HEDY WEST from North Georgia, at the southern end of the Appalachians. A L Lloyd regarded her as ‘far and away the of American girl singers in the revival.’ A sensitive and vibrant singer who accompanied herself in a distinctive style on the five-string banjo, her early recordings for the Topic label have had a remarkable influence on the folk song revival.

1    The House Carpenter
2    Pretty Saro
3    Old Smokey
4    Blow Ye Gentle Winds
5    My Soul’s Full Of Glory
6    Promised Land
7    Over There
8    Little Matty Groves
9    Rake And Rambling Boy
10  Joe Bowers
11  Whistle, Daughter, Whistle
12  I’m An Old Bachelor
13  Johnny Sands
14  My Good Old Man
15  Frankie Silvers
16  Lee Tharin’s Bar Room

There is a Scots saying that a Stewart is ‘either a tinker or sib to the King’. Nobody who knows the Stewarts of Blairgowrie, who spring from a long and famous line of Scots travelling folk, will feel like arguing the toss as to which of these possibilities confers the higher status. By general consent the Stewarts rank high among the singing ‘folk’ families of Europe and the world, and (as Robert Burns would have agreed) this and similar considerations of sense and merit confer the only patent of nobility worth a docken. The descendants of ‘auld Jimmy Stewart of Struan’, who crossed from Perthshire into Aberdeenshire via Glenshee and the Devil’s Elbow about the middle of the last century, are now scattered up and down the high roads and the low roads of Scotland, and there is a flourishing colony of them in Canada. There can be few more musically gifted clans or families in all Europe. Pipers, Fiddlers, melodeon players, tin whistlers can be counted among them in dozens, and you practically never encounter an indifferent performer. Alex’s father, old John Stewart, was one of the finest pipers in Scotland.

Alex, Belle, Cathie and Sheila Stewart recorded in 1965 by Bill Leader

1     Huntingtower
2     Caroline of Edinburgh Town
3     In London’s Fair City
4     Queen Amang the Heather
5     Dowie Dens o’ Yarrow
6     The Lakes o’ Shillin
7     Ower Yon Hill There Lives a Lassie
8     The Convict’s Song
9     Young Jamie Foyers
10    The Corncrake amang the Whinny Knowes
11    Busk, Busk, Bonnie Lassie
12    March; Strathspey; Reel

Muliti-instrumentalist Andrew Cronshaw variously draws upon the traditional music of the Scottish Highlands, Northern Spain, Finnland and his native England to weave a music of great beauty and originality. 1993′s The Language of Snakes was his sixth solo album. Working with a close band of musical collaborators, Cronshaw magically transforms his disparate source material with a series of unexpected textures and arrangements.
1  Through Moorfields
2  Kindness For Ever More
3  MacDonnel’s March / Kilcoy’s March
4  Baile de Procesión
5  Cronnan na Caillach a bhan sa Bhein Bhreic
6  Marcha Procesional do San Benito
7  Apple Praities
8  Ailean Duinn
9  A Maruxa
10  The Waterford Waltz
11  Tupakkarulla / Tuuti Hussaa Ja Lullaa / The Other Boot Dance
12  Hithil Ùil Agus Ò, Hithil O Hòrino
13  Tha Mi Sgith ‘m Ònaran
14  An Gille Donn / Vaskilinun Vaikerrus

Traveller, horse-dealer and uilleann piper, Felix Doran was also a great-grandson of the famous 19th-century piper John Cash of Wexford. Carrying on the tradition of that extraordinarily influential musician, Doran played all over Ireland for many years.

1 Air: Mary of Murroe / Reel: The Green Gates
2 Air: The Dear Irish Boy / Reel: The Primrose Lass
3 Reel: Rakish Paddy
4 Air: Rolandstown Churchyard
5 Reel: The Ash Plant
6 Jig: The Lark in the Morning
7 The Fox Hunt
8 Reels: George White’s Favourite / The Ivy Leaf
9 Air: The Coolin
10 Reel: Boys of the Lough
11 Reels: Pigeon on the Gate / Miss Monaghan

First published by Topic Records in 1976

Few singers have such a vigorous, broad-ranging, fresh-sounding repertoire as Roy Harris from Nottingham, and none can handle it more convincingly. Guest musicians include Martin Carthy (guitar, mandola), Bobby Campbell (fiddle) and Vic Gammon (melodeon).
1  The Saucy Bold Robber
2  Bold Lovell
3  Steepleford Town
4  Captain Ward
5  The Methody Parson
6  Caroline and her Young Sailor Bold
7  The Beggar’s Song
8  When I was A Little Boy
9  The Dragoon’s Ride
10  Cropper Lads
11  The ‘Royal Charter’
12  The Topman and the Afterguard
13  The Jovial Hunter
14  Hard Times of Old England

John Kirkpatrick and Sue Harris play and sing English country music with a rare authority. John is a well known session musician, recording with Richard and Linda Thompson, Gerry Rafferty, Pere Ubu, Roy Bailey and many others. John and Sue were founder members of the Albion Country Band, and John has been a member of Steeleye Span and Brass Monkey. ‘The Rose Of Britain’s Isle’ was voted the record of the year 1974 by Folk Review.
1  The Rose of Britain’s Isle / Glorishears
2  Up in the North
3  Hunsden House and Whimbleton House
4  Queen of the May
5  Old Man Jones
6  Not for Joe
7  Weyhill Fair
8  The Milkmaid’s Song
9  Rising Sun and the Crown
10  Sweet Swansea
11  The Yellow Joak and The White Joak
12  The Lady and the Soldier
13  Fireside Polka / Down Sides and up the Middle

The whole guitar-based section of the late twentieth century British folk revival owes an enormous debt to Davy Graham. The ideas explored across his earliest recordings have had a huge impact and continue to resound through the work of succeeding generations of musicians. For innumerable young guitarists, Davy Graham was the undisputed guitar hero of the British folk-blues clubs in the early and mid-1960s: a remarkable and wildly inventive musician. This fabulous duo EP with Alexis Korner captures Davy at the beginning of his recording career.
1  Angi
2  Davy’s Train Blues
3  3/4 AD

Solo recording from one of the leading figures in music from the North East of England and inded in the English folksong revival of the late twentieth century. English concertina and smallpipe maestro Alistair Anderson has been at the forefront of the performance of traditional music for over four decades. An internationally recognised ambassador for the music of Northumberland, between 1968 and 1979 he toured the world as a member of the High Level Ranters. He has an enviable reputation as a solo performer and an enthusiastic educator and folk activist. In 2006 he was awarded the prestigious Gold Medal of the English Folk Dance and Song Society.
1  The Hawk Polka / Thrunton Woods
2  The Keelman’s Petition / The Tipp Staff
3  La Fille de Lyon / Cotillion des Marionettes
4  Blake’s Hornpipe / President Garfield’s Hornpipe / Bonny Broom Hill
5  Felton Ionnin
6  Kriden Fair / Tich Richardson’s Favourite / Hey to the Camp / Brosehill
7  Alistair Anderson’s Favourite / Old French
8  The Belfast Hornpipe / The Prize Potato
9  The Trip to Carlisle / Corby Crag
10  Ali Anderson / Henry Atkinson
11  Blaydon Flats / Whittingham Games / James Brown
12  Derwent Water’s Bonnie Lord / The Bride’s Favourite
13  Remember Me / The Left Handed Fiddler
14  Geld Him Lasses, Geld Him / Uncle John
15  The Darkening

Two generations of the Campbell family and their lodger recorded during a family get-together. The older Campbells recalled songs from their youth in Scotland; Bob Cooney, the lodger, remembered children’s rhymes from childhood; Ian and Lorna (from the influential Ian Campbell Folk Group) and their sister Winnie sand ancient songs freshly learned through the folk revival.
1  Faur does Bonnie Lorna Lie / Sleep Till Yer Mammy – Betty Campbell
2  Nicky Tams – Dave Campbell
3  The Road and the Miles to Dundee – Betty Campbell
4  Drumdelgie / I Ken Fur I’m Gaun – Dave Campbell & Bob Cooney
5  My Wee Man’s a Miner / Fa, Fa, Fa wid be a Bobby / Foul Friday / Me an’ Mi Mither / We Three Kings – The Campbell Family
6  Bogie’s Bonnie Belle – Winnie Campbell
7  The Cruel Mother – Ian Campbell
8  Lang a’Growin’ – Lorna Campbell
9  Lady Eliza – Winnie Campbell
10  Will Ye Gang Love – Ian Campbell
11  I Wish, I Wish – Lorna Campbell
12  McGinty’s Meal and Ale – Bob Cooney and the family

A smile, a tear, a tapping foot – the New Victory Band can evoke them all with an enviable expertise. Old-time dances, music hall songs, even a ragtime tune on the harmonium was within their scope. Their sole album stands as an important example of the new movement in English country dance music that developed during the 1970s. ‘One More Dance and Then…’ is stuffed full of variety, humour, pathos, fine music and fun.
1  Polkas – Harper’s Frolick / Bonny Kate
2  Schottische – The Mountain Belle
3  You Can’t Take That on the Train
4  Waltzes – Charles Lynch’s / Cajun Waltz / The Banks of the Dee
5  Pretty Little Girl from Nowhere
6  Nellie’s First Rag
7  Polkas – Robbie Hobkirk’s / Father’s
8  Jigs – Mrs Grace Bowie / The Hogmanay
9  Mamie May
10  Polkas – (I’m Going To Get My) Moustache (Blacked As Soon As I Get There) / Corn Riggs
11  One More Dance and Then
12  Long, Long Trail

Peggy Seeger and Tom Paley, both New York, are brilliant exponents of American instrumental traditions. Guitar, banjo, autoharp and dulcimer weave a delicate majesty on a great selection of traditional material. This stunning collection, recorded in London in 1964 by Bill Leader, is a powerful example of their musical accuity and has been an influence on many younger performers.
1  Who’s That Knocking at My Window
2  Love Henry
3  The Lass of Roch Royal
4  Who’s Going to Shoe your Pretty Little Foot?
5  Pretty Polly
6  Englewood Mine
7  Buck Dancer’s Choice
8  Just as the Tide Was Flowing
9  The Kicking Mule
10  The Heartless Lady
11  The Fiddling Soldier
12  Tittery Nan
13  Loving Reilly
14  The Cuckoo
15  If He’d Be a Buckaroo
16  The Girl on the Greenbriar Shore

A collection of instrumental country dance music from the North-east of Scotland, played by solos or duets rather than in the ubiquitous country dance-band style.

1    Lady Madeline Sinclair Strathspey / The High Road to Linton reel  Alex Green – whistle
2    The White Cockade / Niel Gow‘s Farewell to Whiskey / Miss Jean Milligan – reels  Willie Fraser – mouth-organ
3    Jig Selection – The Muckin’ o’ Geordie’s Byre / Kinnegad Slashers / The Bugle Horn / The Muckin’ o’ Geordie’s Byre  Charlie Bremner – fiddle
4    The Brig o’ Perth / The Reel o’ Tulloch  John Grant – fiddle
5    Strathspey & Reel: Forbes Morrison / The Ten Pound Fiddle  Alex Green -whistle
6    Pipe-Marches: MacLean of Pennycross / The Midlothian Pipe Band  Alex Green – whistle
7    Strathspey & Reel: The Smith’s a Gallant Fireman / Jenny Dang the Weaver  Willie Fraser – diddling
8    Reels: John McFadden / Timour the Tartar  Charlie Bremner – fiddle
9    March: The 79th‘s Farewell to Gibralter  Willie Fraser – mouth-organ
10   Jig Selection: Bonnie Dundee / Hot Punch / Kenmuir’s on an’ awa’  Willie Fraser – mouth-organ
11   J B Milne/The Lovat Scouts / The Breakdown / Caddam Woods  Charlie Bremner – fiddle
12   Polka  Charlie Bremner – fiddle
13   The Smith’s a Gallant Fireman / Soldier’s Joy  John Grant – fiddle
14   The Kirrie Kebbuck / Sir David Davidson of Cantray – strathspey & reel  Alex Green – whistle
15   Marches: Tam Bain’s Lum / The Blue Bonnets  Alex Green – whistle
16   Strathspey and Reel: Far Frae Scotia‘s Shores / Ally Crocker (The New Brig o’ Ayr)  Willie Fraser – mouth-organ
17   Strathspey and Reel: Orange and Blue / Mrs MacLeod of Rothesay  Willie Fraser – diddling
18   March: Highland Wedding  Willie Fraser – mouth-organ
19   Dr MacDonald – reel  Charlie Bremner – fiddle
20  Lady Charlotte Campbell – slow strathspey & reel  Alex Green – whistle
21   Reels: High Road to Linton / The Mason’s Apron / The De’il Among the Tailors / Timour the Tartar  Charlie Bremner – fiddle

The Cameron Men is a superb collection of classic Scots Fiddle Recordings from the Thirties. The Cameron men were a group of brothers from Kirriemuir, with a strong family tradition of fiddling. This album, derived from 1930s Beltona and Edison Bell Winner 78s, includes solo fiddle pieces by William and James Cameron, and eight supremely graceful tracks by a fiddle trio (William, James and George) with a fourth brother Stewart, at the piano.

1  Cameron Men (M162, BL2087) March, Strathspey & Reel: The Abercairney Highlanders / Ballochmyle / Speed the Plough
2  Cameron Men (M160, BL2240) Polka
3  James Cameron (M585, BL2301) The Auld Lichties [John MacFadyen of Melfort / Brig of Perth / The Earl of Crawford's Reel]
4  William Cameron (13956, Edison Bell Winner 5428) Farewell to Gartly / Stirling Castle / Soldier’s Joy
5  Cameron Men (M166, BL2241) Miss Drummond of Perth / Maggie Cameron / The Favourite
6  James Cameron (M14673, BL1988) Jigs: The Flock and Wee Pickle Tow / The Blackthorn Stick / Teviot Brig / Humors of Donnybrook
7  William Cameron (13960, EBW 5430) Air, Strathspey & Reel: Our Highland Queen / Forth Brig / Forth Brig
8  Cameron Men (M163, BL2120) March, Strathspey & Reel: Loch Katrine / Miss Lyall / Loch Leven
9 James Cameron (M587, BL2302) Rossity Ends (A Good Going Violin Medley) [unidentified 6/8 march / Smith's a Gallant Fireman / Pretty Peggy]
10 James Cameron (M14678, 1989) Jigs: Cumberland Reel / Father O’Flynn / Auld Brig o’ Ayr / The Wind That Shakes the Barley
11 Cameron Men (M161, BL2241) March, Strathspey & Reel: Earl Dalhousie / Lady Mary Ramsey / Soldier’s Joy
12 William Cameron (13961, EBW 5431) Jig, Strathspey & Reel: Banks O’ Allan / Craigellachie Brig / Lasses o’Stewarton
13 Cameron Men (M165, BL2217) Dashing White Sergeant / My Love She’s But a Lassie Yet / The Rose Tree
14 James Cameron (M14674, BL1974) Jigs, Strathspey & Reel: The Rakes of Kildare / Swallow Tail / The Queen’s Welcome to Deeside / The Drummer
15  Cameron Men (M159, BL2217) Circassian Circle: Original / Brechin Brig / Victoria Hornpipe
16  Cameron Men (M164, BL2120) March, Strathspey & Reel: Bonnie Ann / Bob Johnston / Bob Johnston 

Jesse Fuller, “The Lone Cat” (1896 – 1976) was one of the great blues troubadours. A remarkably expressive singer and fine 12-string guitarist, Fuller developed his unique one-man-band style around his fotdella (foot-operated bass) and harmonica/kazoo rig. This collection includes his earliest recordings, including the original version of his classic San Francisco Bay Blues, together with a session taped in London in 1965 for Topic Records.

