properganda 2

Limited edition double CD recorded live in Switzerland and bonus DVD

live at The Sydney Opera House.

SUNRISE OVER SEA Jarrah 938042

LIVE AT ST. GALLENJarrah JBT009

The sunning breakthrough album that hascatapulted John Butler to world wide success.

C O N T E N T SIN THIS PACKED ISSUE…

FEATURESPage 4 Hayes Carll

The Lone Star guitar slinger strides into town and shoots the breeze…

Page 7 Nickel CreekAn insight into this precociously talented trio…

Page 9-12 Seth LakemanSeth talks about life post the Mercury Prize nomination, life on the road and the new album…

Page 14-15 DualtoneAn introduction and label history as a primer to this great and exciting catalogue…

Page 18 Tony KofiThe quest behind Tony’s groove driven jazz masterpiece…

Page 21 Studio 1The musical legacy of Studio 1 could fill several volumes on its own we offer an introduction to Heartbeat’s exemplary reissues…

Page 25 Guest EditorialWell here we try and introduce the concept of pontificating to come…

REVIEWSPage 5-6 Country/ Americana

Mostly, but not necessarily from America

Page 8 & 13 FolkThe new black in all its shades

Page 16-17 JazzWe’re still riffing on a snappy soundbite

Page 20 World MusicIt’s all World music…

Page 22-23 Review RoundupFor everything that spills out of other sections or carefully avoids categorisation…

Page 24 Blues / Rhythm & SoulFrom The Delta to Norway, via Motortown and Mobile…

And don’t forget the competition on page 26

It’s a whole heap of something for nothing…

HelloWelcome to the first issue of Properganda and thank you for picking it up.

As it’s our debut, it’s probably best that we explain a little ofwhat we’re about. For a start, in a world increasingly dominatedby new technologies and information sources, it seems a littleperverse to launch a print magazine and a free one at that. Butwhat’s undeniable is that despite all the heat and noise generated,because of the increasingly fractured way that we receive ourinformation (not just TV, radio, print, online, digital etc. but manymore channels of each than before) it’s actually harder than everto reach beyond traditional audiences.

A good example of this is the Nationwide Mercury Music Prize,which does manage to get heard above the chatter. Critics sneerat tokenism but each year, artists who would otherwise remainon the fringes are brought to national attention and promptlythousands of people discover they quite like music that they otherwise wouldn’t have heard. And yes, we had 2005s two‘token’ nominees, one of whom is elevated to cover star for thisissue.

Bearing in mind that all you need to give is your time, we aim tofeature music and artists that you may not be aware of but wefeel are worthy of your attention. No, it’s not likely they’ll begetting four page features in Mojo, day time play on Radio 2 orracking in Tescos but then isn’t discovery part of the joy of it?

So please enjoy the following. We aim to publish four of these ayear and hopefully you’ll keep picking them up. And finally in theinterests of complete disclosure, yes, we’re biased because wewant you to support the artists featured – we’re calledProperganda after all – but in mitigation could we draw yourattention to the offer on page 26. If you’re not happy about ourrecommendations, then let us know & we’ll put it straight.

Tell us what you think of our efforts by emailing us [email protected]

More information www.properdistribution.com

Contributors:Erin Spurling (ES); Alice Barrett(AB); Joe Banks(JB); Gordon Paulman (GP); Tony Morely (TM); Sid Cowens (SC);Lewis Robinson (LR); John O'Reagan (JO); Steve Kersley (SK);Simon Holland (SH); Mik Gaffney (MG); Esther Tewkesbury (ET);Alan Price (AP) and Brian Showell (BS).

Cover photograph:Lorna Yabsley

Artwork/Design:Simon Holland and Sarah-May Stanley-Gustar

Proper Music DistributionThe New PowerhouseGateway Business ParkKangley Bridge RoadSE26 5ANEnglandTel Int ++44 (0) 20 8676 5100Fax ++44 (0) 20 8676 5169www.properdistribution.comwww.myspace.com/propermusic 3

FEATURESPage 4 Tim Van Eyken

Arise the dark prince of Nu-Folk

Page 7 Fellside RecordsA 30 year history of one of the most important British folk labels

Pages 9–12 Allison MoorerAllison rewrites history, gets into the nitty-gritty of the new album and what it’s like to be produced by husband Steve Earl.

Pages 14 & 15 Candid RecordsA profile of this historically important label revitalised by Alan Bates

Page 16 The Jazz AwardsThe compilation and the key nominees for this years BBC sponsored event

Page 19 Linda Ronstadt and Ann SavoyThe Zozo sisters deliver a haunting country/cajun collaboration

Page 22 Dar WilliamsA committed and articulate commentator on today’s social mores Dar’scomplete catalogue is ripe for exploration

Page 26 Guest EditorialAlan Cackett of the excellent Maverick magazine pops a few words into our in-box

REVIEWSPages 5 & 6 Folk

The new black in all its shades

Pages 8 & 13 Country AmericanaMostly but not necessarily from America

Pages17 & 18 JazzBlowing in on the horns of the Jazz Awards

Page 21 Blues, Rhythm and SoulFrom the Delta to the rest of the world

Page 23 WorldIt’s all world music

Pages 24 & 25 Review RoundupFor everything that spills out of other section or carefully avoids categorisation

Contributors:Erin Spurling (ES); Alice Barrett(AB); Joe Banks(JB); Gordon Paulman (GP); Tony Morly (TM); Sid Cowens (SC);Lewis Robinson (LR); John O'Reagan (JO); Steve Kersley (SK);Simon Holland (SH); Mik Gaffney (MG); Esther Tewkesbury (ET);Alan Price (AP); Brian Showell (BS) and Victoria Hurley (VH);Alan Levermore (AL).

Artwork/Design:Simon Holland and Sarah-May Stanley-Gustar

Welcome to issue 2 of Propaganda and thanks for picking it up. Ifit’s the first issue you’ve seen, we very much hope you like it, Forthe rest of you we feel suitably encouraged that you already haveissue 1. It wasn’t bad for a debut in the world of publishing was it?

At least that seems to be the majority view. But embarking on a newventure featuring music from genres whose fans and protagonistscan be, let’s say, a little conservative, runs the risk of upsetting theapplecart. And so we were extremely gratified to hear that we were“an in-house vanity publishing admag” and “Smash Hits-stylee-light-weight-froth on the back of current media hype”. At least we werepleased for a short but disastrous period when we mistook this forpraise. Hey ho, if you didn’t get to see issue 1 it can still be down-loaded from the website.

By way of balance, this is what Simon Hutt from Warrington said:‘My musical tastes are wide, and I found the breadth of coverage inProperganda great, covering some artists I was already familiar with,and introducing me to many names new to me.

To be fair, this was just after we told him he’d won the competitionand would be receiving all the 62 albums featured but then we’re notbelow buying praise. And so to this month’s artists. We give them allour heartfelt and sincere endorsement. Yes we are trying to interestyou in buying their wares, but we genuinely believe in the merits ofall of the artists and CDs on these pages. We aren’t alone as someof the reviews will demonstrate. Also we have the Jazz Awards toadd further endorsement to The Likes of Anita Wardell, Alan Barnes,Andrew McCormack and Clare Teal. Congratulations to them all aswinners and to other artists that made the shortlist of nominees.

We also have the incredible Scott Matthews, who has wowed themin the lofty towers of Radio 1 and Radio 2. Watch out for the latesummer release of Elusive as a single.

Finally White Bicycles is the legacy of the great Joe Boyd who hasdone so much for music, seemingly for all the right reasons. It givesus a chance to bid a sad farewell to Syd, music is forever enrichedby his all too brief career.

Once again got to www.properdistribution.com to enter our competition and find out a little more about what we do.

arely a week seems to pass these days without a musicianemerging from the acoustic/folk/roots scene with a totallyfresh slant on the oldest of our musical genres.

And vocalist/accordionist Tim Van Eyken is no exception.Having been performing for at least a decade with the likesof traditonal supergroups Dr Faustus and Waterson:

Carthy, Van Eyken - the recipient of the BBC Young FolkAward in 1998 and acclaimed by The Daily Telegraph as “one of Britain’sgreat young hopes” - finally comes into focus on his accomplished newalbum for Topic Records, Stiffs Lovers Holymen Thieves, hailed by ColinIrwin in fRoots as "strikingly natural, beautifully recorded and sparinglypresented."

The clues are in the album’s title: therein the often twisted tales andmurder ballads are populated by all manner of characters, from the epicstandards Barleycorn and Australia to the dark lullaby Babes In The Wood,taught to Van Eyken by his father Chris, who in turn first heard it on hismother Dorothy’s knee as a child.

With his gothy long black leather coat and bright red varnish adorning histoe-nails, Van Eyken’s distinctive identity is underpinned by the band he hasassembled over the last couple years: violinist Nancy Kerr, guitarist OliverKnight, bass-player Colin Fletcher and drummer Pete Flood.

“They are all such fantastic musicians I feel like a kid in a sweet shop; in away I got more out of the experience than I expected,” says Bath residentVan Eyken. “We recorded it before we did any gigs together, so makingthe album became part of the formative process.

Van Eyken had played alongside Kerr and her partner James Fagan and alsoperformed with Knight as part of Waterson: Carthy. “Two of my favouritealbums of all time are the ones Ollie did with Lal Waterson, so it wasmatter of great pride to me that he got involved. I love his quirky playingstyle,” says Van Eyken, who was introduced to Fletcher by Kerr and Floodthrough his work with Bellowhead.

In putting the line-up together Van Eyken sought a team with whom hecould collaborate fully, rather than a group of sessioneers to back his solocareer. “They are capable of contributing far more than just back up,” hesays. “My idea was to have a standard sound palette. One of the reasonspeople will avoid folk music is because they are not used to the sounds

being made. So I thought if I had a regular line-up it would convey themusic more strongly. I wasn’t bothered about it being ‘folk rock’ though. Iwanted it to be a bit more trashy, blowsy, camp.”

In the wake of the success of the likes of Seth Lakeman, this area of Britishmusic is getting mighty crowded, though Van Eyken is unfazed, and itseems from his site on myspace.com that he is indeed approaching folkfrom a very different angle from many of his fellow travellers. Among theinspirations cited on myspace.com/timvaneyken the likes of the Watersonsand Carthys rub shoulders with Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Tom Waits, GustavMahler, Rufus Wainwright, Dresden Dolls, Dolly Parton and…the Muppets.

At the time of writing the band had only played together once, a “baptismof fire which was really good” at the Wychwood Festival in early June. Bythe time you read this Van Eyken and his band will have embarked on astack of dates taking in festivals from Sidmouth to Brosella in Belgium andvenues from the South Bank to Frome. AB

Catch him while you can.

Tim Van EykenSTIFFS LOVERS HOLYMEN THIEVESTopic Records TSCD565A perfectly timed release in this current climate ofhot-to-the-touch folk music. The main man has spenthis time wisely since winning the Young Folk MusicianAward, honing his singing and playing skills at festivals,clubs and sessions over the years as well as sharingstage and CD with the mighty Waterson: Carthy.

The cast that make up the title is put before us,drawing us in to the drama, dastardly deed or despair that surrounds them. Notwithout a knowing regard to the folk/rock convention begun by Fairport all thoseyears ago. No lesser authority than Mr. Carthy himself has been know to verbalisethoughts along the lines of the only disservice you can do to a traditional folk songis NOT to revisit it.

Van Eyken, his pals and producer Ollie Knight have put out the welcome mat for notonly folk enthusiasts to pay a visit, but also those who just enjoy a rattling good storyaccompanied by a sound pallet of musical italics and explanation marks.This is an album that will transcend any current trend. AL

“It's been a great year for the new folk scene, and this fresh, compelling album isone of the high points”. The Guardian ‘★★★★’

“The songs, by turns jaunty, tragic and romantic, eloquently tell the human storybehind the England flag, bright May morns, dark deportations and all. A triumph.Neil Spencer” The Observer

Most will know the namefrom his days founding andfronting goodtimecountry/folk outfit TheBushbery's. After touringthe band in its myriad formsaround most of Europe'smajor festivals andproducing no fewer than 11albums, a new challenge seemed to be the onlyway forward.

THE SINGING TREE is the songwriters craftlaid bare, a collection of personal observationsupon life's labours, relationships and rewards.Eddy's strong resonant voice and driving guitaradd colour and texture to the narrative of thesongs, emphasising and underpinning thecarefully structured lyrics. What may seem tobe obvious influences (Dylan, McTell, Guaghan)should not in anyway under value what is anextremely self-assured solo debut.

Tales of the road (Liberty Falls), tales of love(Lighthouse) and in Ordinary Man OrdinaryWoman, a real clincher in the Working ClassHero mould. As Eddy points no matter whathappens, it’s always the ordinary Joe/Jo whopays the price. AL

" From professional footballer to one of thefinest songwriters in the UK. The album is atestament to his writing and singing skills.Maverick magazine

Eddy MortonTHE SINGING TREENew Mountain Music NMM2005A singer and songwriter of considerable abilitymakes his solo debut

This second solo albumfrom Men They Couldn’tHang vocalist Philip (Swill)Odgers sees the full bloomof the down home style oflast year’s criticallyacclaimed debut, THE DAYAFTER. Featuring an uniquehybrid of Americana, UKfolk, Celtic rhythm and classic Pop, all toppedby Swill’s legendary, resonant vocal style, this isa fully realised excursion into the roots of acareer that spans 22 years.

Recorded, as before, with a collection of friendsaccumulated after half a life on the road, ELVISLIVES HERE contains co-compositions with thelikes of Robb Johnson, Attila The Stockbrokerand Paul Simmonds alongside a welter of Swilloriginals. From accapella to instrumental, fromthe epic balladry of In The Breeze to the smalltown observation of Shed Fire.

Imagine Glen Campbell, Kirsty MacColl and lateperiod Joe Strummer all rolled into one andbacked by the best little picking band this side ofthe bayou. Swill has made his own record andinfused it with the age old punk ethos of DIYand the album creates a new kind of genre withits intimate fables of a local kind of life. SH

www.myspace.com/swillandtheswaggerband

Swill And the Swagger BandELVIS LIVES HERETTL10105.Men They Couldn’t Hang vocalist sets thestandards in a genre of his own

FOLK REVIEWS

Infectious, energetic andhonest…Three words thathave found their way intojust about every write upthat Tiny Tin Lady have hadto date. It’s significant thatas well as drawing criticalplaudits they have alsoexcited their musical peers,with Ralph McTell, Jah Wobble and variousFairports lining up to add to the “taking the folkworld by storm” acclaim.

