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Manor in Somerset – National Centre for Folk Arts? An internet search for their joint names reveals that they are well aware of one another and that they shared a weekend event there in May.
No, the two bands are not interchange- able; there are differences in their approach. A Blowzabella performance will include songs as well as traditional and composed tunes and their dance tune playing is overall beefier. The Naragonia Quartet play with punch but there is something quintessentially melodic about their approach. All the excel- lent tunes here are written by members of the band and all but two are by their piper Toon Van Mierlo, who is also one of their dia- tonic accordeonists. There are some exquisite melodies and beautiful arrangements amongst them.
Careful programming allows the band to exhibit aspects of their approaches on adjoin- ing tracks. For example on Fere/Poirot, gentle string plucking by Maarten Decombel is over- laid in places by the other instruments on melodies whose placidity only serve to emphasise their beauty, and then it is straight into the powerful driving pipes and accordeon of Lapwings/Crossbill.
homerecords.be Vic Smith VARIOUS ARTISTS
Destination: Fellside Recordings 1976- 2018 Fellside FECD 282
Destination marks a convenient “stopping- point” for Paul & Linda Adams, MDs of one of Britain’s premier specialist record labels, whereupon they begin to enter semi-retire- ment (winding down activities rather than closing down or selling off the business). Here we’re presented with a lavish third and final instalment in the series of well-stocked com- pilations charting the 42-year history of Fell- side: a triptych which began in 2006 with Landmarks and followed in 2016 with The Journey Continues, both sets deservedly fig- uring large in their respective year-best lists.
Needless to say, Destination will be con- sidered a mandatory purchase for anyone seriously interested in the healthy state of the British folk scene over the past four decades. Partly for the high quality of the music it con- tains, but to a large extent also for the gen- uine rarity value of close on four-fifths of its 64 tracks (29 are previously unreleased and 22 specially recorded for the project, with almost none of the remainder readily avail- able on CD). Artists from all eras of the Fell- side saga are represented – whether they be “big names”, comparatively minor personali- ties or worthy unarguable obscurities – while the label’s roots and branches proudly extend beyond all kinds of folk music into ragtime, blues and skiffle with the award-winning trad-jazz label Lake Records.
The outstanding achievements of this enterprising couple, not least their acute tal- ent spotting and facilitating proclivity over a veritable lifespan, cannot be celebrated in finer style than with this well-packaged, exceptional value (three discs for the price of one) collection.
fellside.com David Kidman
BRACKENBURY & NEILSON Crossings Monoline MLRC1
This is a very substantial piece of work, up there with the finest of roots-based, or indeed any, instrumental music from England and Wales. There’s so much in it musically that it’s hard to review; enthusiasm trumps analysis here.
Dave Van Ronk
It’s a new pairing, one from each side of the border: Faith Brackenbury on violin and viola, John Neilson on piano, sometimes accordeon, and a touch of concertina.
In nine of their own compositions, plus their version of one by Ellika Frisell, they make wonderfully rich, inventive music that twists and turns, strong on melodic glimpses and shifting asymmetric rhythms, full of imagery and evoking all sorts of connections.
It moves through gorgeous lyricism, deli-
cacy, surging power and bow-digging wild- ness, often in the same piece. It’s music with the expressive freedom of improvisation but clearly very structured in its composition. These are no ‘play the tune, then play it again’ things; they’re constantly unfolding and morphing, ever-changing in rhythm but never losing the flow or melodic sense, with the duetting instruments tracking and bounc- ing off one another in extraordinary commu- nication and empathy.
brackenburymusic.uk Andrew Cronshaw
DAVE VAN RONK
The Dave Van Ronk Collection 1958–62 Acrobat ADDCD3253
Dave Van Ronk, who passed in 2002, seems to be getting more attention these days than when he was still alive, trying to gig, record and make a living during the second half of his career when a lot of people seemed to have forgotten about him. Since the 2005 publication of Elijah Wald’s The Mayor of MacDougal Street and the release of the Coen Brothers 2013 film Inside Llewyn Davis (partly based on the book and a fictional character that reflected some of Van Ronk’s traits and experiences) some retrospective compilations of Van Ronk’s recordings have been issued. The 2013 Smithsonian/Folkways Dave Van Ronk: Down In Washington Square was an excellent release with its selection of
tracks that had been released on Folkways plus sixteen previously unreleased record- ings… and this double CD Acrobat collection of material dating from 1958 to 1962, cover- ing Van Ronk’s early career, is well worth its cover price.
Starting with five rather amateurish tracks culled from the Skiffle In Stereo album by the Orange Blossom Jug Five (on Lyri- chord), a short-lived group put together by Van Ronk and Sam Charters, that only Dave comes out of with any credibility as his voice already has power and authority, the Collec- tion gets properly into gear with all fourteen tracks released on the 1959 Folkways album Dave Van Ronk Sings Ballads, Blues, and a Spiritual. Dave’s powerhouse delivery of his wide choice of songs really announces his central position at the start of the American folk/blues revival. Who else on this scene was making albums as powerful as this at this early date?
The remainder of the Collection compris- es the complete Van Ronk Sings (1961, Folk- ways) and Dave Van Ronk, Folksinger (1962, Prestige). As you listen throughout the album you hear Van Ronk gaining confidence, refin- ing his singing and guitar playing, and stamp- ing his pre-eminence on the new world of the folk music revival.
In 1961 a young Bob Dylan arrived in
New York, met Van Ronk at Café Wha?, stayed intermittently at Van Ronk’s Green- wich Village apartment over a six-month peri- od sleeping on his couch, and left with Van Ronk’s arrangement of House Of The Rising Sun, which Dylan recorded for his first album, released in March 1962. Dylan became known worldwide, whereas Dave Van Ronk stayed in Greenwich Village continuing to inspire, encourage and help many, many musicians (including myself).
With the continued release of Dave’s music via such albums as this current set, this great artiste’s legacy lives on.
acrobatmusic.net Dave Peabody
Photo: Dave Peabody
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