand and English lineage with a danger- ous approach to traditional music. Wriggle And Writhe is aptly named – typically eclectic and idiosyncratic delivered with a speedball energy and manic integrity. Recommended.
www.gnatbiterecords.com
2 Peter & Barbara Snape Revel And Rally (Luke’s Row Music LRCD 003). The Burn- ley-based duo follows its likeable 2009 debut with a valuable and more satisfyingly sub- stantial collection. It’s mostly traditional fare (plus Tams, Bellamy and the inevitable hand- ful of Gracie Fields favourites!) on which Bar- bara’s clear, confident voice is ideally support- ed by Peter’s melodeon and anglo, with guest appearances from the Threlfall sisters. Reli- ably excellent.
www.thesnapes.org.uk
1 Frank Burkitt Valley Of Gold (Own label no cat no). Scottish singer-songwriter’s second disc, presenting polished but in the end often unremarkable observations inspired by touring the Antipodes. Any sense of drive and presence in the accompaniment is compromised by Frank’s own stylish, if gen- erally less than interesting delivery.
www.frankburkitt.co.uk
1 Various Artists Irish Tap Dance (Sunset France SA 141221). Dublin music teacher Ray- mond Smyth has put some impressive young traditional players through his music school. This strangely-monikered collection high- lights some exceptional talents, however it is short-changed by hokey packaging and non- accreditation of the artists.
www.airmail-music.com
1 Anthony Joseph & The Spasm Band Rubber Orchestras (Naïve 3298498234114). Highly-rated British poet, born in Trinidad, declaims over endless tuff riffs from spitting nasty band: sounds oddly like Fela. This poet, however, comes across calm and reasonable, no rabble-rouser at all. Best when he gets fired up, as in Bullet In The Rocks. www.heav-
enly-sweetness.com
2 Annabelle Chvostek Live From Folk Alley (Own label). A visiting card from the ex-Wailin’ Jennys singer-songwriter. Audi- ence requests have her swapping guitar for violin or mandolin. The 10 songs include win- ning versions of The Sioux and her new Heartland Quay.
www.annabelle.org
Maz O’Connor
2 Maz O’Connor On Leaves Or On Sand (Haystack Records HAYCD003). BBC Young Folk Awards finalist, after three years touring with Last Orders, releases four-track EP of (mainly) trad songs done to gentle, delicate and beautiful arrangements mostly tending towards the Rusby-esque. Most promise is shown on combi-finale (Caw The Yows), so a forthcoming full-lengther’s eagerly awaited.
www.mazoconnor.co.uk
2 Jason McNiff April Cruel (Fledg’ling FLED 3087). Yorkshire-born bluesman Jason McNiff sounds almost Dylanesque in his weaving of words and the way he delivers them. Lovely backing from Graham Knight on keyboards and Lizzie O’Connor on man- dolin/banjo, among others. Modena City Ramblers are agreeable influences.
www.the-
beesknees.com
2 Utah Phillips Making Speech Free (PM Press PMA 0016-2). Anyone who can invent a low-calorie communion wafer called I Can’t Believe It’s Not Jesus is worth cultivating. Over 70 minutes of stories and songs from the late lamented music-maker, raconteur and kindly anarchist, appearing in California in 1999.
www.discovery-records.com
1 Arat Kilo A Night in Abyssinia (Milan 3299039935422). This Parisian band present contemporary arrangements of ‘60s Ethiopi- an jazz with appearances from legendary sax- ophonist Mulatu Astatké and Malian vocalist Rokia Traoré. The playing is sincere and tech- nically potent but often lacking the driving groove and energy that characterised music of this era. Maybe more nights in Abyssinia are needed?
www.myspace.com/aratkilozik
@ Bobby Valentino Pat-A-Cake, Pat-A- Cake (Handmade Music HMMCD1001). Smooth, crooning fiddle playing singer with original material. Any roots connection tenu- ous at best. More comprehensive review would have been a Valentino’s Day Massacre for sure.
www.bobbyvalentino.co.uk
1 April Verch That’s How We Run (Slab Town Records STR11-01). A deft and techni- cally-proficient fiddler, with an easy ability to shift from one style to another, a singer and step-dancer to boot. Here, she explores old- time Appalachian tunes alongside her native Canadian traditions. A stellar line-up, num- bering Rayna Gellert, Riley Baugus and Dirk Powell amongst them, give her their backing. For my tastes, her clean lines and sugar-sweet vocal delivery are just a little too polished and pretty though.
www.aprilverch.com
1 The Hot Seats Live (Own label no cat no). Using old time music as basic theme, USA quartet add bass and drums to fiddles, banjo in generally spirited music. Outstandingly average.
www.thehotseats.net
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