Reviews Alebre Joueur D'harmonica, Gabriel Labbe Est Aussi Connu Comme Collectionneur De Disques 78 Tours

Home , Bruce Cockburn, In the Falling Dark, Jean Carignan, Joy Will Find a Way, Sunwheel Dance

Maste~ of French Canadian Dances. Joseph Al- lard, Violin. Selected and annoted by Gabriel Labbe. Produced by Richard Carlin. Folkways Records, RBF 110 [$11.00 aux membres, $13.00 autrement]. Reviews alebre joueur d'harmonica, Gabriel Labbe est aussi connu comme collectionneur de disques 78 tours. On gait qu'il est I'auteur du livre Les Pionniers du dj§gue folkloriQue Quebecois.1920-1950 (L' Aurore 1977). C'est ainsi que sur cet album, il nODSlivre une petite partie de sa precieuse collection en noDS presentant 14 des meilleurs pieces qu'a endisque Joseph Allard entre leg annees1928 et 1933sur disques78 tours. Joseph Allard naquit Ie ler fevrier 1873 a Woodland, pres de Montreal. Son peTe, Louis Allard, lui-meme violoneux, lui enseigneIe violon des l'ige de 9 ans. A 16 ans, il quitte Ie Canada pour la Nouvelle-Angleterre MUSIQUE INSTRUMENTALE ou on reconnait son talent. Apres 28 ans, il revient au CANADIENNE-FRANCAISE Canada en 1917 et p~ra la majeure partie de sa vie CHEZ FOLKWAYS RECORDS a Ville St-Pierre, pres de Montreal. Comme beaucoup de musiciens,il meurt seul et pauvre en novembre 1947 par Donald Deschenes a l'ige de 76 ans. Apres avoir entendu parler de JosephAllard par des [NDLR. - Les disques dont traite cet article sont en Philippe Bruneau, des Jean Carignan et bien d'autres, vente chez Ie SeIVice de commandes postales de la on ressent une tres vive emotion a erouter ces pieces SCI'M, Box 4232, Sta. c, Calgary,Alberta T2T 5N1, aux par ce grand interprete qui, par la qualite et la richesse de son jeu et de son repertoire, a influence plusieurs prix preci'ies,plus $2.00 fru d'expedition pour Ie prem- ier disque, $.50 pour chaque disque additionnel.] generationsde musiciens,tant au Quebec que dans tout I'est de I'Amerique du nord. Des la premiere audition, ces pieces sont tellements Entre 1979 et 1983, la maison Folkways Records de enlevantesqu'on oublie la pauvre qualite des enregistre- New-York a fait paraitre six albums consacres a la ments. Cette judicieuse selection de Gabriel Labbe musique traditionnelle canadienne-franGaise.Ces albums d~p~ Ie simple document et Ie temoignage.Ene noDS nous presentent un choix tout a fait remarquable de confirme l'actualite et la permanence, sinon Ie clas- musique pour Ie violon, l'harmonica et I'accordeon avec sicisme,de cette musique. des musiciensqui, pour la plupan. n'ont pas besoin de Cet album est accompagned'une breve presentation presentation. n s'agit d'enregistrementsrecents d'instru- du musicien. Pour chaque piece, M. Labbe ne foumit, mentistestels que Gabriel La~, Jean-Marie Verret et avec Ie titre, que la date d'enregistrement.n aurait et~ Aim~ Gagn~ ou de repiquages de disques 78 tours instructif de savoir ou furent enregistre res premiers d'~tes comme Alfred Montmarquette, Joseph Allard, disques,dans quelles conditions, avec quels musicienset Henri Lacroix, Th~ore Duguay, Joseph Plante et quelles en furent leg tirages. Comme ce rut fait pour J~ph Guilmette. d'autres microsillons de cette collection, des notes cx- Afin de vous faire connaitre res albums Ie plus plicatives sur leg pieces auraient 6te les bienvenues: simplement possible, pour chacun vous pourrez y lire telles la tonalit6 habituellementutilisee, Ie style de jeu, une courte presentation suivie d'une appreciation qui quelles dances convenaienta telle piece, d'ou origine-t- fera ressonir les quaIit~s et les faiblesses, s'iI s'en elle, ou et de qui I'a-t-il apprise quand cela est connu, trouvc. Le tout sera accompagn~ d'un commentaire etc. Enfin, on peut se demander pourquoi on a mis sur Ie devant de la pochette la photo d'un danseur au lieu g~n~ral. de celIe du musicien. 