This album is available on CD from Fledg’ling Records www.thebeesknees.com

1  Move On Down The Line
2  Stealing
3  Ninety-nine Years and One Dark Day
4  Animal Fair
5  Sleeping in the Midnight Cold
6  Stackolee
7  John Henry
8  Railroad Worksong
9  Lining up the Track
10  Hangin’ Round a Skin Game
11  Railroad Blues
12  San Francisco Bay Blues

J SCOTT SKINNER (1843 – 1927) was in his time the chief composer and exponent of Scots violin music. His own pieces no less than his versions of traditional tunes became settled in the tradition, and a command of the Skinner repertoire and, equally important, the master’s style is among the most respected attainments of a Scots fiddler.

1     The President – Air and Variations
2     Lucania Polka
3     The Freebooter / Tullochgorum / The East Neuk o’ Fife
4     Allegory / The Miller o’ Hirn / Mackenzie Frazer / The Auld Wheel
5     Bagpipe Marches – Athole Highlanders’ Farewell to Loch Katrine / Cameron Highlanders / The Inverness Gathering
6     Celebrated Hornpipes – Arthur Seat / Eugene Stratton / The Banks
7     Highland Reels – Laird o’ Thrums / Gavin M’Millan / Laird o’ Drumblair / Gladstone’s Reel
8     Medley No. 2 – Bonnie Lass o’ Bon Accord / Marquis of Huntly’s Farewell / The Ten Pound Fiddle
9     Highland Schottische No. 2 – Sandy Cameron / Miller o’ Hirn / The Glenlivet
10   Triumph Country Dance – Triumph / Timour the Tartar / The Left Handed Fiddler / Speed the Plough / De’il Among the Tailors
11    Home Sweet Home / The Iron Man Strathspey / The Bungalow Reel
12    Cradle Song – Cradle Song / The Braes of Auchtertyre / The Athole Highlanders’ Farewell to Loch Katrine
13    Glengrant / Tulchan Lodge / The Parrot – Humorous Pizzicato
14    Mrs. Scott Skinner / Mackenzie Hay / The Devil’s Elbow

John Burgess, master player, is again at the top of his form in this recording. His interpretation of the two piobaireachds will be treated by enthusiasts as archive material, to be savoured and enjoyed again and again. In the light music he is, as always, at his brilliant best, displaying an excellence of technique and a mastery of expression that can serve as a standard for pipers everywhere. He reveals also, for the first time on any recording, his considerable talent as a composer, his arrangement of the Mason’s Apron is exciting and unexpected and shows yet another facet of this great piper’s talent.

1   2/4 Marches: The Knightswood Ceilidh / Father John MacMillan of Barra
2   Slow airs: Leaving Loch Boisdale / The Angler’s Lament
3   6/8 Marches: Seumas MacNeill / John D Burgess
4   Strathspey & reel: Johnnie Ross, Craigard / Captain Lachlan MacPhail of Tiree
5   Jigs: Daphne Shephard / The Herring Wife
6   Piobaireach: The Lament for Duncan MacRae of Kintail
7   2/4 Marches: John MacFadyen of Melfort / Willie MacLean / Jeannie Carruthers / The Conundrum
8   Strathspey & reel: Lady Loudon / The Rejected Suitor
9   Piobaireach: The Lament for Mary MacLeod
10 Hornpipe: The Mason’s Apron

Kevin Mitchell one of the finest singers of song from North Ulster was born in the city of Derry 36 years ago. In 1969 he settled in Glasgow where he worked as an industrial painter, and is married, with two children. When asked to describe his singing voice, words like distinctive, personal style, lyrical and even beautiful come to mind, but none of them are enough. One thing is certain, if you ever hear him singing you will remember it.

1    Free and Easy
2    The Lurgy Streams
3    The Mickey Dam
4    Nancy Bell
5    The Boys of MuIlaghbawn
6    Going to Mass Last Sunday
7    The Magherafelt May Fair
8    The Light Horse
9    The Moorlough Shore
10   Two Strings on a Bow
11   Seán Ó Duibhir (Sean O’ Dwyer)
12   The Oul’ Grey Man

Jimmy Power was one of the finest Irish traditional fiddle players. He was also one of the most familiar and best-respected figures on the London-Irish music scene of the 1970s. His exceptional repertoire was developed playing for dancing in English pubs and at the grueling feisanna competitions. Power was a very individual player with a unique style embracing short, sharp bowing and plenty of trebling. He is accompanied by pianist Reg Hall on this fine album.
1  Tommy Potts’ Rambling Pitchfork / The Strayaway Child
2  The Chorus / McKenna’s
3  Jockey to the Fair / Miss Brown’s Fancy
4  Coleman’s Favourite / The Promenade
5  Dwyer’s / The Harvest Home
6  Jackie Coleman’s / The Castle
7  The Nine Points of Roguery / The Crib of Perches
8  Whelan’s / The Old Lark in the Morning
9  The Mountain Road
10  Follow Me Down to Limerick / Hardiman the Fiddler
11  Youghal Harbour
12  The Walls of Liscarrol
13  The Jug of Punch / The Moving Bogs of Powelsborough
14  Statia Donnelly’s

Few singers match the assurance and intensity of Frankie’ Armstrong’s singing. Born in Cumberland, Frankie typically came to folk song as a teenager and member of an amateur skiffle group. She was a member of the influential Critics Group led by Ewan MacColl and first recorded on A L Lloyd’s ‘The Bird In The Bush’ project. In Lloyd’s memorable phrase “she can sing to pull down the stars”. Armstrong is an important interpreter of ballads, often approaching her material from a feminist perspective.
1  Tarry Trousers
2  The Green Valley
3  Low Down in the Broom
4  The Cruel Mother
5  The Crafty Maid’s Policy
6  The Maid on the Shore
7  The Frog and the Mouse
8  Lovely on the Water
9  The Brown Girl
10  The Young Girl Cut Down in Her Prime
11  The Saucy Sailor
12  The Two Sisters

The Fisher family – stalwarts of the folk song revival – captured at a family get-together; a series of magical recordings by Bill Leader devoted to the family’s younger generation. Ray and Archie Fisher together with their sisters come into their own on this delightful anthology of Scots songs old and new.
1  Come All Ye Fisher Lassies – The Fisher Family
2  Schooldays Over – Ray & Archie Fisher
3  The Rigs O’Rye – Archie Fisher
4  Donal Ogue – Joyce Fisher
5  For Our Lang Biding Here – Archie Fisher
6  Joy of My Heart – The Fisher Family
7  Hey Ca Through – Ray, Joyce, Audrey & Priscilla Fisher
8  What’s Poor Mary Weeping For? / Bonnie Lass O’Ballochmyle – Ray & Archie Fisher
9   Am A Miller Tae Ma Trade – Cindy & Joyce Fisher
10  I Am A Freeborn Man – Archie Fisher
11  The Birkin Tree – Joyce & Cindy Fisher
12  Aince Upon a Time – Ray & Archie Fisher

The Cheviot Hills’ was the second album by the acclaimed Cheviot Ranters’ Country Dance Band for Topic records, it is a wonderful programme of old time and country dances ideal for the dancer and the listener alike. The Cheviot Ranters were arguably the the most distinguished and ‘authentic’ of the English folk dance bands, and grew out of the monthly meetings of the Northumbrian Pipers’ Society. Formed in 1955 the band played for local social dances in Northumberland and Durham. Within a year they had established themselves as a prominent dance band on radio and television.
1  Cumberland Square Eight: My Love She’s But a Lassie Yet / Caddam Woods / Rose Tree
2  The Sylph: Hermitage / Bryce Anderson
3  Roxburgh Castle: Roxburgh Castle / Sheffield Hornpipe / Storers Hornpipe
4  Northumberland Waltz: Mallorca / The Cheviot Hills / I Have Seen the Roses Blow
5  Winster Gallop: Winster Gallop / Teribus / Jimmy Allen
6  Ideal Schottische: Jack Thompson’s Fancy
7  Newcastle: Newcastle / Nancy / Molly’s Fancy
8  Norfolk Long Dance: The Perfect Cure / Stool of Repentence / Linton Jig
9  Barn Dance: Road to the Isles / Roamin’ in the Gloamin’ / Show Me the Way to go Home
10  Danish Double Quadrille
11  Blaydon Races: Blaydon Races / Keep You Feet Still Geordie Hinny / Wherever Ye Can Yer Sure tae Find a Geordie

One of the greatest English traditional singers – George ‘Pop’ Maynard from Sussex recorded rarely. This splendid album showcases his majestic and powerful style.
1  Polly on the Shore
2  The Sweet Nightingale (The Birds In The Spring)
3  Locks and Bolts
4  Down by the Seaside
5  Jack the Jolly Tar-O
6  The Seeds of Love
7  Shooting Goshen’s Cocks Up
8  William Taylor
9  Rolling in the Dew
10  A Sailor in the North Country
11  The Banks of Claudy
12  Three Sons of Rogues
13  The Weaver’s Daughter
14  A Wager, A Wager
15  The Sun Being Set

The Stewarts are a family of Scots travellers who claimed descent from the Royal House of Stewart and have traditional music in their bones. Belle Stewart, a proud, dignified and a distinguished maintainer of noble traditions, ranks alongside Jeannie Robertson in the roll of the finest Scots ballad-singers. ‘Queen Among the Heather’ is the only full album of her work.
1  Queen Among the Heather
2  Here’s a Health to all True Lovers
3  Betsy Belle
4  The Berryfields of Blair
5  The Soft Country Chiel (The Toon o’ Dalry)
6  Whistlin’ at the Ploo’
7  The Bonnie Wee Lassie frae Gourock
8   The Overgate
9  Blooming Caroline o’ Edinburgh Toon
10  Busk, Busk, Bonnie Lassie
11  Late Last Night
12  The Twa Brothers
13  Leezie Lindsay

The Cheviot Ranters were the most distinguished and authentic of English country dance bands from England’s North-East. Darlings of the late John Peel on his early 1970s’ BBC radio shows, their fine recordings for the Topic label satisfying both the dancer and the armchair listener.
1  Circassian Circle – part 1 Original / Rugley Ford / Hesleyside Reel
2  Redesdale Hornpipe / King of the Fairies / The Lads of Whickham
3  Washington Quick Step – Bugle Horn / Farewell / Jackson’s Morning Brush
4  Northumbrian Waltz – Berwick Fair / Ma Bonnie Lad / Keach in the Creel
5  Morpeth Rant – Banks of Coquet / Rob Roy’s Cave / Kirk’s Hornpipe
6  Cumberland Reel – Quayside Shaver / Geordie’s Jig
7  Corn Rigs tunes – Dunstanburgh Castle / Goodnight and Joy Be Wi’ Ye
8  Waltz tunes – Bonnie Tyneside / Whittingham Green Lane / The Banks of Coquet
9  Drops of Brandy – The Moorbridge Hornpipe / Goswick Kirn / The Old Drove Road
10  Circassian Circle – part 2 The Three Sea Captains / Lannigan’s Ball / Ellingham Hall

Second influential recording from the Exiles – three Scots musicians resident in London – again mixes a traditional and contemporary repertoire.

ENOCH KENT – vocal, whistle & guitar
BOBBY CAMPBELL – vocal, fiddle, mandolin, mandola & guitar
GORDON McCULLOCH – vocal, guitar & banjo
TIM LYONS – button accordion*

1    The Jolly Beggar
2    The Fair Flower of Northumberland
3    Reels: The Corner House / The Sally Gardens*
4    The Laird o’ the Windy Wa’
5    Dainty Davie
6    Le Reel du Pendu
7    Queen Eleanor’s Confession
8    The Poolan Laddie
9    The Shoals Of Herring
10  Airs, Slip Jig & Reel: The Coolin / I Walked Up To Her / Rocky Road To Dublin / The wee Weaver
11  The Battle of Harlaw
12  I Will Lay Ye Doon, Love
13  Planxty Davis*

Darby’s Farewell is a fine portrait of a working musician. Josie McDermott was a well-known player who played across the range of Irish music – trumpet or saxophone with ‘modern’ groups and whistle or flute with ceili bands. He was an All-Ireland champion many times on several instruments and lilting, and was a finalist three times in ballad-singing. This album, recorded in 1977, focuses on his traditional repertoire.

1   Reels: The Kerry Man / The Pigeon on the Gate flute
2   Jigs: Sixpenny Money / Garrett Barry’s Jig whistle
3   Hornpipes: The Bush Hornpipe / Dunphy’s Hornpipe flute
4   Song: Moorlough Mary
5   Slow air: An Cailin Rua flute
6   Reels: The Tap Room / Toss the Feathers whistle, bodhran
7   Jigs: Dominic’s Farewell to Cashel / Trip to the Cottage flute
8   Lilting: The Collier’s Reel / The Bank of Ireland
9   Reels: Micko Russell’s Reel / Trip to Birmingham flute, bodhran
10 Polkas: Murphy’s Polka / The Keadue Polka whistle
11  Reels: Peg McGrath’s Reel / GanIey’s Reel flute, bodhran
12  Song: Ballad of the O’Carolan Country
13  Reels: The Flowers of Ballymotel / Colemen’s Cross whistle
14  Song: Une Wan
15  Slow air: Ùna Bhán flute
16  Jigs: Boys of the Town / Dwyer’s Jig flute, bodhran
17  Reels: Father O’Grady’s Visit to Bocca / Darby’s Farewell to London whistle, bodhran

JOHN LYONS of Crussa, County Clare, lived amidst the traditional music of his area of Ireland all of his life and was a very fine singer and melodeon player. This recording from 1974 manages to capture both the nuances and strengths of his music.

