Properganda 10   Properganda 10 SERENADE_PROPERGANDA_ART_A4-F.in1 1 8/8/08 01:19:00 Page 4 Main Features Original Spin with Kerfuffle Ralph McTell CONTENTS 5 Folk Reviews 6 Fellside Records featuring Rachel & Lillias Jack McNeill & Charlie Heys and The Maerlock 7 Drever, McCusker, Woomble 11 Megson 12 Folk Reviews 13 Country/Americana Reviews elcome to the autumn/winter issue of Properganda, our 14 W first ever push-me-pull you edition. We had so much to tell Joan Baez

you about that we had to put a cover at either end. This is the Art Garfunkel 15 month that Bellowhead and Also Drever, McCusker, Woomble Catherine Maclellan 16

release new albums into the world. In DMW’s case it’s their debut Signature Sounds and Six Shooter

and we are lucky to have John McCusker Roddy Woomble as our 17 Up Round Review

Hot Club Of Cowtown 21

guest contributors for this issue. 18 Mile Miracle

Hightone featuring Dave Alvin, 22

We had a great summer around various festivals giving Properganda Buddy Miller and Tom RussellUp Round Review

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out to the assembled masses and hopefully there will be a few Country/AmericanaWoomble Roddy Reviewsfrom Editorial Guest 4 2

more of you out there looking forward to this issue. It’s the usual Selection Track Muskers John

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action packed affair, with even more pages than before. Even, if Blues Caravan and Rich Man’s War Man’s Rich and Caravan Blues

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Blues Reviews Blues

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As well as 48 individual reviews, there are more exclusive interviews 2 The Portico Quartet Portico The

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Why not join our street team we are actively recruiting gig goers and music nuts now. In exchange for handing out a few flyers you Andy K (AK), Simon Holland (SH), Jon Roffey (JTR), could be getting free entry to some top shows. JonContributors: Lusk (JL), Cliffy (C), Clive Pownceby (CP), Log on to the Properblog for details. David Kidman (DK), Alan Levermore (AL), Stuart Nicholson (SN), Win every CD featured in this issue enter our completion at www.properdistribution.com Howard Male (HM), Ken Smith (KS), Drew Hobbs (DH), David Sign up for the Properganda newsletter for regular updates between issues. Sinclair (DS), Andy Snipper (AS), Lewis Robinson (LR), Ruth Redding (RR), Jim Soars (JHS), Andy Washington (AW), Tony Morley (TM), Sid Cowens (SC), Colin Irwin (CI), J O’Ragan (JO’R), Garth Cartwright (GC), Andy Robson (AR), Jane Cornwell (JC), Neil Pearson (NP), Erin Spurling (ES), Neil Spencer (NS), Andrew Cronshaw (AC).

Photographs supplied by artists and their labels unless credited. + + Proper Music Distribution The New Powerhouse Gateway Business Park Kangley Bridge Road SE26 5AN England Editor: Simon Holland Tel Int 44 (0) 20 8676 5100 Fax 44 (0) 20 8676 5169 Properganda 10 www.properdistribution.com www.myspace.com/propermusic Layout: Don Ward  Artwork: Deborah Wilds We wanted to explore music from closer to home

his award-winning a predominantly English thread T four-piece is one of running through this album.” the most exciting and But testament to their burgeoning promising bands on the knowledge, they’ve managed UK folk scene. to avoid the obvious standards Discovering Kerfuffle and delved deep to deliver less familiar fare. There’s greater at Fairport’s Cropredy Rootbeat Records unity evident than on the band’s To The Ground Convention 2007 RBRCD006 was a revelation. previous releases and almost a ‘concept album’ feel, with dark Their exuberance, and joyous themes handled with equal satisfaction to create a accomplished playing cohesive album from start to finish. and obvious, knowledgeable passion for folk music won the Musically, the album is underpinned by supple-and-strong crowd, despite their new-comer billing. Hannah James singing rhythms from Tom Sweeney, his powerful bass guitar lines are the Pentangle classic Light Flight really caught the collective extremely effective. Sam Sweeney (also in Bellowhead’s ranks) ear. Her skilful phrasing, echoing a young Jacqui McShee, but is a technical wiz on fiddle and shines particularly brightly, retaining a unique, signature style set off rippling murmurs especially on the instrumentals Rondo and The Trip. Recent of approval. As the set progressed, their firm grasp on the recruit Jamie Roberts (a graduate of the Leeds College of Music) FOLK traditions combined with youthful energy, creating a vibe brings an edgy guitar sound, creating strong couterpoint. “Jamie reminiscent of the glory days of the 60s’ folk revival and the has brought a whole new style into the band,” Sam confirms, festival’s venerable hosts in their youthful heyday. “and that’s given us new energy.” And over it all soars Hannah The four members – Hannah, bothers Sam and Tom Sweeney, James’ pure and vibrant voice. This new album shows off the and Jamie Roberts – all began playing in their early teens and whole group’s dynamic vocal range too. Take, for example, the their musicality and sophistication has grown exponentially over song Arise Arise, the rich harmonies conjure Steeleye Span’s four albums, with the latest release, To The Ground, hitting a supreme vocal strength. new musical peak. Featuring mostly traditional English material, Kerfuffle’s reputation as a live act is assured and the band the choice of songs is thoughtful, and the treatments and have delivered a smart, new album, brim full of originality and arrangements are refreshing and distinctive. Hannah explains“, superb musicianship. To The Ground is on a par with the best “We wanted to explore music from closer to home so there is of the best. Andy Farquarson

A CD, an autobiography and a Ralph mctell DVD this autumn release from Ralph McTell observation provide a fascinating glimpse of working class life A is always newsworthy and this between VE Day and The Beatles. It offers intriguing insights autumn sees a welcome burst of into the stories behind many of his songs and is a richly creativity from Britain’s best-loved rewarding read, not only for McTell fans, but for any reader singer-songwriter. It is not often that interested in Britain’s recent social history. any artist puts out three products As a songwriter and musician, he is working in a more familiar simultaneously in three different environment on the complementary three-CD set. Five years media but that is exactly what in the making, the set features McTell reading extracts from his McTell has done with a concert DVD, autobiography interspersed with songs. The readings and songs a book and a triple CD. have been carefully chosen to illustrate how much of McTell’s McTell On The Mall is a full-length life is reflected in his songwriting. In a wide ranging journey DVD featuring highlights from three through his extensive repertoire, over a dozen songs have concerts performed on consecutive been specially re-recorded for this triple CD together with three evenings at London’s prestigious brand new compositions. Institute Of Contemporary Arts “Recording the songs anew was a discovery for me,” in Pall Mall. The videotapes were says McTell. “Several are nearly forty years old and I believed lost, but have recently seldom sing them these days. It was resurfaced and both footage and like meeting an old friend you haven’t soundtrack have been painstakingly seen for years – still young, the future mastered to paint a vivid portrait of still uncertain.” McTell at his spellbinding best. Consummate production and As Far As I Can Tell is the title of both a book and a triple mastering by Martin Bell ensures a CD, the culmination of a major project by McTell. Originally satisfying cohesion between words published in two hardback volumes, McTell’s autobiography is and music, a unity of the spoken and now available in paperback with additional chapters illustrated the sung. The mix of re-recordings, by photos from the McTell family album. readings and rarities make As Far As Much more than a run-of-the-mill rock star biog – anyone I Can Tell a veritable treasure trove to expecting an exposé of 1970s excess will be disappointed return to again and again. - rather, McTell’s sharp recall of his early life and his keen Andy Farquarson

As FarLeola As MusicI Can Tell TPGCD28  Properganda 110 reviews

Tiny Tin Label Hobgoblin Music TinyTTL10208 Tin Lady PhilHOBCD1008 Hardy JezTantobie Lowe & Ridiculous Bohemia Revisted TheTTRCD1 Bad1O Pennies CR JO’R Northern Echoes AL FOLK Ridiculous Bohemia follows last year’s debut Revisited is a compilation of all the very best CD from Merseyside-based Tiny Tin Lady; and tracks from Phil Hardy’s earlier recordings After Mike Harding called Jez Lowe “an unsung the all-girl group has certainly overcome that on his own label, and tracks previously only hero of British folk music”, things are being put difficult second album syndrome. available as downloads. A gifted tunesmith to rights in 2008 with nominations as Folksinger using traditional and world music flavours in his Of The Year in the BBC Folk Awards, for Album The trio line-up has now been augmented compositions, he is a commendable tin whistle Of The Year in America’s Indie Acoustic Awards, by fiddler Kat Gilmore who adds shimmering player/ instrument maker and composer. Phil and with this new set of seventeen of his best melodic texture. As before, rock solid bass Hardy’s work offers a wealth of melodic vistas of songs, many long-unavailable on CD, recorded from Helen Holmes underpins the whole and expression, far beyond the normal confines of a live with The Bad Pennies, featuring fiddler members of Fairport Convention contribute to musician associated with the flute and Kate Bramley, piper and pianist Andy May, and some tracks. low whistle. bassist David de la Haye. However, the band’s trademark is the spine His work inhabits traditional Celtic idioms Jez also steps out solo, reflecting a breadth tingling close harmony singing by Beth and and wider melodic terrains. Mrs Murphy’s of performance that makes him one of the Danni Gibbins. The sisters also take solo leads, Camel inhabits an Egyptian bellydance groove busiest performers around, both in the UK and their soaring voices complementing and while Paddy’s Paradise basks in a Carribean overseas. A bonus DVD is also included, filmed contrasting with one another. The album’s atmosphere. Cun Ana is a cool slice of whistle during last year’s acclaimed Song For Geordie twelve songs are mostly composed by elder magic recalling Davey Spillane, a Moving Hearts tour, with Tyneside singer Benny Graham and sister Danni, her lyrics characterised by rich vibe caresses Leaving Friday Harbour and fiddler Shona Mooney guesting, and songs by imagery and poignancy. Cormac Breatnach’s Lakeside, which appears North Eastern writers like Tommy Armstrong, Recorded and produced by the renowned as a bonus track. Revisited offers a master class Alex Glasgow, Alan Hull, Mark Knopfler, and of Mark Tucker, the resulting brightness and of Celtic inspired and cotemporary traditional course Jez himself. clarity highlights the band’s musicality without music painted large on a world canvas. overwhelming it. Compared to the debut album, Ridiculous Bohemia shows Tiny Tin Lady rapidly maturing in both songwriting and performance. www.jezlowe.com www.kerrywhistles.com ChrisFat Cat Records While & “A unique blend of roots honesty and rock BlueFledg’ling Blokes Records JulieFATCD021 Matthews sensibilities not to be missed” ThreeFLED3068 Together Alone Mojo Stubble DK CP Chris and Julie’s latest studio collection is, SimonControl-Shift Hopper Music Like tin, like content. A trio of bluesy male unsurprisingly, another polished, sublime set BandCSMCD03 acoustic pickers, probably the wrong side of 30 with a feelgood demeanour celebrating triumph The Less Blessed (!) comprising Ian Anderson, Lu Edmonds and over adversity. Its title both epitomizes and DK Ben Mandelson on various frets with an eclectic acknowledges the paradox of modern living repertory encompassing Trad.arr, self-pens, that unites all of humanity, and the songs within Memphis Minnie and Elmore James. draw positives from that situation and our Simon’s latest CD forms a plausible sequel to experiences. his widely acclaimed 2006 collection A Land The resonant Preacher’s Blues harks back For The Many. Here again he powerfully and to Ian’s Hot Vulture days, there are no weak Dealing so very tenderly with simple universal uncompromisingly addresses contemporary moments throughout and with well-wrought truths, they achieve their impact by an astute issues such as the wholesale destruction of our arrangements, never a dull moment. The economy of expression allied to warmly heritage by rampant consumerism and apathy. ensemble playing is tight and shot through accessible melodies and arrangements. with the genuine love all three have for their Simon’s own intelligence and insight are Highlights? Julie’s Healed and Chris’s A Simple material. The elegant Lovin’ Henry sits easily matched by creative and satisfying folk- Twist Of Fate, also their revisits of the heart- alongside the fuscous traditional ballad Lord rock backings from his small band, which rending The Sum Of What I Am (taken from Allenwater, and stir into the mix A Fool Such As complement the traditional-sounding the HIV-themed Radio Ballad) and Julie’s I - hey presto, diversity needle enters the red construction of many of the songs. At the same gorgeously melancholy Blue Old Saturday area! time, his own earthy vocal style forcefully brings Night, both already familiar to Chris’n’Jools the sentiments home, especially effectively on The fun these geezers had making this album is fans. And Take These Bones and Single Act Of songs like Lammas Leaves (highlighting the self-evident and this is music so satisfying that it Kindness, both inspired by specific people or elemental force of nature) and the unsettling would stick to the ribs! events. Expert backing from Messrs. Brookfield, Olive Tree (the erosion or dismissal of our Lees et al. sets the seal on this typically classy roots), while he also displays a feel for the addition to the distinguished While & Matthews lyrical in his portrait of the rolling Downs (Seven canon. Sisters) and on The Ballad Of The Suffolk Five “Long may their razors remain underused!” (restoring a human perspective to the tabloid coverage of the murdered Ipswich girls). Simon fRoots has much to say: ignore him at your peril. “Two of my favorite singer songwriters in the whole wide world” Win every CD featured in this issue enterBeth our Nielsen completion Chapman at www.properdistribution.com Sign up for the Properganda newsletter for regular updates between issues. “Satisfying songs with bite, edge and contemporary relevance” fRoots

Properganda 10  Sparkling new CDs from Fellside’s younger generation:

ellside, one of this country’s foremost small independent folk labels, can never be F accused of ignoring up-and-coming young talent. In the case of this triumvirate of new acts, label boss Paul Adams is clearly ahead of the pack in recognizing their potential and having the foresight to sign them pronto! For each has a strongly-defined character and illustrates a different aspect of the incredible vibrancy of today’s folk scene. FOLK

Harpist/singer Rachel Newton and flautist Lillias Kinsman-Blake met while degree students at Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Their debut CD is chock-full of fleet-footed, fresh-toned and clear-textured performances of songs and tunes in roughly equal proportion. The six songs are with one exception drawn from the tradition and learnt directly from recordings of source singers, two being sung proficiently in Gaelic. Rachel’s voice is pure in tone, yet also has depth, excellent diction and a supple maturity of phrasing. The duo’s treatment of Young Horseman and their cover of Gillian Welch’s Dear Someone are especially beguiling. The instrumental tracks mix invigorating self- penned tunes with modern and traditional items, all played with a life-affirming zest (a highlight being theHoi Lieffie! set). The lasses’ natural musicianship possesses both a lithe and nimble quality and an expressiveness that virtuosity can easily belie, and a canny feel for syncopation (gently augmented by percussionist Paul Jennings on five tracks). The delightfully unpretentious contentment and joy in the playing proves equally uplifting for the listener.

Jack and Charlie, currently studying classical music at Birmingham Conservatoire, were finalists in last year’s Radio 2 Young Folk Awards. Bravely, the material on their debut CD is entirely non-traditional in origin: a collection of thoughtful and intelligent songs penned by Jack and instrumental pieces composed by violinist Charlie. The songs, though often distinctly personal in nature, are thought-provoking and Rachel & Lillias refreshingly devoid of archetypal student introspection. Most impressive FellsideDear Someone Recordings among these perhaps are Breakwaters and the intense Quiet The Child. Jack’s singingFECD style21 5is forthright, confident and strongly individual; his guitar work, in contrast, is deft and imaginatively melodic, whereas Charlie’s rich-toned accompaniment is supremely innovative in its approach to phrasing and contour. In all, although initially Jack and Charlie’s debut offering may have less immediate an impact than the other Fellside releases in this crop – uncompromising, a trifle elusive, even daunting – paradoxically, it’s actually these qualities that make it so exciting. So it’s worth persevering with close listening and eventually, yes, it will light up all your beacons.