2 2 Masters of French Canadian Music 2. Alfred Masters of French Canadian Music 4. Henri Montmarquette,accordion. Selected and annotated Lacroix, harmonica, Th6odore Duguay, J~ph by Gabriel Labbt. Produced by Richard Carlin. Plante, J~ph Guilmette, accordion. Selected by FolkwaysRecords, RBF 111 [$11.00aux membres, Gabriel Labb6. Transcn"bedand annotatedby Car- $13.00autrement]. melle Be.gin, Canadian Centre for Folk Culture Studies, National Museum of Man, Ottawa. Folk- Encore une fois, Gabriel Lab~ DOUSpr6sente un ways Records, RBF 115 [$11.00 aux membres, autre des plus importants musiciensde cette g6n6ration. $13.00autrement). Alfred Montmarquette est n6 a Montr6al en 1870 dans une famille nombreuse.A 12 ans, il commencea jouer Des six albums qui sont pr6sent6s ici, celui-ci est sur l'accordoon que son pere lui a offert pour son an- probablementIe plus captivant par sa diversit6. Sur la niversaire. Presque sans instruction et sans aucune for- face A, on y retrouve sept piecesinterpret6es par Henri mation musicale, il jouera entre autres avec Conrad Lacroix accompagn6 de diff6rentes petites formations Gauthier aUK "Soire.esdu Bon Vieux Temps" et avec musicalesavec lesquellesil a end~6. Celles-cisont Mme Bolduc. II mourrut en mai 1944, a l'ige de 74 parfois 6tonnantes.Par exemple,pour la "Polka du ~re ans, dans Ie plus grand abandon, la misere et la mal- Antoine", qui est une version instrumentalede la chan- adie. son am6ricaine"The Buffalo Gals", Ie Trio Lacroix est Cet album est lui Russi d'une grande richesse, de com~ de l'harmonica, du xylophone et du piano. Le cette musique qui ne meurt pas, qui dure sans jamais contrepoint IYthmique du xylophone, inspire des pas du vieillir. Ici encore, Gabriel Labb6 a fait un choix des "tap dance", n'est pas sans susciter quelqu'int6ret Le plus pertinents pour nous doDDerun ~s bon exemple repertoire d'Henri Lacroix est surprenant, une v6ritable du talent remarquable de M. Montmarquette dont leg d6couvertepour moi. sp6cialit6s6taient leg valseset les marches. Sur la face B, on retrouve deux piecespar Th6od0re Tout comme l'album prec6dent,une breve biographie Duguay, trois pieces par J~ph Plante et deux autres accompagneIe disque. n faut Russid6plorer Ie manque par J~ph Guilmette. Par exemple, ce dernier de notes explicatives. interprete une "Oog am6ricaine" tout a fait remarquable et la valse "Adieu ma ch6rie" d'une faGon fort Masters of French Canadian Music 3. Gabriel 6mouvante. Lab~, harmonica. Philippe Bruneau, piano. Col- Encore une fois, un excellent microsillon que les lected, Transcnbed and Annotated by Carmelle notes de Carmelle Be.gincompletent admirablementbien &gin, Canadian Centre for Folk Culture Studies, et qui invitent l'auditeur a une 6coute beaucoupplus at- National Museum of Man, Ottawa. FolkwaysRec- tentive. Cependant,on n'y retrouve que des notes bi<>- ords, RBF 114 [$11.00 aUK membres, $13.00 graphiquessur Th6odore Duguay et presquerien sur les autrement]. autres. C'est malheureux! Apres avoir tant aim6 6couter Henri Lacroix, je demeure sur ma faim de ne rien Voici un beau disque. Voici une musique qui connaitre de lui. s'6coute Russibien qu'une sonate de Bach ou un con- certo de Vivaldi. D'avoir reuni sur un meme disque French Canadian Dance Music. Jean-Marie Ver- Gabriel Lab~ et Philippe Bruneau, ces deux grands de ret, fiddle. Lise Verret, piano. Collected, tran- l'harmonica et de l'accord60n au Qu6bec, est un grand scn"bedand annotated by Carmelle Be.gin,Canadi- plaisir pour leg mordus de musique traditionnelle. Le an Centre for Folk Culture Studies, National repertoire choisi est on ne peux plus beau et Ie jeu de Museum of Man. Folkways Records, RF 120 Gabriel Lab~ a l'harmonica est souple, gracieux meme, [$11.00aux membres,$13.00 autrement). d'une touche tout a fait unique. De son c6t6, Philippe Bruneau s'av~re etre un excellent pianiste. A eux deux, Natif du Lac St-Charles,pres de Qu6bec,Jean-Marie ils ont fait des arrangementsremarquables de ces pieces Verret est n6 en 1945. H6rit6 de son ~re Jules et de dont plusieurs sont des classiques du repertoire son grand-~re Jean-Baptiste, tous deux de grands traditionnel qu6~cois. violoneux, Jean-Marie est d6positaire de tout un Les p~ces que Lab~ ex6cute ont 6t6 apprises a repertoire exclusif, uniquement jou6 par sa famille. Y l'oreille ou sur disque 78 tours des meilleurs musiciens sont rassembl6esdes pieces destin6esa la danse,toutes traditionnels qu6~cois. Enfin, autant pour Ie profane tirees du r6pertoire familial, dont deux com~es par que pour Ie musicien, leg notes de Carmelle &gin sont Jules Verret. extremement int6ressantes et permettent une 6coute D s'agit encore d'un dmquequi s'6coutemerveilleuse- ~ beaucoupplus active et instructive. 23 Records, avec la collaboration de chercheurs comme ment bien et que j'ai envie de classer dans ma Gabriel Labbe et Carmelle ~gin, fasse paraitre d'autres discothequeavec quelquesgrands violonistes comme Sal- microsillons de cette qualite avec d'autres musiciens vatore Accardo et Isaac Stern. Cette grande delicatesse traditionnels, mais aussi, pourquoi pas, avec des chan- de jeu et cette remarquablesonorite font de cet album teurs traditionnels. un veritable bijou. On sent entre les deux musiciens, Jean-Marieet Lise, sa fille, une veritable complicite. Encore une fois, les notes et commentairesde Car- melle Begin sont fort utiles.