Still in their teenage years this trio comprisessisters Danni and Beth, who share vocal andguitar duties, aided by Helen, who plays bassand apparently restricts her vocalising to theshower. Producer Tom McGarth on keys anddrums fills out the album’s sound, but it is thestrength and surprising depth of the songwriting that shines through. Danni is no meanwordsmith and the sisters distinctive voicescombine tellingly to pack an emotive punch offormidable reach.

Next big things can very quickly become ex bigthings, but TTL’s promise is such, that we hopethey continue on their chosen course for years.Summer festivals offer an immediate chance tosee what the fuss is about check the website fordetails. SC

“Freshness and wit in abundance.” The Telegraph“Honest, organic arrangements…” ★★★★ Mojo

Tiny Tin LadySOUND OF REQUIEMTiny Tin Label TTL10105Cracking songs and great voices combine totake the folk world by storm

Before we get into thisrecord the name ispronounced Ish-ka-dooer,which means water in Irishand Welsh. Many of you willof course know them asformer BBC Young FolkMusicians of the year. Butthis second album is atriumph, especially for Anna Esslemont, theband’s violinist and vocalist, who has thankfullyrecovered from serious illness that has longdelayed this excellent sophmore set.

In Cormac Byrne, she has a soul mate andexcellent percussionist who brings a real driveto the songs and tunes of this CD. The trio iscapped by Kevin Dempsy a very fine guitarist,whose vocals contribute an extra dynamic.

Sympathetically produced by Joe Broughton,the tracks are largely originals, combined withsome traditional tunes. Anna is in fine voice andinstrumental fettle, especially on the openerEveryday Cynic, a great song and the bitterAmerica. Kevin’s guitar weaves around thespaces supporting and pulling by turn andCormac’s percussion always adds momentumand never clutter. There is a marvellous fluidityabout the way that the band members play, it allsounds so completely natural. SC

“An Amazing young trio…” Mike HardingBBC Radio 2.

UiscedwrCIRCLEYukka YRCD002Exceptional second album from this awardwinning trio

This band hasconsistently shownthemselves to at theforefront of the folklive circuit. After all,how many similaracts can claim to beable to sell out theAlbert Hall undertheir own steam? Nomean achievement, but when you see theband live there is no doubting why they areso successful.

For this new CD, Simon Emerson and Mass ofthe Afro celts have been brought in onproduction duties and it proves to be a shrewdmove. All bar one of the songs are SteveKnightly originals that have a real presence thatshines through the natural, captivatingarrangements. The disc simply sounds superb.

There’s a real drama to songs like The Dive andUndertow, catching small details of humantriumph and tragedy. The tunes have an epicquality and the delivery is emotive to say theleast. Roots is as good a contemporary folk songas you’ll hear with its plea to value the positivesof history, something the English, as a nation,are not great at.

These are tales of faith, hope, ghosts love andloss that merit close and continued attention.The playing and singing are of the highest order,with Phil and Steve’s harmonies augmented byMiranda Sykes, to stunning effect. This issomething that has been perfected through liveperformance and Miranda has committed muchof this year to touring with the band. Irecommend that you catch them live if you canand there will be plenty of opportunitythoughout the autumn.

One of the highlights oftheir recent shows, andthere were many, was asolo spot for Mirandaand her upright bass.She demonstrated justwhat a fine singer andplayer she is, withenough charisma to fillthe stage on her own.

Her recent solo albumis worth your time as well. Although rather thatsolo she employs a very capable crew ofmusicians including Gareth Turner (Melodeon),Maartin Allcock (Guitars, Fretless Bass), PeteZorn (Saxophones, Flute) and MartinFitzgibbon (Percussion), names that should befamiliar.

Although classically trained, she hasexperimented with other genres, including rockand country music. She continues to build a solorepertoire of fine narrative songs, Written bythe like of Beth Neilsen Chapman, Patty Griffinand even Sting. It’s a good set of songs that allbenefit from Miranda’s interpretation andespecially her voice, with its rich honeyedtones. SH

“Intelligent, compelling, imaginative..” TheTelegraph“This is a big album.” ★★★★Mojo

Show Of HandsWITNESSHand Made HMCD0023Amongst the very best live bands in the UKMiranda Sykes guests

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Miranda SykesBLISS

Hand Made HMCD024

Since forming in 1996, Solas(meaning “light” in Gaelic)has been widely proclaimedas the most popular,influential and exciting Celticband to ever emerge fromthe United States. Evenbefore the release of theirself-titled debut, The Boston

Herald trumpeted Solas as “the first truly greatIrish band to arise from America”.

Solas celebrates their 10 year anniversary withthis spectacular concert CD/DVD collectionthat features all current and past members. Thetwo constants have been multi instrumentalistSeamus Egan and Winifred Horan, who is avirtuoso fiddle player. It’s a great set that getsthe crowd going from the opening WoodyGuthrie song Pastures Of Plenty, through arollocking mixture of songs and tunes, giving theshifting stage line up a chance to rotate thespotlight.

Filmed and recorded in Philadelphia, PA onSeptember 13th, 2005, the collection features a17 track audio CD as well as a 1 hour, 45minute DVD of the reunion concert. There areof course loads of extras, but through it all themusic shines in the hands and voices of someincredibly skilled musicians. SC

“the most exciting bands anywhere in the world” The Irish Echo

SolasREUNION: A DECADE OF SOLASCompass COM44312Widely held to be one of the most exciting livebands with suberb CD/ DVD package

With the 90th. anniversaryof the start of the true lifehorror that was the Battle ofthe Somme it is a timelyopportunity to re-visitfictional anti-hero PrivatePeaceful.

Recorded live at the IlkleyLiterature Festival “Private Peaceful” featuresMichael Morpurgo’s evocative readings from hisaward-winning book and songs written andarranged by acclaimed accapella trio Coope,Boyes & Simpson. The trio’s songs match andintensify Morpurgo’s outstanding narration asthe story of Tommo Peaceful moves betweenhumour and tragedy in the First World Wartrenches of the Western Front. This is anunusual, innovative and powerful album of aunique, atmospheric performance.

Although not the actual character of the pieceMorpurgo’s inspiration came from seeing thename in a war cemetery in Flanders. and setabout writing his story as an overview of theobscenity of the conflict from a variedperspective.

The words and the songs coexist perfectlyproviding a truly engrossing essay on one ofhistories darkest episodes. AL

“The trio’s songs strikingly capture thecamaraderie and cynicism of ordinary men atwar” Colin Randall. The daily Telegraph

Michael Morpurgo, Coope, Boyes &SimpsonPRIVATE PEACEFULNo Masters NMCD24Incredibly moving and powerful

Krista Detor has come along way from the weddingsand cocktail parties that sheused to sing at. She hastravelled extensively andpools all of her experiencesto create beautiful, andpicturesque lyrics and music.One of the most notable

things about Krista’s writing is her ability toconvey the intensity of everyday situations thatoften go unnoticed. Abigayle’s Songdemonstrates this as she highlights the fact thatsome people can become burdened with otherpeoples’ secrets, and are left with nobody toconfide in themselves.

The blues and country tinged Steal Me a Car, isa tale of wanting to escape your hometown totry something new. The title track shows thedarker side of the big top circus, and it isthought to refer to her co-producer DavidWeber’s past career as a trapeze artist. Thewriting on this album is thoughtful and elegant,as is the music, Krista’s piano playing iscomplimented by sparse yet passionate musicalarrangements. No doubt this release will bringher to the attention of the wider audience thatshe deserves.

"Krista Detor is one of the finestsinger/songwriters I’ve run across in years… "Carrie Newcomer

Krista DetorMUDSHOWCora Zong 255 087Echos of Laura Nyro in the toughtful writingand sparse elegant playing

FOLK REVIEWS

Reg first emerged onto theBritish acoustic music scenein 1986 when he formed thePanic Brothers with thecomedian Richard Morton.Together they recorded onealbum called In The Redproduced by Clive Gregson.Five years of successful

touring and TV work followed.

More recently, Reg joined Hank Wangford's bandbut, Reg’s Writing, Performing and acting creditsinclude work with people as diverse as famousFrench Composer Vladimir Cosma; Not TheNine O’Clock News; Robbie Coltrane; ChrisDifford; Lenny Henry; Jeremy Hardy and PaulMerton, etc…

Reg has kept to a core of musicial collaboratorsRoy Dodds on percussion, Miranda Sykes bassand Vocals and Rabbit Bundrick on keyboards.Among his guests this time are Martin Carthy,Phil Beer & Sarah Allen. It’s an album full of classysongwriting, The Man In Edward Hopper’s Bar isa great concept: the jaunty Do You Want MyLove is a personal favourite; The Poacher has atraditional feel; the cover of Tim Buckley’sMorning Glory is almost ghostly. The playing isbeautifully restrained and the harmoies hook youin. A quiet, subtle winner.

http://www.regmeuross.com

Reg MeurossSTILLOffspring OFFCD00111An enviable career, a great supporting cast anda subtle treasure of a record

The Devil’s Interval are: Lauren McCormick,voice and flute; Emily Portman, voice andconcertina andJim Causley, voice and accordion.

Guitar players will recognise the trio’s monika,referring to the diabolical sound producedwhen three whole tones are strummedsimultaneously. This indicates the group’s ironicsense of humour as their three voices blendfaultlessly. Most of The Devil’s Interval songsare unaccompanied and listening is somehowreminiscent of The Young Tradition, more in thefresh and adventurous, some might even saymischievous, approach than any actual similarityof sound. I have no doubt my old pal PeterBellamy would have given his seal of approval.

Unlike the other exciting releases currentlybasking in a new found appreciation of folkmusic generally, The Devil’s Interval are allabout singing traditional song with the vocaldelivery inspired by the substance of the song.Although the sound is very natural andspontaneous, it is easy to tell that a whole lot ofwork, revision and analysis has gone into thatdelivery. The harmony structures and vocaltextures are always changing to match thewords and sentiment of the verses and it makesthe whole sound exciting to listen to.

It is always a danger when giving a personalappraisal of a recording to pick out key tracks,but I feel their handling of an epic like ‘LongLankin’ deserves special mention, especiallywhen one considers the age and experience ofthe singers.

The booklet that accompanies the CD gives agood insight into how the trio choose and thendevelop a song, with interesting, informativeand quite delightful comments. Jim has alreadyhad a nod of recognition by being nominatedfor the Horizon Award at this year’s BBC FolkAwards. If the folk world want to congratulatea young band treating traditional music with agenuine, authentic yet original approach, thenlook no further. AL

"English folk's new supergroup!" Peter Arnold- Priddy Festival

The Devil’s IntervalBLOOD AND HONEYWildgoose Projects WGS335CD

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SC ES

Fellside Records can claimwith real authority to berooted in the folk musicscene. Founded as a label in1976 by Paul and LindaAdams, both of whom

were aspiring performers. The labelwas founded, with practical help fromJoe Stead, for whom Paul and Lindahad recorded themselves, and AlanGreen of Folk Heritage. They also lenton the experience of several labelowners, suchas Brian Horsfall, whoselabel, Traditional Sound Recordings,Fellside now owns. Bill Leader was alsoa great supporter of the enterprise Asperformers themselves, they set offwith the simple question 'What wouldwe want from a label?' and thereby hiton a formula that has seen the labelreach its thirtieth anniversary with anenviable reputation for both the qualityof its releases and its artist relations.

They decided form the start to include a studio intheir plans using basic knowledge that Paul hadgained through experience with the BBC in Carlisle.With in-house recording as a clear advantage overmany start up independent record labels, they setabout finding new talent, reasoning that they wereunlikely to attract the star names straight away.Quickly adopting a strategy of licensing otherrecordings that met with their remit for “qualityfolk music”, Fellside’s catalogue grew rapidly. Evenso Fellside remained a labour of love rather than aserious commercial enterprise until the mid 80s.That's not to say that they didn't release bothcredible and successful albums. In fact, it came as asurprise just how quickly they were able to attractknown artists.

Fellside should also be credited with a pioneeringapproach in developing the label. Seeing thepotential of re-issuing classic folk albums, to someextent marks the tipping point from hobby intoserious business mode and set the template forothers to follow. Peggy Seeger’s ‘CLASSICPEGGY SEEGER’, re-released by Fellside in 1996is still available today, and was an early example ofthe commercial strength of the re-issue stratagem,that remains a mainstay of the label to this day. The

label's A&R policy was equally innovative with artistssuch as Jez Lowe, who has gone on to be regardedas one of England's finest songwriters, and mostrecently Spiers & Boden who have taken the folkscene by storm having been twice voted 'Best Duo'in the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards, both beingdeveloped by the label.

The final innovative twist came when the Lakeimprint was added to cover Jazz in 84. The firstrelease was Ken Colyer's Jazzmen, whose band atone time included Lonnie Donegan (Which iswhere skiffle really started!) and this would foreverendear the label to John Peel. The label followedthe Fellside strategy of re-issues and has grown tobe one of the most important British mainstreamand traditional jazz labels of the last 20 years.

The history of Fellside’s recordings is now capturedon an excellent value 3 CD set celebrating their30th.anniversary.Although this could never beconsideredcomprehensive itdoes go some way indemonstrating thewealth and breadth of music that the label has consistentlyreleased over theyears. AL

Here is a personal choice of a few key releases, stillin print, from the labels catalogue chosen by Paulhimself….

FECD3 THE BORDER FIDDLER by The BorderCountry Dance Band was the labels first release torecord healthy sales

FECD17 THE RAMBLINGSOLDIER by Roy Harris was the label’s first release by a well respected and established singer on the folk scene

FECD79 BRIEFLY ON THE STREET the earliestremaining Jez Lowe title on the label. In all therewere originally eight of Jez’s releases, cataloguingthe formative years of one of England’s truly literatesongwriters

FECD87 VOICES-ENGLISH TRADITIONALSONG Various Artists. Arguably the first collectionto give full appreciation to the wealth of English folktalent. Peter Bellamy’s enthusiasm and involvementin this project cannot be overstated

FECD92 FURTHERHORIZONS the oldest releasefrom the label’s longest servingartist. A performer who stillcontinues to delight audienceswherever he performs.

FECD145 STEELY WATERNancy Kerr and James Fagan The earliest CD, still in print,by the first of what could becalled the ‘New Wave’ of folkartists signed to the label.

FECD160 ROUND AGAIN by Swan Arcade. Oneof the folk revivals finest harmony groups (With apolitical bent and eclectic choice of material) Laterthey went on to join forces with The Watersons toform Blue Murder.

FECD161 THROUGH AND THROUGH thedebut album by the duo that has become a folkphenomenon, Spiers and Boden. ‘The man whodiscovered Spiers and Boden’ a worthy epitaph!