“The fervour and humour of these performances make attractive listening.” Ballymena Guardian.

1  The Maid on the Shore
2  The May Morning Dew
3  Morrison’s Jig / The Pipe on the Hob
4  The Tailor Bawn
5  After Aughrim
6  The Boys of Barna-shraide
7  Erin’s Lovely Lea
8  The Blackthorn / Unnamed reel
9  Farmer Michael Hayes
10  The Lambs on the Green Hills
11  Fiac an Madrarua
12  Kitty’s Wedding
13  Farewell, Lovely Mary

First published by Topic 1974

Scottish fiddle music arrived in Cape Breton Island with the Highland settlers over a century and a half ago, and the strongly Highland character of this region of Nova Scotia, in the Canadian Maritimes, remains to this day. Cape Breton with its harbours, heavily forested mountains and fertile valleys provided the Highlander with ample opportunity to exercise his old country skills in fishing, hunting and farming: the rural way of life of the Western Highland Gaels, together with their highly evolved oral and musical traditions, adapted easily to the new setting.

1    Strathspey, Hornpipe & Reel: The Sow’s Tail / Londonderry Hornpipe / Duncan on the Plainstones THERESA MacLELLAN (acc Marie MacLeIIan)
2    Strathspeys & Reels: The WarIock’s Strathspey/ Bog an Lochain (Athole Cummers) / The Nine Pint Coggie / Calum Fhionnlaidh / Prince Charlie / Tarbolton Lodge MIKE MacDOUGALL (acc Mary Jessie MacDonald)
3    March, Strathspeys & Reel: Donald MacLean’s Farewell to Oban / Cairistiona Chaimbeul (Christy Campbell) / Port ‘ic Artair (MacArthur’s Tune / Untitled JOHN WILLIE CAMPBELL (acc Kevin McCormick)
4    Strathspeys & Reels: Lucy Campbell / Calum Crùbach (Miss Drummond of Perth) / Untitled / Cota Mór Ealasaid (Elizabeth’s Big Coat) / Untitled MARY MacDONALD (acc Mary Jessie McDonald)
5    Slow Air, Strathspeys & Reels: Niel Gow’s Lamentation for Abercairney / Johnnie Pringle / Munlochie Bridge / The Duke of Gordon’s Birthday / Perrie Werrie / Peggie     Menzies / West Mabou Reel ALEX FRANCIS MacKAY (acc Fr John Angus Rankin)
6    Jigs: The Black Sporran / WaIking the Floor JOHN NEIL MacLEAN (acc Phyllis MacLeod)
7    March & Strathspey: A Sheana-bhean Bhochd (Glengarry’s March) / Donald MacMaster’s Strathspe DAN JOE and GEORGE MaclNNIS (acc Marie MacLe|Ian)
8    Strathspey & Reel: J Scott Skinner Strathspey / GiIlian’s Reel (Muir o’ Gellan) JOHN NEIL MacLEAN (acc Phyllis MacLeod)
9    Strathspeys & Reels: Unidentified / Calum Breugach /  The Duke of Athole / George the IV / The King’s / Miss Lyle’s Reel ALEX FRANCIS MacKAY (acc Fr John Angus Rankin)
10    Strathspey & Reels: Alex MacEachern’s Strathspey / Fear nan Casan Caola (The Rejected Suitor) / Untitled JOHN WILLIE CAMPBELL (acc Kevin McCormick)
11    Strathspeys & Reels: Miss Lyle’s Strathspey / The Highlanders’ Farewell to Ireland / King George / Tulloch Gorm (old setting with variations) / Lord MacDonald / Miss Johnstone MARY MacDONALD (acc Mary Jessie MacDonald)
12    Jigs: Untitled / Untitled / Dan the Cobbler JOE MacLEAN (acc Mary Jessie MacDonald)

Bonny North Tyne is a splendid collection of Northumbrian Country Music played by John Armstrong fiddle, Billy Atkinson mouth organ, Billy Conran whistle, George Hepple fiddle, Joe Hutton small-pipes and Donald Ridley accordeon. These recordings were made in Northumberland by Tony Engle and Tony Wilson in the early 1970s.

1       Tell her I am / Teviot Brig  Billy Atkinson
2       Barrington Hornpipe / Rowley Bum  Joe Hutton
3       The Rowan Tree / Jock of Hazeldean  John Armstrong & Joe Hutton
4a     Green Castle / Spot On  Billy Conroy
4b     Corn Rigs  Billy Conroy
5       Sheffield Hornpipe / Untitled Hornpipe / Miss Thompson’s Hornpipe / Liddle’s Hompipe  George Hepple & Donald Ridley
6       Hexham Races / Stool of Repentance  Billy Atkinson
7       The Wonder Hornpipe / Navvie on the line  Joe Hutton
8       The Bum Divot  George Hepple & Donald Ridley
9       Horsley Lassies / Bellingham Boat / The Howlet and the Weasel  George Hepple & Donald Ridley
10      Sir Sidney Smith’s March  John Armstrong & Joe Hutton
11      Liverpool Hornpipe / Steamboat Hornpipe  Billy Conroy
12      J B Milne/The New High Level  Billy Atkinson
13      Bonny North Tyne/The Redesdale Hompipe  Joe Hutton
14      Drink to Me Only /Will Ye No Come Back Again  John Armstrong & Joe Hutton
15      Nancy / Whinshield’s Hompipe / Whinham’s Reel  George Hepple & Donald Ridley
16      Geordie’s Jig  George Hepple
17      Jenny Bell Polka  Billy Conroy
18      Napoleon’s Grand March / Untitled March  Billy Conroy
19      The Friendly Visit / Green Castle / Lass on the Strand  Billy Atkinson
20     The Girl with the Blue Dress On / The Big Ship  George Hepple & Donald Ridley

Irish music in the old ‘Sligo Style’ was carried far and wide by such migrant sons as Michael Coleman, Paddy Killoran and Michael Gorman. It was the tradition that two London based musicians – Tommy Healy (flute) and Johnny Duffy (fiddle) – grew up in. They continued adhering to the style playing at home in Ireland and later in London. Accompanied by pianist Reg Hall the two are beautifully captured on this intimate recording from the mid-1970s.
1  Reels: Tarbolton / The Longford Collector / The Sailor’s Bonnet
2  Jigs: The Wandering Minstrel / Fasten the Legging / The Smash
3  Hornpipes: The Rights of Man / The Honeysuckle
4  Reels: The Boys at the Lough / The Merry Blacksmith
5  Jigs: The Scotsman Over the Border / Tell Her I Am
6  Reels: The Montua / The Happy Days of Youth
7  Reel: Fred Finn’s Reel
8  Reel; The First Part of the Lancers
9  Jigs: The Gold Ring / Richard Brennan’s Favourite
10  Reels: Miss McLeod / The Wild Irishman
11  Jig: The Grey Goose
12  Reels: The Humours of Lissadel / Sweeney’s Dream
13  Jigs: Cavan Lasses / Rose of the Heather
14  Reels: The Enchanted Lady / The Holy Land
15  Waltz: Mrs Kenney
16  Reels: Martin Wynne’s No.1 & No.2

The four piece ensemble Oak were the leading lights of a movement to rediscover English country music in the early 1970s. The group comprised Rod and Danny Stradling, Peta Webb and Tony Engle. Their songs, music and style were derived from traditional country performers. Their sole album – ‘Welcome To Our Fair’ – has been an tremendously influential recording for a whole generation of British folk musicians.

1  Thousands or More
2  New Rigged Ship / Rig-a-jig-jig
3  The Lakes of Cool Flynn
4  The Nutley Waltz / The Faithful Sailor Boy
5  Roving Round the County Tyrone
6  The Scarlet and the Blue
7  Shepherds Arise
8  Scan’s Polka
9  Australia
10  Cupid’s Garden
11  False, False
12  Our Good Ship Lies in Harbour
13  The Bunch of Thyme / The Perfect Cure / The Sweets of May

Peter Bellamy (1944 – 1991) was one of the most distinctive voices of the British folk revival, a singer who made the traditional songs and ballads of England vital, exciting and entertaining. As a member of the powerful acapella group the Young Tradition, he helped reawaken an interest in the traditional songs of England. Bellamy’s influences drew on a wide musical world; he was as passionate about the singing of the Copper Family, Ewan MacColl, Harry Cox and the prisoners of Parchman Farm as he was the music of the Rolling Stones. Bellamy’s recordings continue to inspire musicians around the world.
1  The Spotted Cow
2  Two Pretty Boys (The Two Brothers)
3  The Female Drummer
4  Here’s Adieu, Sweet Lovely Nancy
5  The Ghost Song (The Cruel Ships Carpenter)
6  The Carnal and Crane
7  The Little Black Horse (The Penny Wager)
8  The Barley and the Rye
9  The Turkish Lady
10  The Warlike Seaman (The Irish Captain)
11  The Blackberry Fold
12  Saint Stephen
13  The Rigs of London Town
14  The Fox Jumps Over the Parson’s Gate

Debut recording from the LIVERPOOL SPINNERS (soon to be well-known internationally as the Spinners). This spirited collection was recorded by Bill Leader live at the folk club run by the group at Samson and Barlow’s on London Road Liverpool in 1961. Tony Davis, Mick Groves, Cliff Hall, Hughie Jones and Jacqueline Macdonald.
Songs Spun in Liverpool was first released by Topic Records in 1962.

1. Whip Jamboree
2. The Liverpool Barrow Boy
3. Hayarden
4. The Champion of the Seas
5. Judy Drownded
6. John Peel

The Oldham Tinkers from South Lancashire made their recording debut on the best selling ‘Deep Lancashire’ collection in 1968. Throughout the next decade they took their music to a wide international audience. Their fifth ‘solo’ album for the Topic label is another powerful mixture of Lancashire humour and pathos. Their beguiling songs are derived from the poems of local dialect writers, from Music Hall entertainers and from the traditional music of the North West of England.
1  Old May Song
2  John Willie’s Performing Newt
3  Nowt About Owt
4  Children’s Chants & Songs – Captain’s Medley
5  Eawr House – As Was
6  Oh! That Lancashire Jazz Band
7  The Lark
8  John Willie’s Grand-Dad
9  Tribute to Owd Paddy
10  Old King Coal
11  Steeple Jack
12  The Crime Lake Boggart
13  An Oldham Rugby Medley
14  McCarthy’s Party

A pioneering record of traditional East Anglian musicians playing functional music for dancing. This is the music of the rural public house tap room – step dances, polkas and waltzes. The exemplary location recordings capture “relaxed, unspectacular and homely but often highly skilled performances” from four of the finest country musicians – Billy Bennington (hammer dulcimer), Percy Brown (melodeon), Harold Colvill (mouth organ) and Oscar Woods (melodeon).

1  Jig – Oscar Woods
2  Gay Ladies – Billy Bennington
3  Old Joe, the Boat is Going Over / Untitled Polka – Percy Brown
4  Step dance tune (The Sailor’s Hornpipe) – Oscar Woods
5  Waltz: Dulcie Belle – Billy Bennington
6  Step Dance: Yarmouth Breakdown – Percy Brown
7  Italian’ Waltz – Oscar Woods
8  Untitled Polka - Oscar Woods
9  Step Dance: Yarmouth Hornpipe – Billy Bennington
10  Polka: On the Green – Billy Bennington
11  The Oyster Girl – Harold Covill
12  March: On Parade – Billy Bennington
13  Waltz for the Veleta – Percy Brown
14  Step Dance Tune – Oscar Woods
15  Slow Step Dance Tune – Billy Bennington
16  Oh, Joe the Boat is Going Over – Oscar Woods
17  Barn Dance Tune – Percy Brown
18  Sheringham Breakdown – Percy Brown
19  The Nutting Girl – Harold Covill
20  Jack’s the Lad (The Sailor’s Hornpipe) – Billy Bennington
21  Red Wing – Billy Bennington
22  Heel and Toe Polka - Percy Brown

Umps and Dumps were an exuberant dance band led by John Kirkpatrick and Sue Harris. The ensemble’s sole recording is a splendid example of the energy typical of the English country dance scene of the early 1980s.
1  Up Sides
2  After You’ve Got
3  Woodland Voices
4  The Watercress Girl
5  Maybe She’ll Write Me
6  Rogue’s March / Dashing White Sergeant
7  Marmalade Polka
8  Underneath Her Apron
9  Lichfield Tattoo
10  The Willow Tree
11  Donkey, Jack Donkey / Here it Comes Again
12  Dark Town Strutter’s Ball / Cajun Two Step

Martin Simpson has spoken of his early studio recordings as “scrapbooks of the millions of things that I was into at that time.” For most fans this 1986 album displays a young master developing a remarkable relationship with his guitar.
1  Jazzman
2  Shawnee Town
3  Moth
4  Living Without You
5  For Jessica, Sad or High Kicking / My Dearest Dear
6  Icarus
7  No Depression in Heaven
8  Let It Be Me
9  Stillness in Company
10  The Lakes of Ponchartrain

Classic recordings of Traditional Music from the North-East of England
This record serves as a documentary of the thriving North-Eastern country music tradition in the second half of the 20th century. A tradition that continues to this day. Holey Ha’Penny is chiefly drawn from the 1954 field recordings by Peter Kennedy, with the addition of the only known record of the famous Northumbrian piper Tom Clough.

