67 f The standard of engineering is exem-


plary, and Allan’s guitar, where used, is kept in sensible perspective within the complex, often quite lavish texture. Super-Audio CD at its very finest, housed in a sturdy state-of-the- art hardcover package incorporating a full- colour 54-page book containing a multi-lan- guage background essay, an abundance of photos, complete lyrics and song notes and even full personnel listing for the 53-piece orchestra. All told, a beautifully produced release. www.allantaylor.com


David Kidman THE BOOKSHOP BAND


Curious And Curiouser The Bookshop Band CDTBB009


The first in a planned series of ten (yes, real- ly!) releases this year by The Bookshop Band – a flexible cast of musicians around a core duo of Beth Porter and Ben Please, who “write songs inspired by books, and play them in bookshops”. Played on a wondrous array of instruments including guitars, ukuleles, accordeon, cello, harmonium, oboe, glocken- spiel, viola and brass, their music encompass- es elements of folk, classical, indie, jazz and soundtrack.


The theme of this album is “books with a sense of the fantastical,” which include clas- sics like Alice In Wonderland and A Midsum- mer Night’s Dream, along with contemporary titles including Mark Hodder’s Burton And Swinburne In The Strange Affair Of Spring- Heeled Jack and The Coincidence Engine by Sam Leith. Once Upon A Time is cleverly com- posed entirely of book first lines.


There’s no necessity to have read any of the books to enjoy these songs, but after lis- tening, you might well have a mind to. They all have properly good tunes and Porter – long-respected as an instrumentalist, excels as a singer, too.


The CD package is an attractive, cleverly- crafted design, totally in keeping with the contents. Two bonus tracks are included – an extract from David Mitchell’s The Bone Clocks, read by Fiona O’Shaughnessy, and Stanley Dogwood reading from Humor.


thebookshopband.co.uk Steve Hunt


TAMBOURS CROISÉS Chapter Two Buda Musique 860292


Fifteen artists from seventeen French Over- seas Departments plus some from Senegal were gathered together in 2011 in France (The Year of France Overseas). They rehearse songs together to develop a show to take to range of venues, theatres, exhibitions, educa- tional establishments. Some of the time is allowed for jam sessions. It is a success and is repeated, though the programme is radically changed and developed each year. This CD was recorded of most of the items that were included in the 2015 tour. They explain their methodology in this way – “The notions of creation and passing on in our approach as much as the performance”.


The format is fairly simple. Voices are heard singing individually or in small num- bers singing in harmony. The only accompani- ment is hand drums in a wide variety of rhythms and what sounds like a referee’s whistle. The singing seems to be structured in a way that invites audience participation. The performers sound as though they are having the time of their lives as they record. If so much palpable joy is conveyed from a record- ing, how much delight must there be in see- ing them live?


www.budamusique,com Vic Smith


RICHARD BONA Heritage Qwest Records 2342145


Richard Bona has got a hell of a lot going for him. His recording career shows that he has tried his hand at a wide range of musical gen- res but this most recent release shows that he has found a platform in which he can excel. He has a singing voice that many would die for, a voice ideal for the smooth Afro-Cubism music of which he is a leading exponent. His album is clearly very expensively produced and he has been able to surround himself with a bunch of hugely talented musicians. They may come from a variety of ethnic back- grounds but they work together in a way that is tight, effective and very carefully planned with nothing left to chance.


So there is his voice, but there is also his musicianship. His main instrument is given as bass guitar but here he also contributes guitar, keyboards, percussion and that core instru- ment of Latin music, the… err… electric sitar!


Originally from Cameroon, he is now based in France and this album was recorded and mixed at top studios in Paris and New York. His upcoming world tour takes in twelve countries including one stopover in the UK at the Albert Hall on 22 August as part of the BBC Proms no less!


www.richardbona.com Vic Smith ADMIRALS HARD


Upon A Painted Ocean Believers Roast BR018


Admirals Hard are the brainchild of Cornish- man Andy Carne, who persuaded several of his fellow London-based West Country exiles – members of such diverse cult bands as Cardiacs, Knifeworld, Gong, Mediaeval Baebes and North Sea Radio Orchestra, to form a folk group. Utilising harmonium, hurdy-gurdy, melodeon, hammered dulcimer and seven voic- es, their repertoire is derived largely from Cyril Tawney and The Yetties (surely the most unlikely of alternative icons, even in a scene that latterly celebrates Shirley Collins and Anne Briggs as goddesses of underground cool).


It’s genuinely refreshing to hear musi-


cians unaffectedly celebrating the beloved sounds of their childhoods. While the likes of The Eddystone Light, The Broadside Man and All For Me Grog offer few surprises, their inventive yet respectful arrangements, and the shuffling rhythms applied to shanties, the discordant harmonium on Martin Said To His Man, Richard Larcombe’s fluid guitar picking on Rounding The Horn all provide plenty of evidence that these old chestnuts are still as tasty as ever they were.


Admirals Hard


Admirals Hard are an appealing bunch. Whilst they don’t possess the vocal firepower of some of the more established shanty groups, their manifestly impressive instru- mental chops – Billy Pigg is another cited influence – (showcased on The Random Jig/ I’ll Get Wedded In My Auld Claes), skilled har- monies (featured unaccompanied on Leave Her Johnny Leave Her) and good-natured enthusiasm carry them through handsomely.


facebook.com/admiralshard Steve Hunt


ADAMA DRAMÉ Dakan Buda Musique 4790380


In a part of his notes on a professional career stretching back over 50 years, Adama writes, “Why the hell did I choose the hard job of music – and why of all things the djembe?… all this was crowned with multiple disap- pointments, both professional and personal.” Well, with many Manding jalis whom I have met, it is not a matter of them choosing music as much as music choosing them for family and heritage reasons and Adama learned his life and music skills from his father and grandfather. And Adama, if your career has brought as much enjoyment as this outstand- ing release brings, then you will have given enjoyment to huge numbers.


Some tracks have a very straightforward


Manding sound with a small group playing traditional instruments and lovely female response singing; the balafon playing of Solo- lamane Diabaté plays a prominent part in these. Elsewhere, the approach is more mod- ern with Western instruments added, but there is the feeling that the solidly Manding core reaches out to incorporate suitable additions from wider influences. The very attractive booklet gives translations of the lyrics in French and English which show the typical mix of praise songs and moral guidance. Particu- larly pleasing is SNC which starts with a sort of soundscape and gradually segues into a gen- tle song in praise of a cultural event with bala- fon and violin leading the accompaniments.


Most of the music was recorded in a town in eastern Burkina Faso with later smaller additions in Paris. Adama’s partner in the pro- duction was that great musical mind, Ray Lema and between them they have supervised an album of great variety and high quality.


In spite of the huge satisfaction given by the nature of these arrangements, the out- standing track is a nine-minute plus djembe solo where the sheer diversity and technique of the sounds produced by a solo drum is mesmerising.


www.budamusique,com Vic Smith


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84