FECD162 KEEP ON KIPLINGby the late lamented PeterBellamy. One of the mostsignificant and originalperformers of the folk revival.

FECD176D SONGLINKS Various Artists. A wonderfully packaged and documented essay on folk music’s living tradition. Exploring thedevelopment of traditional song on its voyagebetween Britain and Australia.

FECD200 THEN AGAIN Toprove that Fellside is ever onthe lookout for quality andthat the young musicians don'thave it all their own way, a2006 signing to the label is theaward winning Canadiansongwriter, James Keelaghan.

fellside recordingsAs performers themselves, they set off with the simple

question “What would we want from a label?”

AMERICANA/COUNTRY REVIEWS

Guy Clark first played aguitar at the age of 16, andhas since had his songsrecorded by the likes ofRodney Crowell, JohnnyCash and Ricky Skaggs,amongst many others. Helives each of the songs hewrites, and that only adds to

the genuine sound of his music.

WORKBENCH SONGS takes its title from thefact that Clark’s basement doubles as his guitarworkshop, as well as being the place he doesmost of his writing. This record very much tapsinto the realities of modern life, for example,the swing melody of Tornado Time In Texas, isquite a contrast to the content of the song,which depicts houses and food being lost. Thisis followed by Funny Bone and Exposé, whichtackle the problems that can arise from painfulbreak-ups.

Out in the Parkin’ Lot, is a laid back look at thevariety of people who converge in a parking lotfor a multitude of reasons. Clark’s sense ofhumour, as well as his awareness of modernculture, shines through in Analog Girl, anamusing take on people who refuse to enter thedigital age.

“Master craftsman with a quality piece of workthat remains timeless in its construction.”★★★★ Maverick

Guy ClarkWORKBENCH SONGSDualtone 80302012392Legendary Texan artist and artisan’s homecrafted work.

William Hut foundinternational recognition asthe lead singer ofNorwegian band, Poor RichOnes, a group that garneredcritical acclaim and isGrammy Award winning.His solo albums were alsomet with good reviews, and

Rolling Stone’s Rob O’Connor, listed ROADSTAR DOOLITTLE, Hut’s first solo release, ason of the best albums released in 2003.

Three years later, William is releasing his thirdsolo album, and it looks set to follow the sameroute as his previous two. It opens with acountry number, Hometown; and as suggestedby the title, By The Seaside, a duet betweenWilliam and Barrence Whitfield, has a light, pop,summery feel. One thing that is particularlyenjoyable about William’s singing is theimmense tenderness with which he conveys hisemotions. Worthy of special note are Don’t LetGo, and the beautifully moving closing track, I’mDying To See You Again, which deals with thepain of longing to see someone, which ishighlighted by the powerful build in theinstrumentation.

"William Hut exquisitely follows a heartsicksonic trajectory, infinitely sad and nocturnal, yetuplifting rather than depressing." Q

William HutDAYS TO REMEMBERCora Zong 255088Acclaimed Grammy winner’s second tenderand moving solo set.

He's tall, lanky, and angular,with a big guitar, a big voice,and big American songs.Singer, talker, teacher, andmaybe part preacher. Writer,thinker, and left-wingsoapbox agitator. A beer anda shot man with a Ph.D. anda suitcase full of songs and

CDs.. Folksinger, rocker, and alt-countrytwanger. A renaissance man in the era of thedigital chip brain. Or so the biography will haveyou believe: and why not?

Such fruity prose sets you up, in part at least forthis exceptional CD, which is quickly becominga favourite spin. So a couple of facts are inorder: he was born on the shores of LakeSuperior, where highways 2, 13 and 63 conjoin:he’s a serious student of American history,especially the working classes. Oh, and he’s adamn fine song writer.

The Noir of Gun So Small; the goodtimecountry funk of Fish On A Line (almost LittleFeat); the memories of Birdland Symphony; theroad song, 40 Hours To A Kiss. There’s just ahint of Lyle Lovett and I don’t think there’s aduffer in sight. Pop round I’ll play it to you.

http://www.buckyhalker.com

Bucky HalkerWISCONSIN 2.13.63Brambus BRAMBUS2006162Lake Superior alt-country twanger’s superiorCD.

With a cover inspired byMiró and recorded entirelyat his own Glebe Studio, thealbum reunites long-servingband members and survivorsof the Texas campaign thatgave us the classic live album THANKS FOR THECHICKEN - Dermot

O’Connor, accordion and mandolin; JohnGordon, bass; Al Stewart, saxes; Simon Webb,keyboards; and Steve Dixon, drums; plusMcGhee on a variety of guitars, etc.

The album features 10 brand new songs,beginning with a tequila-fuelled trip to theMexican border, Moon Over Ciudad Acuña, andending with a twelve minute tribute to long timefriend, West Texas poet and storyteller, the lateRoxy Gordon

Mr Bush gets a mention on Don’t Let TheMonkey Drive, Shame On You Rosie is theultimate rockabilly put-down and Is AnybodyThere? is a disturbing tale set in a time-warpeddiner. With the flamenco-flavoured Al Andalusand You and the heartstopping title track, thisalbum sees McGhee at his best. For those thatdon’t know how good that is, Wes may hail fromLeicestershire, but he’s revered in Texas and hasa CV that is far to long to print here.

http://www.wesmcghee.com

Wes McGheeBLUE BLUE NIGHTTerrapin TRPCD1405From Leicestershire to the Lone Star State.

Now let’s get this straight: aTexan song writer and friendof the late great Townes VanZandt, living in Switzerlandand recorded in Nashville.There’s a head spinner.

Over to you Richard…“These songs came to me asstories, and a couple in

dreams; unbidden, out of long habit. Likechildren we bring songs into the world with thebest intentions; they turn out how they will. Irealize this is our tenth CD release withBrambus. This calls for celebration… Break outthe champagne and join us."

Not only a contemporary of Van Zandt, Towneswas also a big fan of Richard and you’ll probablyknow Baby Ride Easy from the Dave EdmundsCarlene Carter hit. That was Richard’s.

There’s a lovely edge to this set. Lyrical twistsand a voice that sounds authentic rather thanbuffed and digitised make tales of HarpoonBarry, Thistledown Wind, a Red HeadedWoman and a Scissortail Bird deeply affecting.Surely Down Along The Reeperbhan has to bea unique country road song, with the winningopening gambit “One night we played inHamburg and nobody came”.

"His rhythms and ideas are great. His words areprecise and never wasted. He's one of myfavorite songwriters." Townes Van Zandt

Richard DobsonON THISTLEDOWN WINDBrambus BRAMBUS2006142Rated by Townes Van Zandt and NancyGriffiths. Enough said.

When a celebratedsongwriter cuts an album ofcovers, it's generally astopgap till the next recordor a way out of a contract.But Cleaves, never knownto be prolific or to knock outproduct, approaches hisseventh album in 16 years

with a purposefulness that transcends a mereshout-out to wordsmith friends. His choices areobscure (the best-known songwriter here isDavid Olney) but meaningful, varied,sometimes stunning. He's drawn to traditionalallusions and melodies (Michael O'Connor'sDevil's Lullaby), to minimalist character studies(Adam Carroll's Race Car Joe), and to Austin,Texas, where many of the songwriters coveredmake their homes. Cleaves taps Karen Postonfor Flowered Dresses, a Kodachrome of smalltown love; Steve Brooks for Everette, a praise-song for a barstool poet; and ChrisMontgomery for Call It Sleep, a working man'slament. If the arrangements are straight-upAmericana (with David Henry's cello and organshaking things up a bit) Cleaves's temperate, slygrin of a voice finds comic insight between allthe wistfully down-and-out lines and as a result,captures the spirit of a lively if largelyunderground folk scene.

"…fearlessly faces what most of us wouldwillingly shy away from" Chris Jones BBC online“…dstinctve…” ★★★★ Maverick

Slaid Cleaves UNSUNGRounder ROUCD3245Cleaves celebrates the work of talentedfriends.

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etting Somewhere – the new collection of stunningly crafted songs from AllisonMoorer – is as apposite as an album title gets. Kicking off with the statement ofintent Work To Do, Getting Somewhere’s 10 songs slip in at a succinct and satis-fying 32 minutes, moving from out-and-out joie de vivre, as expressed not onlyon the opener but also tracks such as the Crazy Horse-inflected If It’s Just ForToday, via the stately, strings-laden Where You Are and the heartbreaking How

She Does It. This latter track reflects on the defining incident of Moorer’s life: when she wasjust 14, Moorer and her sister Shelby Lynne witnessed their father shoot their mother deadbefore fatally turning the gun on himself.

"That song is for my mother," says Moorer, whose charm and affability are in stark contrast tothe emotional extremes she has suffered. "I’m rewriting history. It hit me that I don't have totell it as it is, I can tell it as I want it to be. This time she gets away."

And so it seems that Moorer really is getting somewhere in coming to terms not only with thisdevastating occurrence, but also more recent events. In 2004 Alabama-born Moorer, 33,served a stint as opening act for country’s rebel prince Steve Earle on a US tour. This coincidedwith the collapse of her first marriage, to musical collaborator Doyle “Butch” Primm. She andEarle got together and wed and, as if to underline their new life together, the couple movedfrom Nashville to New York’s boho Greenwich Village.

Just before they took up residence in Manhattan, Getting Somewhere was recorded in a 10-day stint at Room & Board studios in Nashville with Earle producing. “I was probably morehands-off with the production of this album than any I’ve worked on,” explains Moorer. “I’dbecome a little burnt out with being privy to every little decision made in the studio, so I just wanted to hand a lot of that stuff over.”

"I’m rewriting history. It hit methat I don't have to tell it as it is, I can tell it as I want it to be. This time she gets away."Gordon Paulman takes notes.

Moorer says that the key to her working relationship with Earlelies in firm demarcation lines; both are powerful personalities.“Obviously I’m in charge whether a vocal is done or not and Imake the decision if a track is there or not – if I hate something,believe me, it’s not going on my record,” she laughs. “Therewere some rough spots but we got through it, like anyrelationship. It’s hard to make art with another person but Ithink we emerged relatively unscathed!”

“I wouldn’t say that Steve had carte blanche but this is the firsttime I’d written a record by myself (there is only onecollaboration credit, Fairweather, written with Earle) so I wassatisfied that he knew them inside and out and would give themthe right treatment. We’re married, right? So it wasn’t as thoughhe’d never heard them before!”

Moorer deliberately set herself a deadline to complete thesong-writing process while on the road in 2005. “I’d never beenunder the gun to write while I was working,” she says. “So thatwas new. It also meant that I wrote the songs all over the world,some on the tour-bus, some in Spain, some in my little writingroom in Nashville. In fact I finished writing it in New Zealand of

all places.”

Moorer also placed a time limit stricture on herself in terms ofsong length. “Once I figured out I wanted three-minute songs Idecided I would make it a thing,” she says. “When I was abouthalfway through I thought: ‘Oh I know what I’m gonna do; I’llmake an old-fashioned, 10-song, 30-minute record.’ And itturns out I did, though it probably has more to do with the factthat I’m a person who is pretty blunt and to the point. I don’tbeat around the bush when I’m talking to someone, so, becauseI wrote these songs by myself, I was only interested in comingup with stuff which was short, sweet and to the point as well.”

This is certainly true of the intensely personal New Years Day,dedicated in the liner notes to “Sissy”, Moorer’s sister ShelbyLynne, and offering an insight into their trouble upbringing bytheir musician parents:

“Black eyed peas in a plastic bowl on New Year’s DaySitting in my swing set swaying to get awaySissy says 'Don't worry, it'll be ok' So we do what we always doStay out of the way.

“That actually happened – I wrote that song for my sister,” saysMoorer. “I don’t mind the world knowing that I think she’sfantastic.”

New Years Day sits dead centre on Getting Somewhere,equidistant from the opening Work To Do and the closing songwhich gives the album its title.

"I wrote Work To Do for girls everywhere, and really foranybody who ever let someone tell them that they weren'tgood enough, that they couldn't do something they wanted todo," she says. "It's hard to erase negative stuff. If someone givesyou a compliment, you forget about it in five minutes. Ifsomeone says something negative to you or about you, you'llcarry it around with you for the rest of your life.

It's something I've had to work on and continue to have to workon.”

Meanwhile the song Getting Somewhere conveys an ultimatelyoptimistic message. "I've come to terms with a lot of stuff anddecided I'm going to give up this angst. I don't need it," Moorersays cheerily. "I've stopped wondering whether or not there isa god. I do believe in god. I'm sure I do for the first time in mylife. And I'm really happy for the first time in my life."

That happiness is expressed in the song dedicated to Earle, If It’sJust For Today, where the love and affection she evidently feelsfor him is tempered by her innate understanding ofimpermanence. It’s trademark Moorer; despite the simplicity ofthe lyric and the clarity of the delivery, this is by no means justanother love song:

I can’t see tomorrow nobody canAnd every hourglass is runnin’ out of sandBut you got me for as long as I get to stayEven if it’s just for today

Getting Somewhere’s sleeve packaging benefits from thedistinctive and slightly unsettling artwork of illustrator ColeGerst, whose style matches Moorer’s in its simplicity. “Cole alsosupplied the art for my previous album (Duel)” says Moorer.“I’m a really big fan of his stuff; check him out at www.option-g.com.”

Moorer’s hope is that Getting Somewhere takes the listener ona journey. “I like records like that, where you feel like you havelearnt something or travelled somewhere by listening to them.I set out to have a beginning, a middle and an end and I think Iaccomplished that. Hopefully there is some growth there. I’vebeen educating myself in music from day one and I continue todo so. If the time comes when I can’t love anything new then Iprobably won’t have anything to say.”

Moorer grew up in the southern town of Frankville, a place sosmall that there still isn’t a traffic light there. Inher teens she toured with Shelby Lynne as abacking singer, where she met musician ButchPrimm, who she married in 1994. He persuadedher to pursue a solo career and in 1998,collaborated on her debut album Alabama Song,which featured the song A Soft Place To Fall.Co-written with Gwil Owen A Soft Place To Fall

helped make Moorer’s mark when it received an Oscarnomination for Best Original Song from Robert Redford’smovie The Horse Whisperer (in which she made a briefcameo appearance).

2000’s album The Hardest Part was co-written andproduced with Primm and featured the stark Cold, ColdEarth, which appeared as a secret album track andexplored her parents’ death against an acousticaccopmpaniment Yet Moorer has never been prepared totoe the Nashville line, even recording and touring with thelikes of Kid Rock. Her duet with him, Picture, wasreleased as a single in 2002, after he recorded an albumversion with Sheryl Crow (who wrote the track), andthen performed it with Moorer at Farm Aid that year.

