Issue 15 8/2000
FolkWorld CD
Reviews
Asturiana Mining Company
"Patrimoniu"
Label: Lochshore Recordings; CDLDL 1298;
2000; Playing time: 48.24 min
The original Asturiana Mining Company was founded in 1844 to exploit the
Asturian coal resources, triggering an immigration wave of workers from many
different countries. The AMC's musical incarnation is a project initiated by
Michael Lee Wolfe, an American ex-pat singer, songwriter and guitarist who
has been living in Spain since the mid-1980s. He is joined by a diverse
bunch of Asturian musicians: bagpiper and singer Alberto Varillas,
classically-trained accordionist Margot Lorences and pianist Xaime
González plus a full rhythm section of percussion, bass and drum
kit.
The music is partly Asturian, partly American in origin and is presented as
a successful amalgamation of both (with Spanish-only lyrics). Arrangements
are as varied as the line-up would suggest and show some similarity to the
Galician "folk orchestras" like Berrogüetto, Milladoiro et
al. The result is a very enjoyable mix of powerful songs and tunes in which
the Asturian bagpipes often - but not always - take centre stage.
Anja Beinroth
Barachois "Encore!"
Label:
Magnetic Music [in America: House Party Productions]; MMR CD
1030; 2000; Playing time: 50.33 min
Barachois from Prince Edward Island are a small band (a quartet) with a
great impact - especially when you see them whirl around on a stage. To
people who haven't seen them play live, their albums may sound a little
frantic, such is the level of energy and spirit of adventure with which they
present their tunes and songs. The sense of fun is ever-present, but it
doesn't mean they don't take their music seriously. They draw heavily on the
traditions of their island home, ie. Scottish speed fiddling and percussive
step dancing plus French folk songs.
All four are accomplished musicians, mostly on multiple instruments
including fiddle, jaw harp, keyboards, harmonica, sousaphone, french horn,
guitar and assorted percussion between them. As if that wasn't enough, they
all sing as well. Despite all this variety, "Encore!" sounds a
little more rounded to my ears than the debut release "Barachois".
Something a little different from the spate of (often excellent) fiddle
albums from Prince Edward Island and certainly worth exploring. Better
still, try and catch a live performance if you can!
Barachois website
Anja Beinroth
Pier Paul Berzaitz "Baratze
Bat"
Label:
Elkarlanean; KD-555; 2000; Playing time: 63.10 min
Pier Paul Berzaitz is a singer/songwriter from the French side of the
Basque country who sings in the Basque language. Unfortunately that means
that most of his listeners won't be able to understand him. I like the album
anyway, but I'm sure I'd have enjoyed it more if I could follow the lyrics.
From the way he sings them, they obviously matter, and the short song notes
(in French and Spanish only) in the booklet aren't really an adequate
substitute.
On the plus side, Pier Paul Berzaitz is a very good singer and the musical
arrangements are very nice, lots of piano and percussion, strings,
occasionally a bit of guitar, accordion and flute, even sax, on the whole
somewhat closer to chanson than folk song in style perhaps. Do non-French
speakers listen to chansons? If so, perhaps there is a market for Pier Paul
Berzaitz outside the Basque Country.
Anja Beinroth
Eric Bogle "Endangered
Species"
Label:
Greentrax [in Australia: Acmec Records]; CDTRAX 196; 2000;
Playing time: 69.35 min
Eric Bogle, author of classic, much-covered songs like "The Band Played
Waltzing Matilda" and "The Green Fields of France (No Man's
Land)", should need no introduction after all the years he's been
writing, recording and touring. His latest album lives up to expectations -
a collection of moving story songs, some funny, some thoughtful, some
personal, some singing the praises of everyday people, unsung heroes like
five Australian firefighters who died on the job in 1998 ("Our National
Pride").
The album was recorded with Bogle's current touring band -
multi-instrumentalists Ian Blake and David O'Neill plus percussionist
Jonathan Jones - and additional musicians Gillian Pratten (cello), Scott
Dodd (bass), Fred Pilcher and Karen Strahan (backing vocals). Thus its sound
is fuller and more varied than on some of Bogle's older recordings, but it
still sounds distinctively like an Eric Bogle album. If you liked any of his
previous work, you won't be disappointed by this.
More details on the album; a good
Eric Bogle fansite
Anja
Beinroth
Vincent P. Brophy "Down to the Sea in
Ships"
Label:
Hard Yacka Records; HYR CD 1013; 1999; Playing time: 39.33 min
Hard Yacka Records is a South Australian independent label mostly producing
recordings of folk music by local artists. "Down to the Sea in
Ships" is the re-release of a concept album (originally a 1986 LP) of
"songs about Australia's south-eastern seaboard and inland waterways
that brings the maritime heritage of Australia to life in music and
song." It was put together by Irish-born singer/songwriter Vincent
P. Brophy who brought in numerous musicians and singers to record ten songs
he had written on the subject. Most of them are catchy chorus songs; you can
sample five of them on the label's website.