Tom Clough – Northumbrian Pipes        4.1.29
Jake Hutton – Fiddle, Bewcastle Fells, Cumberland 30.6.54
Tom Hunter – Fiddle, Bewcastle Fells, Cumberland 30.6.54
Billy Ballantine – Piccolo, Bewcastle Fells, Cumberland 30.6.54, Haydon Bridge, Northumberland 6.7.54 and Wark, Northumberland 29.6.54
Jimmy Hunter – Mouth organ, Haydon Bridge, Northumberland 6.7.54
Jim Rutherford – Fiddle, Otterburn, Northumberland 8.7.54
Ned Pearson – Fiddle, Cambo, Morpeth 16.6.54
Joe Hutton – Pipes, Stuart Shields, Otterburn, Northumberland 11.7.54
Adam Gray – Fiddle, Barden Mill, Northumberland 1.7.54
Willy Taylor – Melodeon, Warenford, Northumberland 7.6.54, Fiddle, Warenford, Northumberland 7.6.54
Bob Clark – Jews harp, Wltittingham, Northumberland 9.6.54
John Hepple – Pipes, Haltwhistle, Northumberland 1.7.54
George Hepple – Fiddle, Haltwhistle, Northumberland 1.7.54

1    Ho’ley Ha’Penny/Elsie Marley Tom Clough
2    The Gilsland Hornpipe Tom Hunter, Billy Ballantine
3    Morpeth Rant Jim Rutherford
4    Proudlocks Hompipe Billy Ballantine
5    Billy Ballantine’s Reel Billy Ballantine
6    Father’s Polka Ned Pearson
7    Schottische Ned Pearson
8    Varsoviana (Old and New) Ned Pearson
9    Highland Laddie  Ned Pearson
10   My Lodging is on Cold Ground/Bonnie Dundee Joe Hutton
11   Roxburgh Castle/Devil among the Tailors Joe Hutton
12   The Roman Wall Adam Gray
13   Tom Hepple’s Polka (The Girl with the Blue Dress On) Adam Gray
14   The Tow House Polka Adam Gray
15   The Kielder Schottische Jake Hutton, Tom Hunter, Billy Ballantine
16   The Keel Row (with variations) Tom Clough
17   Schottische Billy Ballantine, Jimmy Hunter
18   My Lodging’s on Cold Ground/Blow the Wind Southerly Billy Ballantine, Jimmy Hunter
19   Corn Rigs/The Manchester Hornpipe Bob Clark
20   The Linehope Lope Willy Taylor
21   Willy Taylor’s Polka Willy Taylor
22   Nae Good Luck – jig Willy Taylor
23   Whittingham Green Lane/Ward’s Brae John Hepple, George Hepple
24   Bonny North Tyne Billy Ballantine
25   Mosstrooper’s Polka Billy Ballantine
26   The Coquet Reel Billy Ballantine
27   Heel and Toe Polka Ned Pearson
28   The Pin Reel – jig Ned Pearson
29   Cambo March Ned Pearson
30   The Ferry Boat George Hepple
31   Malorca/Herd on the Hill/Devil among the Tailors John Hepple, George Hepple

Paddy Tunney established himself as that rare thing a singer really in a class of his own. One of Paddy`s peculiarities is that he chooses a high proportion of songs that are hexatonic or pentatonic. ‘ln the present instance. these ‘gapped‘ scales. along with the decorated styles of his singing, produce a homogeneity of character which alone would make this a record for the connoisseur of traditional singing.’ Recorded in London in 1975 The Mountain Streams Where The Moorcocks Crow is a splendid collection of songs and ballads from Paddy’s large repertoire.

1     The Mountain Streams where the Moorcocks Crow
2     The Wee Weaver
3     The Boys of Mullaghbawn
4     The Old Petticoat
5     Coinleach Glas An Fhomhair
6     Donall Og
7     The Reaping of the Rushes Green
8     One Morning in June
9     Lady Margaret
10   Inis Dhun Ramha
11   The Old Oak Tree
12   Drinking Good Whiskey
13   Sweet Omagh Town
14   The Green Fields of Canada

The High Level Ranters were among the liveliest folk music groups in Britain, one of the longest-established and most popular bands. The incredible instrumental versatilty of the four piece – Alistair Anderson, Tom Gilfellon, Johnny Handle and Colin Ross – took the music of their native Northumberland around the world. The group researched much of their repertoire from 19th century tune books, helping to revive and bring before a new audience a vast repertory of local traditional music. All members of the group recorded solo records, but their most powerful recordings were undoubtedly made as an ensemble.
1  Fairly Shot of Her / A Wife of My Own
2  Dance to Yer Daddy
3  The Lass Doon On The Quay
4  The Kielder Hunt
5  Hornpipes – Alston Flower Show / Jane of Biddlestone
6  Fortune Turns The Wheel
7  Fenwick of Bywell
8  Elsie Marley / Hoop Her And Gird Her
9  Captain Bover / Here’s The Tender Comin’ / Success To The Fleet
10  Proudlock’s Hornpipe / The Hesleyside Reel
11  Stanley Market
12  Hornpipes – The Marquis of Waterford / Bottle Bank / The Hawk

The several strands that make up Pat Mitchell’s piping are none of them especially unusual, but cumulatively interesting in the way they reveal how Pat’s music has evolved without what has always been held to be the massive benefit of an immediate environment in which traditional music is alive and esteemed. Pat, like many other people who might be classed as urban, twentieth century – some would say, disinherited – has gone looking for his music, and it’s important to document his case for an understanding of how such a person fares, and for some insight into the state of traditional music in Ireland today.

1      Reels: Garrett Barry’s / The Virginia  
2      March: Sullivan’s March 
3      Reel: Concertina Reel  
4      Air: Lord Mayo 
5      Reel: College Groves
6      Double Jigs: Port Liadroma / Sean Tiobraid Arann  
7      Reel: Star of Munster
8      Single Jig and Double Jig: Frieze Breeches
9      Descriptive Piece: Máirseáil Alasdruim
10    Single Jig: Willie’s Single
11    Hompipe and Reels: Kildare Hornpipe / Castle Kelly / Sailor’s Bonnet
12    Marching tune: Eagle’s Whistle
13    Double Jig: The Maiden That Jigged it in Style
14    Air: An Draighnean Donn
15    Double Jig: The Old Hag in the Kiln
16    Reel: Galtee Reel
17    Double Jigs: The Lark in the Morning
18    Reels: Patsy Tuohey’s Reel/The Green Fields of Rossbeigh
19    Piece: Nora Criona
20    Reel: Flogging Reel

A founder member of the High Level Ranters, Tom Gilfellon emerged occasionally with an inimitable collection of songs and tunes evoking the North-Eastern and the Irish strains of his background. Tom Gilfellon vocals, guitar, cittern  with Martin Carthy guitar, Johnny Handle vocal, accordian, piano and Liz Sobell dulcimer, harmonium and Stefan Sobell cittern, concertina

1     The Banks of Red Roses / The Boys of Ballysadare  Tom vocal/cittern; Stefan cittern; Liz dulcimer
2     The Workers’ Song  Tom vocal; Liz harmonium
3a   The Celebrated Working Man  Tom vocal; Johnny accordeon/chorus
3b   Uncle Albert’s last heroic farewell to the world  Tom recitation
4     Reels; Lady Ann Montgomery / The Wind that Shakes the Barley / The Foxhunter’s Reel  Tom cittern; Martin guitar
5     The Snow it Melts the Soonest  Tom vocal
6     The Bonny Gateshead Lass  Tom vocal; Stefan English concertina
7     Jigs: Thomas Friel’s/ The Battering Ram  Tom cittern; Martin guitar
8     The Two Sisters  Tom vocal
9     The Row in the Gutter  Tom vocal; Johnny piano
10   The Fiery Clockface  Tom vocal/guitar
11   Johnny Miner  Tom vocal

Uniting Davy Tulloch’s Shetland Reels and Veronique Nelson’s Wessex airs – with their differing techniques and oral traditions – provide dynamic two-part fiddle playing which combines with the jazzy ensembles of Dave Jackson’s guitar to create an exciting and original new sound. Curlew’s two fiddles adapt dance rhythms and songs, many from Shetland, Scandinavia and Galicia, with guitar and occasional string bass accompaniment. In some pieces a two-part invention or rhythmic counterpart is clearly discernible, making for an invigorating and distinctive style.
1  Shetland Reels: Tilley Plump / Auld Foula Reel / Oot and in da Harbour
2  Air & Hornpipe: Grenadier and his Lady / Eunyssagh Vana
3  Shetland Reels: Da Oyster / Yonder Hills / Fit da Gutter
4  Childgrove / Muiñeira de Cabanas
5  Hornpipe & Reels: Father Tom / Véronique’s Reel / Hamish’s Reel
6  Janne’s Reinlander / The Cambridge
7  Shetland Reels: Da Cauld Nights of Winter / Square da Mizzen / Da Ness of Sound
8  C’raad T’ou Goll my Veg Dhone / Ta Dick Veg Er Yannoo Mie / Nancy
9  Shetland Reels: Ramna Stacks / Da Spirit of Whisky / Gold for da Boannie Lasses
10  Two Norwegian Reinlanders
11  Alvadansur
12  Shetland Reels: Da Road to Houll / John Pottinger’s Compliments to Ronnie Cooper / Simon’s Wart

The EXILES – Enoch Kent, Bobby Campbell and Gordon McCulloch – were an innovative group of Scots singers and instrumentalists, away from their native home, whose repertoire extended over both traditional and contemporary fields. Freedom, Come All Ye was their debut Topic recording from 1966 is acknowledged as a classic.

Enoch Kent – vocal & whistle
Bobby Campbell – vocal, fiddle, mandolin, mandola & guitar
Gordon McCulloch – vocal, guitar, banjo & harmonica
Paul Lenihan – vocal *

1     The Ballad of Accounting
2    The Moving-On song
3    We’re Only Over Here For Exploration*
4    Thank Christ for Christmas
5    The Pigeon
6    The Poud-a-Week Rise
7    Freedom, Come All Ye
8    For A’ That and A’ That
9    Arthur MacBride
10  Willie Brennan
11  Wae’s Me for Prince Charlie
12  La Pique
13  Van Dieman’s Land
14  Twa Recruiting Sergeants

Bob Davenport has one of the most distinctive styles and one of the widest repertoires among singers on the folkclub scene. A favourite performer at festivals and a regular guest at folk clubs throughout Britain, he is a staunch supporter of traditional music.
His 1977 record ‘Postcards Home’ examines hard times and war times through a powerful mix of song, music and speech. Songs by Richard Thompson and Bob Marley are interwoven with traditional music, poetry and music hall songs. As a contemporary Daily Telegraph review noted: “An impressive and timely achievment, full of poetry, irony and lively music.”
1  Byker Hill / Blackleg Miner
2  Durham Gaol Selection: Gypsy Poacher / Durham Gaol / First Time I Saw Durham City / Ball of Yarn / Breaking Sticks
3  Wait Till the Work Comes Round
4  The Winter Time is Coming In / Old Changing Way
5  When a Man Looks Pale / There’s Nae Much Luck About the House
6  We Plough and Sow / Get Up, Stand Up
7  Once I Had A True Love / Lowlands / My Bonnie Lad
8  Great Little Army March
9  Unemployed Men Stand on the Corner / McCafferty / I Don’t Want to Join the Army
10  The House is Crammed / Good Morning Good Morning / Our Soldiers Went to War / If I Was Fierce / If You Want to Find the Colonel / They Didn’t Believe Me
11  Have You Forgotten Yet / When this Bloody War is Over

Peggy Seeger performs eight songs for children from the American tradition, accompanied by her sisters Penny and Barbara. First released in 1958.

1    All Around The Kitchen
2   Come Along John
3   Billy Barlow
4   Old Aunt Kate
5   Little Bird, Little Bird, Go Through My Window
6   Lula Gal
7   Rissolty, Rossolty
8   The Derby Ram

The captivating fiddle and accordion player, Rose Murphy, was born in 1900 into an intensely musical family in Milltown, County Galway. She spent much of her adult life living around Rotherham in South Yorkshire, and was 76 years young when this recording was made. The album delightfully recaptures the dancing repertoire styles of her youth in the West of Ireland.
1  Reel: Salamanca / The Milltown Lasses
2  Trim the Velvet
3  Jig: The Silver Tip / The Frog in the Well
4  The Lark in the Clear Air
5  Polkas: The First of May / The Last of June (Jenny Lind)
6  Jigs: Paddy in London / Over the Garden Wall
7  Hornpipe: Road to Ballysodare
8  Reels: The Teetotaller / The Bunch of Keys
9  Reel: The Whistler and His Dog
10  Reels: The Flax in Bloom / The College Grove / The Maid on the Mountain
11  Reel: Ladybower’s Reel / The Sister Reel
12  Reel: Drowsy Maggie
13  Hornpipes: The Harvest Home / The Londonderry
14  Jigs: The Frost Is All Over / The Goose in the Bog
15  Reel: The Lonely Maid
16  Air: The Coolin
17  Barn Dance: Turkey in the Straw
18  Slip Jig: Mother I’m Up In the Roost (What Are You Doing, You Divil You!)
19  Miss Monahan’s / Miss Gallagher’s
20  Reel: Rakish Paddy
21  Hornpipe The Belfast (or Sweep’s) Hornpipe

Ewan MacColl was one of the architects of the folksong revival. Whether as an interpreter of ancient ballads or as a writer of new songs, he influenced almost everyone involved in folk music in the 1950s, ’60s and ’70s. He brought the same skill and understanding to songs of Britain’s industrial cities, ballads of Scots history and lyrics from the English countryside. His own compositions, many of which have passed into the common currency of folk music, are featured both on his own albums and on The Radio-Ballads.
Chorus From The Gallows, first released in 1960, opens with the tale of Craig and Derek Bentley and closes with “Go Down Ye Murderers,” which relates the story of Timothy John Evans, convicted and executed for murders he did not commit, both true and awful stories from the annals of 20th century British justice. The repertoire ranges from the cattle-rusting border raiders of the Middle Ages and the 18th-century highwayman Dick Turpin to MacColl’s own compositions about controversial murder trials of the 1950s.
1  Derek Bentley
2  The Black Velvet Band
3  Jamie Raeburn’s Farewell
4  Johnny O
5  Hughie The Graeme
6  Minorie
7  The Treadmill Song
8  Turpin Hero
9  The Crafty Farmer
10  McKaffery
11  Jimmy Wilson
12  The Lag’s Song
13  Van Dieman’s Land
14  Go Down Ye Murderers

An anthology of soldiers songs, ribald, cynical and occasionally sentimental. Performed in his inimitable style by Ewan MacColl with Peggy Seeger, Jimmy MacGregor and John Cole.
1  Any Complaints
2  The Fortress Songs
3  Farewell to Sicily
4  The Ballad of Wadi Maktilla
5  The Dying Soldier
6  The Ghost Army of Korea
7  Browned Off
8  When this Ruddy War is Over
9  Join the British Army
10  On the Move Tonight
11  The Second Front Song
12  Seven Years in the Sand
13  Hand Me Down Me Petticoat
14  The Young Trooper Cut Down In His Prime
15  Bless ‘Em All

SEAN McALOON from Co. Fermanagh and JOHN REA from Co. Antrim, were traditional musicians of choice quality. McAloon was a master of the fiddle and uilleann pipes, Rea the hammer dulcimer, and their duets on the latter two instruments are rare delights. These magnificent performances were recorded by Robin Morton (of the Boys of the Lough).