The Maerlock’s debut is a cathartic and welcomingly unpredictable experience. The band members met while studying at the Royal Northern College Of Music; their diverse musical sensibilities enable them to inventively transform pieces from Britain’s heritage into a veritable cocktail of folk and various global musics. Salma Adam, Sarah Stuart, Paul-Isaac Franks, Olly Hamilton and Toby Kearney together employ a broad instrumental palette, with occasional creative enhancement from electronics, and the lead vocal role is taken by Salma: cool and jazzy yet keenly expressive. Macedonian Tune starts with stabbing rhythms that melt into a freer Latin groove then funkily gear-change into a frantic tumbling reel. Salma’s flute and Sarah’s fiddle provide a fiery front-line through which Olly weaves gleeful jazzy-classical improvisations. The five songs tease out some intriguing treatments: I Drew Jack McNeill & My Ship is given an eerily atmospheric setting, Charlie Heys Two Magicians an exuberant Latin vibe, and Twa Light Up All The Corbies an Eastern European feel. The disc’s Beacons Fellside Recordings encore introduces the 13-piece Maerlock Big FECDBand,213 which augments the quintet with horns, rhythm section and extra fiddle – mega-impressive! Fellside have backed three clear winners here, all of whom proudly proclaim an individual take on the concept of folk music, and have something genuinely unique to offer the listener. David Kidman The Maerlock FellsideSofa Recordings Properganda 10  FECD214 Sparkling new CDs from Fellside’s younger generation: David Gillanders

rever McCusker Woomble may sound like a dilapidated McCusker worked together on a Kate Rusby tour – on which D firm of chartered surveyors, but they’ve come up with a short solo showcase effectively triggered Drever’s solo one of the most unexpectedly fresh and entrancing albums career – and they’ve been united in mutual admiration and a of the year. common desire to break new territory ever since. FOLK Well, maybe it shouldn’t be considered that unexpected. The third member of this holy alliance of chartered surveyors This is, after all, a Scottish supergroup of sorts. A supremely is even more intriguing…Mr Roddy Woomble, mainman imaginative guitarist, singer, multi-instrumentalist and with Idlewild, rock band of this parish but an avid, if unlikely, arranger, Orkney’s Kris Drever is one of the hottest new talents in the UK, both as a member of the all-conquering, convert to folk music. “I’ve been getting into folk over the last improvisational trio Lau and a brilliant solo album Black few years. After a while in a rock band you start becoming Water that’s not only won him various awards but a glut of more open-minded about music and I started listening invitations to work with other people. Like fiddle star John to people like Fairport Convention, Trees, Pentangle, Bert McCusker, an iconic figure dating back to seven years on the Jansch – people I never knew anything about when I was 18. road with the Battlefield Band, 10 years with former partner And I’ve become a big fan of Dick Gaughan, especially his Kate Rusby, a couple of solo albums and, most recently, a Handful of Earth album, which I saw him play live at Celtic seven-month world tour with Mark Knopfler. Drever and Connections.”

Properganda 10  Does this mean the end of Idlewild? “Not at all. We’ll be play any instruments now, but he arrived with a book of lyrics doing a new record next year. But at the moment this is my (he religiously writes something new every day), a laptop main thing and it’s been a great experience working with and a deluge of ideas, and the versatility and instrumental John and Kris. Kris can take a Scottish song from 300 years virtuosity of Drever and McCusker did the rest.. ago and make it current to 2008 – there’s a bit of genius about him. I also love his guitar. There’s also amazing scope “It was amazing,” says Woomble. “I just came up with the and imagination in what John does. He has a real instinct words and a few songs and presented them to the other guys for arrangements and is quite filmic in the way he presents and they came back with these incredible arrangements. It things. So it was very exciting to work with them and see how was very exciting.” they developed the songs. When we got together none of us McCusker was equally amazed by the turn of events. “We knew what was going to happen.” met five or six times in my flat and wrote about 12 songs. We What happened was Before The Ruin, a mesmerising didn’t know what we were doing. I’d literally play a tune and collection of songs performed with belief and relish by three Kris would join in on guitar and then Roddy would just start musicians, each bringing something enticingly different to singing. Simple as that. It was exciting to be in a room starting the party. Other star guests also dip in and out of the action. playing something with no idea where it was going or where Radiohead drummer Phil Selway for one. Teenage Fanclub it would finish. We didn’t know if it was going to be a folk singer Norman Blake for another. “We just got a bunch of record or a rocky record or what. We didn’t know what we mates in to help out,” says John McCusker. It’s just lucky that were doing, but everybody was bouncing off each other and these mates also include Capercaillie’s Donald Shaw, revered it all came together really quickly. There’s a real live feeling on multi-instrumentalist Mike McGoldrick, guitar god Ian Carr, the record. Sometimes records feel too safe. You always try to two of the finest accordion players in the land, Andy Cutting make records beautiful, but sometimes looking back, you lose and Phil Cunningham, bass players Andy Seward and Ewen that feeling you get when everybody’s in a room together just Vernal, percussionists Francis Macdonald and Keith Angel and going for it. You know, the way they used to make records. On Irish singer Heidi Talbot (McCusker’s partner). this one we didn’t know what would happen, but we all went for it. I think that’s why it feels so good.” As all three primary participants are in such big demand, just getting them together in the same room at the same The songs on Before The Ruin – with their sumptuous time was a complex feat of planning. When they did finally melodies and soaring choruses - are largely driven by assemble in McCusker’s flat in Edinburgh, there was no Woomble’s lyrics, which invariably sound hefty and profound, template to work from. Woomble, a former drummer, doesn’t although he’s not desperately keen to explain them. Now

DMW

 Properganda 10 32, Woomble has come a long way since the early days of little more coy. “I don’t like to analyse them too much. A Idlewild, once variously categorised as punk or heavy metal, lot of it is inspired and influenced by writers and poets, but but who gradually mellowed to the point that they were it’s not specific.” But the title track,Before The Ruin, Roddy, booked to play an acoustic set at the Cambridge Folk Festival. with lines like ‘When all these things have gone/They’ve “It’s not something that was ever considered, it was just a gone in love and they’ve gone in wonder/And cracks natural change. I never woke up and thought right, now I’m appear in rocks/As the cabin shakes in thunder…’ That’s going to do folk music. I just started listening to different about the environment, right? “Erm…no, not really, it’s things and grew to love folk music.” about…landscape. Some of the songs are about the sea as a metaphor for life. They are influenced by the writer George In 2006 McCusker produced Woomble’s first solo album Mackay Brown, who’s a big inspiration.” My Secret Is My Silence on Kate Rusby’s Pure label. It surprised a lot of people – not least Woomble himself Phil Selway’s involvement in the album is – and effectively established his parallel career as rock particularly fascinating. A fan of Kate Rusby, star turned folk hero. “Yes, I’m proud of that album the Radiohead man met McCusker at a and I’m delighted by the way it was received,” he couple of Rusby gigs, struck up email contact says. “I wasn’t expecting anybody to take any notice and they started hanging out. McCusker of it, but it got some great reviews. It was just so remembers with pride the night Selway different. Kate Rusby’s dad gave me a box of 50 came to see the John McCusker Band playing CDs to go out and sell at gigs, which wasn’t at Nettlebed Folk Club in Oxfordshire. “He the way I was used to doing things, but joined the folk club and everything. At the is maybe the way it should be. There end of the night he was helping to put the may be people in the folk world who chairs away!” When Selway decided to make think I’m an imposter and are very a solo album of his own songs, he asked suspicious about me, but I haven’t McCusker to produce it and put a band come across them. As far as I’m together. “It hasn’t come out yet but it’s concerned the folk scene has a great album. He has a gorgeous voice, been very open-minded and not that different to Thom Yorke’s voice. welcoming.” I don’t know when it’s coming out, it’s difficult with all the Radiohead projects Ask him about the songs on – he’s deadly serious about it and Before The Ruin and he’s a doesn’t want it to be the Radiohead

DMW David Gillanders

Properganda 10  David Gillanders

drummer’s token solo album. When we were doing this I just whole other thing. I’d like to make more records this way. Not called him up and he was delighted to help. He loves Kris and necessarily quickly, but sometimes you spend so much time he loves Roddy and he came up and recorded the drums in on little details – and I do love to do that – but you can lose the engineer’s front living room. Wish I’d taken a picture!” the excitement and passion that way. This was a very exciting record to make… This is no vanity project. Inspired by the enthusiastic initial reaction to the album, Drever McCusker Woomble will be Even after the Drever McCusker Woomble adventure, touring together – another complicated meeting of diaries. the three of them may reunite again on Under One Sky, Even getting them together for the Properganda cover shoot McCusker’s celebrated creation designed to unite Scotland involved timing of military precision between international and England in melody and song originally commissioned for plane flights. Celtic Connections and Cambridge festivals and now set to become an album with a tour at the end of the year to back “This just feels like a new beginning,” says McCusker. “I spent it up. “None of us are in this for the money – it’s all about seven years with Battlefield Band and then that felt like the making music that excites you. I never want to get in a rut.” end of something and then I had 10 years with Kate (Rusby) and then that came to an end. Kate and I thought we could Colin Irwin keep working together despite splitting as a couple, but we were a bit naïve and it became too difficult. A couple of days after I left Kate’s band I got a call from Mark Knopfler to go on tour and I thought why not? That was different again. Now this project has come up and we’ll see where it takes us. “It’s not folk musicians trying to rock out and Roddy isn’t trying to be a folk singer. I don’t think of it as folk or rock. It’s more like, I dunno, Bonnie Prince Billy or something, somewhere in between. Roddy doesn’t play an instrument and he doesn’t come from the folk world so he brings this

BeforeNavigator The Records Ruin NAVIGATOR1

10 Properganda 10 10 Properganda 10 Return to their Northern roots FOLK

hile acoustic folk pioneers Megson continue to raise their W profile by picking up rave reviews at festivals and venues across the UK, their recorded albums are equally as accomplished, and Take Yourself a Wife marks the third release in their trio of excellent albums. Where Smoke of Home had subtle links to their native North- East, this album has 300 years of North-Eastern history as its heart and soul: it’s a collection of songs that chronicle the life and times of real people and communities, and they were all written by residents of Teesside, Tyneside, County Durham and Northumberland. While the songs cover a broad time-scale, none of them ever feel traditional – the writers of all the songs are known, and just this small piece of information rather than a ‘trad. arr’ tag helps put the songs into context, from the light-hearted almost comical Take Yourself a Wife, through to the protest song The New Fish Market these are songs that reflect real people and their everyday lives. Although only a few years into their career, Megson already have a distinctive feel to their sound, their bright, fresh it was meant to be arranged the way Megson present it. In recordings with the driving, rhythmic mandola and guitar of truth, that’s the strength of the whole album, the songs may Stu Hanna, and beautifully clean vocals from Debbie Hanna- have been written many years ago, but the issues, emotions Palmer make them instantly identifiable. It’s a sound they and characters that populate the lyrics still have resonance continue to build on by adding a small but well chosen range today; put this together with a contemporary musical of instrumentation to the mix, including fiddle, bass, mandolin approach and it makes the disc a compelling and attractive and concertina; add to this the songs where Stu takes the lead collection. and the pieces they share, and they turn a simple duo into a As an album so proudly and firmly rooted in the North-East, varied and accomplished acoustic band sound. you’d expect a few songs relating to the pits and mines of Stu’s skill as a producer has not gone unnoticed in the folk the area, and the two they’ve chosen are both evocative and industry either, and his ability to create a fresh, contemporary graphic depictions daily life, Fourpence A Day feels like an sound with traditional instrumentation has been recognised authentic industrial folksong of the time chronicling work and with production credits for the recent albums by Benji conditions; whereas The Oakey Strike Evictions vividly paints a Kirkpartick, Faustus and Mawkin:Causley. picture of the ‘Candymen’, the dockers who were recruited as bailiffs and brought in to evict striking miners. This sound is best showcased on Little Joe written by Joe Wilson, Other songs touch on the wrench of emigration (O Mary a well known nineteenth Will You Go), the execution of a street vendor for the murder Century writer, where the of her mother (Jane Jamieson’s Ghost) through to the final fantastic arrangement and track Sandgate Lassie’s Lament, a song that covers the loss production make a 150 of a young man press ganged into service in the Navy – it’s a year old song sound like tender song that is beautifully sung by Debbie, and a fitting CTP Template: CD_DPS1 Compact Disc Booklet: 8pp Booklet end to an exceptionalCatalogue No.collection. Job Title : EDJ015-8PPBOOKLET(N) Colours : 4/4, cmyk FRONT & BACK Take Yourself a Wife is confident and brave, and even if the concept of it may at first glance feel a little odd for a contemporary young duo, the execution of it makes perfect sense: the result is a mature and expressive album full of songs EDJ015that still have stories to tell many years after they were written. Neil Pearson

Take YourselfEDJ Records A Wife EDJ15

“This is first rate - if you don’t like this music you have a problem! Peaches and cream harmonies, melodic roots consciousness and a huge sense of individuality. ” fRoots

Properganda 10 11 reviews

SolasCompass Records BlackthornHobgoblin SteveThe Tradition Turner Bearers ForCOM7 Love4490 TheHOBCD1009 River That TheLTCD1103 Whirligig And Laughter Runs Below Of Time FOLKJO’R DK JO’R

Irish American Celtic super-band Solas has The second album from these Celtic music Mancunian singer Steve Turner was a constant seen its share of changes since its inception in specialists par-excellence surpasses even face on the early to mid 80s UK folk club 1996. Now featuring original members Seamus their accomplished, well-received Far From circuit. Recording three well received albums Egan and Winifred Horan with Mick McCauley, Home. With an infectious musicality born for Fellside his career seemed assured, but Eamon McElhom and new vocalist Mairead out of many years’ combined active service somehow he slipped into early retirement. Phelan they confidently enter their second to the music business, the five members of After too long a wait, however, Steve Turner decade. Much of the powerhouse energy of Blackthorn conjure a constantly bright, fresh and returns with a brand new CD The Whirligig yore is still intact Vital Mental Medicine still scintillating sound, uniformly confident in all Of Time. His rich voice and subtle English operates on manic overdrive while Eoin Bear’s departments. concertina accompaniment harks back the Reel is a compulsive opener. Led by strong flute and whistle (Philippe golden age of 70sUK folk but his interpretative The rootsier Americana strains of There Is A Barnes and Sarah Mooney) and bolstered power with narrative ballads reigns supreme. Time add a fresh cosmopolitan sheen and the by assured guitar and bouzouki rhythms, the The Whirligig of Time is a selection of mainly presence of The Dhuks allows a deeper dive breezy front-line textures are also inventively traditional material arranged by Steve including into the American hinterland. Mairead Phelan’s contrasted with fiddle (Alex Percy), concertina his setting of The Isle of St Helena covered by vocals exhibit a reserved coolness best found on (Mannie McClelland) and occasional banjo Mary Black. the elegiac Molly na gCuach Ni Chuillean while and mandolin from bouzoukist and co-founder Other classic narrative ballads Bonnie George the driving Seven Curses presents a melodic Fergus McClelland, with some nice syncopated Campbell, Young Waters and The Poor And challenge she rides successfully. jazzy bass adventures. All band members are Single Sailor display a power undiminished multi-skilled instrumentalists (three of the five Expertly mixing traditional roots with by time. Finally, Where E’er You Walk, which play guitar) and, amidst the intelligently realized contemporary wisdom, Solas has achieved a is often better known as Handel’s Largo tunes from all over Britain (with an emphasis on unique synthesis of rustic and urban folk forms finishes things in a quietly sublime style. The Irish), Fergus also turns in honest and upfront and For Love And Laughter further displays their Whirligig Of Time welcomes back a mature and performances of three traditional songs. creative genius. accomplished folk talent. Trust me, contemporary bands playing Celtic repertoire don’t come much better than this.

www.solasmusic.com “A shining example of the music the British folk scene is capable of producing” Compass “Musicianship of such a standard deserves fRoots recognition and success” CatieCOM449 Curtis12 + Sweet Life The Folk Mag ES TheDemon Demon Barber Dolphin Traders BarbersDBS001 This is Catie Curtis’ first album to have been MaryTUCD008 Black 24db recorded in Nashville and where her previous 25 years/25 songs SH albums have been stripped right down, here AL she has produced a sound that is full without Wittily named after founder and leader Damien being cluttered and over manufactured. Mary Black showcases a wealth of memories on Barber, this young combo is pushing at the folk this 25th anniversary retrospective. This double envelope with all their collective might. Their It’s Catie’s tenth album and her focus this time CD collection 25 Years/25 Songs contains live reputation is already established with Mike is the beauty and joy in life even when things 25 songs spanning her illustrious career and Harding describing them as “one of the best live around us are not going as well as they could. considered to be her most popular recordings bands I’ve ever seen.” The whole album is honest and uplifting as she as well as two brand new songs Sweet Love and Unusually the band’s individual biogs list works her way through life’s pain and worries Tom Waits’ If I Have To Go recorded specially for influences that include Miles Davis, Flux Of Pink looking for silver linings in the storms. The title this project. track reminds us that the pain we bear, as well Indians, Sepultura, Bananarama and Madonna, as happiness, contributes to make us who we Drawing the bulk from her breakthrough period but this mini album is most definitely folk music are today and therefore we should not look of the late 80’s and early 90’s, Black glistens folks, both in its familiar instrumental make back on things with regret. in the hands of her preferred writers, Jimmy up and delivery. Well mostly. There are four McCarthy and Noel Brazil. Many of these tracks songs that come with Trad.arr credits, a new Although she remains mostly in the folk-pop have been remixed and all have been fully re- instrumental and two new songs. Of the latter camp, other influences come through including mastered from the original albums. Jerry Garcia’s Friend Of The Devil is neatly re- her affecting cover of alt-rocker’s Death Cab for cast for the English tradition and Damien’s own This compilation is a snapshot of a formidable Cutie’s Soul Meets Body. If you like genuine, Good Old Days is a lively, sly opener. heart-felt music in the vein of Beth Nielsen interpreter who, by the sounds of the bonus Chapman or Sarah McLachlan, this album is an track Tom Waits’ cut, may have another career It’s the washes of fuzz bass riffing and dub-style absolute must. awaiting her as an interpreter of international arrangements that mark them as something songwriters. A justly eclectic celebration of an to watch, however, and fiddler Bryony Griffith’s artist ever in search of the unploughed furrow. closing Under The Rock fiddle frenzy suggests that Mr. Harding has got it right.

“A refreshing departure from the stale formula offered by many of today’s singer- songwriters” “Shows just how well she has Rolling Stone mastered her interperative craft” “They are brilliant” Win every CD featured in this issue enter our completion at www.properdistribution.com fRoots Sign up for the PropergandaMike newsletter Harding, for regular BBC updates Radio between 2 issues.