French Canadian Count~ Dances. Traditional Harmonica Music of the Lower St. Lawrence River, Quebec. Aime Gagne et sa musique a bouche - Aime Gagne and his harmonica. Com- piled and annotated, with French and English notes by Alain Blanchet Folkways Records, FD 6535 [$11.00aux membres,$13.00 autrement).

Des six albums pr6sent6s ici, ce demier est celui dont l'audition est la plus difficile sans que la vedette soit en cause. Ce disque nous pr6sente un excellent ANDRE ALAIN: VIOLONEUX DE joueur d'harmonica de Riviere-du-Loup, petite ville de l'&t du Qu6bec.Aim6 Gagn6 est un 8tre marginal qui ST-BASILE DE PORTNEUF a train6 sa besassed'un bout a l'autre du Qu6bec, tant6t comme aide-fermier, tant6t comme coupeur de by George W. Lyon bois ou vendeur de poisson. nest accompagn6d'un jeune guitariste et joueur d'harmonica, Alain Blanchet, qui a, en quelque sorte, d6couvert Aimt, et de France Andre Alain: Violoneux de St-Basilede Portneuf. (Les Soucy, qui joue diff6rents instruments comme la bom- Danseriesde Quebec, C.P. 516, Haute-Ville, Quebec, barde, Ie dulcimer et diversespetites percussions. QC GIR 4R8). [Cassetteavailable from CFMS Mail Order SeIVice, $10.00 membe~ $12.00 non-members Malgr6 un fort beau r6pertoire, repr6sentatifde cette - pleaseadd $2.00shipping.] r6gion, cet album est par moments inint6ressant. Les enregistrementsfaits a la "bonne franquette", quoique de bonne qualit6, ne sont pas toujours a la hauteur. Par exemple, y a-t-il une n6cessit6quelconque a avoir sur The deeper I get (gradually) into French-Canadian disque un faux d6part et les 6changeseijtre les musi- music, the more it astounds me that folk and other ciens? &t-il plus "authentique" de ne pas encadrer Ie music enthusiastsin this country haven't reached to musicien au lieu de l'aider a faire des enregistrements the music of La Belle Province as a sort of mother- professionnelset de qualit6? Un disque dit "ethnogra- lode, in the way that Americans look to the blues and phique" n'excusepas de tel laisser-aller. Appalachian mountain music as sources of inspiration for the musical culture of the whole nation. Many Les notes d'Alain Blanchet sur les pi~ces sont du people are aware of Jean Carignan, and some have mSme acabit, quasi-inexistantes,impr6cises et sans au- even listened to him, but I suspect few have listened rune recherche pr6alable. Enfin, a mon avis, celui-ci, to enough other violoneux to be able to hear how malgr6 un bon vouloir 6vident, n'a pas su rendre justice Carignan was typical and how he was unique. Besides a ce joueur d'harmonica. Les arrangements musicaux being a natural genius, Carignan was early aware of sont souvent pauvreset parfois mSme inad6quats.Dom- musics other than that of his native region, and was mage! Aime6 Gagn6 est pourtant un excellentmusicien. particularly influenced by Irish and Scottish players such as Michael Coleman and J. Scott Skinner. With En conclusion,je conseille a tous les amateurs de Skinner, of course, Carignan was opening himself up musique traditionnelle d'acquerir ces albums, y compris to concert stage techniques and effects; later, playing Ie demier. Un collectionneur ne peut faire sans eux. Carnegie Hall and meeting such luminaries as Yehudi Ensemble, ils forment une anthologie extremement Menuhin, he was undoubtedly influenced even further precieuse.Nous ne pouvons que souhaiter que Folkways by classicalsounds and ways of playing his instrument. 