Country fans were up in arms, not least for it’sapparent celebration of drink and drugs: “If you arelooking for good, wholesome lyrics you won't findit in this song,” posted one fan on a website. “Thisis a song that you may not want your childrenlistening to. In both the solo of Kid Rock andAllison Moorer it says ‘I ain't seen the sun shine inthree damn days’. Some may find that offensivefor their children to hear.”

“I’ve never been able to deal with limitations put onme,” says Moorer cooly. “I know that sometimes I’mnot booked on this television show or my recordsaren’t played on this radio station because I’mperceived to be a particular kind of artist, but I justcan’t change it.”

In 2004 Moorer signed to Sugarhill Records,releasing the album Duel, her final collaborationwith Primm which Rolling Stone lauded for evoking“bad-ass old boys such as George Jones”, whileMojo praised her voice for being “very effective inthe lovelorn stretch of the emotional-band-width".

Moorer is of the strong belief that her job as anartist is to reflect where she is in life. “Rightnow I’m on a classical kick,” says Moorer. “Itook six years of classical piano as a kid, but Ialso grew up listening to a lot of Elvis, earlyBeatles, Everly Brothers, my mother’srecord collection. I listen to everything,though my mainstays are the RollingStones and Neil Young.”

Getting Somewhere is indisputably amission statement from a musician andperformer who has decided to moveon and forge a future free from thetragedy of the past, all the whileacknowledging the impact it hashad on her present and celebratingthe professional and personal joyspringing from her relationshipwith Steve Earle.

Get Getting Somewhere; it’s ajourney well worth undertaking.GP “ I’ve never been able

to deal with limitationsput on me.”.

“I’d never been under the gun towrite while I was working...So thatwas new. It also meant that I wrotethe songs all over the world...”

And there’s the rub. Allison Moorer has donethe major label route and successful it was too,even in the UK with singles being playlisted by

Radio 2 around the turn of the millennium. Butanyone who finds a kindred spirit in Steve Earle isnot likely to see eye to eye with a major label forlong. So, like many other artists she finds herself

releasing what many consider to be the best musicof her career on independent labels who, whilst

offering precious artistic freedom, lack, let’s call it thewherewithal, to obtain the mainstream radio play

necessary to take her in front of a wider audience. Inthe USA they call it payola. Being British we call it influence.

Of course not having heard the music may be astumbling block. If you like the Dixie Chicks, Neil Young,

Bruce Springsteen or Sheryl Crow as well as theaforementioned Mr. Earle, then you’re in the right area.

Hasten to add, this is not just lazy writing, it’s actuallyplagiarism, as it’s taken direct from amazon’s US customer

buying habits.

So dear reader, ignore the fact that you might not have heardtracks from this album or even know of Allison Moorer. Let’s

build our case around the evidence to hand:

A ten track, thirty-two minute album. No extended noodling ortake it to the bridge type fillers here, just honest to goodness

heart searching, soul bearing, sassy wisdom.

It won’t necessarily grab you first time. But it’s the better for thattoo. And we like it. A lot. It rocks.

SKTry it. Then email us what you think at

[email protected]. We’ll publish the best responses good or bad.

In many ways, Allison Moorer represents all thatProperganda magazine is about. Okay, she’s a

personal favourite of ours and that’s why she’son the cover. More importantly, and to be

honest, hands up who has previously heard ofher or her music? Granted this is a publication

targeted at a specialist and knowledgeableaudience, so probably a lot more than the

average crowd, but frankly whatever number itis, it’s still far too small.

After all she’s got a lot going on. A singersongwriter with the right sort of pedigree (sister

Shelby Lynne is marginally better known in theUK), a childhood story that could launch a

thousand media angles and as we’re talkingabout the real politick of selling records, she’s

drop dead gorgeous in a way that doesn’trequire expensive Photoshop remodelling or

£1,000 a day stylists. And if that’s not enough,she’s the seventh Mrs. Steve Earle.

Allison MoorerGETTING SOMEWHERE

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In many ways, Allison Moorerrepresents all that Propergandamagazine is about.

Tom Russell has recorded 20albums during his career,and this follow-up to lastyear’s highly acclaimedHOTWALKER keeps thesong writing standard highas always. Released inMarch, it was soon thenumber one played record

on folk radio, and was met with reviews ratingit as Russell’s strongest work to-date.

The album’s themes focus mainly around loveand regret, beginning with strong opener, ThePugilist At 59, speaking of how it is hard tomake the most of life sometimes, no matterhow hard we try. The moody, gravely lyrics ofBeautiful Trouble are no doubt something thatmany people can relate to, when faced with asituation or person who has the potential tocause trouble but is hard to resist. The SoundOf One Heart Breaking is a personal favourite,beautifully suggesting sounds to sum up thefeeling of being heartbroken. Four ChamberedHeart is a dark and powerful social commentaryabout broken families, and corrupt politics andreligions. The album closes with the laid-back,jazz number, Old Heart which although aslightly sorrowful end, demonstrates just howversatile Russell is as a song writer.

“If American Music needs an heir to JohnnyCash, Tom Russell might just be the man. He'sthe real deal.” Uncut

Tom RussellLOVE & FEARHightone HCD8190Still turning on the style, see Russell across theUK this summer.

Grammy Award winningAlbert Lee is renowned forhis guitar playing andsinging, with his own band,Hogan’s Heroes, as well asothers such as Bill Wyman’sRhythm Kings and EmmylouHarris’ Hotband.

His latest release, opens with the title track, afast paced look at living free, travelling andnever being tied down. Backing vocals for thetrack are supplied by Buddy Miller, and he is notthe only guest. Later, Lee is backed by JonRandall, on the John Hiatt penned, Rock OfYour Love, a song about finding strength inanother person.

The folksy-country ballad, The Moon Is A HarshMistress, sees Lee swap his guitar for the warmtones of the mandolin, before picking up thepace again for Livin’ It Down. The only AlbertLee original on the album is Payola Blues, whichreiterates just how fine a musician Lee is.

The closing track is Richard Thompson’sDimming Of The Day, for which Lee is joinedby his daughter, Alexandra, for a tender duet;the perfect end to a laid-back, relaxed album.

“one of the all time great guitarists.” ★★★★ Maverick

Albert LeeROAD RUNNERSugar Hill SHCD4011Hot band, hot licks...Hot diggerty!

Folks from her littlehometown in theCariboo/Chilcotin region ofBritish Columbia thoughtshe was crazy when shetook her guitar and asuitcase full of demos to thebig city.

After a few stumbles and elbow scratches, shebegan to think they might be right but she keptpresenting her material to everyone and anyonewho had a minute to listen. Fifteen years latershe's built a strong network and has lots towrite about.

A socially driven singer/songwriter Harris is astoryteller with photographic clarity whosepowerful and rootsy voice displays a fusion ofbluegrass, traditional country, folk and blues.She's a seasonal writer. "There are certaintimes of the year when I open myself up toinhaling the details of the world. My eyes andears are open and I become a holding tank.When I become too heavy, I go into 'output' andstart writing songs." Power In Opinion, HeKissed Her, I’m Scared and the title track are asgripping an “output” as you could wish for, allsympathetically arranged and played. Harris is areal find.

http://www.angelaharris.net

Angela HarrisROOTSMaximum MAX12342Socially aware and finely crafted songs dedicatedto “all who have suffered the anguish of war”.

Born in Waco, Texas, JamesHand grew up surroundedby country music androdeos, and has beenmaking his own originalcountry music for almostfour decades, but has yet toachieve national recognition.However, this is his first

internationally distributed album, and his oldcountry sound is something that is sure toappeal to a broad audience.

At the helm, producing this record were thelegendry Lloyd Maines, and Ray Benson ofAsleep at the Wheel fame. The albumshowcases some of Hand’s older songs whichhave been re-recorded for this project, as wellas newer ones including Just An Old Man WithA Song and the painfully truthful When YouStopped Loving Me, So Did I.

James maintains that “a song and an album areworthless if people can’t go home and knowthat they’ve felt that way some time oranother”. His songs stand by that, with simple,realistic lyrics, and melodies that hark back tothe sounds of Hank Williams and early JohnnyCash, whilst bringing in a little of Elvis andDwight Yoakam.

"Hand gets to the heart of his songs the oldfashioned way - by living them…." NoDepression★★★★ Mojo ★★★★ CMP

James HandTHE TRUTH WILL SET YOU FREERounder ROUCD3241Four decades of music making and still soundingfresh and vital.

"All my life they told me'you're pretty good for agirl,'" Rhonda Vincent singson this album's title track - asly dig at the notoriouslypatriarchal culture ofbluegrass, and at critics whoqualify her as a "femalebluegrass singer."

But like Alison Krauss and Dolly Parton whoadds harmony vocals to the rockingHeartbreaker's Alibi, Vincent is one of the eliteartists in the genre, period. She's got the awardsand Grammy nominations to prove it, butmostly she has her voice - a flawless, instantlyrecognizable instrument that releases all of theemotion from durable gospel standards like RoyAcuff's Precious Jewel and the morecontemporary-styled Forever Ain't That LongAnymore. And she's got her band, the Rage,who rip through songs like Rhythm Of TheWheels or instrumentals such as Ashes Of Mt.Augustine like the devil himself is on their tail!Archetypal bluegrass themes of home, death,and country abound, but this CD has enoughquality to ensure Alison Krauss’s ‘UndisputedQueen Of Bluegrass’ crown isn’t quite as safe asit once was.

www.nemr.net

Rhonda VincentALL AMERICAN BLUEGRASS GIRLRounder ROUCD580Award winning and stylish, Vincent vies for theQueen of Bluegrass cown.

The Hacienda Brothers areled by Chris Gaffney and Dave Gonzalez, whooriginally joined forces toexplore their shared love ofclassic country and early soul.In the process they created astyle completely fresh andone truly their own. That’s

exactly what you get on their second album.

Chris Gaffney plays accordion and acoustic guitarand carries most the singing duties. He can alsobe found touring with Dave Alvin as one of hisGuilty Men. With equal part Buddy Guy, BB Kingand Waylon Jennings, Dave Gonzalez has earnedhis reputation as a master guitarist.

The legendary Dan Penn produces and alsoshares the writing credit on the title track. AlsoPenn’s Cry Like A Baby and It Tears Me Up pushthe right soul buttons, as does the excellentCowboys To Girls, which is a truly great Gambleand Huff composition. To the Hacienda’s credittheir own compositions hold water in suchillustrious company. The slow burn of MidnightDream, the honky-tonk of The Last Time and theborder ballad, Son Of Saguaro are all killa-dillas.You got it Gringo!?

“Fans of old-school soul and rough-hewn honky-tonk need look no further than this terrificmerger…” No Depression.

Hacienda BrothersWHAT’S WRONG WITH RIGHTProper PRPACD004Dan Penn sits in and the Haciendas up the soulfactor to maximum.

AMERICANA/COUNTRY REVIEWS

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Hentoff worked at a hell of a lick; five albums were completed inNovember 1960 alone, and six in January 1961. But the label wasshort-lived, and closed down at the end of that year. In the issue ofDownbeat of December 21, 1961, Hentoff was quoted as saying that“money and time factors were more important than ordinarily,because we were trying to establish a line founded on durability,avoiding quick trends and attempting to record the best possible ofall jazz styles”.

Bates remembers Candid’s early days well. “I was in New York in theearly 60s when the original albums were released,” he says. “Iremember seeing them piled up on the floor of Sam Goody’s originalrecord shop on W 49th Street. When I was buying them over thecounter as they came out I never dreamed that I’d end up owning thelabel one day.”

The short life-span of the original Candid was due to the over-ambitious output levels, believes Bates. “They simply put out toomuch stuff,” he says. “Even though, with hindsight, they have beenrecognised as great, classic albums which fetch a hell of a lot on thecollectors’ market, at the time there was a lot of competition andthey didn’t sell in sufficient numbers to ensure the survival of thecompany.”

In an unexpected twist, the quality of the catalogue was recognisedby none other than TV show host and jazz fan Andy Williams, whopromptly acquired it and reissued some of the Candid albums on hisown Barnaby label.

After Barnaby’s demise, the Candid master tapes were destined togather dust for more than 20 years, as the original albums gained

collectibility status,enhanced by the strikingartwork and stylishgraphics of in-housedesigner Frank Gauna.“They were all what youmight call ‘deluxe’

packages, printed on cardboard with these great designs and ofcourse even greater music; they were regarded in the same way asBlue Note LPs,” says Bates. “At the time they first came out theregular price of a record was $3.98. Candid, on the other hand, had a$4.98 price policy to reflect the fact that these were quality releases.”

By 1988 Bates was a record producer of no little renown, havingworked on recordings at the Black Lion label by many a jazz legend,including Billie Holiday, Louis Armstrong, Count Basie, CharlesMingus, Bud Powell and Thelonious Monk.

That year he made contact with a businessassociate while visiting annual music industryget-together Midem in the south of France. “Imet a lawyer who I knew was into jazz,” hesays. “He was a friend of Andy Williams’ andsaid to me: ‘I’ve got some jazz masters youmight be interested in.’ Of course I looked atthe list and recognised immediately what it was.To cut a long story short I ended up buying Candid.”Bates then set about lovingly reissuing every album as well as a hostof previously unreleased material found in the vaults, to the delight ofjazz fans everywhere.

His one regret was that the individuals who had been integral to theoriginal critical – if not commercial – success of the label were nolonger around. “They were all dead,” he says bluntly. “It was such ashame that I couldn’t get them together and allow them to carry on.”

So Bates himself committed to continuing the legacy started byHentoff et al, by instituting a programme of contemporaryrecordings.

Among the first signings was Stacey Kent, the American London-based singer, as well as Clare Teal, who subsequently moved to Sonywith the biggest ever recording-deal scored by a British jazz singer. It

ith a rich heritage spanning five decades, independentjazz label Candid Records has a slew of remarkable newreleases heading your way this summer.

Candid is the imprint which sparked the new jazz boom by pickingup the student grant-funded album Pointless Nostalgic by then-little

known vocalist/pianist Jamie Cullum a couple ofyears back. Cullum attracted acclaim fromJazzwise for his “mellifluous tone, clarity ofdiction, fluid relationship with the pulse andproclivity for taking chances” and has gone onto made his mark on the mainstream with ahuge selling album and

series of sell out tours.

In the meantime Candid owner Alan Bates hasconcentrated on honing a richly diverse roster ofartists, including new releases from such recentsignings as vocal powerhouse Mina Agossi,Filipino wunderkind Mishka Adams, Irish singerCormac Kenevey and bassist Geoff Gascoyne.