12 Properganda 10 reviews

Sugar Hill Skaggs Family Records TheSHCD4042 Duhks Doc Watson CadillacSKFR2109 Sky Fast Paced World AmericanaSugar Hill Master Gravity’s Our Enemy ES ES Series:SHCD4044 Best Of The COUNTRY AMERICANA Sugar Hill Years Since their last album, the Duhks have lost KS Cadillac Sky have realised a bluegrass band for two of their original members, and for many the 21st century and while the basis of their bands that would spell the beginning of the You’ll be dazzled by Doc Watson’s talent on music remains firmly traditional, the lyrics and end. However, siblings Sarah and Christian this wonderful CD. Every single track stands arrangements are thoroughly modern. Dugas have filled the vacancies seamlessly. testament to his genius at bluegrass picking and Their songs necessarily eschew the troubles Sarah’s superb voice takes the lead– imagine supreme musical arrangements. Whether he’s of rural/mountain life and focus modern and Amy Winehouse meets KT Tunstall. Although performing a dazzling solo, is part of a band or universal themes – relationship break ups, true to their country and folk roots, they are is partnering such luminaries as mandolinist drinking your troubles away and high school never afraid to transcend the restrictions of Marty Stuart or his son Merle, he plays with such bullying. That is not to say that this is an album music genres, as they mix and match their a virtuosic touch and presence, he makes other full of doom and gloom, there are brighter foundations with blues, jazz, French, Irish and country pickers want to throw their guitars away. songs, particularly Carousel, a gentle ballad rock influences. It’s mesmerizing stuff. Listen to the intricacies celbrating the ride of life to the full. The album gets underway with the traditional involved in the 12 string playing on My Little The impact track simply has to be Bible by the song Mighty Storm which instantly showcases Woman, You’re So Sweet or the interplay Bed, the tale of an abusive husband and his the strength of Sarah’s soulful voice, but between Marty Stewart’s mandolin and Doc’s wife’s attempts to forgive him – ‘She keeps a most tracks are band originals, including the vivid guitar work on the Bill Monroe tribute gun under her pillow and a Bible by the bed.’ melancholy This Fall and nicely contemporary Watson’s Blues. And what about that classy Toujours Vouloir, sung beautifully and entirely banjo picking on Dock Boggs’s Country Blues? Two instrumentals give the band the chance in French. to shine musically, and the vocals maintain Doc Watson is without equal. Do yourself a the traditional tight harmonies and glorious Also exceptionally talented musicians they favour - get this CD, marvel at the beauty of mountain cry that you would expect of any fine romp through instrumental pieces, Ship in High his music and then pick up the rest of his bluegrass band. Transit, Adam’s 3-Step and New Rigged Ship. recordings on Sugar Hill. Overall this is the Duhks’ strongest album yet and the new line-up seems to be fit like a glove.

“Taking newgrass to a new level” “Always a joy” Maverick Maverick www.duhks.com 9LB Records Borealis 270088 Annabelle The John Henrys BCD193 Sugar Hill Sweet As The Grain Chvostek Donna The CP Resilience BuffaloSHCD4047 DK Silverlined JHS The band name and organic-sounding title Toronto-born Annabelle, who for a time was track would seem to promise to sing us back a member of the wonderful Wailin’ Jennys, Hailing from Trumansburg, New York and home, to a simpler, more rural way of life, now resumes her solo career with Resilience, celebrating twenty years together this latest delivered in spades here. Mainstream Country’s which shows her to be an impressive (if mildly release from Donna The Buffalo contains an traditional conservative image portrayed as idiosyncratic) songwriter and performer in her intoxicating mix of styles, from the reggae much, whilst appealing to a honky-tonking male own right: a brilliantly agile vocalist and multi- flavoured openerTemporary Misery to the pure demographic in love with truck-stop girls. skilled musician. country rock of Broken Record, with tabla and a seemingly unaccredited brass section adding to That audience base is still there but this The aptly-named Resilience portrays a tough, the exoticism. Canadian 5-piece, formed in 2003, roll down independent talent, capable of reflecting the Gram Parsons-pioneered route of Cosmic poignantly, often through the metaphor of Guests on the album include David Hidalgo (Los American music to also embrace R&B and relationships, on how humankind survives and Lobos), Amy Helm (Ollabelle) and Bela Fleck. rootsy Folk influences for its 2nd album. deals with its own foibles. This can result in All 13 tracks were written by band members Jeb Melding the low-key, and delicate Lost In some determinedly crazy music (like the quirky Puryear and Tara Nevins who also handle vocal The Canyon with the rockier, bluesy material junk-country of I Left My Brain), but for the most duties as well as playing a mixture of guitar, Thought Yourself Lucky the band coheres part Annabelle overlays basic acoustic textures pedal steel, fiddle, accordion and scrubboard. around Rey Sabatin’s vocals. with more subtle ornamentation, displaying Jeb and Tara both have a wonderful vocal influences from her earlier musical activities delivery, Jeb having that much loved whiskey Featuring band compositions entirely, a varied (including electro-acoustic composition and, soaked style shown perfectly on tracks such as instrumental palette including mandolin, banjo, on The Sioux, old-time); guests include Bruce The Call. Tara on the other hand has that crystal with rock backline conjures an image of pickup Molsky, Bruce Cockburn and Mary Gauthier. clear country vocal that when combined on truck rather than pink Cadillac and blue collar, the reggae influenced tracks make for a highly blue jeans and wide blue hoizons. No bumpy With its warm and enveloping sound and original and thoroughly engaging listening ride though, just an immensely enjoyable road- clever variations of ambience, this fascinating experience. trip. album really does live up to Annabelle’s own description of “a big complicated hug”.

www.donnathebuffalo.com www.thejohnhenrys.com www.annabelle.org Win every CD featured in this issue enter our completion at www.properdistribution.com Sign up for the Properganda newsletter for regular updates between issues.

Properganda 10 13 ith this exceptional new collection (her 24th studio Elsewhere Joan W record!), Joan effectively completes a trilogy of albums continues to with Steve Earle a link, which began with 2003’s Dark Chords champion the work On A Big Guitar and continued with 2005’s live set Bowery of outstanding female Songs. Day After Tomorrow was produced by Steve, who also songwriters: Diana plays guitar and contributes harmony vocals. For this album Jones’ account of he’s assembled a small dream-team of acoustic musicians from an American mining Nashville’s A-list (multi-instrumentalists Tim O’Brien and Darrell disaster, Henry Scott, bassist Viktor Krauss and drummer Kenny Malone), all Russell’s Last Words, tremendously sympathetic musical collaborators. with eerily effective instrumentation Joan has always performed and recorded songs by including harmonium contemporary songwriters whose work resonates with her and tambura, is own sensibilities, and the ten songs comprising Day After another disc highlight Tomorrow continues this practice. The set is bookended by and Patty Griffin’s two of Steve’s compositions: the opener God Is God, already religious allegory familiar to fans from Joan’s concert sets, receives what is surely Mary (with the help

COUNTRY AMERICANACOUNTRY its definitive performance here, whereasJericho Road forms of Siobhan Kennedy’s a spirited though reflective a cappella harmonies) also gospel-style closer. Tucked in the centre captivates. We’re of the disc is Earle’s timeless-sounding, also treated to a pair Guthrie-esque I Am A Wanderer, following of lovely songs by a pair of songs sharing a war theme: the Austin’s Eliza Gilkyson , the near-traditional-sounding gem Rose stirring Elvis Costello/T-Bone Burnett Cold Of Sharon and Requiem. After which, on Thea Gilmore’s The Mountain anthem Scarlet Tide and the Lower Road, Thea herself supplies the harmony vocal (repaying emotionally charged Tom Waits-penned the favour granted by Joan when she duetted on Thea’s own title track, surely an album standout. Here recording of the song earlier this year). Needless to say, Joan is Joan’s own skilled and gently understated in excellent voice throughout, with today’s huskier tonal depth guitar playing provides all the bare- every bit as attractive as her trademark crystalline soprano. All bones accompaniment her powerful and of which adds up to a very special record indeed. passionate delivery needs to get that song’s message across. David Kidman Day ProperAfter RecordsTomorrow PRPCD034

n the mid-1980’s, Art’s obsession with long-distance walking their distinctive aura; A new strength runs through The Sound I began with a three week hike across the rice paddies and of Silence and Scarborough Fair; A Poem on the Underground back roads of Japan. By 1984, his walks across America became Wall and Homeward Bound sound fresh and timeless; Mrs. a major part of his annual schedule. Having completed his Robinson, with altered lyrics, raises some enthusiastic crowd walk across the United States in 1996, Disney released a reaction while Lennon & McCartney’s I Will charms in its documentary-style video that chronicles Art’s 12-year walk as simplicity; The 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin’ Groovy), April well as a celebratory concert at the Registry Hall on Ellis Island, Come She Will and Goodnight, My Love close the proceedings where Art’s ancestors had first stepped onto American soil. “My quietly. goal,” says Art with Across America, “was to feel my connection The DVD intersperses the concert footage with Art’s travelogue with America, one step at a time.” and philosophy, creating a fascinating insight into his motivation For the first time Art Garfunkel’s epicAcross America for this epic quest. There are great sweeping shots of the performances are caught together American landscape, both rural and urban, that give subtle in one live CD and DVD package, hints of the scale of the undertaking. There is also poignant which includes the full album and footage, echoing the concert performance, of Art with James filmed footage from the two-night Taylor singing Crying In The Rain sitting on the windy shore of stint at the Registry Hall in April Ellis Island with the Manhattan skyline, complete with the Twin 1996. It features captivating, new Towers, as a backdrop. live performances of Garfunkel What’s obvious from these performances, as well as Garfunkel’s classics from his solo career and command of song craft, is the sheer enjoyment he brings also his seminal combination with to the material. He seems to revel in the narrative power Paul Simon. and emotional quality of these The musical arrangements are fresh songs, emitting performances of a and new while keeping the essence consistently high artistic level. Art of the original tracks: Graham Lyle’s A Garfunkel has connected step by Heart In New York still sounds tailor step with the American heartbeat made for Garfunkel’s clear vocals and Across America shows a master while All I Know and Mike Batt’s communicator at work. classic Bright Eyes still retain John O’Regan

Art Garfunkel AcrossProper AmericaRecords PRPCD042

14 Properganda 10 COUNTRY AMERICANA anadian singer songwriter Catherine MacLellan has been attracting a lot of C attention in her huge nation with the release of Church Bell Blues (True North Records). This album of original compositions finds MacLellan mixing folk, country, even touches of blues and rock. If her sound is classic Americana MacLellan’s gorgeous voice sets her apart from the herd. MacLellan lives in Halifax, the largest city on Canada’s East Coast, but one that is only home to 150,000 citizens. This, she emphasises, suits her. “Halifax is big enough to be a city but it still has a very small town feel and I like that,” she says. “There’s a really vibrant music scene here – folk, Celtic, rock, pop, indeed – and lots of small venues. We support one another too and that’s what makes it special.” Canada’s music scene – after years of being the butt of jokes about the nation’s best musicians all hightailing it to the US – has taken off with Arcade Fire now one of the world’s most popular rock bands. “I’m aware of all those bands coming out and becoming big internationally but I don’t really feel part of that scene. See, they’re rock bands coming out of big cities like Montreal and Toronto. I’m part of an East Coast folk scene so I’m more connected with folk clubs and festivals happening up and down the coast and that includes America. Touring Canada is hard work as it’s so big. You play a gig and then you might have to

Patrick Nichols drive all day before you reach the next town!” MacLellan’s father was the noted singer-songwriter Gene MacLellan (he wrote many standards including Anne Murray’s Snowbird). He died while MacLellan was still a teenager but she counts him as her formative influence. “My dad definitely remains one of my biggest influences. We both write from a similar point of view. Also, he passed on a lot of his influences to me so I’ve learnt to write songs from the same artists he did. When I was a teenager and buying awful 80s pop he would go to the dollar bins and buy me old albums by Dylan, The Band, stuff like that which has really helped me develop. I guess he saved me from listening to Paula Abdul for the rest of my life!” MacLellan’s loose, relaxed music, blending as it does country and folk with touches of rock, recalls Canadian alt-country pioneers The Cowboy Junkies. Were they, I wondered, an influence? “Funny you should bring them up as someone else recently made that comparison. I did once own that famous album of theirs, The Trinity Sessions, so maybe that has unintentionally influenced me. I’d never list them as an influence but I can see how we approach making acoustic music having certain similarities, sure.” MacLellan will make her first UK journey ever in November when she arrives here with two other Canadian folkies to perform. “I’m so looking forward to it. I’ve been dreaming about visiting the UK since I was a child and now I’m going to arrive here and sing for you guys! The people I’m performing with are really talented – Old Man Ludecke is a great storyteller and banjo player. You gotta come see us.” I try and warn Catherine about the rotten weather that has bedeviled these islands this year but she shrugs it off. “I grew up on Prince Edward Island so I know plenty about bad weather. We have a pretty long, tough winter way up here.” Is Prince Edward Island comparable, I enquire, to Canada’s far eastern Newfound Land as famously portrayed in the book and film The Shipping News? “No,” laughs MacLellan, “they really have it hard up there. Halifax might seem distant and cold

to someone in London but we have it easy Patrick Nichols compared to them.” Art Garfunkel Garth Cartwright ChurchTrue Bell North Blues TND502

Properganda 10 15 ignature Sounds and Six Shooter are two great labels either side of the Canadian border. The former based around S Northampton MA and the later a little over 400 miles North West in Toronto. They can both claim some of the most adventurous and just plain great music on the US roots scene.

Take the Signatures most recent release by the Sacred Shakers, which grew out of drummer Jason Beek’s country gospel brunch concerts. Each week vocals would be shared three ways by Beek, Daniel Fram and Eilen Jewell, with upright bassist Johnny Sciascia, fiddler Daniel Kellar and rotating guests completing the line up. Regardless of your religious persuasion something undeniably wonderful is happening here. From the rockabilly opener I’m Gonna Do My Best, through the dark and moody howl of John The Revelator and the bluesy hip-shake of Titanic. Proof indeed that the Devil didn’t get all of the best tunes. Most of the Shakers also appear on Eilen Jewell’s wonderful Letters From Sinners And Strangers, released last year and already covered in issue 9. But listening to it afresh on the back of the above has only cemented its stature as a truly great record. Eilen has been in and out of the UK drawing favourable comparisons with Gillian Welch. But with songs like Rich Man’s World, questioning her worth in it, How Long inspired by the words of Martin Luther King and the jaunty High Shelf Booze, complete with clarinet she is certainly a one off. It will be great if Mark Erelli makes it over to support his latest CD Delivered due out here in October. It’s also intriguing to here him expand his range beyond the trade mark, intimate, finger-picked, acoustic gems.Shadowland is an out and out rocker, Unravelled Dylanesque, while Delivered and Abraham have the spooked quality of Daniel Lanois at his best Once is like prime Paul Simon. With Crooked Still going strong despite line up changes (another CD reviewed in our last issue), their quest to fuse 20’s Appalachia with 21st century style undimmed, there are at least 4 reasons to follow the course of Signature sounds releases through the year and into next.

Not that they have the monopoly on great roots music as Six Shooter, who in continental terms are almost neighbours, clearly demonstrate with Luke Doucet’s And The White Falcon’s Blood Too Rich. It’s superbly crafted and the band are presumably named after Jason’s guitar of choice, which does the obligatory twang through to CSNY like country-rockers, of which Cleveland and First Day (Y especially) are outstanding examples that the senior gentlemen could probably do with referring to. Even the slightly offbeam choice of Love Cats does the business. Fans of classic Americana from Green On Red through to Ryan Adams could have a new poster boy here. Elliott Brood (as in a brood of Elliotts) are an altogether odder proposition. As veiled in myth and mystery as their new CD is dense and dressed in dark robes of inkblot Rothko, this is a really intriguing prospect and one for the long winter nights. (I haven’t quite got the hang of what their singing about yet, but I intend to find out). It comes on like the Violent Femmes passed through the Smashing Pumpkins blender on an ever changing backdrop of driving acoustic guitars, banjos, thumping drums and passionate vocal delivery. There are plenty of tunes to drag you into their foggy notions and at 47 minutes it’s a one sitting record. Apparently the drummer uses a plastic suitcase as a bass drum. Hmmmm! We also reviewed Justin Rutledge’s Man Descending in the last issue and rather Like Eilen above, feel duty bound to mention it again as a steady grower that getting under the skin. Check out Alberta Breeze on his myspace for haunting beauty, or Penny For The Band, which offers the pearl “This life is like a setlist scrawled across a nation,” simply gorgeous stuff. Sid Cowens

16 Properganda 10 How do they like to swing in Azerbaijan? COUNTRY AMERICANA

ho knows? But the recently rejuvenated Hot Club Of W Cowtown do. The story begins with a classic musical travel adventure: an ad in the music section of New York City’s Village Voice. In the mid-’90s Elana James was looking to join a “gigging band” when Whit Smith answered her ad. More than a decade later, the Hot Club of Cowtown has grown to be the most globe-trotting, hard-swinging Western Swing trio on the planet. From early days busking for tips in San Diego, the band has grown and developed into a formidable international sensation. The Hot Club’s ever-growing presence on the international festival scene has grown with its relentless touring over the years alongside the release of five critically acclaimed CDs released in USA, Japan and the UK. Today, after a two-year hiatus, the Hot Club of Cowtown has resumed touring and recording in anticipation of a forthcoming release in the Autumn of 2008. Some things haven’t changed. The band--Elana James on violin and vocals, Whit Smith on guitar and vocals, and Jake Erwin on bass and vocals--still swings harder than ever as they continue to develop their unique, ever-changing sound. In the United States, the Hot Club of Cowtown are among the youngest members ever to be inducted into the Texas Western Swing Hall of Fame, in 2006 they also toured as musical ambassadors for the US State Department and were honored to be the first American band ever to tour in Azerbaijan. These days, tours with Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson, the Mavericks and others keep the Hot Club of Cowtown busy dazzling new audiences both nationally and internationally throughout much of the year.