Sean McAloon Uillean Pipes & Fiddle
John Rea Dulcimer

1  Jigs: The Maid in the Meadow (dulcimer) / The Castlebar Races / Trip to the Cottage (dulcimer and concert pipes)
2  Reels: The Mountain Lark / Crooked Road to Dublin (concert pipes)
3  Jigs: Jackson’s Drum / Jackson’s Mistake / Jackson’s Coagy (dulcimer)
4  Air: Blind Mary (flat pipes)
5  Hornpipes: Madame Bonaparte / O’Dwyer’s Hornpipe (dulcimer)
6  Reels: Crowley’s No. 1 / Crowley’s No. 2 (fiddle)
7  Jigs: Moloney’s / Paddy O’Brien’s (concert pipes)
8  Reels: First House in Connaught (concert pipes ) / The Copperplate (dulcimer and concert pipes)
9  Air: An Buachaill Caol Dubh (The Dark Slender Boy) /  Slip Jig: Drops of Brandy (flat pipes)
10  Reels: Coil the Hawser / Lord McDonald’s (dulcimer)
11  Hornpipes: Alexandria’s / Higgin’s (flat pipes)
12  Reels: The Sligo Maid (fiddle) / Sheehan’s (fiddle and dulcimer)
13  Jigs: Wandering Minstrel / Katy is Waiting / The Basket of Shamrocks (dulcimer)
14  Hornpipes: Tim the Turncoat / The Quarrelsome Piper (concert pipes and dulcimer)
15  Jigs: The Old Siege of Valencia (dulcimer) / The Lark in the Morning (dulcimer, fiddle and bodhran)

A remarkable album from Martin Simpson and his then wife, Jessica, with the band Flash Company. True, Dare or Promise features some of Martin Simpson’s most imaginative guitar playing through a remarkable series of arrangements that stretch British folk-rock towards the avant garde! The ensemble also features the fine (and much lamented) songwriter John B Spencer. Although they only performed a handful of gigs this album captures all the early promise of a fine ensemble.
1  Doney Girl
2  Past Caring
3  Not the Whiskey Talking
4  Young Man
5  Bedlam Boys
6  Wholly In My Keeping
7  Rising of the Woman
8  Man Smart, Woman Smarter
9  Essequibo River
10  The Keel Row

A singer of extraordinary power, a gifted guitarist and whistle-player, Vin Garbutt has been one of the most popular performers on the folk scene for nearly forty years. This, his first album recorded for Topic records is a career highlight.
1  Bantry Bay / Den Toppede Høne
2  The Land of Three Rivers
3  Gentle Annie
4  Hornpipes – The Belfast / The Japanese
5  The Hartlepool Monkey
6  Tonto McGuire
7  The Ring of Iron
8  Skibbereen
9  Their Ulster Peace
10  Reels – Tear the Calico / The Providence
11  The Waters Of Tyne

The Oldham Tinkers specialise in the local songs and ballads of South Lancashire, and have an immense following their. Their debut album soon caught the attention of John Peel and brought their music to a much wider audience.
1  The Rochdale Mashers
2  Seeing Double
3  The Pennine Rangers
4  The Two Jews
5  A Piecer’s Tale
6  Best o’t’ Bunch
7  The Lancashire Toreador
8  A Cob-Coaling Medley
9  The Four-Loom Weaver
10  John Willie’s Ragtime Band
11  Platt’s
12  Good Time Coming
13  I Mean to Wait for Jack
14  Skiing Owdham Style
15  A Mon Like Thee

Bob Davenport has one of the most distinctive styles and one of the widest repertoires among singers on the folkclub scene. A favourite at festivals and a regular guest at folk clubs throughout Britain, he is a staunch supporter of the traditional music of the working people. He is at his finest when accompanied by the Rakes, surely the best English country ensemble of them all.
1  Waltzes: With my Love on the Road / Wild Colonial Boy
2  The Ploughboy Lad
3  Single Jigs: Patsy Geary’s / The Peeler and the Goat
4  Princess Royal
5  Lake of Coolfin
6  The Man in the Moon / The Jealous Sailor / Jealous Heart
7  Keep Your Feet Still Geordie Hinnie
8  Three Men Went A-Hunting
9  Country Dance: Three Around Three
10  The Dowie Dens ofYarrow
11  Polkas: McCusker’s No. 1 / McCusker’s No. 2 / Jenny Lind
12  Slieve Gallion Braes
13  The Star of the County Down
14 Old Green River

Coming from a family of singers and musicians, of whom her father in particular was a well-known songster, Mary Ann Carolan was a splendid performer of ballads and songs in the style and tradition of County Louth, Eire. Mary had a repertoire of over sixty songs when this fine recording was made in 1978.

1  Bold Doherty
2  The Maid of Ballymore
3  Bob Riddley
4  The Old Oak Tree
5  The Tinker’s Old Budget
6  The Bonny Light Horseman
7  In London So Fair
8  My Father’s a Hedger and a Ditcher
9  Highland Mary
10  The Wedding at Baltray

This is the second solo record featuring the singing of Lizzie Higgins, one of our finest traditional singers, recorded in 1975 at the height of her powers.

The north-east of Scotland has been known for 200 years as a region rich in tradition, and recent collecting has shown this still to be the case. Lizzie features on this record some of the big ballads for which the area is famed, such as The Twa Brothers, The Cruel Mother and The Forester. Like her famous mother, the late Jeannie Robertson, she has the grandeur to give these pieces their full majestic impact. Her father, Donald Higgins, was equally important in her musical development, for his piping had a distinct effect upon her singing style, with its fluid decoration and its expressive and commanding tone.

1    Up and Awa Wi’ the Laverock
2    Lord Lovat
3    Soo Sewin’ Silk
4    Lady Mary Ann
5    MacDonald of Glencoe
6    The Forester
7    Tammy Toddles
8    Aul’ Roguie Gray
9    The Twa Brothers
10  The Cruel Mother
11   The Lassie Gathering Nuts

Martin Simpson is justifiably regarded as one of the finest finger-style guitarists to have emerged from the British Isles. ‘Grinning In Your Face’ (1983) captures him at an early stage in his recording career, and is a remarkably assured and exuberant recording.
1  It Doesn’t Matter Anymore
2  Little Birdie
3  The First Cut is the Deepest
4  Roving Gambler
5  This War May Last for Years
6  Masters of War
7  Reuben’s Train
8  Your Cheatin’ Heart
9  Handsome Molly
10  Townships – Biko
11  Moonshine
12  Green Linnet / Grinning in your Face

The debut recording from Dave and Toni Arthur has become a much sought after recording amongst collectors of the finest British folk music. The Arthurs were an influential pair on the club scene, particularly admired for their powerful harmony singing.
1  All Frolicking I’ll Give Over
2  The Death of Queen Jane
3  Creeping Jane
4  The Merchant’s Daughter of Bristol
5  The Bold Dragoon
6  Cold Blows the Winter’s Wind
7  The Lark in the Morning
8  Poor Old Horse
9  Hey John Barleycorn
10  Bedlam
11  Admiral Benbow
12  Father, Father Build Me A Boat
13  The Press Gang
14  Six Jolly Miners

Many of the finest traditional ballads from the British Isles were preserved by the families of settlers in the American South, where they existed alongside native American balladry. Hedy West, a native of North Georgia in the Appalachians, was one of the very few performers who were at home with the various manners of performing these ballad traditions. ‘Ballads’ is a splendid recording from 1967 which continues to influence contemporary musicians like Martin Simpson, three decades later.
1  The Foggy Dew
2  Girl I Left In Danville
3  The Unquiet Grave
4  Beaulampkin
5  Down In Adairsville
6  The Sheffield Apprentice
7  Lucy Wan
8  Little Sadie
9  The Cruel Mother
10  Love Henry
11  The Texan Rangers
12  George Collins

Genuine folk music as part of an old and lively national culture is still flourishing in Norway, a country with a wild nature, numerous valleys, snow-covered mountains, lakes, deep forests, glorious fjords, remote communities, dark and long winters and shining summer nights. Norway has a long and rich tradition of musical expression. Norwegian folk music has survived through many generations and historical changes. Old folk tunes have kept surprisingly well, better than in the neighbouring lands and in some of the other industrial countries. The selection on this record represents some of the main types and styles of living folk-playing and singing, with their special sound and moods, from south west and central parts of Norway. The players and singers are some of the most outstanding folk musicians of the younger generation who carry on the folk traditions of their districts.

1 Fanitullen (The Devil’s Tune) Knut Buen Hardanger fiddle
2 Kjerringa med staven (The Old Wife with the Staff) Hanne Kiersti Buen singing with Knut Buen Hardanger fiddle
3 Rotnheimsknut (hailing)
4 Gangar etter Myllarguten (walking dance) Knut Buen Hardanger fiddle
5 Moykjaeringsvise (spinster’s song)
6 Three stev about the hulder (cattle songs)
7 So er drengjen i uppvokstre (Boys in Their Youth)
8 Bånsu|ler (three lullabies) Hanne Kjersti Buen singing
9 Katt-Ola-Visa Edvard Ruud singing
10 Nordfjordingen (springar)
11 Ramsen (springar) Hauk Buen Hardanger fiddle
12 Bruremarsj (wedding march) Knut and Hauk Buen Hardanger fiddles
13 Hamburger-polka fra Hardanger
14 Springleik fra Jostedalen Vestlandsgruppa band
15 Springar fra Hardanger fiddlers of Vestlandsgruppa
16 Slåttestev (dance songs)
17 Haugebonden (ballad) Agnes Buen Garnås singing
18 Fanteladda (dance tune)
19 I Oletiadden (pastoral melody) Elizabeth Kvaerne langeleik
20 Når mitt pie, trett av moie (When My Eye, Tired of Troubles) (hymn)
21 Store Store Gud (Great Great God) (hymn) Sondre Bratland singing
22 Myllarguten bruremarsj (bridal march by Myllarguten)
23 Fanitullen (The Devil’s Tune) (second version) Knut Buen Hardanger fiddle

A fine traditional singer from a bygone world. Bob Roberts was Dorset-born but grew up in Suffolk. He spent most of his working life on sailing barges carrying cargo round Britain or across the Channel to Europe. His repertoire was a treasury of bargemen’s songs, which he sang with a mellow grace to his own melodeon accompaniment. Roberts was active on the folk scene during the 1950s and 60s, but was seldom heard before these recordings made in 1977 returned him to clubs and festivals.
1  The Candlelight Fisherman
2  The Grey Hawk
3  Stormy Weather Boys
4  Waltz with Me
5  Haul Away Joe
6  The Oily Rig (recitation)
7   The Little Ball of Yarn
8   The Single Sailor
9   Young Collins
10  The Fish and Chip Ship
11  While Gamekeepers Lie Sleeping
12  Windy Old Weather
13  The London Waterman
14  Bob Robert’s Waltz
15  Whiskey Johnny
16  The Foggy Dew
17  Bell Bottom Trousers
18  The Black Shawl
19  Little Boy Billee
20  The Collier Brig
21  Leave Her, Johnny

Born in Middlesborough of Anglo-Irish descent, Vin Garbutt has an enviable reputation as a singer and songwriter of fine socially conscious, and environmentally aware songs. ‘Tossin’ A Wobbler’ from 1978 is regarded as one of his finest recordings.
1  Man of the Earth
2  Legend of Roseberry
3  Long Note / Lads of Laois / Le Reel Jeune Marie
4  Photographic Memory
5  Yorkshire Volunteer’s Farewell to the Good Folks of Stockton / Push About the Jorum
6  St. Helena’s March
7  Carrigdhoun
8  The Freemantle Doctor
9  One-Legged Beggar
10  They Don’t Write ‘Em Like That Any More

An important collection of field recordings made between 1940 and the late 1960s, which focus upon the traditional instrumental music of rural England. Most of the musicians featured were born towards the end of the 19th century and developed their musical skills in the years before the Great War. The carnage of World War 1, the movement towards towns in search of employment and the influence of mass media, all served to bring about a decline in country music. This recording captures some of the finest surviving performers and the repertoire they played for social dancing in country pubs and village halls.
1  Jenny Lind / Untitled Polka – Scan Tester and Rabbidy Baxter
2  The Irish Washerwoman / Garryowen / Rory O’More / St Patrick’s Day – Billy Cooper
3  The Boscastle Breakdown – The Tintagel and Boscatle Players
4  The Boscastle Breakdown (six hornpipes) – William Hocken
5  The Helston Furry Dance – Mr Dangar’s Trio
6  Lady Evesham’s Jig – Mr Dangar’s Trio
7  Untitled Polka – Walter and Daisy Bulwer and Reg Hall
8  The Yarmouth Hornpipe introducing The Four Hand Reel / The Sailor’s Hornpipe – Billy Cooper
9  Dulcie Bell – Billy Cooper
10  The Breakdown / The Flowers of Edinburgh – Harry Lee
11  The Italian Schottische – The Dorset Trio
12  The Lass of Dalogil – The Dorset Trio
13  Bonfire Tune / Untitled Polka – Albert Farmer
14  Untitled Waltz / The Cuckoo Waltz – Albert Farmer
15  Unidentified Tune – Harry Lee
16  The Sailor’s Hornpipe / The Shipdham Hornpipe / Untitled Polka / The White Cockade / Untitled Polka – Walter and Daisy Bulwer

An Antholoqy from Traditional Singers from Devon with Amy Birch, Phoebe Birch, Avice Clarke, Nobby Clarke, Joe Davies, Harold Gill, Charlie Hill, Brian Holland, Sophie Isaacs, Henry Mitchemore, Tom Orchard snr, Tom Orchard jnr, Bill Parnell, Bob Penfold, Nelson Penfold, George Roberts, Jim Sanders and Bob Small.

The Rev. S. Baring-Gould, who collected folksongs in the West country during the 1880s, wrote in his reminiscences that “the old fellows who had these songs were fast dying off, and their sons and grandsons despised the ballads and the tunes in the Gregorian modes and sang only the last vulgar music-hall ditties.” Many song hunters from that day to this have thought the same. Are they right? Well, this record of pieces recently collected in Baring-Gould’s own county of Devon gives some answers.