Contact Vince Brophy;
Hard Yacka's CD information
Anja Beinroth
Elspeth "Attitude"
Label:
Scottish Harp; ES43; 2000; Playing time: 54.15 min
Elspeth Smellie has been playing and teaching the Scottish harp for many
years. Her album is a solo recording; a mix of harp tunes and Scottish
poetry set to harp music (about half of each). All harp tunes (including the
accompaniments) are Elspeth Smellie's original compositions - and they work
very well, displaying the strenghts of the instrument beautifully. They
aren't as catchy as traditional Scottish dance tunes, but much more complex
and subtle affairs, perfectly suited to the clear, bell-like sound of the
(presumably wire-strung) Scottish harp.
Her singing style won't be to everyone's taste, but the voice is very
powerful and distinctive and may appeal to people who like blues singers
like Sally Barker and Rory Block. Sample MP3s of some tunes and songs are
available from the website, along with the full track notes and lyrics, so
if you think this might be for you, visit
Elspeth Smellie's
website.
Anja Beinroth
Kimiz "Za Zjivota"
Label:
Wild Boar Music; WBM 21011; 1999; Playing time: 46.27 min
Kimiz is a Belgian klezmer band playing mostly dance tunes with a quite
jazzy sound. They take their material from a wide range of sources including
not just Yiddish traditions, but also Turkish, Greek and Bulgarian ones.
Their declared aim is to choose and play "music with a soul".
The founder and heart of Kimiz is clarinet-player Christel Borghlevens; she
is joined by guitarists Filip Verneert and Dirk van Esbroek (the group's
singer), violinist Jean-Michel Alexandre, bassist Christophe Devisscher and
percussionist Johan De Baedts. The musicians have varying backgrounds in
assorted musical genres, hence the unusual choice of material and inventive
arrangements. Anyone who likes both klezmer and Eastern European gypsy music
is likely to love this.
Kimiz website
(in Flemish)
Anja Beinroth
Rick Lee "There's Talk About A
Fence"
Label:
Waterbug Records; WBG 0047; 1999; Playing time: 50.22 min
Rick Lee is an old-style American singer/songwriter - a singer of songs
that tell stories in a condensed, but straightforward manner. He looks like
quite a character (and probably is). His voice is quite deep and he wisely
sings in a pitch which suits it, thereby sounding comfortable and giving the
words maximum impact.
Arrangements vary from the simple - typically Rick Lee on banjo or
keyboards, producer Andy May on guitar - to the more elaborate with the
addition of backing vocals, mandolin, pedal steel guitar or dobro, creating
a very rich acoustic sound. The choice of material ranges from traditional
ballads like "The Ballad of the Tinker's Daughter" to fairly
recent songs by Rick and his contemporaries.
A well-produced, enjoyable album by one of the better
singer/songwriters.
More album info from Waterbug
(with a longer review);
Rick Lee's website
Anja Beinroth
Lyrical Folkus "The Persimmon
Tree"
Label:
Hard Yacka Records; HYR CD 1011; 1998; Playing time: 51.37 min
This album sounds to me more like something from the 1960s than a recent
recording, but I have rather come to like it after a few plays. It may sound
a bit old-fashioned, but it's pleasant all the same. The oddly-named Lyrical
Folkus seems to be mainly singer Cate Burke and guitarits Chris vonderBorch,
joined here by an assortment of others in various combinations (additional
vocals, guitars, bass guitar, fiddle, viola, piano, concertina and whistle)
and often sounding like a singaround session.
This impression may be reinforced by the choice of material, which includes
well-known tracks like Sandy Denny's "Who Knows Where The Time
Goes", "The Mingalay Boat Song", "The Silkie of Skule
Skerry" (whose tune Pete Seeger used for the chilling "I Come and
Stand Every Door"), "Hard Times (Come Again No More)" and
Carolan's "Blind Mary". Not all tracks are folk standards, though,
and Cate Burke contributes two original compositions. Her singing uses a bit
too much vibrato for my taste. Other than that, it's all very nice.
You can sample the album on Hard Yacka's website.
Hard Yacka's CD information
Anja Beinroth
Morgan "Born of the Sea: Celtic
Ballads"
Label: TeLeN; TeLeN 0698; 1998; Playing
time: 60.27 min
If I understand the French notes correctly, the person behind this recording
is a French harp player whose full name is Morgane Trouze. She has studied
English in Ireland and hence manages to sing in a reasonably convincing
accent. The choice of material is mostly Irish, Scottish and American
folksong, from "The Banks of Claudy" via "The Silky" and
"She Moved Through The Fair" to "Silver Dagger" and
"Wagoner's Lad", arranged for voice and harp plus intermittent
sound effects (from nature to traffic sounds).