When they went their separate ways in 2005, they expected that the Hot Club would only ever be heard again on their old records. “(Whit) was just sort of tired of having to be in the band,” James says, “and at the end of 2004 he said he didn’t want to do it anymore. So that was it, we were fairly certain. Everyone scattered in the four directions and people had time to play out their scenarios.” For James, that included playing in Bob Dylan’s touring band and putting out a solo album, while Smith toured with his own combo, the Hot Jazz Caravan. “It had a lot to do with associates we worked with,” Smith says of the break. “We had a cliché bad manager that came out of a David Lynch movie. There were all the personal stresses of being together all the time. We’d done it for so long, maybe we didn’t have quite the right perspective on it. Some relief time was required.” The band never officially broke up, and occasionally played together as the Hot Club during the hiatus. In late 2006 they got together for a U.S. State Department-sponsored tour of the Caucasus, including Azerbaijan (the first American band to ever tour there), Armenia and Georgia. This autumn, they’re heading for Europe for their first concerts in London, Berlin and Paris. Devoted travelers all, James, Smith and Erwin (their fourth and longest-serving bassist is an Oklahoma native who has been with the band since 2000) agree that it’s important to get out of town to have a successful career as working musicians — sometimes, way, way out of town. Eventually, their personal and musical chemistry exerted a gravitational pull that they couldn’t ignore. “After about a year and a half I just started playing with Elana again,” Smith says. “You just get some time away from each other and you realize no one’s keeping you from doing anything.” Andy Washington TheHightone Best Of... 10984

Properganda 10 17 HIGHTONE RECORDS riginally founded in 1983 by Larry Sloven and Bruce Bromberg and with a catalogue of over 300 O albums, Hightone can claim to be one of America’s most important roots labels. It’s a hugely impressive catalogue, now acquired by Shout Factory, itself an independent entertainment company, founded by veterans of the wonderful, eclectic Rhino Records Richard and Garson Foos and Bob Emmer. The good news is that the pedigree of these protagonists ensures this great music hasn’t simply been grabbed to sit in a vault somewhere gathering dust. The first signs of new life are 4 superb artist retrospectives, from Dave Alvin, Hot Club of Cowtown (see page 17), Buddy Miller and Tom Russell. Distinguished by being compiled by the artists themselves, these aren’t mere compilations, but more essential guides to the artists and to the whole American roots music scene at its best.

Dave Alvin The first fruit wasBlue Boulevard, which contributes 4 tracks to this set. Dry River with its repeated couplets hints at the Alvin is a name blues via Dylan, with vivid imagery of man at odds with synonymous with the nature in his native California used to express the bitterness early 80s’ roots rival COUNTRY AMERICANACOUNTRY of unrequited love. Haley’s Comet ups the tempo and cleverly in American music, as mourns the decline and death of Bill Haley, sounding very akin brother’s Dave and Phil to an American Richard Thompson. Blasters fans will instantly formed the legendary dig the barrelhouse rocker of Wanda And Duane, while Why Blasters. They forged Did She Stay With Him is an easy rock ballad spiked by Dave’s a souped up amalgam lyrics of lovers in turmoil. of rockabilly, blues, Museum Of Heart and King Of California from 93 and 94 add country, rock ‘n’ roll six tracks between them, including the title tracks from each and even a little with Dave swapping from electric to acoustic mode, proving jazz and blazed a trail across the USA and Europe. As is equally adept at both. Indeed, King Of California’s folksy lilt is often the case when the prevailing musical frontiers are a stark contrast to its predecessor’s high-octane, brass-fuelled challenged, critical acclaim remains infuriatingly inverse boogie. Black Jack David and his Grammy winning Public to commercial success and with the pressures rather than Domain provide all bar three of the rest of the 18 tracks, there sales mounting, Dave quit in 86. isn’t a false note to be heard. It also has to be noted that Dave is a published poet and his songs are packed with acute After a brief spell with LA punk legends X Dave went solo, but observations, a forthright humanity and an eye for the devil in with sales still elusive he found himself without a record label the detail. by the end of the 80s. It’s at that point that our story really begins. Enter Hightone, the Oakland based indie, who had Anyone who already owns all Of Dave’s records, well done, started life by releasing Robert Cray’s Bad Influence. you probably don’t need this. Everyone else does.

Garson Foos of Shout Factory explains We’re going to release a new album by Tom what’s behind their acquisition of Russell in late summer 2009. There may Hightone. be additional artists that we sign that are appropriate for Hightone. We’ll be active “As Rhino Records alumni many of us with reissues and are currently looking at here are big fans of Hightone as we have a Robert Cray multi-disc set, hoping that a long standing relationship with and Universal will allow us to licence tracks fondness for the label. There was always spanning his career. great integrity in the music, so we want to reissue the catalogue and maintain the We’re also considering more best of high standards set – proper compilations, collections for a few other artists, including great sound and packaging. And any new the great modern bluesman Joe Louis album on Hightone must reflect the fact Walker. It’s also possible that we will make that great roots music that has always new albums with other artists been found on the label. from the Hightone roster.”

18 Properganda 10 HIGHTONE RECORDS COUNTRY AMERICANA Buddy Miller songwriting for the Dixie Chicks, Lee Anne Womack and John Mayall amongst many others. Ohio born and Nashville resident Buddy Miller All of which, naturally signals another very fine compilation is one of country indeed, which kicks off with The River’s Gonna Run, one of music’s truest stars four duets with his wife Julie on this set. The opening lines set and amongst those the scene, with typical Miller economy, for much of what’s to who know, a doyen come, as he bemoans “I’ve got a hole in my pocket, I got a of the genre. As these tear in my heart, I got a door can’t unlock it, I live in shadows words are written, he’s in the dark.” My Love Will Follow You from his debut follows adding guitar to the the Americana blue print to a tee, but by the third track, I live experience of the Can’t Get Over You, we’re into the first of the aching ballads Mercury Music Prize that grace the CD. Whether acoustic or electric, like the reverb nominees Robert Plant drenched That’s How Strong My Love Is, Buddy finds some and Alison Krauss’ global tour. What’s the betting that he’s real tenderness and whole heap of soul in the delivery. adding the crucial twang factor with a beloved, vintage It’s not all downbeat stuff, however, with When It Comes To Wandre guitar and a Vox AC30 with the tremolo up, as he You having an almost JJ Cale shuffle feel.Hole In My Head has for so many others?? playfully informs a prospective partner that that’s how much Indeed Miller’s collaborations and productions read like a he needs her. All in all, this is a great introduction to a man who’s who, with Emmylou, Solomon Burke, Shawn Colvin, who has probably spent more time in the band than centre Patty Griffin, Linda Rondstadt, Lucinda Williams, Gillian Welch, stage, but who has total respect from his peers this evidence Allison Moorer and Steve Earle amongst those that have it’s easy to see why. called on Buddy in one way or another. And that’s without the

Tom Russell of memories, with the object desperately salvaged from a fire. There’s a reprise too, forHaley’s Comet, (see Dave Alvin Genius is a word that above), but here it’s reshaped in a Tex-Mex style pumped is overused, except in along by the accordion. the case of Tom Russell where its probably not Disc two brings the collection up to date with more of used often enough, or Russell’s astute commentary. His El Paso base increasingly at least widely enough. focuses his ire as the difference between the Tex and the Mex This double disc set is becomes more pronounced. Stealing Electricity and Who’s all the proof you need. Gonna Build Your Wall are scalpel sharp at the rotten heart. But spare a thought and a wish for The Pugilist At 59. No cross Apart from having led an is easy to bear. extraordinary life, he is a musician of incredible This set comes on like an epiphanic production line. Play it vision. He is also a and a revelation might just land in your lap. tireless champion of the underdog, the dispossessed and the Simon Holland down trodden. His pen frequently pierces the heart of the rank hypocrisy that threatens to sour the American dream. But in keeping with his adventurous character he also sees the joy in our humanity, without prejudice. His voice tumbles out like a cross between Johnny Cash and Lee Hazelwood on these 37 hand picked tracks. Shawn Colvin, Barance Whitfield, Nanci Griffith, Iris Dement, Dave Alvin and Jimmie Dale Gilmour pepper disc one with guest collaborations, but there’s no doubting the star of the show. The second track, Cropduster, sets out Russell’s store perfectly with his love of the Puerto Rican women farm labourers and flying his plane too close to the ground. If he crashes he suggests making wine from his remains, vintage “cropduster49.” US Steel nails the truth of the decline of home grown industries, it’s not just the products, it’s peoples lives that are sacrificed as high economics decrees production moves to cheaper environs. Who really gains when so many lose? Navajo Rug tells of a furtive tryst and the real value

Properganda 10 19 reviews

Continental Song City RickySugar Hill Skaggs OtisWannamaker Gibbs Records TishCSCCD1049 Hinojosa BestSHCD4045 Of The Sugar GrandpaWANNAMAKER1 Walked A Our Little Planet COUNTRYHill Years AMERICANAPicket line DK DK SC For a number of years, clear-voiced singer/ Ricky’s impressive pre-solo career took him from Having “fanning the flames of discontent”, at songwriter Tish has specialized in her own Ralph Stanley sideman to Country Gentleman, the top of his myspace page is a good sign and personal blend of contemporary folk with also encompassing recordings with Keith it’s doubtless this kind of attitude that has led Tex-mex, bluegrass and country flavours. Her Whitley and a stint in Emmylou’s Hot Band. to the support slot on Billy Bragg’s UK tour this latest offering, recorded with long-term musical He brought a broad-based musical virtuosity to autumn. partner Marvin Dyckhuis (mandolin, guitar and bluegrass, gospel and country and his role as vocal harmonies), brings a further collection Impressively bearded, he has the look of a torch-bearer for this rootsier music was key to of entirely likeable, elegantly-expressed songs trucker with baseball cap welded in place. the early success of the Sugar Hill label. that deal gently yet memorably with romantic The CD in its utilitarian brown board package, concerns, couched in fairly stripped-back This sensible retrospective charts Ricky’s Sugar with what looks like a wood print design of a instrumental colours. Hill years, taking four cuts from the landmark man addressing a skeletal looking gaggle of album with pioneering band Boone Creek that protesters against a factory back drop, is very I Hope Forever You’ll Be Mine has all the simple formed the label’s debut release, two from effective. appeal of a Carter Family number, Turned My Ricky’s first solo albumSweet Temptation, Heart Away is a neatly crafted country ballad His voice is a bear growl and with a crack team three from his duet album with Tony Rice, and (with idiomatic pedal steel by Greg Leisz) and marshalled by producer Chris Stamey, this CD a couple of less obvious but no less welcome the heartfelt, accordion-backed Mi Pueblo surprises. Gibbs has an astute way of making choices drawn from more obscure releases, could melt away any opposition. The catchy It’s the political personal that keeps you hooked. including Ricky’s duet with Sharon White on Good To Love Someone and We Mostly Feel The polemic is neatly camouflaged by tales of Townes van Zandt’s If I Needed You (from That Way both exhibit more of a pop sensibility truck drivers (Beto Junction), snake–oil conmen the Seldom Scene 15th anniversary album). perhaps, while Count Me In is an easy-rollin’ (Preacher Steve) and a cast of characters that This great little collection sure encourages honky-tonker on which label-mate Dale Watson breathe real life through the songs. reassessment of Ricky’s original Sugar Hill guests (as do Carrie Rodriguez and Rosie releases. Flores elsewhere). A charming and disarmingly straightforward record.

“He’s carrying on the tradition” “Blows the loudest rock’n’roll band away Billy Bragg with sheer energy” “A rare gift for melody that’s perfect for Rock’n’Reel Parrot Records Hinojosa’s lovely, relaxed soprano” PR1152008 Lisa Redford Washington Post Compass Records Clouds with Silver AL DrewCOM 448 Emmitt7 Long Road Skaggs Family Records JHS Recorded in New York City and Norfolk (UK), Cherryholmes CherryholmesSKFR2020 III: with string overdubs in Nashville and co- Don’t Believe Revered as one of the most innovative produced by Brad Albetta (Martha Wainwright, JTR mandolin players on the newgrass scene today, Teddy Thompson), Lisa has been able to call on Drew Emmitt’s third album also highlights the a pool of The Big Apple’s most talented players This misleadingly titled album from the fact that he is no slouch when it comes to song to flesh out her acoustic ballads. Four of the Nashville family group is actually their fifth, and writing. He contributes seven of the eleven eleven self written songs are also enriched by finds the band still ploughing ahead with the tracks, with Into The Distance and Beat Of some beautiful string arrangements, provided same momentum that kick-started their career The World being outstanding examples of his by one of Nashville’s most highly regarded back in 1999. skills, chronicling over 25 years on the road as a producers, David Henry (Josh Rouse, Alison touring musician. Krauss, REM) and violinist and Ryan Adams For those not yet in the know, think of a high- cohort Claudia Chopek. octane Union Station with six lead vocalists and Guests on the album include bluegrass royalty you’ve got a rough idea of their sound. This is Stuart Duncan and Tim O’ Brien, Chris Pandolfi There’s an immediate connection to the dyed in the wool bluegrass with an “if it ain’t and Andy Hall (The Infamous Stringdusters) also emotional territory of the songs, which imbues broke” attitude. And broke it ain’t… lending their skills. Take The Highway shows an easy familiarity and regular listeners to Bob that Drew also has a love of that Southern Rock harris will already know Lisa’s voice, with its The title track is a masterclass in old-time jamband sound, this track originally performed subtle tremolo and classic country lilt. Infused songwriting, matching frantic virtuosity with by the Marshall-Tucker Band. with a real intimacy on tracks like NY Song, Call longing harmony vocals. Broken adds brooding Me and the melancholic New Year’s Day and chamber strings to a dark mountain waltz, while This is a winning mix of bluegrass, straight The Boy Who…, she can also up the volume for instrumental track Sumatra is a blaze of fiddle, ahead country and deep Southern rock and songs like the anthemic Makes Your Heart Sing banjo and guitar that finds the family gelling as there’s also a great cover of the Supertramp and the band driven When You Come Home. barnstorming masters of the genre. hit Take The Long Way Home, adding another This is classy and assured. Lisa is one to watch Not bad for a band with four members who pleasing surprise into the road themed mix. for sure. only picked up their instruments less than a decade ago!

www.drewemmitt.com “A sensational breeze of fresh air” Maverick Win every CD featured in this issue enter our completion at www.properdistribution.com www.cherryholmes.net Sign up for the Properganda newsletter for regular updates between issues.