1 The Exmoor Ram Nobby Clarke
2 The Molecatcher Amy Birch
3 When I Was a Young Man Bob Small
4 Tuning Brian Holland (melodeon), Tom Orchard snr (vocal), Tom Orchard jnr (dancing) and Bob Penfold (vocal)
5 Barbara Allen George Roberts
6 Head-a-nodding Avice Clarke
7 The Thrashing Machine Joe Davies
8 Sweet Willie Sophie Isaacs
9 Navvy Boots Bill Parnell
10 The Leg o’ the Mallard Henry Mitchemore
11 Royal Comrade Amy Birch
12 Three Men Went a-Hunting Charlie Hill
13 The Farmer in Leicester Nelson Penfold
14 Tuning Tom Orchard snr (vocal & melodeon) and Tom Orchard jnr (melodeon)
15 Seven Nights Drunk Harold Gill
16 The Fremington Great Meat Pie Phoebe Birch
17 Up the Green Meadows Amy Birch
18 Rattling Irish Boy Bob Penfold
19 Mortal Unlucky Old Chap Jim Sanders

“Alison McMorland and Peta Webb are two ladies of immense talent and can be counted among the handful, of either sex, who are supreme in their art. Individually they are well respected; together they make that rare blend that is only to be found in singing of this quality, complementing each other perfectly and, even more rare, each somehow adding to the other to come up with something which is more than the combination of two voices. It is only after listening to the whole record that one becomes aware that there is no instrumental accompaniment.” Dick Gaughan from the original 1980 sleeve notes.
1  Two Pretty Boys
2  What Can A Young Lassie?
3  Jogging Up To Claudy
4  In London So Fair
5  The Convict’s Song
6  Sailing’s A Weary Life
7  The Factory Girl
8  The May Morning Dew
9  The Green Banks Of Yarrow
10  The Dowie Dens Of Yarrow
11  Our Ship Is Ready

The IRISH COUNTRY FOUR from Belfast had a wonderfully original take on traditional repertoire from Ulster. Their sole recording was reviewed at the time  as ‘an excellent records… they sing the songs and play the tunes of their homeland with an involvement that is quick to rub off on the listener.

1     Reels: Roaring Mary and The Old Torn Petticoat
played by the group (union pipes, whistle, guitar and bones)
2     The Cotton-mill Song
sung by Jess Harpur (w. guitar) and chorus
3    The Granemore Hare
sung by Jess Harpur, acc. Brian Bailie (flute) and Valerie Bailie (guitar)
4     The boys of Mullaghbawn
sung by the group (unaccompanied)
5     Pulling the Lint
sung by Trevor Stewart (unaccompanied)
6      Air: The Melodious Little Fort of Bruff
played by Brian Bailie (whistle)
7     General Munro
sung by Jess Harpur and Valerie Bailie, with Brian Bailie (flute)
8     The Load of Kale Plants
sung by Trevor Stewart, with Brian Bailie (flute)
9     O’Meally’s Hornpipe
played by the group (union pipes, whistle and guitar)
10   Jigs: Kitty’s Bonnet and The Flax-dresser
played by the group (union pipes, whistle, flute, bodhran)
11   The Doffing Mistress
sung by Valerie Bailie, Jess Harpur, Trevor Stewart (w. guitar and mandoline)
12   The Maid of Ballydoo
sung by Jess Harpur (w. guitar) and chorus
13   Air: Blind Mary
played by Trevor Stewart (union pipes)
14   Magherafelt Hiring Fair
sung by Valerie Bailie and Trevor Stewart (w. guitar)
15   The Heights of Alma
sung by Trevor Stewart and Jess Harpur (unaccompanied)
16   P for Paddy
sung by Trevor Stewart, acc. Brian Bailie (flute) and chorus
17   Reels: Martin Mulhaire’s no. 1 / Kitty goes a-milking and Pigeon on the gate
played by the group (whistle, union pipes, bodhran and bones)

Miko, Pakie and Gussie Russell of Dolin, Co Clare, were an Irish musical family of singular attractiveness and interest, with aremarkably rich store of local Clare music. This record was recorded on location by John Tams and Neil Wayne in 1977, and is an exceptional document of the traditional music making still to be heard in the Irish countryside during the mid-1970s.
1  Campbell’s Reel
2  The Heather Breeze / The Traveller
3  St. Kevin of Glendalough
4  The Potlick / The Peeler’s Jacket
5  The Five Mile Chase
6  Russell’s Hornpipe / Fisher’s Hornpipe
7  The Poor Little Fisher Boy
8  The Walls of Liscarroll / The Battering Ram
9  Garret Barry’s Reel
10  Tommy Glenny’s Reel
11  The Connemara Stockings / The Westmeath Hunt
12  When Musheen Went to Bunnan
13  Tatter Jack Walsh
14  The De’il Among the Tailors
15  The Roscrea Cows
16  Fair Haired Boy / The Black Haired Lass
17  Off to California
18  Give the Girl her Fourpence
19  Nora Daly

The Oldham Tinkers specialise in the local songs and ballads of their native South Lancashire, and have an immense following. All the salt and savour of Lancashire song and humour is to be enjoyed in their records. ‘For Old Time’s Sake’ their third album for the Topic record label was popular with the late John Peel. He played their material often on his BBC radio programme, especially the tall tale of ‘John Willie’s Horse’.
1  Signora
2  Eaur Joe’s Lad
3  John Willie’s Horse
4  Barefoot Days Medley
5  Lancashire Witches
6  Come Whoam to Thi Childer an’ Me
7  Johnny Bugger
8  Billy Winker
9  Bits O’ Bromley Street
10  The Condemned Cell
11  The Maypole
12  For Old Time’s Sake

Brass Monkey’s 1999 comeback album Sound & Rumour is an exhilarating blend of sea songs, Morris tunes, travellers’ songs and a pipe march. This album saw the band back on the road with Richard Cheetham taking over the trombone duties from Roger Williams.

Martin Carthy vocals [1, 4, 8b, 9, 11a], guitar, mandolin
John Kirkpatrick vocals [1, 3, 7, 9, 12], Anglo concertina, button accordion, single-row melodeon
Howard Evans trumpet
Richard Cheetham trombone
Martin Brinsford percussion and mouth-organ

1. The Flash Lad
2. Morris Tune / The Rose / Trunkles
3. An Acre of Land
4. Old Horse
5. The Heroes of St Valéry
6. The Charming Maid
7. The Roving Journeyman
8. Rodney / When I Was Young / The Quaker
9. The Old Virginia Lowlands
10. Auretti’s Dutch Skipper / An Adventure at Margate / The Spirit of the Dance
11. Soldier, Soldier  / The Flowers of Edinburgh
12. The Rambling Comber
13. Betty Fitchett’s Wedding / The German Schottische

Gypsies and travellers have preserved a wealth of English traditional song, which has been rarely collected. This splendid and influential collection of English traditional song performed by some of the finest Gypsy singers of Southern England, draws upon the diligent field recordings of the collector Mike Yates.
1  You Subjects of England – Jasper Smith
2  Little Dun Dee – Mrs Haynes
3  Hartlake Bridge – Jasper Smith
4  The Young Officer – Mrs Haynes
5  All Through Mi Rakli – Mrs Haynes
6  At the Atchin Tan – Mrs Haynes
7  The Oakham Poachers – Wiggy Smith
8  Thorneymoor Park – Jasper Smith
9  The Farmer of Chester – Joe Jones
10  The King and the Keeper – Joe Jones
11  Georgie – Levi Smith
12  The Haymakers – Levi Smith
13  The Broomdasher – Levi Smith
14  Barbara Allen – Phoebe Smith
15  Lavender – Bill Ellson
16  The Squire and the Gypsy – Jasper Smith
17  Erin’s Lovely Home – Mrs Haynes
18 The Game of Cards – Levi Smith
19  While the Yogger Mush Lays Sleeping – Jasper Smith
20  The Deserter – Wiggy Smith

John Doonan was born and bred in Newcastle of an Irish father and mother and brought up in an atmosphere strictly Irish. His father was a well respected traditional fiddle player in the Newcastle area and it was through his strong influence that John inherited his fine style of flute-playing.

Irish Traditional Dance Music In Strict Tempo
1 Reels: Jackie Coleman’s / Paddy Cavanagh’s / John Brennan’s
2 Slip jigs: Any Old Jig Will Do / The Butterfly
3 Set Dance: Rodney’s Glory
4 Slow jigs: The Idle Road / The Frost is All Over / The Black Rogue
5 Air: The Spalpeen’s Lament
6 Jigs: The Kesh / Morrison’s / Old Joe’s
7 Reels: The Shannon Breeze / Heathery Breeze / The Green Fields of America
8 Set Dance: The Blackthorn Stick
9 Set Dance: Hurry the Dance
10 Set Dance: Rub the Bag
11 Air & Set Dance: The Blackbird
12 Hornpipes: Spellan the Fiddler / The Rights of Man
13 Jigs: The Irish Washerwoman / Father O’Flynn / The Lilting Fisherman

John Doonan is accompanied by Malcolm Armstrong on tracks 1,6,7 and 13
and Brian Pandrich on piano tracks 3, 8, 9, and 10

First published by Topic Records 1978

Ewan MacColl was one of the architects of the mid twentieth century British folk revival. A polemicst, writer and a singer of extraordinary dramatic power. His influence on the whole movement has been of the utmost importance. MacColl’s singing brings both the past alive and expresses the mood of his own times.
1  We Poor Labouring Men
2  Georgie
3  Barbara Allen
4  Sheepcrook and Black Dog
5  Bramble Briar (Strawberry Town)
6  One Night As I Lay On My Bed
7  The Grey Cock
8  To the Begging I Will Go
9  The Sheep-Stealer
10  The Manchester Angel
11  The Bold Richard
12  The Press Gang
13  Round Cape Horn
14  Through Moorfields
15  Homeward Bound

Walter Pardon (1914 – 1996) was one of the best singers of traditional folk-song in England, yet, outside his family, no one knew of his singing until he was 59 years old. Born in Knapton, near North Walsham in Norfolk, in a cottage where he lived for the rest of his life, Pardon finally came to national prominence in the folk-song world in the 1970s through a cassette tape passed to Peter Bellamy. The folklorist Mike Yates began a project to record and document Walter’s repertoire of over 150 songs. These recordings from the late 1970s capture a beautiful, gentle singer at the height of his powers.
1  Raggle Taggle Gypsies
2  Peggy Bawn
3  Bold Princess Royal
4  One Cold Morning in December
5  The Devil and the Farmer’s Wife
6  An Old Man’s Advice
7  Uncle Walter’s Tune
8  A Country Life
9  Cupid the Ploughboy
10  The Dandy Man
11  Jack Hall
12  I Wish, I Wish
13  Broomfiled Hill
14  The Hungry Army

The Wild Hills O’Wannie is a tremendous collection of some of the finest exponents of the Northumbrian Small Pipes – George Atkinson, Diana Blackett-Ord, Tommy Breckons, Colin Caisley, Forster Charlton, Joe Hutton and Billy Pigg.

The pipes have at various times been called seductive, wild, plaintive, lyrical, exciting, and sophisticated. These apparently contradictory descriptions result from the unusual versatility of the instrument as well as from differences in the tonal quality of individual sets of pipes. Thus, it is possible for each performer to develop his own characteristic style of playing and if you listen carefully to this record you will soon become able to identify the player from the sound of the first few notes of a tune.

1    The Morpeth Rant  BILLY PIGG
2    Skye Crofters/ The SwalIow’s Tail BILLY PIGG
3    Sir Sidney Smith’s March TOMMY BRECKONS
4    The Barrington Hornpipe GEORGE ATKINSON
5    Blow the Wind Southerly DIANA BLACKETT-ORD
6    Lovat Scouts / Roxburgh Castle / Bonny North Tyne / Alston Flower Show JOE HUTTON
7    The Navvy on the Line / The Friendly Visit / Remember Me / Biddv the Bold Wife / Lamb Skinnet /
De ‘il amang the Tailors GEORGE ATKINSON
8    Londonderrv Hornpipe / Boys of the Blue Hills / Corn Rigs / Harvest Home DIANA BLACKETT-ORD
9    The Blackthorn Stick / Biddv the Bold Wife JOE HUTTON
10   The Holey Ha’penny BILLY PIGG
11   The Humours of Bandon / Saddle the Pony JOE HUTTON
12   Noble Squire Dacre COLIN CAISLEY & FORSTER CHARLTON (duet)
13   Rowlev Burn Hornpipe JOE HUTTON
14   The Wild Hills o’Wannie BILLY PIGG
15   Westering Home DIANA BLACKETT~ORD
16   The Midlothian Pipe Band / Charlie Hunter JOE HUTTON
17   The Lark in the Clear Air BILLY PIGG
18   Fenwick o’ Bywell TOMMY BRECKONS
19   Variations on ‘Oh dear, what can the matter be’ GEORGE ATKINSON
20   The Gypsy’s Lullaby  / The Hawk  / Memories / Coates Hall BILLY PIGG
21   Salmon Tails up the Water / The Herd on the Hill / Sweet Hesleyside COLIN CAISLEY & FORSTER CHARLTON (duet)

Once a traveller, Phoebe Smith was settled in her East Anglian home at the time of these recordings. She sings in the distinctive, highly dramatic style of the travellers, and excels in traditional ballads. “One of the finest performers.”
1  Once I Had A True Love
2  A Blacksmith Courted Me
3  Young Ellender
4  Higher Germany
5  Molly Vaughan
6  The Tanyard Side
7  The Yellow Handkerchief
8  The Wexport Girl
9  The Dear Little Maiden

The debut album from the mighty HIGH LEVEL RANTERS is a tremendous collection of dance and song from the North East of England. The Ranters were a group of Northeastern musicians whose regular meeting-place was the Bridge Inn under the shadow of Newcastle-upon-Tyne’s High Level Bridge (hence their, conceivably punning, name). They comprise Johnny Handle (accordion and sundry other sonorous engines), Colin Ross and Foster Charlton (both fiddlers doubling on small-pipes), Alistair Anderson (concertina), Tom Gilfellon (guitar);

1 Shew’s the way to Wallington /The Peacock Followed the Hen Band
2 The Sandgate Girl’s Lament / Elsie Marley Johnny Handle acc Band
3 Bellingham Boat / Lambskinnet Band
4 Adam Buckham Johnny Handle acc Band
5 Meggy’s Foot Concertina Guitar Jews Harp
6 The Lads of North Tyne / The Redesdale Hornpipe Band
7 The Hexhamshire Lass Tom Gilfellon acc Band
8 The Breakdown / Blanchland Races Band
9 The Lads of Alnwick / Lamshaw’s Fancy Band
10 Byker Hill Tom Gilfellon acc Band
11 Whinham’s Reel / Nancy Band
12 Because he was a Bonny Lad / Salmon Tails up the Water /
Sweet Hesleyside Small-pipe Duet
13 Dance to Your Daddy Band featuring fiddle duet
14 Billy Boy Tom Gilfellon acc Band
15 Nae Guid Luck Aboot the Hoose Concertina solo
16 Mi’ Laddie sits ower late up Johnny Handle acc Jews Harp
17 The Keel Row / Kafoozalum / The Washing Day Band

‘Few singers have such a vigorous, broad-ranging and fresh-sounding song repertoire as Nottingham’s Roy Harris, and none can handle it more convincingly. With Roy Harris at the helm the revival is in safe hands.’ Melody Maker 1973

On The Bitter & The Sweet Roy is accompanied by Notts Alliance – Ian Stewart, Roger Grimes & Laurence Platt, and Muckram Wakes – Roger Watson, Helen Wainwright & John Tams.