24 But what did players who didn't go so far afield sound like? The CFMS Mail Order Service offers a number of opportunities to hear for yourself, none of them better than a cassette from Les Danseries de Quebec, Andre Alain: Violoneux de St-Ba"ile de Portneuf. My semi-trained ears note that Alain, secondedon half the cuts by Pierre Laporte, lacks the warm, full tone that Carignan could command, but this is not uncommon among folk fiddlers anyway.In- OLD NAnVE AND MEns stead of that sort of classical,controlled sound, I hear FIDDLING IN MANITOBA: 1WO VIEWS in Alain an exquisite wildness, a willingness to take chances. This music is full of suprises. Find a tune you [We received two reviews, and felt that both were wor- know and listen to the changes he puts it through. thy of inclusion in view of the importance of the sub- (Actually, there are probably only few tunes you al- ject. Readersmay be interested in comparingviews from ready know - a blessingin itself, if you're as tired as Manitoba and New York City! - Ed.] I somenmesget of the standard fiddle contest repertoire, stock items like "Ranger's Waltz" and "Whalen's Old Native and Metis Fiddline in Manitoba. vols. I Breakdown", let alone "Orange Blossom Special"!) and II (2-record sets), Falcon FP-187, FP-207, Falcon French-Canadianfiddlers are known for their willing- Productions, 783A Queen St. West, Toronto, Onto M6J ness to alter tune lengths - dropping bars and ex- IGI. [Record or cassetteavailable from CFMS Mail Or- der Service,$20.00/vol. members, $22.00 non-members - tending notes, the sorts of things that keep accom- paniests awake. Even when that's not happening, please add $2.00/vol.for shipping.] Quebecoistunes often take marvellous and unexpected turns. The best example of this in the present set is the "Pot-pourri en fa". Traditional folk music is alive and well in Manitoba! Most of the selections are in duple nme. They One chapter of our folk music mosaic is now available sound like reels to me, but there is a French- (for those who don't know how to get to Bacon Ridge) Canadiangigue in 4/4, and I have not yet learned to on four LPs. These records display some fiddle tunes distinguish them, so there may be some here. Alain from Saulteaux and M~tis communities in northwestern and Laporte offer one elegant jig (in the more fa- Manitoba: CampeIVille,Pine Creek, Ebb & Flow, Bacon miliar 6/8 form!), but there are no waltzes on the Ridge, Eddystone, and Kinosota. If you are a fiddler, tape. There is neverthelessconsiderable variety among you will recognize some of these tunes, but you might the offerings, two of which are simply Alain, violin have a hard time playing along with them. "Soldier's and clogging. On all other cuts, whether the second Joy", "Haste to the Wedding", "Arkansas Traveller", fiddle is present or not, Andre Marchand manfully "Fisher's Hornpipe", "Drops of Brandy", "Whiskey Be- supports the proceedings on guitar. (I believe I've fore Breakfast", "Braes of Auchtertyre", "Durang's Horn- caught a moment or two when Alain must have given pipe", are all in the repertoire of most North American him mild heart attacks.) Items performed with La- fiddlers, but these Manitoba fiddlers make them sound porte seem less irregular, though no less exuberant, very different. They tend to add an extra beat now and than the solos, as one would expect, since some then to a phrase in a reel, and they get an extra kick regularity is necessaryto keep two instruments togeth- from their boot rhythm section. And there are many er. tunes are are simply labelled, e.g., "D Jig" or "G Reel (Fragment)". Some of the tunes are functional, such as I'm not sure I'd recommend this recording to "Haste to the Wedding", which is used as a wedding anyone who's new to fiddling, Queb6coisroots music, or authentic folk music generally. Better for these dance tune, and some medleys are arranged as they people to go to Carignan or Eritage or La Bottine would be played for dancing. The fiddlers sometimes Souriante, or other revivalist groups. Often ensemble give short introductions to the tune, indicating where work in any idiom is more immediately accessible they learned it and how it was used in the old time than solo fiddling. Still, it won't take an interested lis- communities. There are a few original tunes that are tener long to work his way up to the delights of such played in the old style. fiddlers as Andre Alain. 