According to the sleeve note, the album aims to evoke a mystic Celtic voice
which is supposed to carry the listener off into some kind of magical dream
world. The music is better than that kind of silly waffle would suggest -
pleasant singing, competent playing - but hardly ground-breaking. Nice
though.
Morgane Touze, Lestréminou, Rte de St Jean Trolimon, F-29120
Plomeur, France
Anja Beinroth
Son Candela "Llega, pero no te
pases"
Label:
Cuba Chévere Musikproduktionen; 02-0500; 2000; Playing time:
55.36 min
Son Candela is the Cuban group led by Adalberto Avila (nicknamed
"Candela", hence the band name). They play a modern version of
Cuban son with a big sound (it's a large group!) - driving piano, lots of
percussion, orchestrated brass, and a multitude of male voices.
Competent Cuban party music catering to the expectations of the market, but
sincere and home-produced (in Havana). So if you pick this out of the
current flood of Cuban CD releases, at least you'll have the satisfaction of
knowing you're supporting a working band, as well as a small independent
record label.
More
information
Anja Beinroth
Iona "Open Sky "
Label: Alliance Records
Iona continue to ring the changes on this, their 5th studio album. Original member Frank
Van Essen returns to replace Terl Bryant on percussion, and adds his classically tinged
violin playing to the ensemble. However, it is still guitarist Dave Bainbridge who calls
the shots, having a hand in writing all the material as well as producing the album. To
this extent it could be viewed as just another Iona record, but the sound continues to
change and evolve to match the bands' changing line ups. Gone are the rockier days off
Nick Beggs' Chapman stick and Mike Horton's soaring sax solos. The addition of Troy
Donockley on pipes and whistle, plus the more considered percussion of Van Essen gives
Open Sky a more symphonic feel.
Any doubts that their rock heritage has been completely abandoned are blown away as early
as the first track, Woven Chord, an instrumental which gives both Bainbridge and
Donockley a chance to show their chops. Vocalist Joanne Hogg remains the key instrument
in the mix, and her performances on this album are strong as ever. Unfortunately, the
same cannot be said of some of the material she has been given to work with. It seems the
proliferation of soloists in the band has tilted the writing in favour of the
instrumental passages, though the slightly stilted narrative may also be partly due to
the storytelling nature of many of the lyrics.
Fans of the band will go and buy this in complete confidence, but for the rest of us it
may be wise to hear this before purchase. True to the standards they have set themselves
in previous releases the album contains a good 73 minutes of music, and the packaging is
of the standard we have come to expect from Britain's leading Christian folk rock band.
Though the band are always worth seeing live, I suspect this album may be seen in
retrospect as marking something of a transitional period in their development.
Alliance Records
Colin Jones
Baka Beyond "Sogo"
Label: Hannibal Records Baka's first album 'Spirit
of the Forest' burst onto the scene like a literal breath of fresh air. Combining Martin
Craddick's lively, bubbling guitar sound with a backing track recorded in the rainforests
of the Cameroon, the sound was happy and joyful. Since then, however, Baka have shown all
the signs of being a one-trick pony, seeming to repeat themselves in an entertaining but
ever diminishing loop. Just as it seemed all might be lost, a saviour has appeared in the
somewhat unlikely form of Breton Paddy Le Mercier. The addition of Le Mercier's fiddle
and whistle has given the African rhythms a contemporary sounding Celtic edge in the
manner of Sin É and the Afro Celts. The album's opener, an Africanised version of
Runrig's Chi Mi'n Geamhradh, marks a new era in the Baka sound and sets the tone for the
rest of the album perfectly.
Le Mercier's influence also extends to a tune selection, and many times during the course
of the album he can be found overlaying the trademark African polyrhythms with his jazz
tinged whistle and fiddle. Craddick plays his usual storm, stepping out on lead or
underpinning the rhythm when the percussionists take off. I've had the pleasure of seeing
this band live, and if you like the album then the live show is even better. Craddick
says in the sleeve notes that most of the material was worked out on the road, and as a
result the arrangements are as tight and crisp as you would expect. There could be a
slight criticism of Craddick's production in that he doesn't manage to convey the full
dynamism of the show to the record, but if you haven't seen the show it's not an issue.
Sogo, by the way, is the name of a Ghanaian drum, supposed by legend to contain 'The
Lightening Spirit'.
It remains something of a mystery to me why Baka have never been fully embraced by the
World music crowd. This may partly be due to Craddick's former incarnation as one half of
the slightly crusty Outback duo or the two distinctly British singers' dodgy
pronunciation of the various dialects, but if there is any justice this album should see
them welcomed fully into the fold. Dancier than Sin É, more African than the Afro
Celts, this is a very good album indeed.
Hannibal Records
Colin Jones
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