1    Turpin Hero (with Notts Alliance)
2    The Bonny Green Woods (with Muckram Wakes)
3    The Death Of Bill Brown
4    The Three Butchers (self-accompanied on guitar)
5    The Ullswater Pack (with chorus)
6    Poor Owd ‘Oss (with Notts Alliance)
7    General Ludd’s Triumph (with Muckram Wakes)
8    Poverty Knock (with combined groups)
9    The Streams Of Lovely Nancy
10   Robin Hood and The Tanner (with Notts Alliance and Roger Watson, dulcimer)
11   The ‘Royal Oak’
12   Strike The Bell (with Notts Alliance)
13   McCafferty
14   All Through The Ale (with Roger Watson, concertina)

This album offers a collection of traditional song from Australia. The great folksong collector and singer, A L Lloyd is accompanied by Trevor Lucas, Martyn Wyndham-Reade, Dave Swarbrick & Alf Edwards.
1  Waltzing Matilda – A L Lloyd
2  Jim Jones at Botany Bay – A L Lloyd
3  The Wild Colonial Boy – A L Lloyd
4  The Streets of Forbes – Trevor Lucas
5  The Hold-up at Eugowra Rocks – A L Lloyd
6  The Flash Stockman – Martyn Wyndham-Reade
7  Five Miles from Gungadai – Trevor Lucas
8  The Lime Juice Tub – A L Lloyd & Martyn Wyndham-Reade
9  Euabalong Ball - A L Lloyd
10  Banks of the Condamine – Trevor Lucas
11  Click Go the Shears – Martyn Wyndham-Reade
12  Flash Jack from Gungadai – A L Lloyd
13  The Road to Gungadai – Martyn Wyndham-Reade
14  Hard Tack – Martyn Wyndham-Reade
15  On the Road with Liddy – A L Lloyd

Len Graham of Antrim has been studying and performing the song tradition of Ireland, especially that of his native Ulster, for many years, and is well known and respected for both his scholarship and his singing. Wind and Water was his first solo recording.

“This is not a record of sea songs and shanties, so you may wonder why ‘Wind and Water’ for its title? It was wind and water that brought our ancestors to these shores, be they Celts, Norsemen, Normans or planters. It was also wind and water that propelled the missionaries, the ‘Wild Geese’ and the emigrants to foreign parts… These various comings and goings have left their mark
on the traditional songs of Ireland and, in particular, Ulster where forever history seems to stare one in the face. I hope the choice of songs on this record will in some way illustrate and reflect some of these influences.” Len Graham

1 My Parents Reared me Tenderly
2 Maggie Picken
3 Séan Ó Duibhir a’ Ghleanna
4 The County Mayo
5 The Star of Moville
6 The Green Fields of Amerikay
7 Western Winds
8 Paídín Ó Raibheartaigh
9 My Willie-O
10 Daniel O’Connell and his Steam Engine
11 The Rights of Man
12 One Morning in May
13 The Knight Templar’s Dream

This anthology of traditional, Gaelic singing and instrumental music has been selected from recordings made in the spring and summer of 1976 in Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia. Until recent decades Cape Breton has existed in relative cultural isolation, and is now the only region in North America to have retained the Gaelic language, along with the wealth of songs and instrumental tunes, that arrived with the early 19th-century immigrants from the Highlands and Western Islands of Scotland. Since that time a highly evolved and varied folk-culture has flourished in the Gaelic-speaking rural communities down to the present, making this small corner of the Canadian Maritimes one of the most important areas of living Gaelic tradition remaining today.

1.    An t-Each Ruadh  Alexander Kerr with the North Shore Singers
2.    Slow Air: Coilsfield House Dan Joe MacInnis violin with Theresa MacLean piano
3.    Hinn, Heinn Thog Iad Amach. Mrs Rod McLean
4.    March, Reel & Jig: The Glencoe March / The Sandpoint / Untitled Joe Burke harmonica with Marie MacLellan piano
5.     Mo Nigh An Donn As Bòidche Malcolm Angus MacLeod
6.     Strathspeys & Reels: Captain Campbell / Marnoch Strathspey / Mrs General Campbell / Allt a’Ghobhainn (The Smith’s Burn) / O, She’s Comical /  Sandy MacIntyre’s Trip to Boston / Sir Reginald MacDonald / Dan J Campbell’s Reel Mike MacDougall violin with Mary Jessie MacDonald     piano
7.     Ma Phosas Mi Lauchie MacLellan
8.     Maili Dhonn, Bhoidheach Dhonn John Shaw with the North Shore Singers
9.     Tha Mo Ghaol Air ‘Aird a’ Chuain Tommy MacDonald
10.    Strathspeys & Reels: Sir Thomas Sinclair Ray / The Highlanders’ Farewell / Miss Lyle’s Strathspey / Miss Lyle’s reel / Sandy is my Darling / Bonnie Annie Alex Francis MacKay violin with Fr. John Angus Rankin piano
11.    O A Hù A, Nighean Dubh, Nighean Donn Neil MacLean with the North Shore Singers
12.    Jig & Hornpipe: Paddy’s Resource / The Flowers of Edinburgh Alex MacNeil mandolin with Charlie Dobbin mandolin and and Kevin McCormick piano
13.     Na h-Ighneagan Donna, Boidheach Lauchie MacLellan
14.     Ma Bhuannaich Thu Nighean Ghrinn Murdo MacAskill with the North Shore Singers

Bob Cann is an exceptional melodeon player from the south edge of Dartmoor in Devon. As a young man he played for hours-long step-dancing competitions; in middle-age he won an all-England folk instrumentalist trophy (beating the renowned piper Billy Pigg) from the English Folk Dance and Song Society. His repertoire is typical of the finest country dance musician but his playing is of the highest order – exciting and eminently danceable.
1  Uncle George’s Hornpipe (The Cliff) / Tommy Roberts’ Hornpipe
2  Hot Punch / Uncle’s Jig
3  Uncle George’s Waltz / Uncle Jim’s Waltz
4  The Primrose Polka
5  Dorsetshire Hornpipe
6  The Kester Rocky Waltz
7  Family Jig / Uncle George’s
8  Woodland Flowers / Uncle Jim’s
9  Ford Farm Reel / Cornish Quickstep
10  Harry Gidley’s Waltz
11  When its Nightime in Italy (It’s Wednesday Over Here) / Climbn’ Up de Golden Stairs
12  Lyrinka
13  Schottische Hornpipe / Cokey Hornpipe

A hugely popular act on the British folk scene, John Kirkpatrick and Sue Harris, made a series of fine records for the Topic label. John had also recorded with Ashley Hutchings’ Morris On band and with Richard Thompson; both were founder members of the Albion Country Band and John would later join Steeleye Span. Their duo records are cherished by aficionados of the finest English country music from the mid-20th century revival.
1  The Edgmond Men’s Souling Song
2  Artichokes and Cauliflowers
3  The Bricklayers / Double Change Sides
4  The Cherry Tree Carol
5  John of the Greeney Cheshire Way
6  A Shropshire Lad
7  I Wish, I Wish
8  Old Sir Simon the King
9  Adieu to Old England
10  The Blue Eyed Stranger / The Winster Morris Reel
11  Jim Jones
12  Blacksmith’s Morris / Charles’s Hornpipe
13  Cold Blows the Wind
14  Wilson’s Favourite / Shrewsbury Wakes

The late John Doherty, the travelling virtuoso fiddler from Donegal, was an important link in the Gaelic tradition of rural Ireland. He was one of the greatest Irish master musicians, yet for most of his life he never owned a fiddle. At the time of these historic recordings he was 83 years old.
1  Hudie Gallagher’s March / Untitled Reel
2  The Black Mare of Fanad
3  The March of the Meena Toiten Bull
4  Kiss the Maid Behind the Bier / The Bargain is Over
5  The 21 Highland
6  Untitled March
7  Untitled Reel
8  The Paps of Glencoe
9  The Hare in the Corn
10  Untitled March
11  The Knights of St Patrick
12  The Dispute at the Crossroads
13  Roaring Mary / Stormy Weather
14  Miss Patterson’s Slippers
15  The Cat that Kittled in Jamie’s Wig
16  Welcome Home Royal Charlie
17  Darby Gallagher
18  Untitled Mazurka
19  Untitled Reel
20  The Teelin Highland
21  Untitled March
22  The Heathery Breeze
23  Untitled Highland Reel
24  The Monaghan Switch
25  Untitled Highland Reel
26  The Black Haired Lass
27  Paddy’s Rambles Through the Park

An anthology from Gypsy singers recorded in Southern England by Mike Yates. Music of English travellers, ranging from broadside ballads to mouth-organ tunes, and including examples of the gypsy mouth-music called ‘tuning’ – all performed by members of the great Smith clan, from Surrey, Kent and Suffolk.

1    The Small Birds Whistle  Jasper Smith
2    The Sheepfold  Phoebe Smith
3    One Penny  Levy Smith
4    The Basket of Eggs  Minty Smith
5    The Pony March / Whistling Rufus / Tuning  Jasper
6    Green Bushe  Phoebe
7    Raking the Hay  Phoebe
8    The Moon Shines Bright  Jasper
9    Father Had a Knife Jasper
10  The Jew’s Garden  Minty
11   Step Dance Tunes  Jasper  Tuning  Minty
12   Sweet William  Phoebe
13   Johnny Abourne  Phoebe
14   Died for Love  Jasper
15   The Irish Girl  Levy
16   Captain Thunderbold  Phoebe
17   Jigs & Polkas including: Cock of the North / Flowers of Edinburgh / The Girl l left Behind Me / Tuning   Jasper & Levy

Hedy West comes from North Georgia, at the southern end of the Appalachians. A sensitive and vibrant singer, she accompanies herself in a distinctive style on 5-string banjo. A L Lloyd though her ‘far and away the best of American girl singers in the revival’.
1  The Wife Wrapt in Wether’s Skin
2  Fair Rosamund
3  Barbara Allen
4  Old Joe Clark
5  The Coalminer’s Child
6  Gambling Man
7  Brother Ephus
8  Polly
9  The Davidson-Wilder Blues
10 The Rich Irish Lady
11  Shut Up in the Mines at Coal Creek
12  The Wife of Usher’s Well
13  Lament for Barney Graham

PACKIE BRYNE was born in Co. Donegal in 1917 into a community where traditional music and song were deeply imbedded, Packie could not help but continue this tradition. Throughout his life he was a notable singer, also becoming very well-known in the London area as a whistle player of great skill. This album shows a less well-known side of Packie – a carrier of fine traditional ballads, some of which were quite rare.

1   John and the Farmer
2   The Rich Man’s Daughter
3   The Holland Handkerchief
4   Molly Bawn
5   The Jolly Ploughboy
6   Young Alvin
7   Johnny o’ Hazelgreen
8   Lament to the Moon
9   The Creel

Bob Smith’s Ideal Band was the cente of a group of Glasgow musicians, singers and omedians, who played dance music, sang popular songs and enacted sketches on the Beltona label in the 1930s. Their colourful and entertaining music is the sound not of a folklorist’s collection but of a genuinely popular regional idiom as it was recorded in its day. This 1977 collection was lovingly compiled from their finest 78rpm recordings.
1   Eightsome reel Part 1 (Fairy Dance / The Breakdown / De’il Among The Tailors)
2  Ashcroft’s Reel / Londonderry Air / Breakdown
3  Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders
4  Liverpool and Highland Hornpipes (inc. Down Home Rag)
5  The International
6  Medley of Popular Waltzes (Let Me Call You Sweetheart / Smile Awhile / Down At The Old Bull and Bush / By The Side of the Zuyder Zee / Let Me Call You Sweetheart)
7  The Canal Cruise Parts 1 & 2 (incs. Life On The Ocean Wave / The Drunken Sailor / Miss MacLeod / A Man’s A Man for All That)
8  La Varsovienne
9  Big Reason Blues
10  The Boston Two-step
11  Horseguards Blue
12  Happy Hours
13  Woodland Voices
14  Eightsome reel Part 2 (Kate Dalrymple / Wind That Shakes The Barley / Soldier’s Joy / Miss MacLeod)
15  Ideal One-Step
16  The Middy March
17  Empress Tango
18  The Red Flag
19  Wull’s Wireless Wails Parts 1 & 2 (Flowers of Edinburgh / When You and I were Young, Maggie / Highland Laddie / Orange and Blue / Kafoozalum)
20  Medley of Irish Waltzes: The Irish Jaunting Car / Come Back To Erin / Eileen Alannah)
21  The Ideal Lancers: 1st. Fig: (Rakes of Mallow / My Love is Like a Red, Red Rose / The Girl I Left Behind Me) 2nd. Fig: (Lass of Gowrie / Kate Dalrymple / Loch Lomond) 3rd. Fig: (Blackthorn Stick / Irish Washerwoman) 4th Fig: (The Alma /Atholl Highlanders / Bonny Dundee) 5th Fig: (unidentified / Atholl Highlanders / Nora Creina / Biddy the Bowl Wife / Rakes of Kildare / Barren Rocks of Aden)
22  Dulcimer Tunes from An Old ‘National Hall’ Favourite parts 1 & 2: (The Favourite Hornpipe / Unidentified Barn Dance)
23  I Still Love You / Waltz Hesitation
24  The Call of the Pipes Part 1
25  Why Worry

‘New Voices’ was a ground-breaking collection, one of the first albums to feature the younger generation singers of the mid 20th century British folk revival. The record featured the recording debuts of Maureen Craik and Harry Boardman alongside the Watersons’ first recordings for Topic records. Boardman was an important agent in the later ‘Deep Lancashire’ and ‘The Wide Midlands’ projects and made several solo albums for the label. The Watersons career has gone from strength to strength, at the time of writing the various members of the family have continued their recording relationship with Topic for over forty years.
1  Boston Harbour -The Watersons
2  To The Begging – Harry Boardman
3  The White Cockade – Maureen Craik
4  Owdham – Harry Boardman
5  The Greenland Whale Fishery – The Watersons
6  Hard Times – Harry Boardman
7  The Sandgate Girl’s Lament – Maureen Craik
8  Three Score And Ten – The Watersons
9  The Broom of Cowdenknowes – The Watersons
10  Bonny At Morn – Maureen Craik
11  The Hand-Loom Versus The Power-Loom – Harry Boardman
12  A U Hinny Burd – Maureen Craik
13  The Shurat Weaver – Harry Boardman
14  King Arthur’s Servants – The Watersons
15  The Weaver of Wellbrook – Harry Boardman

‘Cilla & Artie’ is a splendid album from Cilla Fisher (a member of the influential Fisher Family) and her husband Artie Trezise. The record was ‘The Melody Maker Folk Album of the Year – 1979′. Joining Cilla and Artie is an international collection of “session” musicians including Alistair Anderson, Johnny & Phil Cunningham, Rick Lee, Brian McNeill and Bob Zentz. The songs are mostly from the tradition with, “Blue Bleezin’ Blind Drunk” and “The Gypsy Laddies” but also include a grand version of Stan Rodgers’ “The Jeanie C” and the wildest ever arrangement of Ewan MacColl’s “Fisher Lassies”.
1  Norland Wind
2  The Beggar Man
3  What Can A Young Lassie
4  Fisher Lassies
5  Generations of Change
6  Fair Maid of London Town
7  The Wicked Wife
8  The Gypsie Laddies
9  Blue Bleezin’ Blind Drunk
10  John Grumlie
11  The Jeannie C

Terry Teahan, of Kerry and Chicago, and Gene Kelly, of Kilkenny and Washington DC, were old-style Irish musicians in their 70s when this album was recorded. Both had been resident in the Us since the 1920s. Gene Kelly plays accordion, Terry Teahan melodeon and concertina. Though each had worked extensively in band settings, this record of solo performances concentrates on old-fashioned dance music.