“Geoff is an integral part of the Jamie Cullum Trio,” points out Bates.“We started talking about what he wanted to do next, and he hascome up with this fantastic album Keep It To Yourself. Not only doesit feature Jamie, but also Georgie Fame. It’s a very varied album, andone which I’m particularly proud of.”

Bates is hands-on with all Candid artists. “I guessI steer projects through,” he says. “The Candidethos has always been to develop artists, whichwe’ve done not only with Jamie and Geoff, butalso performers such as Claire Teal and StaceyKent.”

Continuing the Candid tradition of presentingexciting new vocalists, Dublin’s Cormac Keneveyexcels on his new album This Is Living, a collaboration with UKpianist Phil Ware and his trio featuring a selection of personalfavourites such as There’ll Be Some Changes Made and It CouldHappen To You, as well as original compositions by Kenevey markedby the standout track Just A Day.

“Cormac is that great combination; a uniquely talented vocalist aswell as an accomplished songwriter,” says Bates, who oversaw thelaunch of This Is Living at London’s prestigious Pizza Express JazzClub in London in June.Meanwhile Mina Agossi has just released her second album, WhenYou Needn’t, the second showcase for the singer’s supernatural vocalstyle. “Mina Agossi does what she does,” says Bates, who dubs her“The Antichrist Of Jazz”. Playing with just a bassist and drummer,Agossi deconstructs jazz standards like nobody before.

Bates first encountered Agossi’s music when an acquaintance senthim tracks she had recorded for a small label in La Rochelle, southwestern France “I immediately sat up and took notice. She’s also aspectacular performer, very dynamic and animated,” adds Bates.“Recently she played the Glasgow Jazz festival andblew their socks off!”

Candid has also released God Bless The Child, thedebut album by Mishka Adams, the 20-year-oldEnglish/Filipino singer discovered by Bates' wife,Nieves Pascua-Bates, who operates a subsidiary ofthe label in the Philippines. As well as Adams,Pascua-Bates has also signed the guitarist-composer, Johnny Alegre with his jazz supergroup,the Johnny Alegre Affinity.

“Mishka writes her own material, which is exemplary,” says Bates.“She has just moved to London and we’re busy working with her on

her second album and developing herfan-base.”

Candid’s beginnings can be tracedback down the years to New York in1960 when Archie Bleyer, owner ofthe Cadence label, decided to indulgehis love of jazz by creating an imprintto concentrate on the genre. In a smart move, Bleyer recruited the noted critic and civil rightsactivist Nat Hentoff, who accepted the challenge of producing theCandid series of albums from the Cadence offices at 119 W 57thStreet, bringing into the fold a diversity of artists, not all of whomwere strictly rooted in the jazz. For example, Candid signingsincluded such blues legends as Lightning Hopkins and Otis Spann,who sat alongside a mix of cutting edge recordings by the likes ofCecil Taylor and Steve Lacy as well as Charles Mingus, Abbey Lincoln,Booker Little, Coleman Hawkins, Eric Dolphy and Max Roach.Roach’s incendiary suite We Insist: Freedom Now made an overtstatement for the times when it appeared on the classic Candidalbum Protest.

W

was Teal who talent-spotted singer-pianist Cullum and when PointlessNostalgia was taken on by the label, it became a springboard for his£1m record deal with Verve.

Over the years Candid has released new USrecordings by a slew of artists including Gary Bartz,Kenny Barron, Barry Harris, Donald Harrison, SteveHobbs, Lee Konitz, Paquito d'Rivera, Claudio Roditi,Shorty Rogers, Mongo Santamaria and Hilton Ruiz,who sadly passed away in June this year.

Despite the wealth of material flowing throughCandid’s schedules, Bates views the genre’s potentialsoberly. “The jazz market has become fragmented, with a lot ofproduct chasing relatively few customers, so the trick has alwaysbeen to cross artists over into the mainstream, something we wereable to do with Jamie,” says Bates, who describes Cullum as “anexceptional talent, a great jazzman and communicator. He’s a naturalborn performer”.

One of Bates’ bugbears is that jazz is “something of a dirty word”with the media. “The amount of media space devoted by thebroadsheets to classical music compared to jazz is absolutelyoutrageous,” he believes. “The same goes for television; I’m shockedby how much airtime goes to classical music while jazz hardly gets alook-in, just as I was shocked that so-called Jazz FM was allowed tobecome bastardised by taking on board all other types of music.There is a yawning gap for new jazz.”

Bates’ thesis is that his favoured genre is at leastas relevant in the 21st century as any other typeof music. “Jazz has never stood still,” he explains.“The original Dixieland jazz of 1918 was vastlydifferent from what was happening by the end ofthe 20s with Duke Ellington. And that, again, wasnothing like the swing band era and whatfollowed: bebop, hard bop and beyond intoavant-garde.

“Jazz is ever-changing, and, apart from that great period in the late30s when swing became the most popular music in America, and thelate 50s boom in trad jazz in the UK, it has always operated slightlyout of the mainstream.”

And, after all these years, the vault into the mainstream remainsBates’ ambition for Candid artists, unafraid as he is of taking on newtalent or diverse approaches to the genre. “I find it exciting to slip outrecords by somebody trying to do something different,” he says.“That’s what keeps me young – or at least, keeps me trying to beyoung!”

Bates says that one of the keys to Candid’s longevity has been itsability to maintain pace with the changes in the style of music.“You’ve got to be able to create demand for your artists,” he says.“That’s what we try and do; raise the visibility of our artists andthereby create a demand. That’s why we insist on contracts withstandard music industry terms of three- or five-album deals. Mostjazz independents only offer one-offs, which means that there is nocareer development or nurturing of creativity. This is so importantbecause these days the record company has to be everything:nursemaid, booking agent, manager, publicist, whatever. Today youcan’t just put a record out and hope something will happen.”

That scenario is unlikely within the Candid set-up. In case youcouldn’t tell, Bates is as much of a jazz fan as when he pored over theartwork of the original Candid releases in Sam Goody’s on W 49thStreet 45 years ago.

"There is amazing amount of wonderful talent to be heard far andwide in the jazz world,” avows Bates. “At Candid we are committedto exposing established and emerging young artists and striving at alltimes to live up to the important legacy handed down from thosehalcyon years." JB

“The Candid ethos has always been to develop artists, whichwe’ve done not only with Jamie and Geoff, but also performers suchas Claire Teal and Stacey Kent.”

Candid’s beginnings can betraced back down the years toNew York in 1960

It’s easy enough and often healthy to view awards with scepticism andcynicism. They can either be a product of peers gathering in a self-congratulatory huddle or, open to the dreaded public at large (not you dearreader, of course), allowing the great unwashed to demonstrate theirinsider trading with mass market appeal, rather than any actual knowledgeof the subject: the witless Brits for example. You get my point!

It’s a theme picked up on the sleeve notes of the CD for this years BBCJazz awards, which could so easily smack of the rarefied old guard gatheredfor mutual beard stroking and back slapping. But as The Times’ jazz criticAlyn Shipton’s excellent notes reveal, the six years to date have beenanything but with the sheer diversity of the nominated artists and the

breadth of the music they are playing is quitestaggering.

John Fordham has also recently picked up thismore positive appraisal of the state of the nationof jazz in a full page piece in The Guardian.Although the thrust of the article was actuallyabout where jazz is going, the conclusions arethe same. It may be hard to define any onedirection, but there are a host of talentedindividuals who have their own ideas.

The piece quotes one of the awards nominees,Julia Biel, "I'm just trying to find my own path.Music's a personal thing. When you try to boil it

down into this or that trend, you miss the point." Biel is already a PerrierAward winner and knows the value that such honours have. She is part ofthe free ranging Fire Collective, but her self released NOT ALONE albumhas enjoyed very healthy UK sales.

Also Neil Cowley (not nominated this year, because his album came afterthe entry date, but the beneficiary of glowing press reviews across theboard - see Jazz page for review) confesses, “I'm not a jazz purist, but jazzis always so cool, and the history of African-American music runningthrough it is so amazing. And jazz is like life, it's of the moment - it's not aformula, it's free expression."

For further proof that jazz is not dead or even, for that matter, smellingfunny, to paraphrase Frank Zappa, the Jazz Awards 2006 CD is a carnival ofdifferent styles and brimful of vibrant music, from the easy and mellifluous,to the cool, right through to the avante garde. Even a modest sense ofadventure will be rewarded with a wealth of great music. The two CDs aredivided along vocal and instrumental lines and feature all of the nominees.Some will surprise, some will enchant, but all will repay a patient listenerwith a sense of vitality - like life indeed.

In fact jazz seems to be in the rudest of health and vibing on confidence.For a music that does have such history to carry around it’s a pleasure tofind so many prepared to pick up the baton and with an eye on thattradition, bring their own vision to bear. We have chosen an album fromeach of 10 nominees that warrant further examination, especially if you likewhat you hear on the Jazz Awards CD. It is a great value package and anexcellent introduction to this wealth of talent and music. It seems reasonenough to put cynicism back on hold and embrace the BBC Jazz Awardsfor all they are worth. SH

“As a guide to where contemporary British Jazz stands right now, thisdouble album is unbeatable.” The Observer.

Clare Teal THE ROAD LESS TRAVELLED CCD79794“Some singers sing standards, some sing theirown material, but very few do both and evenfewer do it well. Clare Teal is one of those rarities” -The Observer

Jim Tomlinson (featuring Stacey Kent) BRAZILLIAN SKETCHES CCD79769“… the most important English saxophonist toemerge in a long time.” – The Sunday Times

Anita Wardell NOTED SPEC006“…one of Britain's most exciting talents" –

The Guardian Released July 24th

Jacqui DankworthDETOUR AHEAD CCD79796“The most flexible and expressive voice of her generation..." -The Observer, Jazz CD Of The Week.

Julia BielNOT ALONE RKT010“Vocalist Julia Biel's breezy soul-folk is a tonic for those wearyof endless standards and Songbook recycling. Biel won thePerrier Jazz Award several years ago, but since then hasblossomed into a truly distinctive and charmingsinger/songwriter.” - Jazzwise

Alan BarnesYEAH! SPEC002“Alan Barnes moves effortlessly from genre togenre like the proverbial fish through water...thisself-effacing poll winner is a world-class player.” -JAZZ On CD

Andrew McCormackTELESCOPE DUNECD013“Seamlessly laces together an incisive sense ofswing in the manner of Herbie Hancock with amore low-key impressionistic style of playing.” -Jazzwise

PartisansMAX BDV2553“One of the most exciting all star experimental groups in Jazz

today” - BBC Radio 3 Jazz Line Up July 2003

Acoustic LadylandLAST CHANCE DISCO BDV2555“Where lowbrow and highbrow collide in a car crash hybrid ofpunk and jazz, the music of Acoustic Ladyland is thrillinglydisrespectful.” - Mojo

Polar BearHELD ON THE TIPS OF FINGERS BDV2552"Polar Bear blast out of the past, full of straight, cool schoolskills, and detonate the past, bursting with edgy, forward-looking lust. This is not nu jazz, acid jazz, Jamie jazz, Parkyjazz, Brit jazz, beardo jazz, post-jazz or twee jazz. It's dreamjazz.” - Observer Music Monthly

...a host of talented individuals who have their own ideas...

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toryville Records, established in Denmark in 1952, is one of the greatestindependent jazz record companies. The label has now been relaunchedwith the mid price Masters of Jazz series featuring legendary artists, newartwork, new comprehensive liner notes and great photos.

There is a school of thought that Ellington peaked in the thirties and forties. As theexcellent liner notes to this CD also point out, however, improved recordingtechniques, in particular, make some of the fifties and sixties material especiallyinteresting. Also the Duke’s continued commitment to fresh talent make theopening version of the 41 standard A Train swing in no uncertain terms. The CDnicely contrasts these later recordings with some classic live performances fromthat vintage 40s period. It also features an unusual solo piano medley, interestingfor the seemingly off the cuff rendition of some of his most famous tunes.

Two Ellington alumni are also represented in this excellent first batch. BenWebster and Clarke Terry both deserve the ‘masters’ epithet and had long stintswith Ellington. This is picked up by Clark Terry’s opener, Serenade To A Bus Seatthat refers to long hours of travel and indeed years of touring with Ellington’sorchestra. He proves to be a horn player of restraint and some considerable meritin his own right. As a later entrant to the orchestra the more modish leanings ofthese tracks are immediately apparent and the supporting cast includes severalEuropean players.

Ben ‘The Breath’ Webster is ably supported, through a series of late sixties’recordings, by a largely European cast as well. They demonstrate themselves to bewell up to the task, whether in the big or small combo format. Many of thefeatured players benefited from being the live house band for visiting Americanstars. Ben is perhaps best regarded for his ballad playing and there is plenty of his

trademark melancholy and introspection on display.

Two other household names Art Tatum and Louis Armstrong also feature. Tatum’srelease, needless to say focuses on solo piano recordings and spans almost hisentire, sadly short-lived, career. Over 29 tracks you can see the changes in hisstyle, with density and complexity superseding the earlier flamboyancy.

Louis Armstrong is almost certainly the greatest of all the jazzmen, certainly hisinfluence far exceeds any other individual. But more than just a great player Louiswas always a fierce jazz propergandist and ultimately, a consummate entertainer,professing his love of the audience and his need to hear the applause. With twothirds of this CD featuring recordings from the sixties it’s the entertainer that weget, not that that should be in any way detrimental. Some jazz purists may not beimpressed, but for the rest of us, this is a delight.

Finally in this first wave Stuff Smith is a maverick and I must confess an unknownquantity to me. Jazz violinists are a scarce breed, especially those who can claimAmerican Indian ancestry and a musical life spanning 5 decades in the US andEurope! Still from the opening swing of Caravan, these live recordings show anintuitive player who works well with a small combo.

I should of course mention the cheap priced sampler that carries tracks from all ofthese releases and others still to be released in the series. With their distinctive,stylish look, excellent notes and varied exciting music, it’s a series to keep tabs on.

TM

JAZZ REVIEWS

S

Widely regarded as one ofthe great classic jazztrumpeters Clayton’s CVincludes a cornerstone stintwith Count Basie, tourswith Mezz Mezzrow, SidneyBechet and Eddie Condonand recordings withColeman Hawkins, BennieCarter, Don Byas, TeddyWilson and Billie Holiday amongst others.