25 This excellent two-volume double-recordset brings to the fore an unusual and heretofore hidden fiddle tradition, that of the Metis and native peoples of Canada's northwest, centered in Manitoba. The recordings to be These recordings are not likely to be popular as found on these albums were made under the inspiration "easy l~tening, background music" to anybody but other of Anne Lederman during 1985 and 1986 under a fiddlers, and perhaps folk music scholars.The quality of variety of conditions, involving a number of musicians recording ~ uneven and sometimes poor, but the spirit representing a tradition few outside these communities ~ certainly there. Ann Lederman did some of the taping have been aware of. Half a dozen communities are with good-quality equipment, but several of the tracks represented on these discs, both Metis and Salteaux were retaped from family recordingsdone 10 to 15 years peoples. The Metis style of fiddling, though around for ago. Ms. Lederman recorded these fiddlers in their own two centuries or more, has slowly evolved from many communities, often in schools or community halls, so strands, including French-Canadian,Scottish, American, that the rest of the community could come and dance ethnic, and Native Canadian styles,all combined to form or watch. As I write th~, I am l~tening to these records the unique style known as "Metis", itself often con- on headphones,and I enjoy the atmospheremore than sidered a hybrid between French influences and native the commercial, squeaky~lean,studio albums. I also in- Canadian traditions. The results of this style are often tend to learn some of these tunes, especiallythose with highly complex and quite distinctive in nature. French- a fifth beat in the bar! According to Ms. Lederman, th~ Canadian influences are quite apparent, especiallywith fifth beat in a four-beat-per-bar tune comes from the regard to the tapping of the feet and the bowing styles, traditional Ojibway style of singing, which ~ apparently while the tunes themselves owe much to the Native not done any more in these communities. Other impor- heritage. tant influences are obviously the Quebeco~/Celtictunes, Andy Desjarl~, Don Messer, and the old-time western Many of the tunes on these two albums were col- American fiddle tunes. lected under unusual conditions, and thus the quality of the tapes involved is often less than technically perfect, Learning some of the tunes will be easy,because Ms. but this only lends to the cultural importance of the Lederman has provided to us clearly-written transcrip- material here included. The albums consist of reels, jigs, tions of versions of the major tune groups. Her album waltzes, marches, and other types of tunes, some of notes include an impressivesummary of the family h~- which, by title, may be familiar to fiddle players of tory of about 22 fiddlers, a brief h~tory of the com- various traditions. Some of the musiciansrepresented on munity and their culture, some Saulteaux vocabulary, these two albums include Willie Mousseau,Walter Flett, notes on the repertoire, tune origins and variants, tech- Albert Beaulieu, Emile Spence, and Frank Desjarlais, nique, tunings, tune structure, descriptions of Metis just to mention a few of the many fiddlers who make dances and dance steps, and many fine photographs of their contribution to this monumental project. The book- the fiddlers and dancers. Much of th~ information lets contained within these two albums are truly excel- comes from Anne Lederman's M.A. thes~, "Old Native lent, containing as they do the history of the music in- and Metis Fiddling in Two Manitoba Communities: volved, notes on the songs,biographies of the musicians, CampeIVille and Ebb & Flow", York University, 1986, and much other valuable information helpful in the un- available from the Scott Library of York University or derstanding of the music here recorded. Much thanks the National Library of Canada. should go to Anne Lederman, a fine musician in her own right, who tirelessly brought to the fore this un- Teddy Boy Houle, a well-known Manitoba fiddler, known musical heritage. This is not only an excellent was a consultant and translator for Ms. Lederman, and survey of the Metis fiddle tradition, but, as a musical Willie Henry did some of the field interviews,recordings project, it is important in the documentation of one of and photographs.These people are to be congratulated Canada'smore unique traditions and heritages.This set for a difficult job well done. of albums is at once entertaining, excellent, and important in its own right, and thus deservesonly the highest [This review originally appearedin