20 Properganda 10

sj_dl:Layout 1 5/9/08 14:49 Page 1 pSEU r e s e n t s JORGE “A significant artist for years to come. A real spokesman” GILLES PETERSON

AMÉRICA BRASIL TOUR 2008 Oct 29 Belfast Festival 028 9097 1197 Oct 30 London Roundhouse* 0844 482 8008 Oct 31 Brighton Dome 01273 709 709 Nov 2 Leeds University Stylus 0870 534 4444 Nov 3 Bristol Colston Hall 0117 922 3686 * with support from Gilles Peterson Check www.comono.co.ukto buy tickets and for updates. New Album AMERICA BRASIL out now on

39 Properganda 10 Page 37 Main Features Bellowhead 35 CONTENTS Navigator Records featuring Mawkin:Causley, John McCusker, Dean Owens and Mary Hampton 34 World Reviews 33 Traditional Crossroads 32 Dub Colossus Seun Kuti 31 Seu Jorge Beat Assailant elcome to the autumn/winter issue of Properganda, our 30 Jazz reviews W first ever push-me-pull you edition. We had so much to tell 29 you about that we had to put a cover at either end. This is the The BBC Jazz Awards 28 month that Bellowhead and Also Drever, McCusker, Woomble The Portico Quartet 27 release new albums into the world. In DMW’s case it’s their debut Blues Reviews and we are lucky to have John McCusker Roddy Woomble as our 26 Blues Caravan and Rich Man’s War guest contributors for this issue. 25 John Muskers Track Selection

24 We had a great summer around various festivals giving Properganda Reviews Country/Americana

Guest Editorial from Roddy Woomble

23 20 out to the assembled masses and hopefully there will be a few Russell Tom and Miller Buddy

Review Round Up

more of you out there looking forward to this issue. It’s the usual 22 Alvin, Dave featuring Hightone

Hello 18

action packed affair, with even more pages than before. Even, if Miracle Mile

21 Cowtown Of Club Hot

your picking up an issue for the first time you are most welcome. Review Round Up 17

Signature Sounds and Six Shooter Six and Sounds Signature

As well as 48 individual reviews, there are more exclusive interviews 16 Catherine Maclellan Catherine

than ever before and some new contributors have signed up to 15

bring you even wider coverage of the world of specialist music. Garfunkel Art Joan Baez Baez Joan

Thanks to one and all. 14

Country/Americana Reviews Country/Americana

Don’t forget that you can get involved. We are actively recruiting 13 Folk Reviews Folk

a street team and you can find out more at out blog at 12

properblog.wordpress.com, where you can also pick up news Megson 11

and have your say. Woomble McCusker, Drever,

The Properganda Team 7

The Maerlock The

Jack McNeill & Charlie Heys and and Heys Charlie & McNeill Jack

Fellside Records featuring Rachel & Lillias Lillias & Rachel featuring Records Fellside

6 6

Folk Reviews Folk

THETHE 5 Ralph McTell Ralph

Original Spin with Kerfuffle Kerfuffle with Spin Original

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Why not join our street team we are actively recruiting gig goers and music nuts now. In exchange for handing out a few flyers you Andy K (AK), Simon Holland (SH), Jon Roffey (JTR), could be getting free entry to some top shows. JonContributors: Lusk (JL), Cliffy (C), Clive Pownceby (CP), Log on to the Properblog for details. David Kidman (DK), Alan Levermore (AL), Stuart Nicholson (SN), Win every CD featured in this issue enter our completion at www.properdistribution.com Howard Male (HM), Ken Smith (KS), Drew Hobbs (DH), David Sign up for the Properganda newsletter for regular updates between issues. Sinclair (DS), Andy Snipper (AS), Lewis Robinson (LR), Ruth Redding (RR), Jim Soars (JHS), Andy Washington (AW), Tony Morley (TM), Sid Cowens (SC), Colin Irwin (CI), J O’Ragan (JO’R), Garth Cartwright (GC), Andy Robson (AR), Jane Cornwell (JC), Neil Pearson (NP), Erin Spurling (ES), Neil Spencer (NS), Andrew Cronshaw (AC).

Photographs supplied by artists and their labels unless credited. + + Proper Music Distribution The New Powerhouse Gateway Business Park Kangley Bridge Road SE26 5AN England Editor: Simon Holland Tel Int 44 (0) 20 8676 5100 Fax 44 (0) 20 8676 5169 Properganda 10 www.properdistribution.com www.myspace.com/propermusic Layout: Don Ward 38 Artwork: Deborah Wilds FOLK Hugo Morris

amously conceived during a particularly infuriating traffic death-defying leaps around the stage), rampant humour, F jam on the M25 when John Spiers and Jon Boden were daring and innovative arrangements and the ability to musing on how they could get to top the bill on Saturday turn a mausoleum into a seething all-singing all-dancing night at festivals, Bellowhead have swiftly become a band one band festival. This year already they’ve blown apart that defies all logical assessment. Look at the facts: 11 several festivals and blasted away cobwebs at the London musicians, 20 instruments (including English bagpipes, Royal Albert Hall during the Proms…and now they’re also cello, oboe and a sousaphone!), impressive pedigrees releasing their eagerly awaited second album Matachin. in classical, jazz, avant garde, world and traditional folk music, surreal dance routines (including Benji Kirkpatrick’s “Hmmm…yes, I suppose it is a strange title,” concedes John

37 Properganda 10 FOLK Spiers, he of the rampaging accordion and the small one in the Spiers & Boden partnership that first started lighting up the UK folk scene with their Through & Through album in 2001. “The closest we ever get to having a fight in the band is trying to think of album titles – people seem to place much importance on these things. Matachin is a traditional sword dance that comes from the Spanish in South America. We liked it because it’s a word that looks like it hasn’t been used before but actually represents something. It’s traditional but slightly…dangerous. That idea appeals to us.” If Bellowhead’s 2006 debut album Burlesque caused a rumpus (a couple of senior denizens from the folk world were particularly affronted by their knockabout Tom Waits approach to the traditional song Flash Company) there’s likely to be a few more explosions as they go for broke on the new one. “A magnificently murky and rum-sodden collection of 11 traditional and original songs…no whimsical maidens or gentle stories of love gone wrong, instead you’ll get dragged along on an exhilarating journey filled with cholera, whiskey, the high seas and the Cold War…” is how they describe the album themselves and for once the hyperbole isn’t misplaced. On Matachin they’ve made the leap from being a bold experiment – the Spiers & Boden big band hatched up on the M25 – into a truly democratic band with a million ideas and a long-term future. Inspirational percussionist Pete Flood, in particular, plays a pivotal role on some of the darker, more complex and adventurous arrangements. Spiers’s favourite is Widow’s Curse, an old broadside which he describes with unnerving relish as “an absolutely horrible, verbose Dickensian story of twisted evil, fire and brimstone.” He laughs evilly. “Mind you, Pete’s other arrangements aren’t light either…there are some very complicated passages of music but it always ends up sounding pretty mighty. All the tracks use the entire instrumentation – it’s not easy to make Bellowhead sound simple.” With 11 disparately talented and wilful musicians and a communal desire to challenge themselves and the music, you wonder how they manage to put it all together so coherently. “It would be harder if there was an even number in the band,” laughs Spiers. “Everyone wants the band to be as good as it can be. We all have strong views, but in the end it comes down to a vote.” When Bellowhead made their debut at the Oxford Folk Festival in 2004 nobody – least of all the band themselves – had any idea how enthusiastically they would be received. “Some people accused us of being a hype, but there was no hype – we just thought we’d give it a go and see what happened. Listening back to recordings of some of those early gigs is a bit embarrassing – we sound like a school orchestra playing folk music but the arrangements were so different people were very forgiving and we certainly improved.” Spiers has no such reservations about Matachin. “It’s a move on from album Burlesque. It’s more band inclusive with more arrangements from the non- folk members and because of that it’s more diverse. It’s a true fusion of musicians and the whole thing feels right.” Colin Irwin Hugo Morris

MatachinNavigator NAVIGATOR17

Properganda 10 36 ou may remember our feature on Navigator records in the last issue of Properganda, Y where we likened the fledgling folk and acoustic label to a performance sports car going from zero to sixty since revving up less than a year ago. As this latest batch of releases shows they’re still racing ahead without so much as a pit-stop so far in 2008.

MAWKIN/CAUSLEY

Mawkin/Causley are a self proclaimed ‘folk Boyband’, two words you don’t often hear in the FOLK same sentence, but check the facts… They’re young, good-looking, sharp dressers with a nice line in rock star photoshoots. They’re also technically a supergroup, combining the talents of acclaimed Essex band Mawkin with ex Devil’s Interval singer Jim Causley. The combination of the instrumentalists’ enthusiastic vibrancy with Causley’s rich voice is a great match, helped by the warm, woody production of Megson’s Stu Hanna. Traditional songs and tunes like Botany Bay and New York Trader are respectfully but thrillingly re-arranged, on this 6-track track mini-album, a great taster for things to come.

JOHN MCCUSKER

John McCusker is becoming something of a one-man music scene in his native Scotland. He’s also one of the cover stars of this month’s magazine with Drever, McCusker, Woomble, so this timely 2CD re-issue of two of his earlier solo albums works as a welcome reminder of how he got where he is today. Largely inspired by traditional Scottish music, McCusker’s style on the fiddle, whistles and cittern is light and airy, allowing the tunes to dance along with an infectious swing. Even the slow airs move with an uplifting breeze.

DEAN OWENS

Dean Owens is a Glasgow singer/songwriter who’s debut album Whiskey Hearts is an affecting slice of life that has earned the praise of renowned author Irvine Welsh as well as fellow Scottish songwriter Eddie Reader for its understated emotional drama. Raining In Glasgow is a touching portrait of loneliness that finds beauty under grey skies, evoking the warmth of home on the rainy streets of a big city. Man From Leith is a heart-wrenching ode to Owen’s father. Like Martin Simpson’s similarly- themed Never Any Good, it’s the small, personal details that really get you, as the singer recalls snapshot childhood memories to paint a bigger picture of his departed father’s life. As Irvine Welsh points out in his sleevenotes to the album, “every time he sings a song, he means it and feels it with his every fibre of his being. Now that is something special.”

MARY HAMPTON

Mary Hampton is perhaps Britain’s best kept secret at the moment, but that all looks set to change with the release of her debut full length album My Mother’s Children. Already gaining the praise of mainstream press, as well as the Eliza Carthy stamp of approval (“an album I know I’m going to love for life”), Mary’s childlike dream/nightmare-scapes are like an even darker version of Rachel Unthank and the Winterset’s ethereal hypnotism. Some of the songs on this album are genuinely scary. Her delicate soprano voice may bear the English folk stamp of Anne Briggs or Shirley Collins, but the creaking cello, plinking parlor piano and dry, ambient production gives the album a ghosts-in-the-attic sheen, invoking a severe case of the willies if listened to alone at night! Mary’s wide-eyed journey through this Lewis Carroll-esque world of talking dogs, frozen sparrows and quaint, Victorian Englishness is charming, eccentric and chillingly beautiful. So still we wait for the Navigator label to put a foot wrong, although at this rate it looks like we’ll be waiting for quite a while. Good thing they’ve given us some great records to help pass the time! Jon Roffey

35 Properganda 10 reviews

Elektrikos Organikos Honest Jons Records Soundway Records Max Pashm 78sHJRCD36 From The Sir Victor Uwaifo NeverEO102 Mind Emi Archive Guitar-BoySNDWCD012 Superstar The Balkans Various Artists 1970-76 JR GC GC WORLD

“This is Radio Pashm calling” proclaims the Legendary Portobello Road record shop/label Brighton’s Soundway Records have released a voice that opens this latest from Brighton based Honest Jon’s has spent the last eighteen brilliant series of Nigerian recordings of the 60s godfather of global groove Max P and with that months delving through more than 150,000 78 and 70s under the banner Nigeria Special. With we’re off on a 12 track odyssey of sun kissed, rpm records in the extensive EMI Archives at this focus on Nigerian attempts to make rock, klezmer infused dancefloor mayhem, all shot Hayes, Middlesex. The results of this trawl is an disco and funk, Soundway have unleashed a through with a healthy dose of humour. epic series of compilations covering recordings lost seam of West African music making, one of music made early in the 20th Century and that existed alongside the efforts of Fela Kuti Pashm originally emerged as a producer, drawing on recordings EMI talent scouts made and King Sunny Ade but never gained any remixer and DJ back in the globalbeat boom in Iraq, Turkey, Caucasia, the Lebanon, Greece, international recognition (until now). of the mid 90s, here he’s supported by a Iran (including sides made in Old Street, fine five-piece band (including the excellent London, in 1909), Egypt and the Belgian Congo. Sir Victor creates a languid funk enriched by klezmer clarinet Merlin Shepherd and Bulgarian some brilliant guitar playing. While he never got singer Eugenia Georgieva) who strut their stuff Much of this music has never been made a knighthood from the Queen he definitely is over Max’s bubbling base of percussion and commercially available before – EMI seemingly musical nobility! Indeed, reading the informative electronica. filed it in Archives and forgot about it: until sleeve notes it appears Sir Victor is a superstar now. The first two volumes –Living Is Hard: in his home state of Edo, Nigeria. The music Highlights include the peacenik’s call to West African Music In Britain, 1927-1929 and here is extremely supple, Victor singing and arms Fight On The Streets, a riotously radical Give Me Love: Songs Of The Brokenhearted playing superb guitar, while the band build reworking of Shepherd’s The Tongue and – Baghdad, 1925-1929 have been released to a very organic groove around him. There’s a Klezmernaki, which manages to be sexy, silly huge acclaim. Volume 3, Sprigs Of Time, is a 30- psychedelic funk feel to some of the tunes so and rootsy, all at once. Any album that features track compilation that pairs archive recordings making for a music that cooks both on the samples of Groucho Marx and Joyce Grenfell all of well known names (Fairuz, Mighty Sparrow) dance floor and the hi-fi. in one tune is surely worthy of your attention. with field recordings from Georgia, Indonesia and beyond. A fascinating and very listenable document. “Brilliant eccentric funk” www.maxpashm.com Word Me & My Other records Far Out Recordings www.honestjons.com Far Out MMOCD2005 FARO133CD Real World Records SonidosGrupo FantasmaGold VariousBossa NovaArtists CDRW150 JL C VariousBig Blue Ball HM Hailing from Austen, Texas, this 10-piece Latin Far Out’s contribution to the celebrations funk orchestra arose from the ashes of two surrounding fifty years of bossa nova was The most extraordinary thing about Peter other bands in 2000, and have since carved originally intended for download only but such Gabriel’s epic international project is not that it out a hard-gigging reputation. Sonidos Gold is was the success of these thirteen tracks that took 18 years (from first performances to final album number four, and continues their high- they decided to make it available on CD, quite mix) to complete, but that it’s such a cohesive octane exploration of diverse Latin sounds from rightly so as it is a fine selection drawing on recording. Considering the vast number of a refreshingly different perspective. their rich archive of recordings that the label has musicians who dropped by the idyllically Colombian cumbia is one major obsession, amassed over the last decade. situated Real World studios in Wiltshire to although their take on it veers towards its strum, hit, blow or simply sing something, credit Generally I am not really a huge fan of the genre psychedelic Peruvian cousin chicha on the likes must be given to producer, Gabriel, for the fact but this compilation is fresh and appealing of El Sabio Soy Yo, Cumbia De Los Pajaritos, that the end result isn’t a muddled, over-egged precisely because it steers away from the Rebotar, and Soltero which feature plenty of pudding. obvious well-worn bossa nova standards in wah-wah guitar and some delightfully luminous favour of some excellent new compositions. The opener Whole Thing with its epic drum keyboards. Elsewhere, there’s a distinct There is a well-worked balance between sound and warm, embracing chorus is Afro-Cuban vibe, with Naci De La (Rumba original bossa nova artists like Roberto reminiscent of the man’s best work of the Y Guaguanco) offering a convincing take on Menescal, Marcos Valle and Victor Assis Brasil 1980’s and would make an excellent single. But rumba – complete with a Yoruba chant – as and the younger generation including the the best track here is Jijy with its warped drum well as a zestful cover of the Irakere classic delightful chantueses Sabrina Malheiros and ‘n’ bass rhythm and the seismic throb of Jah Bacalao con Pan. Gimme has strong echoes Clara Moreno. Wobble’s bass. Some Madagascan rapping and of Tito Puente’s Oye Como Va and there’s a There are also some interesting collaborations swaggering blasts of brass complete the barmy Brazilian carnival feel to the samba-driven Arroz including Ivan Lins and Arthur Verocai , but but oddly compelling picture. Roll on Big Blue Con Frijoles. perhaps the most engaging is that of Joyce and Ball 2, I say! Dori Caymmi who open up the album with an enchanting duet Rio Bahia setting the standard for the rest of the album. “Real musicians playing real music.” “Among the most exciting moments I have Prince ever had” Peter Gabriel Win every CD featured in this issue enter our completion at www.properdistribution.com www.faroutrecordings.com Sign up for the Properganda newsletter for regular updates between issues.