This double CD is made up of two LPsrecorded for Doug Dobell’s 77 label in the mid-1960s. The Lyttelton band includes some of hisfinest players: Tony Coe, Joe Temperley, MikePyne, Eddie Harvey, Kathy Stobart, EddieTaylor and Dave Green – the cream of Britishmainstream players.

The two LPs are listed amongst the essentiallistening albums for Buck Clayton in the TheGuinness “Who’s Who of British Jazz”. For themainstream jazz fan these are essential, full ofbig swinging tunes like The Green Tiger and SayForward I’ll March; slinky finger poppers suchas Talkback and Red Barrel Blues; and down anddirty blues like Russian Lullaby. Buck generally takes second trumpet solo andhis mellow rounded tone, that made him such afavourite with singers, never falters, even onsome fairly strenuous blowouts. No wonderthe Bits held him in awe. TM

“There’s no escaping the shadow of DukeEllington in these genial performances; Claytonis all grace and precision” The Times

Buck Clayton/Humphrey LyttletonLE VRAI BUCK CLAYTONLake LACD227Held in awe Clayton shines with the Lytteltonband offering fine support.

The London-based Frenchguitarist Jonathan Bratoeffinvites the listener to exerttheir imagination when they engage with thisadventurous new recording.

Picking up where theexcellent BETWEEN LINESleft off in many ways, Braetoff has once againopened fresh avenues and exciting new vistas ashe continues forward with his individualapproach to jazz. POINTS OF PERCEPTIONalso features Tom Arthurs (trumpet), PeteWareham (sax), Seb Rochford (drums) and thedelightful Julia Biel (vocal) guests on two tracks.Bratoeff has constructed urbane and enigmaticmaterial that swings and grooves under theacoustic skin of a body electric.

Powered by a line-up of enviable calibre and asongbook of original material that embracesthan steers clear of risk, this cd is everythingthat a progressive jazz record should be. Add tothat universal critical acclaim from just aboutevery music magazine in print, and it firmlyestablishes Jonathan Braetoff as one of theforer-runners in the revived Brit jazz scene.

MG

“Subtle, spontaneous, informed contemporaryjazz” The Guardian"If it's the eternal Class A verities of in-the-moment improv and interaction you're after,you need look no further." All About Jazz

Jonathan BratoeffPOINTS OF PERCEPTIONF-IRE FIRECD014

Released on Act’s Nu Jazzimprint and co produced bytrombonist Nils Landgren,this is an utterly beguilingrecord. Whilst the Nu tagmight have some of the oldguard, turning ashen (orpuce depending onconstitution), I for one willhail this album as furtherproof of the health of jazz overall.

Hafner’s vision combines space and melody: allthe tracks on this album are self composed andshow his knack with a fine tune. Themes areeasy and accessible and the playing is nevermuscle flexing, but rather seeks the spacesaround the rhythms.

Sure things motor from time to time, theopener Faithless has a chilled clubby vibe. Thetitle track shows the drummer’s subtleprecision and is one of several tracks thatsuggest an almost Can like motornik feel.

Electronics and programming colour the albumthroughout, the gorgeous, haunting,melancholic Cruisin for example ripples with anechoed drum figure. Surprisingly a real sense ofthe organic is also to the fore, but that’s the skillof the players, coupled with some first takesand live jams. STOP PRESS – The vinyl versionwith 6 remixes adds a whole new dimension.

SH

“Fascinating, at times downright mesmericselection of textures and timbres” Vortex Jazz

Wolfgang HaffnerSHAPESAct ACT96032Well respected drummers, melodic, chilledreflective tunes. Vinyl remix also available.

Freddie McGreggor BOBBY BOBYLONHBCD7815His Studio One debut, is essential in anyreggae collection, this classic is back in print with the original 10 tracksremastered and 8 additional singles.

SKA BONANZAHBCD7805Includes 44 ska masterpieces whichform a pivotal part of the Studio Onestory and are extremely rare with mostappearing on CD for the first time.

John Holt I CAN’T GET OFF MY MINDHBCD7794Features the best of his classic output fullyRemastered with rare tracks from originalStudio One master tapes.

HEARTBEAT RECORDS CONTINUES ACCLAIMEDSTUDIO ONE SERIES CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OFJAMAICAN MUSIC BY FOUNDING FATHER OFREGGAE, LEGENDARY PRODUCER CLEMENT S. DODD

Since its launch in 1981, Heartbeat Records has become a benchmark of quality in reggae, widely respectedfor releasing the best in Jamaican music. Heartbeat's catalog is the nearest to a definitive canon of Jamaicanpopular music, one that is unmatched in its depth and scope.

David BenoitSTANDARDSKOB10009

David Benoit – Brian Bromberg –Gregg Bissonette

Stanley ClarkeSTANDARDSKOB10010

Ndugu Chancler – StanleyClarke – Patrice RushenCD + bonus DVD of the Los Angeles recordingsessions.

“ This is the best jazz label to come out of nowhere I have ever seen....”(Nat Hentoff)

The Phil Woods QuintetAMERICAN SONGBOOKKOB10005

The DjangoReinhardt FestivalBand - LIVE ATBIRDLANDGYPSY SWING!KOB10001

Hamilton DeHollanda - SAMBA DOAVIAOKOB10002

Maucha Adnet - THE JOBIMSONGBOOKKOB10003

The ClassicalJazz Quartet - Play RachmaninovKOB10004

The George Cables TrioA LETTER TO DEXTERKOB10006

ToquinhoACOUSTICKOB10007

Eddie Henderson ProjectPRECIOUS MOMENTKOB10008

IN STOCK OR ORDERABLE FROM MAJOR AND INDEPENDENT MUSIC RETAILERS

BLUES, RHYTHM AND SOUL REVIEWS

21

John Cephas and PhilWiggins are internationallyacknowledged masters ofthe beloved Piedmont bluestradition. For nearly 30years, the Washington, DC-area based harmonica-guitarduo have championedmodern day country blues,

rejuvenating the genre’s soul-stirring past withcontemporary lyrical observations. Theirrecordings and live performances have drawnconsistent praise from a host of media outlets.The prestigious publication Living Blues callsCephas & Wiggins “today’s premier blues guitarand harmonica duo”.

On SHOULDER TO SHOULDER, Cephas &Wiggins craft intricate country blues that’s equalparts rural relaxation and urban passion. Thesongs include a bunch of new John Cephasoriginals, plus classics by Blind Boy Fuller, SleepyJohn Estes and Skip James. Pianist Ann Rabsonguests throughout the new release, addingtasteful fills and boogie-woogie drive to trackssuch as I Do Right, Susie Q and Dirt Road. JohnCephas’ hypnotic ragtime picking (a style madefamous by legends such as Blind Boy Fuller andBlind Willie McTell) and the, peerless harmonicaof Phil Wiggins are, as always outstanding. TM

“Remarkable guitar and harmonica duets. Theirinfectious rhythms and supple melodiescombine tasteful impassioned harmonicasolos.” - The Washington Post

Cephas & WigginsSHOULDER TO SHOULDERAlligatorALCD4910Premier country blues guitar and harmonicaduo

This is the first CD releasesince 1998 by leading Texas bluesman, ShermanRobertson. Recorded livewith top contemporary UKblues band Blues Move atthe Kwadendamme Festival,Holland on 14th May 2005.

As a teenager in the late 1960's, Sherman spentsix weeks on the road as lead guitarist withBobby "Blue" Bland and Junior Parker. As well asa varied solo career he’s also recorded withClifton Chenier, Rockin' Dopsie, and mostfamously appeared on Paul Simon’s Graceland.

His soulful vocal style is like Robert Cray andthe band cooks, especially the Hammond thattakes the solo on opener Out Of Sight Out OfMind. But this wouldn’t be called GUITAR MANif Sherman didn’t deserve the tag and track two,Long Way From Home, sets out to prove thepoint. The title track again features some morefunky Hammond and Sherman lets rip instunning blues-rock style. An extended moodyDust My Broom is followed by two up tempobelters. The soulful Home Of The Blues isespecially fine and it all climaxes in fitting stylewith Tin Pan Alley, Sherman wrestling everyounce of blues from his Strat. Awesome! TM

http://www.movinmusic.co.uk/sherman_robertson.htm

Sherman Robertson & Blues MoveGUITAR MAN - LIVEMovinmusic MM0001Red hot blues guitar from former Paul Simonsideman

Irma Thomas has long beenhailed the "Soul Queen ofNew Orleans". As her firstalbum of new recordings insix years attests, Thomascan sing just about anythingbetter than just aboutanyone from just aboutanywhere. Though the liner

notes indicate that most of the material wasselected before Hurricane Katrina, there's abittersweet resonance that extends fromArthur Alexander's lament about a once happyhome In The Middle Of It All and the soul classicI Count The Tears to the funeral dirge ofAnother Man Done Gone and the Blind WillieJohnson blues standard Soul Of A Man.

There's an inspirational quality as well, in thegospel tinged I Wish I Knew How It Would FeelTo Be Free and the stirring closer, StevieWonder's Shelter In The Rain, with only DavidTorkanowsky's piano backing Thomas'stranscendent voice. Other Louisianainstrumental seasonings come from SonnyLandreth's slide guitar and Dirk Powell's fiddle.Unlike most singers that have been working aslong as Irma she remains the anti-diva, a stylistof exquisite understatement whose every noterings true and hits home. TM

"Female icon Irma Thomas to shows how itshould be done" The Guardian

Irma Thomas AFTER THE RAINRounder ROUCD2186Soul Queen stands strong and proud in thewake of hurricane Katrina

Kenny Thomas is a real soulsurvivor. He’s a stalwart ofthe British soul scene,despite his lack of chartaction in recent years, hestill has a large and very loyalfanbase. Kenny keeps hismusic up to date becausehe’s still, at heart, a fan. He’s

an avid follower of the modern (and classic) soulscene and I doubt there’ll be a better UK soulrecord released in 2006!

Kicking things off with the title track, Kennyimmediately sets the tone for the record. Hisexceptional voice shows no signs of fading as helays some serious soul on this track. On Him, atrack that’s had tape traders (ok, CDR traders)busy for nearly two years, is stunning, as good asoul track as you’ll hear by a British soul artistthis year, if not ever. Everything about it isperfect and it’s a stunning centre-piece to thisset. Kenny also picks up on the Norah Jones’ hitDon’t Know Why and gives it a new lease of lifehere. Kenny does know that the modern soulcrowd is maturing and sophistication is neverout of place, which sums this album upperfectly. MG

"There won't be a better, more accessibleBritish soul set this year" Blues & Soul

Kenny Thomas CRAZY WORLDCurb CURCD216 British soul star returns with rousing and newrecord straight from the heart

Trout has realized a longheld dream: to invite someof the musicians he admiresand respects into the studioto compose and playtogether. The sessions weregeared towards spontaneity;with a live studio set up andin some cases no rehearsal.

The minimum of studio interference andtrickery means that feel is king, any mistakesbeing left to stand if the groove and the spiritare right.

As Trout was a Bluesbreaker for 5 years, it’s nosurprise to find John Mayall contributing to 2tracks. Coco Montoya, his former sparingpartner in that legendary combo, with whomWalter has played over 1,000 live shows, is alsoon board. Other guitarists and guests of noteinclude names old and new, Jeff Healey, GuitarShorty, Richie Hayward (Little Feat), DannyTimms and Joe Bonamassa and Bernard (son ofLuther) Allison among them.

By picking a diverse pool of players and workingto their strengths, Walter celebrates the bluesas alive and a diverse art. As such, this is anunqualified conceptual and musical, rip-rockin’success and a must buy for any blues guitar fan.

TM

“Beautifully cooked and sunny side up… Ifelectric blues is your bag then Walter Trout's'Full Circle' is a must for your collection.” -Rhythm & Booze, rating 9/10

Walter TroutFULL CIRCLERuf RUF1117A guest-fest celebration of the blues

For 20 years now, Lil' Ed &The Blues Imperials havebeen kings of hard-charging,slide-fueled blues. Over thecourse of five studioreleases, they havededicated themselves tothrilling audiences in the full-throttle spirit of slide-

boogie legends Elmore James and Hound DogTaylor. This is the most potent evidence yet oftheir awesome, soul-shaking power.

RATTLESHAKE more than lives up to its name,with all the glorious, houserockin’ roar of a Lil’Ed & The Blues Imperials’ live performance.Overflowing with great, greasy grooves anddeep-down blues, the new release features ahost of new Ed and band originals and theintroduction of some barrelhouse piano andgritty organ to the mix. There are also twoexcellent covers: Leaving Here is a HollandDozier composition, famously covered by bothMotorhead and Pearl Jam and You Know You’reWrong, The Elmore James standard.

With Lil’ Ed’s hot-wired slide and raw, soulfulsinging leading the charge, he and the BluesImperials are at the top of their good-rockinggame. TM

http://www.intrepidartists.com/liled.html

Lil’ Ed And The Blues ImperialsRATTLESHAKEAlligator ALCD4909Slide fuelled greasy grooves and dirty blues

Have you ever met someone wholooked at the word in a way that wasunique? Let me introduce you to DarWilliams, whose particular vision hasbeen laid bare through ten years as a

singer song writer. She has always imbued her artwith honesty and passion and given us valuableinsight into her vivid imagination.

Dar Williams is brimming with idiosyncrasy,poeticism and open mindedness, qualities that whencombined with her talent for song writing, evolveinto folk songs that are enlightening, melodic andoften soul stirring. Her song writing and performingstyle have been compared to that of Joni Mitchelland Joan Baez, though her ability to balance bothpop and singer/song writer sensibilities makes hertruly individual. She has garnered the respect ofaudiences and artists (including Richard ThompsonThe Indigo Girls and Sara McLauchlan) with hercrystallised voice, gripping lyrics, soaring melodies,engaging personality and keen wit that is DarWilliams.

Born in New York State in 1967, Dar originallypursued a career in the theatre. Writing songs onthe side led to her first album, THE HONESTYROOM, being released in 1993. She has been apopular singer/song writer on the US folk circuitever since and has created a catalogue ofmeaningful, deeply moving songs that have built hera devoted fan base.

Her sixth studio album, MY BETTER SELF, is aworthy addition to that collection. The recordfeatures a stunning duet with Ani DiFranco on PinkFloyd’s Comfortably Numb and includes guestappearances by Marshall Crenshaw on Neil Young’sEverybody Knows This Is Nowhere, Patty Larkin onThe Hudson and SouLive on Two Sides Of TheRiver.