the Winnipeg Folk praise for the finished project. Very highly recom- ConnectionNewsletter. - Ed.] mended, to both fiddlers and non-fiddlers alike. G.J. Brunskill Robert Rodriquez 26 BRUCE COCKBURN: I have some minor quibbles. Instrumental tran- ALL ruE DIAMONDS scriptionslike "Rouler Sa Bosse" (tuned A-444 on the album) could be enhancedwith the inclusion of chord by Vic Bell diagrams where appropriate. I find myself adding these above the tab. illiterate pickers like myself re- quire all the visual aids we can get. Bruce Cockburn: All The Diamonds. publ~hed by Delving into the earlier albums will reveal a Cock- OFC Publications (a division of the Ottawa Folklore burn idiosyncrasy not mentioned in the book. On Centre Ltd.), available through CFMS, $14.00 mem- several songs he tunes his guitar one half-tone low, bers, $16.00 non-members. i.e., D# G# c* P# Bb D#. The following songsfrom the book are tuned this way, and you should tune ac- cordingly to be able to play along: Ever since learning that my right hand could do more with my guitar than strum, I've been a Bruce "Going To The Country" Cockburn fan. I sit here now, amidst 14 Cockburn al- "One Day I Walk" bums and tapes, holding the book Bruce Cockburn: All The Diamonds. The book features 29 songs and "FaIl" instrumental pieces for guitar from his first ten al- "Salt Sun And Time" bums. Music, tabulature, chord diagrams,tunings, capo "Thoughts On A Rainy Afternoon" positions: it's all here. "High Winds, White Sky" Now, like I say, I'm a Cockburn fan. I've been at- tending his concerts since '72 or so. I've worn records "Blues Got The World" raw. I've been known to carry binoculars to perfor- "Never So Free" mancesfor rmger close-ups.I've button-holed the man to ask about tunings. All this because, until the Songs duplicated on "Circles In The Stream" are in "Dancing In The Dragon's Jaws" album, no songbooks regular tuning, with capo positions sometimes at were available.This has not been a totally unfortunate variance from those mentioned in the text. The open situation. It's helped my ear training, and led to many D masterpiece"Sunwheel Dance" is approximatelyone a pleasant afternoon with other fingerpickers,compar- half-tone high on the album. I suggestyou tune your ing notes on "Sunwheel Dance". By the tinte this bass D off the record rather than attempt to tune book came into my hands, I had already explored my from a fork, piano or electronic tuner. In most cases, way around 12 of the songs contained within. Hats Cockburn'sguitar is tuned to concert pitch. off, then, to Paul Bourdeau, who transcn"bedthe All The Diamonds. of necessity,skips over lots of songs. Bourdeau's transcriptions confirm my own in- songs worthy of inclusion, and every Cockburn en- vestigations, but, more importantly, they fill in the thusiast will regret that his or her particular favorites gaps where my lazinesscontrived "folk process"varia- were left out. We can only hope that the editors con- tions. template a second instalment. The book covers the All The Diamonds is published and designed by period 1969 to 1979, with "Wondering Where The the same folks who presented Stan Rol!ers: SonK§ Lions Are", Cockborn's first song to gain widespread From Fol!artv's Cove. (Four stars!) The layout is airplay, being the final selection. This book will similar, with archival photos and brief song introduc- naturally appeal to those longtime Bruce Cockburn tions adding insights into Cockburn's creative style. fans who already have his earlier albums. Newer The spiral binding lets the book lie flat while your devotees should check out "Salt, Sun And Time", hands are busy elsewhere,and busy they'll be. Some "Joy Will Find A Way", "In The Falling Dark", and of these songsare killers! the live album "Circles In The Stream". These albums cover 17 of the songsin the book. As with all tabulature books, attempting to learn songs from the tab without listening to them is not All The Diamonds contains variety enough in the recommended.Nuances of tinting and attack are dif- song selection to appeal to fingerpickers of every ficult to translate. All the songs in the book, with ability, although it would defmitely be to your advan- some doubling from the live "Circles In The Stream" tage to have educated your thumb in alternate bass ("Barrelhouse" in particular), fit on 1 