Properganda 10 Sprigs Of Time 34 Traditional

seductive, serene, almost vocal sound, like a clarinet on sparkling, spaciously-recorded swirl and atmosphere, it was A the verge of tears – the Armenian duduk. Lost released in Turkey in the 1970s and reissued by Traditional Songs From Eden sees it in the masterful hands of Gevorg Crossroads back in 1998. Dabaghyan, not in the traditional context, accompanied A striking recent Traditional Crossroads release comes from by a second duduk providing a drone, but surrounded by the label’s shelf of klezmer albums. For Midnight

WORLD the Komitas String Quartet in heart-rending Prayer Joel Rubin has put together an all-star Crossroadsarrangements by Vache Sharafyan of Armenian ensemble – his own hot clarinet plus two violins, folk tunes collected at the beginning of the 20th accordion, trumpet, bass, and the arpeggiating century by ethnomusicologist, composer and skitter of two forms of hammered dulcimer, the priest Komitas Vardapet, Armenia’s equivalent of pedal-equipped cimbalom and smaller tsimbl Béla Bartók or Ralph Vaughan Williams. – to make a big-band sound in an elegantly- Perhaps that makes it sound like an academic balanced mix of the energetic dance music of the or classical kind of thing, but this is an album klezmorim repertoire and the moving nigunim that, once heard, is likely to have the same melodies of the hasidic movement. effect on people as do Vaughan Williams’s One of the members of the Joel Rubin Ensemble, Fantasia On A Theme By Thomas Tallis or The showing the brilliance and versatility that Lark Ascending. make him a world leader on his instrument, is Dabaghyan is the leader of the Armenian Hungarian Roma cimbalist Kálmán Balogh. A new traditional instruments group the Shoghaken Gevorg Dabaghyan release on TC is a Bavarian Radio recording of Ensemble, whose albums, together with the LostTraditional Songs CrossroadsFrom Eden a set by his Gypsy Cimbalom Band, which isn’t most substantial collection of Armenian music CD4335 band of cimbaloms but a line-up of cimbalom, (including 1914 recordings of Komitas himself sax, trumpet, violin, guitar and bass. There’s singing folksongs) to be found on any non- plenty of virtuosic playing, particularly the high- Armenian label, are also on the Traditional speed dazzle of Balogh’s flying beaters, but Crossroads label, which is based in New York their versions of material including Roma song and headed by Armenian-American violinist, melodies, Bulgarian, Macedonian and Romanian clarinettist and RCA archive audio restoration dance tunes and a repossessed Brahms’s producer Harold Hagopian. Fifth Hungarian Dance show fine musicianly communication and lightness of touch. The present-day and historic music of Armenia’s neighbour Turkey is also well There are plenty more doors opening on richly- represented on Traditional Crossroads. Label appointed musical chambers in the Traditional best-seller Gypsy Fire is a collection of all-time Crossroads mansion: the first recordings of bellydance classics recorded not, as the title Richard Hagopian & extraordinary yodel-hocketing polyphonic male and packaging might suggest, with cheesy Omar Faruk Tekbilek vocal groups in the Republic of Georgia in 1902, synths, but by a star acoustic ensemble Irish traditional musicians in 1920s America, TraditionalGypsy Crossroads Fire including Hagopian and his oudist father CD4272 pre-Taliban field recordings from Afghanistan, Richard, Turkish multi-instrumentalist Omar Ukrainian cimbalom ace Alexander Fedoriouk, Faruk Tekbilek, Bulgarian Roma sax star Yuri Kayhan Kalhor’s Iranian kamancheh, maestro Yunakov, Armenian guitarist Ara Dinkjian and Djivan Gasparyan’s duduk, Iranian Kurdish santur BBC Radio 3 Award For World Music winning innovator Ardavan Kamkar, Theodosii Spassov’s percussionist and Armenian Navy Band leader Bulgarian kaval, Wu Man’s Chinese pipa meeting Arto Tunçboyaciyan. with Julian Kytasty’s Ukrainian bandura, Indian sitar, Gambian and Senegalese kora griots, Another Turkish album that deserves new Bulgarian wedding-band reeds aces Ivo Papasov attention is Sulukule – Rom Music Of Istanbul, and Yuri Yunakov reunited, Cuban tobacco featuring the wild, ecstatic sound of Roma music… violinist Kemani Cemal Cinarli and his band of three unison female singers, oud, darbuka, Andrew Cronshaw sobbing clarinet and rippling kanun. Full of Joel Rubin Ensemble TraditionalMidnight Crossroads Prayer CD4332

33 Properganda 10 hen Nick Page (of TransGlobal Underground and Temple

of Sound fame) decided to combine his love of Jamaican WORLD W Then we’re on to Sheguye Shegitu (Blue Nile Mix) which dub reggae and Ethiopiques-style 70s’ funk he didn’t just takes the template of a fairly standard blues and twists it into take the easy route of sampling and combining a bunch of something wholly new and gripping, with its aircraft-hanger vintage recordings on his laptop. He actually got on his bike ambience and slide guitar licks courtesy of Little Axe. Another (so to speak) and went out to Ethiopia’s unofficial capital city, highlight is Shem City Rockers which is clearly a nod towards Addis Ababa (from where the album gets its punning title) the Clash doing reggae, although it never, even for one and linked up with the best Ethiojazz singers and musicians moment, descends into mere pastiche. Instead, it voyages off he could find. The resulting album is an endlessly fascinating into uncharted waters with its spy-movie guitar riff and the soundscape which at times, with mercurial, sensual vocal gymnastics of Mimi Zenebecl. its Taxi Driver-era Bernard Hermann brass arrangements and spooky And just when you think you’ve got a handle on where Nick atmospherics, sounds like the and his collective are coming from, the final trackMercato soundtrack to the best movie you’ll, Music presents yet another facet to unfortunately, never see. their sound. It’s a breath-taking jazz instrumental which builds and builds But even though four of the track in intensity for five minutes before titles end with the word ‘dub’ there’s eventually collapsing in on itself like a a lot more going on here than black hole. just a tone-perfect tribute to King Tubby and co. For example Tazeb But the biggest surprise with... Addis is Kush opens with seductive sax and that the two ostensibly disparate forms Crossroads then expands into a meandering of Ethiojazz and dub reggae make such ballad featuring the crooning vocals exciting and comfortable bedfellows. of Batha Gerbrehehiw. This track This is certainly one of my favourite wouldn’t have been out of place on albums of the year and surely has to be the recent Very Best Of Ethiopiques one of yours too. compilation, which the likes of Howard Male Brian Eno and Elvis Costello have so enthused about. In A TownReal Called World Addis CDRW155

elebrity offspring basking in reflected glory are a C phenomenon of modern music, though their success rate is, to say the least, mixed. Anyone for Sean Lennon, Rolan Bolan or Dweezil Zappa? Sometimes, though, the inspiration gene truly seems to pass on. Seun Kuti is a case in point. The youngest son of Fela Kuti, Afrobeat pioneer, political firebrand and Nigeria’s desire to make Afrobeat for most reknowned musician, Seun has carried the torch for his the twenty first century, credit late father since Fela’s death in 1997. It hasn’t been an easy also goes to producer Martin role. Fela was not just a great artist but a confrontational Messonnier (who has worked figure whose disputes with the national government saw his magic for King Sunny, Alpha home and club destroyed by government troops, his mother Blondy and many others) for the murdered and himself imprisoned. clean but still muscular sound. Furthermore, Seun arrives in the wake of his half brother, Seun’s gruff baritone vocals may Femi Kuti, who has already made a more than decent job of lack the agility of his fathers, continuing Fela’s musical legacy. but his political message is as What can Seun bring to the party? As his debut album, Many scathing as anything Fela produced. Mosquito, which links Things, attests, a surprising amount. For a start there’s Egypt malaria with social policy (and has a buzz unsettlingly woven 80, the big band his father assembled, into its melody), and the title track, which ridicules Nigeria’s a sprawl of blazing brass, relentless politicians for the many things they claim to be doing, percussion and call and response are, if anything, more subtle critiques. As Seun told The vocals that’s a Nigerian equivalent Independent this year, Instead of get up and fight it’s going of the James Brown Revue. Of its 16 to be get up and think. players, a dozen veterans remain from The spirit of defiance and vitality pours from music and lyric Fela’s glory days. alike. At a time when a new generation are discovering the Awesome on stage, Egypt 80s sound legacy of Afrobeat via vintage reissues and the interest of has been deftly updated on record, rock bands like Vampire Weekend, the arrival of Many Things with inflections of rock guitar and couldn’t be more timely; the son also rises. loping bass lines reminiscent of Neil Spencer George Clinton’s Funkadelic on tracks like Think Afrika and Don’t Give That Seun Kuti & Fela’s Egypt 80 play Cargo, Shit to Me. While this reflects Seun’s London 5th & 6th October 2008 ManyTot Ou Things Tard 8345105852

Properganda 10 32 ubbed ‘the coolest man on the planet’ by the likes of D Vogue Brazil and the Daily Telegraph, Mr Jorge reaffirms the mantle with the release of América Brasil – the album that composing. Oh, and acting: this summer’s Brit-flick blockbuster critics are calling his best yet. This, of course, is saying something: The Escapist saw him busting out alongside Brian Cox and Jorge’s samba-centric excursions have been celebrated ever since Joseph Fiennes. “I think it’s better not to be one thing or

WORLD his 1998 debut, Moro No Brasil (I Live in Brasil), recorded with another,” he said. “It’s better to be like an old Hollywood star, his band Farofa Carioca. It was this album that got him featured like Fred Astaire or Frank Sinatra, who danced, sang, acted. You in a documentary on Brazilian music, which led in turn to that shouldn’t have limitations.” star role as Knockout Ned in the 2002 Oscar-nominated favela This sky’s-the-limit attitude informs América Brasil. With a drama City of God. Acting has since become a second career line-up comprising everything from acoustic guitar, the ukelele- for the goat-eed singer/songwriter, a favela boy whose teenage like cavaquino and percussion to keyboards, violin and flute, brother was killed by police and who – without a few lucky Jorge sets about exploring relations between North and South breaks – might have ended up very differently indeed. “The more America and invents a new genre (the Brazilian barbeque I work,” he’s said, “the luckier I become.” hoedown, anyone?) along the way. Fuller production and Jorge garnered further cred by appearing in the acclaimed instrumentation makes this a lush affair from start to Brazilian art-house filmHouse of Sand, but it was Wes finish; rhythms are melded on the stirringAmérica do Anderson’s 2004 sea comedy The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou Norte (North America), all wild violin and squeaky which made the biggest, um, splash. Jorge’s performance as a cuica drum, while Mina do guitar-strumming crew member with a Condominio comes penchant for singing David Bowie songs complete with in sensuous samba form proved so infectious chorus popular he released them on an album; and an upbeat samba funk. Bowie would later remark that “had Seu There are bossa Jorge not recorded my songs acoustically ballads, too (the in Portuguese I would never have heard dreamy Marianna) this new level of beauty he has imbued and even, with them with.” Samba Rock, some Having built up a large worldwide all-stops-out blues. following with his live shows, Jorge Jorge might be enjoyed a commercial hit with 2005’s cool, but he still Cru, an album of rootsy originals. knows how to let Between now and then, ever the himself go. polymath, he’s kept on touring, writing, América Brasil Jane Cornwell Discos Como No DCN001CD a ten-piece band formed under the Beat Assailant name and hit the road. “We started playing small clubs and now we’re busting out on the main stage at big festivals in front of 30-40,000 people,” says the rapper proudly. “Our music has a lot of jazz and funk influences and we didn’t want to rely on a DJ programming samples and beats but to get that big live groove thing going.” New album Imperial Pressure finds rapper and band ripping through 17 original compositions designed to rock clubs and festivals. All tracks remain rhymed in English; when is Beat Assailant going to adopt the language of his native land? “Well, I’d like to but right now my vocabulary is too limited. If lack American musicians taking up residence in Paris is I’m gonna rhyme in French then it’s gotta be as hot as when B nothing new – Sidney Bechet and Miles Davis set the I rhyme in English. I don’t’ wanna rhyme something wack like template many decades ago – so when Atlanta rapper Beat voulez vous, y’ know?” Assailant landed in the French capital he was maintaining a JAZZ tradition. Not that he originally saw things this way. Was, I wondered, the American surprised at how passionate the French are about hip-hop? “I just came to Paris to visit, no intention of staying – I didn’t speak French and didn’t have any idea of what the French rap “You bet! Hip-hop is really big here. I couldn’t believe it when scene was like – but I started meeting a lot of people in music I first arrived and found people rapping and when I met Max Lebidois we began working together here. I can walk into a club here and in his studio. And through that the first Beat Assailant album close my eyes and the sound, the vibe, came about.” it’s just like being back in the States.” Beat Assailant’s For now Beat Assailant is gearing up to 2005 debut album tour Imperial Pressure. Hopefully, he Hard Twelve found says, this will lead to a Eurostar journey the rapper joined to London. by a trinity of “London’s like home to me. I can’t wait French musicians to blow up in the Jazz Café.” on horns and keyboards. The Garth Cartwright response to the Beat Assailant play The Jazz Café, album was strong; London 21st November 2008 ImperialDirty Dozen Pressure Records DDRUK001 reviews

Basho Babel SRCD212 True North SixBVD28Phil Strings Robson76 & SpanishAlec Dankworth Accents TheTND5Michael Sicilian16 Occhipinti JC The Beat Jazz Project JAZZSH JC Enamoured of Spanish music and language With a clever punning title that refers both to since childhood, bassist/composer Alec Right from the opening swirls of The Almond Robson’s guitar and the line up of six stringed Dankworth has embarked on a new phase of Sorters, a traditional Sicilian song augmented by instruments and a drum kit, there’s clear his impressive career with a band that fuses jazz strings and samples and sung in Sicily’s Middle evidence of a sharp mind at work. Robson is with un acento español. Eastern-sounding dialect, this isn’t your average a blisteringly good guitarist and proves also to A host of top players – saxophonist Julian fusion project. Tracing one’s family heritage be a composer of note, and with the Basquiat Arguelles, guitarist Phil Robson, violinist Chris through music has become commonplace for Strings (two are present here) having opened Garrick, French bagpiper Jean-Pierre Rasle and musicians of African descent; here the Canadian the door, the string-quartet-does-jazz works Barcelona-based drummer Marc Miralta – assist jazz guitarist/composer Michael Occhipinti exceedingly well. Robson bubbles and fizzes the British jazz scion in reinventing the likes explores his Sicilian roots through the lens of on top, with Peter Herbert’s inventive bass and of Corea, Gillespie and Metheny; on Rodrigo’s modern jazz, aided by his bass-playing brother the solid, occasionally skittering drums giving Concierto De Aranjuz they take up where Miles Roberto and assorted talents on everything excellent foundation. left off. from accordion to trumpet. With singer Christine Tobin draping velvet Folk songs and originals in flamenco rhythms Using the 1950s field recordings of famed smooth tones over Hold You and using her are played with an easy camaraderie that belies ethnomusicologist Alan Lomax as a template voice as an instrument on Wishing Well, the complex nature of the pieces. Dankworth’s (think traditional music performed by sulphur reminiscent of 70’s Brit-jazz experimentation, arrangements are as agile as his bass playing, miners, tuna fishermen, folk entertainers), the ideas keep flowing.Songbird inspired by while Arguelle’s tenor sax improvisations lend Occhipinti reinvents and rearranges in ways Malian music has the required urgent exoticism. proceedings a clean, ECM sort of feel. both innovative and respectful. Flashes of The McLaughlin-esque, fuzz squall adds the electric guitar punctuate Vitti ‘Na Crozza, a song drama to Louisiana, a post Katrina elegy. There Younger sister Emily Dankworth lends her cool, about a skull that speaks; the jaunty, horn-heavy are moments of real beauty and also those of pure vocals to two tracks; the great Cleo Laine Nnuena is led by cane flute and imbued with real daring-do here, not coffee-table-easy by any turns up on Dreams Of Castilla, singing of a reggae beat. The music of Sicily – ancient, means, but supremely good. soaring birds, silent grief, and love. eclectic, proudly multi-cultural - lives on.

“Jazz of the exploratory and definitely non- www.alecdankworth.com www.michaelocchipinti.com boring kind” Mojo Jazzizit Fledgling JITCD0848 FLED3The Chris069 BigJohn City Heavens Calling Far Out Recordings UpMcGregor to Earth Septet JC FARO1 34CD SN ButterflyAzymuth This one’s a real gem: a labour of love from SN It is fascinating to speculate what impact this a man with an astounding soul voice and unreleased album, recorded in 1969, might a genuine feel for jazz. Inspired by Duke These days the mention of “fusion” is enough have had in the context of British jazz at the Ellington’s devotional Mass The Sacred Concert, to induce sucking-lemon expressions among time. This joyous celebration of free jazz John Heavens puts his all into this sparkling die-hard jazz fans who are quick to claim it’s not and South African Township Jazz combines debut, creating nine original compositions even jazz. But one should be cautious about musicians such as Dudu Puckwana on sax, – co-written with the jazz composer/arranger throwing the baby out with the bath water. Mangezi Feza on trumpet and Louis Moholo Andrea Vicari, here on piano – that tell their Azymuth are a fusion band alright – a trio in fact on drums with John Surman on baritone, Evan own unique story. – but it’s a fusion of jazz, funk and samba, or as Parker on tenor and either Barrie Phillips or the band like to call it, samba doido meaning Danny Thompson on bass, all presided over by The opening track, Monday On Freedom “crazy samba.” Chris McGregor on piano. Street, takes soul-destroying 9-5 jobs to task, a message rapper Jahaziel underscores with some Here they are augmented by guitar, percussion It is truly a meeting of giants, who combine with powerful freestyling; Transatlantic Love Affair and strings and the results are impressive. seamless ease to produce an album of huge soars with the help of soprano sax and gospel- One of the most exciting bands in their native historical significance in the story of British jazz. tinged backing vocals. With their toe-tapping Brazil, this album is a tour-de-force of light, Here is luminous music, seemingly pushing in grooves and clever arrangements, all tracks free-flowing compositions full of jazzy motifs several directions at once, yet incredibly centred feel Brit-funk fresh; Heavens’ voice, which he and dancing rhythms. From the classic samba in its adventurous spirit. The saxophone trio ‘discovered’ at church, is subtle, clear, beautifully of Catitu to Triagem, full of classic South were incredibly powerful, yet united in their intoned (he’s been trained by world-class American melodies and harmonies, there’s purpose, such as their playing on Midnight vocalists, and it shows). Accordion and tabla some sparkling musicianship on display until Aloe and the title track, with Moholo’s pulsating add an extra dimension, especially on the two finally the carnival ends with a gentle mood of drumming mediating the ebb and flow of this instrumental tracks. A stylistically diverse album, melancholy on Meu Doce Amigo. It’s an album exciting music. then, that rewards repeated listening. guaranteed to bring a bit of sunshine into a wet, soggy British autumn.