Lyrically MY BETTER SELF is a political album,written from a personal perspective. She is one ofthose writers who are able to see what’s really

going on. Empire, one of Dar’s most scorchingpolitical songs, strikes a fiery chord in the listener,though the delivery of her opinions and viewpointsis gentle and non-threatening. Another thing Dareasily and unobtrusively delivers is content. Her useof elongated lyrical steps and distillation of wordskeeps the verses from feeling cluttered. Sheincorporates so many layers and depth in her songsthat her music almost feels like literature. WithEchoes in particular, there is enough space inbetween the lines for each of us to place our slant.

Williams also displays a rare ability to move aroundwithin her genre, Beautiful Enemy, captivates theintellect, while with Teen For God she utilises ahumorous sense of irony to channel a messagewithout being heavy. So Close To My Heart and I’llMiss You Till I Meet You will tug at your heartstringsuntil they see a shy tear in your eye and we also seeher reshape the aforementioned originals intosomething that is her own. All of her records willlift you up and break you down over and over fromstart to finish.

It is her strength as a writer that really shines,always powerful, tuned in and observant. She hasan uncanny knack of hitting a nugget of truth, orphrasing an idea that you, yourself have beenstruggling to articulate. There is a compellinghumanist logic that drives her and she is neverreserved in stating her case, no matterhow big the idea. There are few songwriters orcommentators that you can trust to cut through thecrap and nail it, time after time with such authority.This is something that she carries into her liveperformances, and she is a terrific performer,incredibly witty, fearless on stage and always readyto take on an audience on her own terms. If themodern definition of a star is someone upon whomwe project meaning then, for me, Dar Williams is upthere with them. VH

The Honesty RoomZOE1098

When an all-out rocksong combines a

gorgeous singalongmelody with lyrical

references to RonaldReagan and Sid Vicious

in the very first line, youknow you've stumbled

across something very special.

Mortal CityZOE1099

Funny? Oh, yes — "The Christians and the

Pagans" is hysterical. It's the humour gonebefore that makes a

song as naked as"Family" or as

conceptually risky as"Pompeii" come acrossnot just well, but with

enormous power.

End Of The SummerZOE1100

State of the artproduction techniques

give this album a differentfeel to previous releases.It's slick; there are drumloops and timbales andlots of electric guitars,

and a huge cast of guestmusicians. But slick is

only bad when it meanssoulless, and her soul

is in fine shape.

Out There LiveZOE1102

Out There Live offersan overview of Dar’s

musical career, featuringlive performances of

tracks across allprevious studio albums.It's an energetic live set,

at times quiet andintimate, at other timesrocking and rolling with

a full band.

The Green WorldZOE1101

Williams is in good voicethroughout, deliveringher lyrics with relaxed

confidence. With thesame demeanour, she

works bagpipes into thefirst track, a lively banjo

in the last and aHammond organ into a

number of cuts to great effect.

WORLD REVIEWS

23

Earlier this year I wasfortunate enough to attendan intimate gig in thebasement of a certainswanky fashionableestablishment, it wasmobbed, the stage too smallto hold all the musicians, sothere we all were gatheredto hear Portugal’s best kept secret.

Her latest album BALANCE, pronounce bal-on-say, has many different meanings. Balancê isa slang word for swinging; dancing; to havegroove. It also means to move with life and withnature, to swing with the rhythm of theuniverse and also to balancê the differentenergies and moods inside the soul. Sara’smusical style moves from gorgeous upliftingmelodies-’Bom Feeling’, bewitching lullabies,such as Guisa and Muna Xeia through tominimal nuances-De Nua. This is a reflectivealbum celebrating and embracing life’s highs andlows, this is someone who communicatesthrough her sweet voice even if we can’tunderstand all of the lyrics.

It was a stunning performance. I climbed thestairs feeling upbeat, unusually optimistic wehad all been part of an amazing evening. ET

“What a delight it is to hear a singer/songwriterin total control of their music, knowing exactlyhow to coax out the truth from her material…”Charlie Gillet

Sara TavaresBALANCEWorld Connection WC43058Gorgeous, uplifting, bewitching. Portugal’sbest kept secret no more.

Sabrina Malheiros' debutalbum EQUILIBRIAreceived universal acclaimin the UK press when it wasreleased last summer andthe follow up VIBRASONS,featuring tracks from thatdebut remixed by some ofthe most importantproducers today, does not disappoint. BlueNote's Italian nu-jazz supremo Nicola Conte,London's Jazz-funk stalwarts Incognito andBrighton's funk-master Quantic are just three ofthe producers who have added their inimitablemusicianship, often stripping everything awayexcept the vocals to recreate their own nu-jazzand funk masterpieces.

With a mix of styles and tempos the albumflows like an artist album. Alongside theauthentic jazz-bossa of Nicola Conte andIncognito, there's P-Funk remixes from Quanticand Max Cole, cinematic ambience with KirkDegiorgio's rework and super-chilled houseversions just perfect for long hot summer daysfrom Spiritual South and Kenny Dope.

Sabrina is the daughter of Alex Malheiros,bassist from legendary Brazilian band Azymuthand the band played on tracks from Vibrasons.

"a perfect summer soundtrack…" (★★★★) The Independent"gorgeous samba fusion....summer is here"(★★★★) Observer Music Monthly

Sabrina MalheirosVIBRASONSFarout FARO108CDGreat remix treatment for acclaimedalbum.

Originating from BuenosAires, Go Lem System arenow based in Barcelonaand are part of the vibrantand ever growing soundsystem scene. This, theirsecond CD, takes itsinfluence from Jamaica andmajors on reggae and skarhythms. It’s also packed with punchy brasslines and serious wind-up-me-waist-bass.

It’s not simply a Spanish language reggae albumand there are some heady elements of funk,jazz and afro beat that add some variety to thesounds, Entra Sin Golpear, for example. Theproduction also uses samplers, sequencers andloops and Jim Colominas adds some deck work.

There are some great catchy tunes and thebrass in particular is standout on tracks likeComing to Us. I’ll admit to not having a clue asto what any of the songs are about, as the onlyEnglish language is the refrain on this track “ Wethink that the The System is coming to us, Weknow that The Ocean is bigger than them”, butit hasn’t stopped me bopping round the officeto it.

Manu Chao appearance is a big bonus as well,on the final and wonderful Calle Go Lem. SH

“…fusing bouncing reggae and ska rhythmswith simple pop hooks…” ★★★ The Times

Go Lem SystemCACERIASatelite K SATKCD049Punky, reggae party Manu Chao guests.

“Thrillingly raw compilationof contemporary Africanreggae…The highpoints aremany and surprises abound.Highly recommended.”★★★ Mojo

“This is dancehall andreggae reconstituted withindigenous African languages, dialects,instruments and perspectives, and its as vitaland complex as the continent from which it hascome” ★★★★ Metro

“The compelling fusion of urban, reggae andtraditional sensibilities on display here suggeststhat modern African music has a lot more tooffer” ★★★★★ Daily Telegraph

“Many of the artists on this album are massivesellers in the home market…this excellentalbum aims to bring some new names into thewider world and give them some of therecognition they richly deserve…thiscompilation features artists from Uganda, IvoryCoast, Senegal, Nigeria, South Africa, Kenyaand Ghana along with an informative bookletthat gives some history into each artist and theirstyle. Amazing vibes.” Touch

“This exciting collection really uncovers the factthat Reggae is alive and kicking in Africa and aspowerful, popular and widespread as it is inJamaica. The tracks bounce and explode into aproclamation of stories of relationships, societyand politics. Get down with this!” Songlines

“You will not be disappointed.” G Mag

VariousAFRICAN REBEL MUSIC: Roots Reggae and DancehallOut/Here OH004Great pan continental grooves.

VariousREMBETIKA; Greek Music From The UndergroundJSP JSP7776The original gangster music from Greece.

In the early part of the 20th Century the Greekunderground had its own music. the Greekblues, Rembetika was the music of the‘mangas’-dudes or hipsters, they were theunderworld class. This fantastic 89 trackcollection lovingly compiled by Charles Howardrecords the lives of con men, casanovas,criminals, tales of seductions, drug deals andprison.

Prepare yourself for a real treat all therecordings have been skilfully remastered, andthere are informative sleeve notes, each track isexplained in a concise clear way and providesthe listener with a greater understanding of thehistorical and social significance of this music. Atthe turn of the century many refugees werearriving in Greece from Asia Minor and bringingwith them music with an eastern flavour. Manyresettled in port towns, and it was in placessuch as Piraeus and Thessalonika that theRembetika sound of the hidden worlddeveloped.

This set includes some of the greats and heavyhitters, Roza Eskenazi, Maria Papagika, MarkosVamvakaris, Rita Abadzi, Jack Halikias, Stratos,Aldonios Dalgas. ET

“A thrilling collection for anybody familiar withthis music. And if you don't know about thisstuff, this is the perfect place to start.” Red Lick

VariousWOMEN OF EGYPTTopic TSCDImportant, intriguing historicalcompilation lifts the veil.

Another superb compilation from the highquality Topic World Series in conjunction withthe British Library Sound Archive.

The emancipation of womens rights in Egyptgathered momentum in the 1920’s, politicallyand socially controversial stuff, women wereperforming in theatres on the ’Broadway ofCairo’. The populist media embraced thepossibilities of new found freedoms whilst thepatriarchal brows of the traditionalists frownedat such immoral and innapropriate behaviour.

Women were also commanding large fees forperforming or recording and competitionbecame intense as the industry grew. The 78rpm record was hugely popular and thetaqtuqah a light colloquial female song, wasperfectly suited to this 3 minute format.

This is an amazing collection pieced together byAmira Mitchell. Digitally remastered to thehighest quality with extensive notes,photographs and illustrations give a unique andinformative window into a magical period ofEgypt’s musical history. ET

http://www.bl.uk/soundarchive

hat this stunning debut album is not being trumpet fromthe pages of every serious music reviews section as“probably the best thing you’ll hear this year”, ismysterious indeed. Scott has enjoyedconsiderable exposure, after all withsessions for Mark Radcliffe, Janis Long, Tom

Robinson, Ian Camfield (Xfm) and James Whale(talksport). Elusive, from the album, was play listedby 6 Music and Xfm and picked up plays from ZaneLowe (with whom yet another session is booked), JoWhiley and Bob Harris to name but three.

Then there are the gigs supporting the Foo Fighterson their acoustic nights in front of packed houses inIpswich and Hammersmith, the two sold out shows atthe intimate 12 Bar Club in London, the gig at Teatrothat slowly hushed a noisy bunch of scenesters out tobe seen and heard rather than see and hear, I could go on…

PASSING STRANGERS is a mighty fine record and thescene is set from the get-go with the brief Little ManTabla Jam fading into the first full number, Dream Song. Both shareScott’s slinky bottleneck and tabla, provided by the worldrenowned Sukhvinder Singh Namdhari. The Fools Fooling Himselffollows on with the opening vocal and guitar figures having a raga liltthat maintains the east meets west vibe.

For those who don’t already know, Scott hails from Wolverhamptonand there is a hint of the multiculturalism of the West Midlands atwork. Acoustic Led Zeppelin and Nick Drake also comes into the

frame. Track four has both the latter’s guitar pickingdexterity and a fragility and vulnerability that sits justbelow the surface of the song, but it’s in the feelrather than in the tunes that Drake comes to mind.

Whilst we are at it, Jeff Buckley has been referencedin trying to pin Scott’s music down. But, if anyonetells you he sounds like either Buckley or Drake, thenthey are only giving you part of the story: if itencourages you to listen, then great, because you’llwork the rest out for yourself.

Scott’s guitar playing is superb throughout, but SweetScented Figure’s, combination of picking andbottleneck is standout. The albums title track follows,which has to be as good a falling out of love song ashas been written. It meets its match and equal inElusive, a song that is simply beautiful. Elusive sets up

a closing suite of songs with Earth To Calm and White FeatheredMedicine that are staggeringly good. The latter’s heart-meltingcombination of flute and voice is reason enough to buy this record.So, what the hell are you waiting for??

SH

Scott MatthewsPassing Stranger

San Remo REMOCD001

T

REVIEW ROUND-UP catching the CDs that full between the category cracks and spill out of sections.

The sleeve notes suggestthat Newman’s genius (in this case the word iscorrectly used) is down to a combination of goodbreeding and bad taste. Heundoubtedly hails from avery musical family and hasthat capacity to speak the

unspeakable, taking some highly unreasonablestandpoints. As Newman himself has observedgreat writers are rarely themselves in theirfiction, so why should he be.

He is one of the greatest songwriters and hiswork has often been covered - seeing theWatkins siblings of Nickel Creek singing ShortPeople was an hilarious highlight of this year.This album does a great job in selecting someheartfelt versions of a well chosen selection ofclassics. The Duhks, Steve Earl, Allison Moorer,Del McCoury, Marc Broussard and Bela Fleckall flex their vocal muscle around Newman’swinning word play. Political Science, Rednecks,Louisiana 1927 and Mr President sound morepertinent than ever; You Can Leave Your HatOn smoulders: Riders In The Rain and Marie areelegiac and evocative.

Pure poetry, great performances and fineproduction add up to an essential CD. TM

“ …it is definitely a respectable addition to thegrowing list of "must have" albums…”www.musicboxonline.com

The title seems as neat asummary of the contents ofthis excellent debut albumas you likely to get.Cimurenga is a Shona wordmeaning liberation struggle:soul is the animating andvital principle in humans.Here soul is also shorthand

for the music that hooks the emotional core. Idon’t mean the R&B inspired music that islargely lumped under that catch all title, butrather, this is music from the soul, of the souland for the soul.

Netsayi’s voice is to the fore laid across shifting,syncopated rhythms. There is R&B influence,but it‘s shaped by Netsayi’s dual Anglo/Zimbabwean upbringing and draws on bothcountries musical legacy as much as the USA.

Whatever the lineage, it’s a compelling mix ofmeditations on the soul of the artist herself, theindividual, the nation and the challenges that allface. Lyrically referencing Badu andArmatrading Funny also bears their influenceand throughout, questions of identity thatsearch for the universal truths are beautifullyrealised in deceptively simple poetry. Tatters,Hondo and Refugee Song are seductivelypowerful and in today’s climate, unique. SH

★★★★ Observer ★★★★The Metro ★★★★ Times ★★★Mojo

NetsayiCHIMURENGA SOULMilitant Prince MPCD001Born in London, raised in Zimbabwe. Nowback in the UK this is a stunning debut.

Vancouver’s Rich Hopeignites the soul the way onlygood roots rock ‘n’ roll can,like fine campfire whiskey,and haystack sex. He’s oneof the best blues explosionssince Howlin’ Wolf.

Alone, he delivers moremusical strokes than most four-piece rockbands. Backed by his Evil Doers, Rich Hopeserves up some ass-whoopin' chicken friedfuzzed out blues and a tear in your beer to washit down with. Stand up and shout it then sitdown and cry about it.