1/2 W-minute picking. Work your way through thm book and you'll tapes, a process I recommend to save record wear find you've learned a thing or two about the guitar. and tear. 27 FLOWER IN mE SNOW comes. The Lufts are most ably assmtedby the likes of Colin Braithwaite on guitar, Michael Heiden on fid- by Robert Rodriquez dle, Ken Perssonon tin whistle, and Shelly Posen on English concertina,just to mention a few. What comes through most pronouncedlyon this delightful album is the deep and profound love of traditional music espousesby the Lufts, both in their vocals and in Barry and Lyn Luft, flower in the Snow. Best Cellar their instrumental talents. Their unaccompaniedduet Records (4 Oakvale Place S.W. Calgary Alta. H2V on "FaIl is Here" m poetIy in music. All in all, this 1H4). [Record and cassetteavailable from CFMS Mail album by two very talented and warm folks and Order SeIVice, $10.00 members, $12.00 non-members musicianscomes very highly recommendedindeed. - please add $2.00 shipping.]

Thfi fi the second album from one of Calgary's most talented folk duos, Bany and Lyn Luft, who have been a staple and integral part of the folk music scene in western Canada for a number of years. This album fi warm, gentle, with a deCmite down home SKOOKUMCHUCK CAMP SONG flavor, as if one were lmtening to two very old and special friends in one's own living room. The dozen songson thfi Cmerecording range the spectrum from Some yeaIS back, in the "Canadian Railroad traditional pieces, both Canadian and otherwise, to Songs" feature, I presented some comments on "The those coml'(*d by both the Lufts and other song- Dummy Line" [BULLEI1N, 16:2 (April 1982), p. 16]. writers from near and far away. The tune for "The Dummy Line" was "Turkey in the Straw". Just to indicate that this vintage American It fi no accident that the album begins with the tune has received extensive circulation in western Luft's rendering of the "Ca1ling-on Song", which to Canada,here's another song that goes to the tune. them expressestheir deep love of music, a song which opens the gates to the music which m to follow. By Apart from the tune, this song is interesting in its far the most interesting and intriguing songs on this reference to locations in the Columbia Valley (known recording are those of Canadian origin. These include locally as "the trench"). I was drawn to this song as I Bany'S a capella rendition of the traditional "Big often fish very near Skookumchuck,which is between Golden and Cranbrook, B.C., just a bit south of Fair- MacNeil", a song which perhaps answersthe definitive mont Hot Springs - a well-known resort. question: "Just how big fi big?" Lyn's poignant version of "Two Bit Cayuse", a cowboy song from western These words were printed in a song sheet com- Canada, fi both lovely and haunting. "Teaming Up piled by the Trail RideIS of the Canadian Rockies. the Can'bouRoad", a pioneer song from the 18808,is (This is the same sheet in which I found the words sung with fresh and dynamic treatment; my personal to "One Day upon the C.P.R.", presentedin the Rail- favourite is the John Leeder composition "Painting road Song feature in the same issue (p. 17).) Over the N.A.R.", a song which tells the tale of the end of the Northern Alberta Railway and its in'cor- Tim RogeIS poration into the larger Canadian National Railway system. I'm a camper, I'm a rider from Skookumchuck, I'm a rider from the North where they let 'em buck, Several other songs deserve praise and more than I can rope 'em and corral 'em, honorable mention, including Lyn's unaccompanied I can show you what to do; (with herself on harmony) version of "Hey, Big Come on you campers,with the gum you chew! Sister", a song she composed for her daughters,plus two songs with definite images of the Lufts' love of I can swim and I can dive, I play tennis on cement, traditional dancing, "Kitty Alone" and "Let It Be A I take trips and come back feeling like the bill for Dance". Two fine instrumental pieces are included on last month's rent; the album: "Saint Anne's Oog-Dance" and "Spring- I go fishing just like Coolidge, song", while the album is rounded out by the I go riding like the Prince, traditional-sounding, Sydney Carter-composed song You know I've been to Skookumchuck and raving "Julian of NolWich", from which song the album's title ever since. 28