“This was a world-class free band… A volcanic “Funky, witty and diverse… an impressive affair” force on the British scene” Ian Shaw - Voclist of the year 2007, “Dance music played by human beings WinThe every Guardian CD featured in this issue enter our completion at www.properdistribution.comBBC Jazz Awards rather than computers” Sign up for the Properganda newsletter for regular updates between issues. Sunday Times

Properganda 10 30 f you want to put your finger on the pulse of the British jazz I scene, then look no further than the annual BBC Jazz Awards, hosted by BBC Radio 2 and 3. This year the showcase event was

JAZZ held in The Mermaid Theatre in London and was presented by radio personality Paul Gambaccini. Each year a panel of experts compile an extensive list of nominees, announced this year in a special ceremony hosted by Gambaccini in Ronnie Scotts’ jazz club in June, and during the next month, fans were invited to vote for their favourite artists, either by post or on-line. Here’s your Propergandist picks of the crucial winners on the night, with a special mention also due for Alan Bates, who won the Services To Jazz Award, preseneted on the night one of many artists whose career he undoubtedly fostered, Jamie Cullum.

Album of the Year – All Is Yes by The Blessing Just to confuse things, The Blessing announced they were changing their name to Get the Blessing right after accepting their award which was presented by DJ and producer Goldie. The band then took the stage to play Cake Hole, livening up the audience with their engaging and upbeat blend of jazz, punk and post-rock.

Best Vocalist – Christine Tobin Irish born singer/songwriter has lived in London since 1987, and has recorded six albums for the Babel label. Her semi- biographical album Secret Life of a Girl is reflective and rich in original melodies and sharp observations on the human condition. Currently touring the album, The Guardian raved, “There are no weak spots in this excellent collection.”

Best Instrumentalist – Tony Kofi Saxophonist Tony Kofi has always sounded like an award winner, his emotional intensity and knowledge of the jazz tradition marking him out from the very beginning of his career. His latest album The Silent Truth is his homage to the organ and sax combos of the Fifties and Sixties in general and jazz legend Dr. Lonnie Smith in particular, “The album will take you on a historical musical journey, a journey of my own life experience, future passed,” he says.

Jazz Line-Up Band of the Year – Tom Cawley’s Curios Curios comprises Tom Cawley on piano, Sam Burgess on bass and Joshua Blackmore on drums. Playing original compositions by Cawley, who is also keyboard player in the critically acclaimed Acoustic Ladyland, this exciting piano trio narrowly missed picking up the Best Album of the Year award last year for their debut album Hidden. Their recently released Closer has been described by Time Out magazine as “state of the art.” JAZZ Jazz on 3 Innovation Award – Fraud Fraud, a quintet that boasts two drummers, was formed by multi- instrumentalist James Allsopp and drummer Tim Giles. Their current album eponymously titled album, released last year, mixes free, improv, punk and electronica which they call “experimental jazz/thrash” and “abbatoire improv meets ruthlessly trimmed funk” on their MySpace site. It earned them a nomination for Album of The Year in the 2007 BBC Jazz Awards and much praise from the jazz press.

BBC Jazz Awards 2CD Set Of course for the complete overview of the process you can do no better than snapping up this annual treasure trove of a compilation. It features all of the nominated artists,with 22 tracks over two discs. For the merely curious to the outright buff there is something here to suit all tastes, with every single shade of the blue notes represented. That is the great joy of this music after all, it never stands still and nor should it.

BBC JAZZ AWARDS Stuart Nicholson

29 Properganda 10 Hanging out with the Nationwide Mercury Prize nominees JAZZ t’s been an amazing journey,” laughs Nick Mulvey as he looks “I back at the last two years of the Portico Quartet. From buskers on London’s South Bank to nominees for the most sought after of musical awards, the Mercury Prize, who would have thought that a band whose debut album, Knee Deep In The North Sea, was originally financed by the guys’ own student grants, would now be going mano a mano with such giants of the music world as Radiohead and Robert Plant.

Mulvey, percussionist and hang man for Portico (and more of the hang anon) is understandably chuffed. “Without being overly cocky, we’re confident we should be at the Mercuries. We’ve always believed in the music and in “The Mercuries are a stamp of recognition: for ourselves it’s a way we’re already winners in that the nomination brings good to know that what we’re doing is the right thing.” attention to what we’re doing.” Nick Mulvey And the right thing as far as the Quartet is concerned is making music that is fresh, hook laden, irresistibly melodic the mysteries of the title track to the irresistible dance of yet also rich with the improvisatory surprise of jazz. There Cittagazze. are other elements, such as the band’s use of taut rhythms gleaned from minimalist composers like Reich and Glass. But So the Portico Jazz Quartet are as jazz as you like, as world what really brings a sonic identity to Knee Deep In The North music as you like and definitely as cool as you want. And for Sea, is the hang. good measure they’re still horribly young and loving every minute of their arrival in the spotlight. The band’s first hang was bought almost on a whim by drummer Duncan Bellamy. It looks like a wok and sounds “It’s just a great adventure,” explains Mulvey, “there’s an like a cross between a charm bar and Caribbean steel pans. element that feels like an hilarious joke that four friends have But that does no credit to the hypnotic, cyclical patterns got to here, almost on a whim, although we’ve always been that Mulvey and Bellamy weave, laying down grooves that totally driven and serious about the music.” magically mix the trance like qualities of dance with the And don’t worry, you can still catch them busking on the South hypnotic repetitions of an Indonesian gamelan. Bank – rave reviews of albums are great, prize nominations are Decorate these glimmering, shifting shapes with Jack Wylie’s fab, “but we’re still skint!” muses Mulvey… fragile yet graceful saxophone and anchor it with Milo Andy Robson Fitzpatrick’s stomping double bass and you’ve concocted a sound that appeals to a multitude of audiences. After all, you won’t find many bands that can wow punters at such different venues as the Glastonbury Festival, the Brecon and London Jazz Festivals or the altogether more dancey Big Chill as these guys have done over the last year. Cruise the airwaves and they’re as likely to crop up on XFM as they are Radio’s 1 or 3. Come autumn the Quartet will be back in the prestigious Real World Studios to work on their new album, an intriguing prospect because although their live concerts are refreshing for their acoustic qualities, the band are also intrigued by loops and beats and have even upgraded to acquire a four octave marimba which has Mulvey drooling. And Mulvey hopes the Mercury nomination “will give us access to other artists for collaborations…that would be very cool indeed, to work with someone like Rokia Traore, the Malian singer...” But for now we have the riches of Knee Deep In The North Sea which moves from the melodic ecstasy of News From Verona to the groove driven bounce Knee Deep In The of Zavodovski Island, from North Sea Bable/Vortex BVOR2769 Properganda 10 28 reviews

Ruf Proper Records Alligator RUF1141 ThePRRuthiePCD040 Phenomenal Foster ALCD492Lil’ Ed 6And The GripErja OfLyytinen The Blues Blues Imperials KS Ruthie Foster Full Tilt BLUESKS KS Direct from Finland, Erja Lyytinen is a strong Watch out for this woman - she’s set to be After playing together for more than twenty singer/songwriter as well as a killer slide something big! years, this band has developed into a well- guitarist. After signing to Ruf three years ago, oiled unit that rocks out wild lawless blues and she hasn’t looked back - recording first with Ian To get an idea of her truly soulful music, mix boogie with just as much intensity as Hound Parker and Aynsley Lister and then releasing her a dash of the old Hi sound from Memphis Dog Taylor did in the old days. The revving own CD of tough guitar-led blues with Junior with a touch of Mavis Staples’ pleading gospel rhythm guitar, thundering bass, pounding Kimbrough’s sons David and Kinney. vocals and then add some really spectacular drumming and the constant drive of Ed’s Despite the title of this latest release, Erja has arrangements featuring the warm, funky sounds squealing, screaming slide guitar along with his actually loosened her grip on the blues. As of the Wurlitzer electric piano and sparkling great lived-in voice, all add up to a thundering, Finland’s answer to Bonnie Raitt, she uses the acoustic guitars. squalling mess of tremendously invigorating blues as a base for her music which borrows blues music that I didn’t think existed anymore. She’s got a classic soul voice that soars on songs from pop, jazz and folk. She can slip into a like Maya Angelou’s Phenomenal Woman, The whole album is a blast - from the psychotic shimmering ballad like Wish I Had You as easily gets down and dirty in the gritty blues of Son energy of Hold That Train and Don’t Call Me as she lets rips on the sultry funk of Wanna Get House’s People Grinnin’ In Your Face and then with its brain-shredding guitar to the slow-but- Closer. delivers pure gospel on Sister Rosetta Tharpe’s powerful late-night feel of Life Got In The Way She has a great voice but she excels on Up Above My Head. And she has song writing and its fabulously tough vocals with bone- guitar achieving a fine tone on everything talent too. Harder Than The Fall and Mama chilling slide solos. Said would be the best tracks on the CD if it she attempts, at times outclassing many of wasn’t for the glorious twists and turns on the Hell, it’s all brilliant. Full Tilt is one of the most her contemporaries. Listen to the opening serious slab of real funk Heal Yourself. exciting and exhilarating blues albums I’ve instrumental Broadcast and tell me I’m wrong! heard in a while! The Phenomenal Ruthie Foster ain’t called ‘phenomenal’ for nothin’!

“Blues and slide riffing of the highest quality” www.liledwilliams.com Blues Matters! “Will convert those hungry for some real, hot Alligator soul.” Ruf ALCD4925 Carolyn Los Angeles Times OrangeJJ Grey Blossoms & Mofro RUF1143 SH MissWonderland Understood Harlem Records TM HARLCD008 Picking up seamlessly from where last year’s IBlue Dare Harlem You! TM superb, Country Ghetto left off, the cast is once It’s the driving lap steel at the heart of again assembled in the Retrophonics studio, Misunderstood that sets the tone for this fine new CD from the Ruf stable. For a start it Blue Harlem’s fourth album is classic St. Augustine, Florida under the watchful eye of establishes this latest Texan blues siren as a real Rhythm’n’Blues and swing that would have co-producer Dan Prothero. The funk-factor is still player. Secondly it has such a groove you know been equally at home at the Apollo or the turned up to 11 and JJ’s blue eyed soul is even you are going to be strapped in for the ride. Savoy in the 40s as it is today and the first to more convincing. feature fabulous new singer Sophie Shaw. They Over the four albums that Alligator released (the Hailing from Austin, Carolyn has been making continue their exploration of the urban blues first two credited to just Mofro) JJ’s song craft CDs since the mid 90s and apparently touring and artists such as Louis Jordan, Percy Mayfield, has gelled into something utterly compelling. the world, although quite how she’s slipped Charles Brown, Ruth Brown are all represented Take the beautiful She Don’t Know for example, beneath your reviewer’s radar is a mystery. (She here, along with new material from the band the Wulitzer piano and drums provide a simple can name Bob Dylan amongst her fan club.) itself and the song writing partnership of beat platform for the strings and JJ’s excellent voice. With a smoky drawl somewhere between the generation survivor Fran Landesman and Simon This is proper soul music. As it gives way to The Bonnies Bramlett and Rait she oozes soul on Wallace. Truth you know that this is a very special record, Bad Girl Blues and can funk it up with the best It’s their best recording to date: the individual with its B3 surges and once again the intelligent of them on I Found The Lions and Walk On. soloing is inspired and the tight ensemble use of strings. The following pair of tracks WYLF The band sound gig fit and readyAs Trouble in playing will swing you off your feet. Sophie, and On Fire are, well, on fire. the City and Throw My Love prove in spades. who sounds as good as she looks, has done If you’re hankering for something that picks Superb stuff and that’s crystal clear from here. a fantastic job re-interpreting and styling up Gram’s gaunlet of Cosmic American Music, these songs. The Maxwell Davis inspired The late-great Eddie Hinton’s passion or arrangements are terrific and bring the 1940s Lowell’s country-funk. Stop here and buy one small swing band sound bang up to date. immediately. www.carolynwonderland.com So sit back and enjoy, or better still - roll up the rug and boogie on down – I Dare You!

“Favourable comparisons to legendary southern rock outfits like Lynyrd Skynyrd and Little Feat” www.blueharlem.co.uk Blues Matters Win every CD featured in this issue enter our completion at www.properdistribution.com Sign up for the Properganda newsletter for regular updates between issues.

27 Properganda 10 BLUES Candye Kane is a larger-than-life blues diva who has a knack of picking great crowd pleasing songs. You Need A Great Big Woman is a sassy, self-satisfied song describing the benefits of a lady her size, and Crazy Little Thing is full of rocking rolling verve. Deborah Coleman steps up next with her choppy opening to Bad Boy. This is a choogling Chicago workout that catches fire when she gets that guitar smokin’ on the wailin’ and screamin’ solo. I’m sure ver the last three years Ruf Record’s she learned her trade from Buddy Guy Blues Caravan has toured the world to O and Albert King – listen to I Got To great critical acclaim. The roster of artists is fluid but this CD Know and Luther Allison’s warhorse from the 2008 line-up was recorded live in Germany and stars Fight and you’ll know what I mean. three indomitable ladies: British blues guitarist Dani Wilde and from the USA, big blues shouter Candye Kane and great guitar The whole things builds to a slinger Deborah Coleman. crescendo when all three gals get on stage to blast out a fine arrangement Dani Wilde has a driving guitar style that is lacedBlues with peppery Caravan of ZZ Top’s Jesus Just Left Chicago and runs in the high register, clanging riffs and tension-filled a storming version of Something’s Got sustained notes. She favours a big blues sound on her first A Hold On Me. two numbers but I prefer the funky shuffle ofCome Undone where she sounds like Rickie Lee Jones would if she sang the That was one mean night! blues, and the slow burner I Love You More Than I Hate Myself where she gives herself space to release her more soulful side. Guitars & Feathers Ruf RUF1140

New blues and roots songs of peace and protest ich Man’s War is a collection of track Mr Wesola’s Lucky Number Dream Book Part 2 but just R wide ranging powerfully political as you’re tempted to attempt the boogaloo, you’ll realise that protest songs by blues singers, country Pat is getting pretty agitated about damn near everything singers and folkies that’ll entertain you - from capturing Bin Laden and right wing radio talk show and make you laugh as well as getting hosts to a democratic Iraq and black helicopters! Charlie you to stop and think. It’s a very smart Wood’s ironic report on the nation’s apathy, You Don’t Really release considering the current state Wanna Know is wrapped in a warm, jazzy feel provided of the American political scene and by a cool electric piano player and late-night organ grooves the run-up to the Presidential election. while Charlie asks “why can’t things ever go a different way from how they always go, do the haves just have to keep on Some songs get right to the point like reaping everything the have-nots sow?” Norman and Nancy Blake’s simple A couple of the songs are just damn clever. Amid the humour Rich Man’s War Don’t Be Afraid Of The Neo-Cons, Ruf which explodes with sardonic criticism and general wackiness of Roy Zimmerman’s song about of theRUF1144 war in Iraq, the neglect of Katrina ravaged New Orleans indecisiveness, the brilliantly titled Chickenhawk there’s some and the ineptness and stupidity of George Dubyah and his real pearls of wisdom and Doug Macleod’s laid back talking crazy gang. David Evan’s Bring The Boys Back Home has blues Dubb’s Talkin’ Politician Blues lays out all America’s simple old time clanging guitar and story-telling lyrics that give current ills with the candour of Woody Guthrie and the it the nostalgic feel of old Vietnam folk songs of the sixties. resigned sarcasm of Phil Ochs. Guitar Shorty’s angry wah-wah guitar on We The People fuels Ken Smith his indignant stance on high prices, low wages, redundancies and the hard times ahead. Others sneak up on you. Pat Boyack might snarl out his shouting-blues over a raggedy funk-filled dance

Properganda 10 26

John McCusker’s Properganda choice of tracks Bellowhead – see page 37 with Jez last year on the BBC 2 Radio Ballads. He wrote and Matachin – I Drew My Ship Across The Harbour performed very powerful songs on the series. This is a great track from Bellowhead’s new record. They’re a Chris While and Julie Matthews – see page 5 great bunch of people and it’s been brilliant watching them Together Alone – The Sum Of What I Am turn into one of the most exciting and popular live acts on the UK folk scene. There are lots of great tracks on this album but Chris and Julie are both magic singers. Like Jez Lowe I got to my favourites are this one and Fakenham Fair. play with both of them on last years fantastic radio ballads. This powerful song comes from the program The Enemy That Mary Black – see page 12 Lives Within. This is a really great record. 25 Years Of Mary Black – Song For Ireland The Sacred Shakers – see page 16 I’ve been a huge fan of Mary’s ever since she was a member of De Dannan. I used to listen to this song and all of Mary’s Ready To Go Home album Collected on vinyl loads when I was in school. She’s This is a lovely song from this American group. I love the got an amazing voice. I got to meet her a couple of weeks laid-back feel they create and the voices are gorgeous. They ago at a festival in Denmark. Myself, Heidi Talbot, Eddi Reader are based in Boston and make old time, country gospel and Mary stayed up ‘til the very wee hours singing songs and influenced music...you can hear a lot of Hank Williams and drinking beer…a brilliant night! the Stanley Brothers in this.