He’s just enjoyed a critically acclaimed jauntaround the UK opening for former Jesus AndThe Mary Chain main man Jim Reid, who hasasked Rich to come back later in the year andsupport Jim on his October tour.

Whether it’s foot stompin' free-for-alls orcountry laments Hope is as authentic as theycome. Rich Hope And His Evil Doers meet rightwhere Bob Dylan, Mississippi Fred MacDowell,R.L. Burnside and Hank Williams sit downtogether to eat BBQ and drink whiskey. Hope isthe real deal.

MG

http://www.myspace.com/richhope

Rich Hope – And His Evil DoersS/TMaximum MAX2012Pedal to the metal roots rocker

24

VariousSAIL AWAYSugar Hill SHCD4015Newman sounds more relevant than ever in thehands and hearts of some great musicians

REVIEW ROUND-UP catching the CDs that fall between the category cracks and spill out of sections.

25

Sunbeam is an exciting new label dedicated to releasingdefinitive versions of overlooked rock, folk and jazzalbums from all over the world, as well as previouslyunissued material by renowned musicians. By workingclosely with artists, sourcing master tapes, using top

studios and taking every care with packaging, they produce ouralbums to the very highest standards, and they have been greetedrapturously by music lovers worldwide.

Each CD comes with a full colour booklet, incorporating detailedliner notes and rare photographs, and bonus material is includedwherever possible. Their LPs are mastered at London's Abbey RoadStudios and produced to audiophile standards. Several titles areadded to our catalogue every month - for more information, pleasevisit the website at HYPERLINK "http://www.sunbeamrecords.com"www.sunbeamrecords.com.

As author of several of the world's best-loved musicals, Tim Rice needsno introduction to music fans. But before fame and fortune beckoned,he spent years toiling away as writer and producer of a bewilderingvariety of obscure records, encompassing everything from AOR andgirly ballads to harmony pop, funk, freakbeat and psychedelic rock. Thebest of them are gathered here for the first time, along with rarephotographs and extensive liner notes from the man himself, makingthis compilation a banquet for all fans of unsung 1960s pop. 1960s pop.

One of the best-loved British psychedelic albums of all time, TheOpen Mind is a hard-rocking collection that sank without trace on itsoriginal release in 1969. Produced with the band's full co-operation,this definitive reissue comes complete with a full-colour booklet,incorporating rare photographs and detailed liner notes, as well asboth sides of their two ultra-rare non-album 45s, making it the mostcomprehensive collection of their music ever assembled.

Gordon Jackson's rare 1969 album can almost be called a lost TrafficLP. Produced by Dave Mason, it features the talents of SteveWinwood, Jim Capaldi, Dave Mason and Chris Wood, alongside JimKing and Ric Grech (Family), Julie Driscoll, the Blossom Toes, MeicStevens, Reg King and many others. A melodic distillation of folk, popand psychedelia, it is a lost classic making its CD debut here.

A sitar-kissed cruise through the gentler side of psychedelia, thisflawless gem combines beautiful melodies, thoughtful lyrics andimmaculate instrumentation to hypnotic effect. Originally releasedonly in Norway, where it sold in minute numbers in 1970, this is itsfirst official reissue and comes complete with a 12-page, full-colourbooklet incorporating rare photographs and detailed liner notes bythe band's leaders, Nina Johansen and Rune Walle.

This proves once and for all why Meic Stevens is so often called 'theWelsh Bob Dylan'. As well as gathering for the first time the ultra-rareEPs he recorded between 1967 and 1970 (Mike Stevens, Rhif 2, Mwg

and Meic Stevens), the package comes complete with bothsides of his 1965 debut single, detailed sleevenotes, rarephotographs and an introduction by the man himself, makingit an essential purchase for all fans of acid folk and psychedelia.

White BicyclesJoe Boyd has a reputation for being in the right place at the right

time: the authentic blues tours that brought Muddy Waters toEurope; Bob Dylan goes electric; the UFO club and itsassociation with Pink Floyd: the birth of British folk-rock. Yes,Boyd was there as mover, shaker, instigator and scenester:

generally hands on rather than watching from the wings, Boyd canclaim some of the most important musical moments of the 60s asothers may have notches on a bed post.

All of this is excellently told in the biography, White Bicycles thatthis CD accompanies. It’s a great story, with anecdotes that bring tolife the phenomenal vibrancy and creativity of an era that we areunlikely to witness the like of again. Ideas seemed to traverse theAtlantic, bouncing back and forth. Artists of all disciplines tookinspiration from the others’ shores and built on them in a ping-pongfrenzy of exploration.

Boyd first hit Britain as tourmanager of a package thatbrought some blues andgospel greats to Europe.Arguably, at the time, the likesof Muddy Waters, SonnyTerry and Brownie McGhee,The reverend Garry Daviesand Sister Rosetta Tharpemeant more in the UK than athome in the States: theycertainly commanded morerespect. The blues boom hadthe real deal Americans as

demigods in the UK and Martin Luther King had only just givenvoice to his dream back home.

Boyd was already steeped in music when he arrived and becameinvolved in the decidedly heady brew of 60s London. Herecommended Eric Clapton and Pink Floyd to Elektra records, butthe label’s cautious financial approach meant they lost out. Herethey are represented by Clapton’s original recording of Crossroadsand Pink Floyd’s Arnold Lane, produced by Boyd.

Joe was also no stranger to the concept of Folk Rock, having beenthe soundman for Dylan’s 65 Newport Folk Festival with theelectric band. He had also been integral to the formation of theLovin Spoonful, who were inspired, in part, by the Spencer DaviesGroup covering Leadbelly tunes in the UK. Being Harvardeducated, it’s also fair to say that Joe felt more comfortableamongst the more thoughtful folkies. It didn’t mean his musicalvision was limited, however, as his work promoting at the UFO clubhooked him up with Soft Machine, featured on this disc as well.

But Boyd is known best for his work with the Incredible StringBand, Fairport Convention, John Martyn, Nick Drake and Othersaround the folk scene. They are well represented here and thereare some rare tracks that add extra weight to the essential natureof this CD. It’s well packaged too, with good liner notes, in keepingwith the excellent book. This CD is a perfect soundtrack to aripping read and also reveals Boyd’s talent as an old schoolproducer, coaxing out performance and setting sympatheticarrangement. It’s also a timely signpost as to where a newgeneration of folk musicians have turned for inspiration. Did I sayessential? You’re damn right. SH

This is the page that in future will carry alittle guest editorial piece by some seasoned and knowledgeable commentatoron the UK music scene. If you can imagineour guest in the black leather swivel chairof editorial, we will be asking specialistsubject stylee poseurs and calling on theirknowledge banks to explore all areas ofFolk, Country, Blues, Jazz, World Musicand roots music in general.

The concept is a simple one, but the rationale is probablyworth explaining. Proper is the UK’s No.1 independentdistribution company. A bold claim, but we are using thecriteria of the sales and distribution being done by thepeople who own the company, which handily makes usthe biggest. Others may use different markers, whichmight produce a different result, but then we don’t care.You may not care at all, after all, distribution is the unsexypart of the music industry that involves getting recordsinto shops. Actually that’s not as easy as you may thinkand it’s something that we do very well. We were evennominated as the Best Distributor at this year’s MusicWeek Awards. EMI of course won, but they have donefor years and years and they are a mighty leviathan compared to our mackerel-esque stature.

We are always trying to find ways to help us (and thelabels and artists that we represent) sell more records,which is why you are reading this. We have very goodrelationships with record retailers, right across the boardand we also work closely with a range of magazines.

A quick glance down the side of the page will show you thetitles that we are closest to. They all write about specialistareas of music that we are strong in, so it stands to reasonthat our distributed records are more likely to get coveragein them as a matter of course. We emphasise, that they aretotally independent editorially and have no direct links withus, but we like them and they like us. We will heartily recommend that you try all of them at least once, especially if you like Folk, Country, Blues, Jazz, World Musicand so forth. That’s why we will be asking them to contribute to future issues of Properganda.

It’s also worth noting that, like us, these publications areall independent. This may mean that you are unlikely tofind hundreds of copies racked next to Hello and ShirtWeekly in your local news agent or W H Smith, which iswhy we have helpfully given you some subscription detailsbelow.

subscription details can be found at:

www.frootsmag.comwww.countrymusicpeople.comwww.folkmusic.netwww.songlines.co.ukwww.jazzwise.comwww.bluesandrhythm.co.ukwww.wordmagazine.co.ukwww.maverick-country.com

Blurb

This summer has seen much activity by Americana, countryand roots music acts playing festival dates, concert halls andsmaller club gigs, helping to make the independent music scenemuch more vibrant than the major labels would have usbelieve. Maverick has had a visible presence at many of thefestivals and has also for the first time been involved in highlysuccessful tour sponsorship for Eve Selis, Joe Sun, Elana James& the Continental Two, Sarah Harmer, Dar Williams and AlanaLevandoski.We try and make it routine that we run features on the touring acts in themonth that they are touring. This helps, we believe, in putting bums on seats,and ultimately in the acts selling more CDs. In our just-published Augustissue we have an in-depth interview with Allison Moorer, plus features on theBellamy Brothers, James Hand, Guy Clark, Burrito Deluxe and MarkChesnutt all of whom are touring in late July or August.

Recently BBC Radio 2’s Bob Harris, a big supporter of the independentmusic acts, has become a regular Maverick columnist. In this latest issue hetalks about Nashville, the famed Station Inn, where so many of the acousticacts featured in the pages of Maverick perform and Steve Earle’s associationwith the Del McCoury Band, who just so happen to be touring the UK withNanci Griffith and have several excellent albums currently available throughSugar Hill Records. And talking of Sugar Hill, the label will be celebrating its25th anniversary this year with a special box set - SUGAR HILL RECORDS: ARetrospective. This four CD set with an 80 page booklet will contain 81tracks hand-picked by label boss Barry Poss and featuring such great musicalacts as Ricky Skaggs, Chris Hillman, Doc Watson, Tim O’Brien, Townes VanZandt, Sam Bush, Guy Clark, Nickel Creek, Dolly Parton and dozens more.

Alongside the established acts, Maverick also takes pride in spotlighting thelesser-known names and every month we feature new acts, often longbefore other publications or before you get to hear them on the radio. Buthaving said that, we never overlook the rich country music heritage of thepast, so in any one issue you could find features on the legendary CarterFamily from the 1920s alongside the Drive by the Truckers of 2006. Alsowithin the pages of Maverick you will see more CD reviews than in anycomparable magazine with close on one hundred reviewed every month byour panel of music experts - from bluegrass to old-timey country, honky-tonkto pop-country, country blues to western swing, singer-songwriters to acepickers and everything in between. We’re an eclectic magazine because wehave discovered that is what the majority of our readers tend to be.

Though many of the independent acts may not sell CDs in the samequantities as the likes of Robbie Williams, Elton John or Alan Jackson, many ofthem have built up sizeable back catalogues and over the years havecontinued to sell steadily to a growing fan base. Unlike the majority of thecountry mainstream acts, these indie acts will come over to Europe and touron a regular basis. It has resulted in a secondary market for their musicwhich for some of them, such as Gretchen Peters, Chip Taylor & CarrieRodriguez, BR549, and others, is possibly more lucrative than back home inthe States.Canadian artists such as Alana Levandoski, Kathleen Edwards, Lynn Miles,Blue Rodeo, Be Good Tanyas, Po Girl, etc are also making a big impression inthe UK and over the next few months we will be featuring them heavily,including coverage of the Canadian Country Music Awards which take placein September in New Brunswick.

So, all in all, the Americana, country and roots music scene in the UK ispretty healthy, thanks mainly to the independent artists and musicians, themany live venues across the country, independent distributors, independentmusic stores and the independent magazines.Alan Cackett (editor Maverick)

Roy AyersDouble TroubleAIM1079CD7

Roy AyersSunshine ManAIM1080CD

Sly & The Family StoneBack On The Right TrackAIM1072CD

Bootsy Collins & Bootsy's New Rubber BandKeepin' Dah Funk Alive 4-1995FIP1

Minnie RippertonCome To My GardenAIM1060CD

Desmond DekkerThe Israelites – Best Of Desmond DekkerAIM2004CD

OsibisaCelebration, Best OfAIM1036CD

OsibisaOsibisaAIM1045CD

John Lee Hooker JrBlues With A VengeanceAIM1075CD

OsibisaWoyayaAIM1046CD

Aaron NevilleTell It Like It IsAIM1078CD

Don CovayKing Of SoulAIM1085CD

Robert ParkerBarefootin'AIM1210CD

Clarence CarterPatchesAIM2011CD

Roscoe SheltonDeep In My SoulAIM1501CD

Introducing The AIM catalogue to the UK.

AIM International www.aiminternational.com

Free Reed’s new career-spanning box-set of the

Life and Music of Richard Thompson is packed

with surprises for even his most devoted fans.

Consisting entirely of unreleased and impossible-to-find recordings, the set’s FIVE CDS explore all aspects of Richard’s career – band

member, solo, duo; composer and interpreter of other people’s songs;live, studio and home demo; and, naturally, “(guitar /vocal)”. All of

Richard’s classic songs are included – carefully selected with the help of fans worldwide, acknowledged Thompson experts

and RT himself. – plus much more: cover versions from ancient Britishto modern Britney; astonishing one-off performances; previously

unreleased original songs; history, tragedy and comedy.

Put together with Richard’s generous and extensive co-operation throughout, the set draws on over thirty audio

archives . Like all Free Reed big boxes, RT comes with aweighty 172 PAGE BOOK, which details his life, career

and music, together with extensive notes on everytrack, plus a long exclusive interview with Richard.Author Nigel Schofield had unprecedented access

to Richard’s archives of press cuttings, tour books and articles, as well as his

private photo collection.

RICHARD THOMPSON as you have never heard him before!

A MUST FOR EVERY RICHARD THOMPSON FAN!

“Compilation of the Month -

- a 5 -CD Treasure Trove”

★★★★ The Observer

- “Free Reed’s Reputation as kings of the Box-set is now damn near

unassailable!” - ★★★★★ Record Collector

“Absolutely Superb – a quite wonderful package!” Bob Harris, BBC

“Epic… major release..” The Guardian

“Beautifully-crafted – difficult to praise this collection too much” ★★★★★ Maverick

“Lovingly-compiled – fans will revel in this sumptuous collection…” Classic Rock

“Fans will weep hot tears of joy” The Times, London

“Rich, Dark, and Sparkling with wit and Invention” The Daily Telegraph

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