1 Reels The Corner House / The Broomstlck Gene Kelly
2 Slide Tom Looney’s Terry Teahan
3 Slide Reagan’s Terry Teahan
4 Hornpipes The Sweep’s / Hennessey’s Gene Kelly
5 Barn Dance The Kerry Mills Terry Teahan
6 Polka Mike Howard’s Terry Teahan
7 Hornpipe The Bird’s Terry Teahan
8 Air Blind Mary Gene Kelly
9 Slide The Barrel Organ Terry Teahan
10 Slide The Evening I Spent With Mick Terry Teahan
11 Slide The Paper Plate Terry Teahan
12 Jigs Fahey’s / Gerry’s Beaver Hat Gene Kelly
13 Slide The Lonesome Road to Dingle Terry Teahan
14 Polka Mickey Chewing Bubble Gum Terry Teahan
15 Barn Dances Sean Hayes / If There Were’t Any Women In The World Gene Kelly
16 Hornplpe Tadgh’s Ailment Terry Teahan
17 Slide Going for Water Terry Teahan
18 Story and Air The Old Caubeen Gene Kelly
19 Waltz Tadgh and Buddy Terry Teahan
20 Fling Poll Hapenny Terry Teahan
21 Polka Paddy Kenny’s Terry Teahan
22 Jigs Father O Flynn’s / The Connaught Man’s Rambles Gene Kelly
23 Polka Jack Mitchell’s Terry Teahan
24 Sword Dance No Name Terry Teahan
25 Fling The Road to Glauntane Terry Teahan
26 Reels The Swallow’s Tail / Miss McLeod’s Gene Kelly

First published by Topic 1977

A L Lloyd occupied a unique position in the British folksong revival. Much-loved father-figure and mentor to many younger singers, he was a performer of persuasive charm, as well as an international authority on folklore and a frequent broadcaster. Lloyd was for a while artistic director of Topic Records and encouraged the early recordings of many of the folk scene’s finest performers. ‘First Person’ is a remarkable selection of his own favourite English folk songs. Lloyd is accompanied by Alf Edwards – concertina and Dave Swarbrick – fiddle.
1  Four Drunken Maidens
2  St. James’ Hospital
3  Kelly Gang
4  I Wish My Love
5  Jack Orion
6  Lover’s Ghost
7  Rocking the Cradle
8  Drover’s Dream
9  Short Jacket and White Trousers
10  Sovay, the Female Highwayman
11  Reynardine
12  Farewell Nancy
13  Fanny Blair
14  Shickered As He Could Be

“Many recordings of Ulster folk songs have been issued, but little or none from the Co. Tyrone. This record presents a sample from the repertory of a brother and sister, who come of a singing family within a singing region from which they have never moved. They are the carriers of a distinct and beautiful style. They are supported by their enthusiasm for songs which attract other singers who, with them, make a community within which an interchange of ideas is continually taking place. A delightful illustration of this is that Sarah Anne’s changes to John Reilly on track 9 are so pleasing to Brian Mullan, who gave her the song a year or so ago, that he plans to relearn it from her! Both these singers are intensely creative but in different ways. Geordie possesses the family style to a much higher degree than his sister. It entails a breaking up of the tune and words into short phrases delivered with great force. It is also distinct in the placing and shape of the decoration. This results from the shortness of the phrases and allows a highly meaningful performance without any overstatement. Sarah Anne’s ability to tidy up the words of a song or to lilt a tune to unsung verses complements Geordie’s skill and the two interact; they sing a large number of the same songs, share the same style and adopt one another’s changes. In short, these two singers represent the living tradition not its dying kicks.” from the original 1978 sleeve-notes.

GEORGE HANNA
1   Brockagh Brae
2   On Yonder Hill There Sits a Hare
3   The Blackbird of Sweet Avondale
4   Erin’s Lovely Home
5   Young Edmund in the Lowlands Low
6   Kate of Ballinamore

SARAH ANNE O’NElLL
7   The Rambler from Clare
8   A Fair Young Maid in Her Father’s Garden
9   John Reilly
10 Gosford’s Fair Demesne
11 Carrickmannon Lake
12 The Fisher’s Cot

John Kirkpatrick and Sue Harris were a duo which achieved an enviable reputation in the British folk scene of the 1970s. Their repertoire focussed on English country music and songs. John recorded ‘Morris On’ with Ashley Hutchings, Richard Thompson and Barry Dransfield ushering a new appreciation of Morris music. The purely instrumental ‘Facing The Music’ was the duo’s fourth record for the Topic label and represents a high point of their recording career. The splendid tunes are drawn from a bewildering variety of sources; from rural musicians and from published tune books, from the Bahamas, from the Appalachians and from Orkney.
1  John Locke’s Polka / Three Jolly Sheepskins
2  Kettle Drum
3  Trip to the Cottage / Hunting the Squirrel / Jack of the Green
4  A Shelter in the Time of Storm / We Shall be Happy
5  Millfield / Saturday Night and Sunday Morn
6  Garrick’s Delight / The Flaxley Green Dance
7  Crocker’s Reel
8  Roast Beef / All Flowers in Broome
9  The Rope Waltz
10  A Cheshire’s Hornpipe / Black Mary’s Hornpipe

A revival musician with an unusual understanding of traditional music. John Wright is a fine singer and a performer on the fiddle and mouth-organ, an unquestionably one of the finest exponents of jew’s-harp playing.

1      Awake, Awake, You Drowsy Sleeper
2     Four-Hand Reel (mouth-organ)
3     Murphy’s Hornpipe (jew’s harp)
4     Gypsy Hornpipe (fiddle)
5     Henry Martin
6     Bridget Cruise Nos 2 & 3 (jew’s harp)
7     Tailor By My Trade
8     Dornoch Links / The Shepherd’s Crook / Lochiel’s Awa’ to France Scottish Pipe Tunes (jew’s harp)
9     Young Charlotte
10    The Varsoviana – Eng|and (mouth-organ)
11    La Valse Vienne – France (fiddle)
12    La Scottisch Anglaise – France (fiddle)
13    L’Angoise – France (fiddle)
14    Our Captain Cried All Hands / Country Dances (fiddle):
15   Ninepins
16   Saturday Night and Sunday Morning
17   The Punk’s Delight

Sarah Makem was one of the finest singers of Ulster singers. This recording made in 1967 is a fine portrait of the traditional Ulster repertoire – an area where Irish, English and Scots traditions to some extent converge. Sarah learnt her songs in the traditional way – “When I was young we used to have dances in the street to the music of a mouth organ, or if the mouth organ wasn’t available then someone had to lilt. Well, at these street dances anyone was likely to be asked for a song, so I always tried to have one or two ready and I kept learning as many as I could from my mother singing around the house.”
1  Farewell My Love, Remember Me
2  The Banks of Red Roses
3  It was in the Month of January
4  Robert Burns and His Highland Mary
5  The Factory Girl
6  The Jolly Thresher
7  Caroline and her Young Sailor Bold
8  The Wind that Shakes the Barley
9  I Courted A Wee Girl
10  A Servant Maid in Her Father’s Garden
11  Barbara Allen

Onetime member of the esteemed High Level Ranters, Johnny Handle is also a solo performer of great charm, humour and a wonderful songwriter. The Collier Lad mirrors many aspects of life in the North-east, from the lore of the miner to the lure of the Geordie streets.

Johnny Handle guitar, accordeon & piano with Alistair Anderson English concertina, Tommy Gilfellon Guitar and Colin Ross fiddle.

In Bye
1   The Collier Lad *
2   Dust
3   The Durham Big Meetin’ Day
4   The Old Man of the Village
5   The New Spotlight
6   Farewell to the Monty
7   Stottin’ Doon the Waal *
On Bank
8   The Day we went to the Coast
9   Schooldays
10  Is there Owt Secure?
11  The Old Pubs ±
12  Decorating
13  The Fearless Mariner
14  Danny’s *
* ably assisted by the rest of the High Level Ranters
± with Alistair Anderson, chorus

‘For As Many As Will’ dates from 1978 and was the last studio recording by Shirley & Dolly Collins. The sisters were brought up on the Sussex coast with a strong intuitive for English traditional song. Through a remarkable series of landmark recordings during the 1960s and ’70s they helped define the possibilities of the English folksong revival. ‘For As Many As Will’ includes a stunning reading of Richard Thompson’s ‘Never Again’, alongside fine traditional material like ‘Lord Allenwater’, ‘Gilderoy’, ‘The Moon Shines Bright’ and a medley from John Gay’s ‘The Beggar’s Opera’.
1  Lancashire Lass
2  Never Again
3  Lord Allenwater
4  The Blacksmith Courted Me
5  Beggar’s Opera Medley – Can Love Be Control’d by Advice? / O Polly You Might Have Toy’d and Kist / Oh What Pain it is to Part / The Miser Thus a Shilling Sees / Youth’s the Season Made For Joys / Hither Dear Husband, Turn your Eyes; Lumps of Pudding
6  Gilderoy
7  Rockley Firs / Sweet Jenny Jones
8  German Tune
9  The Moon Shines Bright
10  Harvest Home Medley – Peas, Beans, Oats and the Barley / The Mistress’s Health / Poor Tom

Bill Caddick has an enviable reputation – sometime member of the Albion Band, Home Service and songwriter of choice for June Tabor. He has recorded few albums during his long performing career; many fans regard The Wild West Show as one of this finest recordings. The album was recorded by Andrew Cronshaw and sees a crack team of close friends and former Home Service colleagues accompany Caddick, including June Tabor who adds sublime duet vocals to ‘Eights And Aces’.
1  Superman
2  Spanish Nights
3  Fork-lift Truck
4  Moses (Smooth Talking)
5  Two-Fisted Heroes
6  Forgotten The Blues
7  Dance To The Music Of Time
8  Stay On The Line
9  Eights And Aces
10  The Wild West Show

A collection of instrumental country music from the North-east of England. Of all the regions in England where traditional music exists, the North East is probably where it flourishes most strongly. Morpeth Rant is the second record of Northumbrian music to be published from a series of recording field trips made over the past three years. The first was Bonny North Tyne on Topic. The two records demonstrate some of the wide-ranging aspects of the music to be found in a variety of landscapes from the bleak, sheep-inhabited moorlands to the industrial and mining areas. The proximity of Scotland with its many well known country dance bands has had a great effect on local repertoires – as has the migration of Irish musicians to Tyneside. Northumbria has its own very strong tradition of indigenous music – often from the small-pipe repertoire – and concern and love for the local music has led to the composition of many tunes in the traditional form. The tunes on this record reflect the varied influences which have come to bear on the music of the North East.

1     Morpeth Rant / Miss Gayton’s Hompipe / Kathleen’s Fancy / Morpeth Rant Tommy Edmondson
2     Jig selection: AM Shinnie / The Hogmanay Jig / Elizabeth Adair Billy Atkinson
3     Strathspey Medley: Laird o’ Thrums / Iron Man / Laird o’ Drumblair Jimmy Pallister
4     Medley of Scott Skinner Waltzes including Our Highland Queen and Piper’s Wait Alan Coulson & Geoff Purvis
5     Kinclaven Brig / Bill Sutherland Martin Dunn
6     Hornpipes: The Glen Aln / The Redeside Billy Atkinson
7     The Crusaders March Billy Atkinson
8     Jig & hornpipe: Bill Charlton’s Fancy & Madam Bonaparte Geoff Purvis & Alan Coulson
9     Military Two Step: Doctor Angus Tommy Edmondson
10   The Beeswing with variations Martin Dunn
11   Jimmy Allen / The Girl with the Blue Dress On Jimmy Pallister
12   The Cheviot Hills Jimmy Pallister
13   Crossing The Minch / Banjo Breakdown Alan Coulson
14   Latham Ladies Alan Coulson & Geoff Purvis
15   Farewell to the Creeks Billy Atkinson
16   Longueval – waltz Billy Atkinson
17   The Farewell with variations Martin Dunn

The musicians who have truly influenced Irish music in this century have not been many. Willie Clancy, piper, whistle-player and singer of Miltown Malbay, Co Clare, was indisputably one of them. He belonged to a strong tradition and left one after him.
1  Langstern Pony
2  The Templehouse / Over the Moor to Maggie
3  Bruachna Carraige Báine (The Brink of the White Rock)
4  Erin’s Lovely Lea
5  The Killavel Fancy / The Dogs Among the Bushes
6  The Family Ointment
7  The Dear Irish Boy
8  Caoineadh an Spailpín (The Spalpeen’s Lament)
9  The Pipe on the Hob
10  The Gander
11  The Legacy Jig
12  The Flogging Reel
13  The Song of the Riddles
14  Spailpín a Rúin (Spalpeen, my love)