Solas – see page 12 Cherryholmes – see page 20 Love And Laughter – Sunday’s Waltz Don’t Believe – My Love For You Grows I’ve been a huge fan of this band since their first record. This Nashville based family band are fantastic. I saw them They’re all amazing musicians and incredible to see live. play at Celtic Connections in Glasgow this year and they blew The reason I picked this track is because I love the way me away. The father Jere is the band leader and he used to Seamus Egan plays tunes on his guitar. He is a genius multi-instrumentalist, everything he picks and plays is totally take the kids to festivals when they were growing up which brilliant. You should check out his soundtrack to the Ed Burns explains why the whole family is so full of music. movie The Brothers McMullen. Top soundtrack to a top movie. Joan Baez – see page 14 Annabelle Chvostek – see page 13 Day After Tomorrow – Day After Tomorrow Reslience – The Sioux Steve Earle produced this album and it features amazing I love this track. It features the brilliant fiddle playing of Bruce players like Tim O’Brien and Darly Scott. This is a great version Molsky and it’s a gorgeous song. This is a really lovely album. of the Tom Waits song. My friend John Doyle is touring with Joan really soon and it sounds like it will be a brilliant show. Phil Hardy – see page 5 Revisited - Edinburgh Jig Alec Dankworth – see page 30 Spanish Accents – El Levante Phil makes brilliant whistles played by Michael McGoldrick, Julie Fowlis, myself and loads of other musicians. This tune Alec is a jazz bass master and has worked with loads of the was written by Phil after a trip to the best city in the world! great jazz players including Stefane Grappelli, Dave Brubeck and Van Morisson. I love his playing and with every record he Doc Watson – see page 13 always finds something new to do that is always exciting. The Best Of The Sugarhill Years – My Dear Old Southern Home musicianship on this record is outstanding. I can’t recommend this record highly enough. It’s a great Cliff Edwards – see page 34 introduction to Doc’s music…but really you should go buy Sprigs Of Time 78’s From The EMI Archive - I Aint Got Nobody all his records! The man’s singing and playing is impeccable and he always surounds himself with incredible singers and Cliff Edward’s nickname was ‘Ukelele Ike’ and he was really musicians. popular in the 1920s and early 1930s. He was in lots of great movies as an actor and was also the voice of Jiminy Cricket Jez Lowe – see page 5 in Pinocchio! This is really brilliant music, you can tell there Northern Echoes – A Call For The North Country were no overdubs back then… just capturing the brilliant Jez writes brilliant songs and is a great performer…so a live performance. The old sound of the record makes it even CD from him is a perfect combination. I got to work a bit better I think.

25 Properganda 10 uch has been written about Bob Dylan. In fact rarely a month goes M by when his face is not peering out from a magazine cover on the shelves in the newsagent. In- depth, ten page articles on how particular albums were recorded, news on unheard bootlegs, or in even rarer circumstances and interview with the man himself, or at least somebody who knows him. Rarely has a recording artist had so many words written about him. But then again, rarely has a recording artist written so many great songs. Really great songs, with lyrics, phrases and hook lines that have embedded themselves in popular culture, for over forty years. Like anything, there are people who care and people who dont. Those who live by his music and his words, those that cant stand his voice, John McCusker’sProperganda choice of tracks and those that like a few songs, but prefer Elton John. But whatever you feeling, his presence over popular music is undeniable and continual. He put poetry in the jukebox according to Allen Ginsberg and changed the landscape of modern American music. Most people of my generation find Dylan through their parents who found him about the same time he was finding himself. My parents preferred him when he was folky but they also went off the Beatles when they went weird. The first Bob Dylan album I heard was the best of bob Dylan which I liked, but not as much as the best of Simon and Garfunkel which sat next to it on the pile. Both albums gave me the same feeling that I got from looking at pictures of my grandparents when they were young. Impossible now to imagine as a reality, I took Empire Burlesque out of the library a few years after that, but took it back the next day because even at the age of thirteen I got the feeling that I was far too young to be listening to music like this. I stuck with Iron Maiden and AC/DC for another few years. The English poet Simon Armitage talks about there being something inevitable about a music fan eventually finding Dylan’s work, and talks about his own experience as one where it took a Dylan anorak to take him under his wing and give him a Bob Dylan birds and the bees conversation as almost an altruistic act of Dylan-aid. That’s true for me also, but it didnt take a person, it took a summer travelling around Europe just after leaving school to discover his music properly. I left Dundee station with five of his albums taped from library LPs to listen to on my Walkman, and five weeks later came home a different person. Id been through Norway, Sweden, Denmark, France, Germany, Switzerland, Blonde on Blonde, Highway 61, Bringing It All Back Home, The Freewheelin and Blood On the Tracks. Id done some travelling, physically and mentally. The feeling of being on the move, passing through moments of other peoples lives every day, all that stuff, not being able to put your finger on why you’d ended up someplace, but being glad that you had. Something was happening here and I didnt know what it was, and the more I thought about it, the more I preferred it that way. His Lyrics get to the heart precisely because you’re never exactly sure what he’s going on about, so they embody a state, one where you don’t really need to understand what’s going on around you, to get a feeling that you do. Or as he puts it “I learned a long time ago to trust my intuition”. I think if you listen to Bob Dylan, its a lesson he teaches us all.

Properganda 10 24 reviews

Shanachie Red Parlor SHANCD5165 Vanguard TheRPJoyJA0808 Pirate Askew Of GangstersGeorge Clinton Of Love ThreeVCD7Greg9854 FlightsLaswell From CW Eel Pie Alto Nido ROUNDUPGC JHS 20 years before P-Funk, George Clinton began Joy Askew’s biography informs that the his musical odyssey as lead singer of a doo-wop Greg Laswell, lyricist, multi-instrumentalist Newcastle-born musician once toured as vocal group, The Parliaments. Here he revisits and producer now presents his third volume keyboardist for Joe Jackson, Peter Gabriel and - with wry amusement, quirky arrangements of a trilogy on the theme of heartbreak and Laurie Anderson and has held down a residency and an oddball sense of genuine affection - a redemption. An eminent song writer who at Ronnie Scott’s. Not a bad CV! dozen ‘Oldies But Goodies’ that were R&B/Pop has had songs featured in Greys Anatomy, hits for others during those two decades (plus Smallville and One Tree Hill here delivers an Now a US based singer-songwriter, Askew’s three originals), variously accompanied by aural masterpiece showcasing eleven new training has left her willing to take chances equally zany chums Sly Stone, The Red Hot Chili compositions on the tuneful end of the lo-fi – the sound here, while lead by Joy’s voice and Peppers, The RZA and others, including Carlos spectrum. acoustic guitar, is shaped by a collage of looped Santana playing his familiar ethereal guitar sounds and some very plangent jazz bass. dance on George’s version of The Impressions’ The album opens with It’s Been A Year, a Askew is such a confident, distinctive musician 1961 classic Gypsy Woman - one of the more, lament on the theme of lost love and yet she plays most of the instruments and layers ahem, ‘normal’ tracks on the album, realising that the time is right to move on, her vocals so harmonising with herself. delivered in a hushed, intimate vocal. That Other artists’ old hits reconstructed include It Moves picks up the beat and volume, the Joy is a distinctive songwriter, unafraid of Dean Martin, Johnny Ace, Little Willie John, The writer directly addressing his muse with a clever stealing a title from Sam Cooke (A Change Is Heartbeats, Marvin Gaye and Barry White. Full lyrical twist about writing the song. His lyrics Gonna Come) for her own tune or observing marks if you spot the references to George’s have the complexity of Michael Stipe, oblique how a bad boyfriend falls apart (Jimmy’s Gone own back pages. It’s whacky, it’s weird and it’s yet charged with truth. Sweet Dream, Days Go Now). On Jack Kerouac she uses the doomed ultimately great fun if you’re not too uptight On and Farewell are further testament to his writer as a metaphor for looking for truth on about the sanctity of the original versions. exquisite style. Fans of Wilco’s oeuvre should the American road. In a market crowded with tune in immediately. female singer-songwriters Joy Askew stands out.

www.georgeclinton.com www.myspace.com/greglaswell www.joyaskew.com Dusk Fire DUSKNeilCD105 Ardley’s New Thoroughbred Music Blue Viper CamdenJazz Orchestra ‘70 TBRMutterED9001 Slater BV004Johnny J & SN RidingBand A Hurricane LouisianaThe Hitmen Rockabilly CP KS This previously un-released concert by the New Jazz Orchestra directed by Neil Ardley is Welcome back Michael Slater! Background; Legendary Dale Hawkins, who uses Johnny a wonderful slice of British jazz history. The - heretofore, a freshly-moved-in Mr B. Bragg J & The Hitmen as a backup band, produced ensemble is substantially the same as the one called in for a lime and soda at his new West this terrific CD and it features some of the best that recorded one of the lost classics of British Dorset local when his ears were pricked by rockin’ music ever to come out of Louisiana. jazz, Le Déjeuner Sur l’Herbe in 1968, and local band Little Dixie, led by the ex-frontman of This is high voltage rockabilly from a three-piece draws on several compositions from that album. 1970/1976 legendary quirky, hard-to-categorise band that has been blowin’ the joint apart since rockers Stackridge. (Openers: first Glastonbury the mid-80s. So included are Rope Ladder to the Moon, Study, Dusk Fire and the title track which acts Festival: reformed in 2007) Among the twelve obscure songs are all-out- as a rousing climax to the concert recorded at Billy’s encouragement and production skills rockers from Al Ferrier Let’s Go Boppin’ Tonight, the Jeanette Cochrane Theatre in London during have resulted in this essentially acoustic trio country boogie from Johnny Horton I’m A One the 1970 Camden Festival. Effectively powered album – Chris Lonergan on bass and slide, Woman Man, black rock’n’roll from Roy Brown by Jon Hiseman’s drums, the members of Ady Milward, drums, complement our hero’s Diddi-i-Diddi-O and a frenetic train boogie his iconic progressive rock band Colosseum vocals, guitar and flute and a sensible shoes, from Dale Hawkins Bang Bang. They get a nice were also NJO stalwarts and from the opening no-nonsense sound results. It’s a rare treat. The shimmering Dave Alvin-ish feel to Tony Joe Stratusfunk through memorable versions of sound is stripped-down, live, and immediate White’s I Want My Fleetwood Back and they Mike Gibbs’ Tanglewood ’63 to a brilliant but Mutter’s husky, brit-blues voice, the best this show you what rockabilly is about with their all Ardley arrangement of Nardis, the album bursts side of Paul Rodgers, is what makes it special. out manic attack of Jerry Byrne’s Light’s Out. with rhythmic energy. His songs tell of regret, compromises, trains, As you’d expect with Hawkins at the desk, With fine solos from the likes of Henry juke boxes, dangerous liaisons. Pick of the you get excellent authentic rockabilly that’s Lowether on trumpet and Dick Heckstall-Smith bunch is arguably the rousing Moth To A Flame. guaranteed to get the dance floor shakin’ within on saxes, Camden ‘70 captures your attention Coming soon, to a muddy field near me? seconds. Five star stuff indeed. from the first note and does not let go until the I Hope so. band end a memorable night with a version of the National Anthem that somehow manages to mutate into a Tango. www.johnnyj.net Win every CD featured in this issue enter www.mutterslater.com our completion at www.properdistribution.com Sign up for the Properganda newsletter for regular updates between issues. “This is a little slice of history, of that marvellous period in British jazz when it danced with Rock music, as if the two were made for each other” Jazzwise

23 Properganda 10 BLUE AGAIN! New Album ”Blue Again!“ Out 13th October 2008 on hypertension-music Digi-Pac Double-CD incl. 4 Track-Bonus CD HYP 8263 feat. RICK VITO

Miracle Mile

hree Insights: “For the truly creative artist, perfection T can never be achieved for more than a fleeting moment. Painting the ultimate landscape or writing the definitive song inevitably redefines the standard of what might be possible…” Two, “So, this is like a family photo, with most of the family still locked in the attic. Let’s hope that Coffee And Stars compels you to visit those neglected children in situ, on their original albums. We hope, like us, that you’ll come to love them all.” Finally, “I’ll often leave a song with Marcus, as a small performance, maybe just acoustic and feat. voice. When I return to the studio weeks later, he’ll pull the comfy chair up between the big speakers and, with a RICK VITO twinkle, press play. The icy grandeur of this arrangement was a shock; the back of my neck confirmed its potency.” CELEBRATING 40 YEARS The first is from Johnny Black’s sleeve notes for this compilation, the second and third are from Trevor Jones, OF THE ORIGINAL FLEETWOOD MAC witty, disarming e-mail to the small but dedicated Milers group out there, firstly describing the album and then the FEATURING THE ORIGINAL HITS AND NEW BLUES track Alaska. In the latter case I know exactly what Trevor “Oh Well” | “Rattlesnake Shake” | “Albatross” | “Black Magic Woman” ... means. Mick Fleetwood, the iconic co-founder of Fleetwood Mac, is celebrating his Offering these quotes has taken up half of the word blues heritage with his new band, The Mick Fleetwood Blues Band. The allocation for this review and if this seems a cop out, band features a tribute to the original Fleetwood Mac, the all-male blues there are no better words that can be offered to persuade band that started it all in 1967. you of the riches on offer amongst these 18 tracks. You Presented by Hypertension & will need to find them out for yourself, as this collection of songs could last you a lifetime. In fact a deserted on Tour in UK island with a solar powered OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2008 The REAL MUSIC Agency walkman and this CD is very appealing right now, 24. October Peterborough Broadway Theatre 01733 316100 as track 12, Papillon, is in 25. October Canterbury Marlowe Theatre 01227 787787 the earphones while this 26. October Southampton Mayflower Theatre 02380 711811 sentence is written. Simple 28. October Liverpool Philharmonic 0151 709 3789 rage against the obstacles 29. October Newcastle City Hall 0191 2612606 to the world hearing 31. October Holmfirth Picturedrome 01484 689759 and really getting this is 01. November Ipswich Regent Theatre 01473 433100 probably not enough. 02. November Croydon Fairfield Hall 020 8688 9291 So if the world seems 03. November St. Albans St. Alban Arena 01727 844488 askew and even if it doesn’t, then the Coffee And Stars prescription is a track a MeMe Records day, until you do really get MIDGE URE – “10” it. Here’s CDMM13a CDs worth of tunes to offer a little solace and another place to be. Perhaps there’s a grant available to Brand new album “10” (HYP8264) travel the land playing it to people. Drop an e-mail to Released on the 29th of September 2008 [email protected] and perhaps we can set up a Midge Ure‘s own interpretations, of his favourite songs, by relay. No, really. Let’s see what we can do. other songwriters. The songs, on the album, left a profound mark, on Midge, throughout his youth and his intention in Simon Holland recording them was as a mark of respect to the writers. www.midgeure.com www.hypertension-music.de reviews

Saurango Poets Club SAURANGO101 PCR045 HeartbeatJohnny TheSurinder Fictionist Sandhu El7 Samurai!Mundo Nuevo Osbourne JC C ROUNDUPTruthHBCD7 840And Rights Deluxe Edition SH World jazz experimentalist Surinder Sandhu Over the last five years Bavarian beatmeisters 7 knows how to think big. Having garnered Samurai have carved out a name for themselves Responding to others plundering his hugely an international reputation with works that with a series of cooking re-edits and remixes. successful catalogue and with the benefit of a combine East and West, jazz and classical music, Now their first albumEl Mundo Nuevo brings studio upgrade, Clement Dodd ended the 70s he takes on all-comers with The Fictionist – his together over a dozen of their best productions by remixing and re-voicing a number of his own most impressive recording to date. from this period with a heady mix of styles from Latin to Afro disco and dancehall to jazz. hits. In the process he ushered in the dancehall Commissioned to celebrate Liverpool’s style that would come to dominate reggae. designation as European City of Culture 2008, Unlike many other remix albums which can Among those to benefit was Jonny Osbourne it’s an epic collage made all the more visionary often be boring there is no danger of that here whose nascent recording career had climaxed by its collaborators: two choirs, twenty soloists, with so much good material on offer. The prematurely in the 60s with a move to Canada. the 75-strong Royal Liverpool Symphony album eases in with a couple of slabs of solid This CD is all the evidence of how good the Orchestra and a wealth of stellar musicians Brazilian grooves kicking off with a wicked concept could be, classic rhythms expanded on everything from kora (Tunde Jegede) and Jorge Ben remix, followed up by an equally to 16 track from the original four track tapes, trombone (Dennis Rollins) to tabla, sarod and catchy reworking of Sol De Verro – listen to the with live studio overdubs and Johnny’s superb, sarangi. original to see how they have transformed this track for the better. It doesn’t take long for the easy vocal style. The lyrics are still conscious Armed with the latter Sandhu summons up tempo to take off with an afro-disco monster and laced with Rasta philosophy and culture on the city’s multi-ethnic vibrancy on ten pieces called Kikiriboom deftly following the wicked tracks like Truth And Rights, Nah Skin Up and that amount, really, to a glorious extended reworking of Idea 6’s It Ain’t Necessarily So. the outstanding Jah Promise. Fleshed out with symphony. Ancient Indian instruments create The second-half of the album also does not extra and extended mixes and engaging booklet such modern sounds as funk and free jazz; disappoint with some solid soul, reggae and notes, this is a five-star-buy-it-now-package. throughout, possibilities are explored with a flair hip hop productions including a swinging jazz You’ll be “Up Town Top Ranking” all night long. as deft as it is audacious. An inspiring testament mix of Andrea Pozza Trio proving that El Mundo to a giant imagination. Nuevo was definitely worth the wait.

“This is Studio One music at its best” Echoes “A must listen! Jazz, Indian Classical UK Pop, Classical and even more on a single CD that www.myspace.com/7samuraimusic unites a nation through the power of his music” Fled’gling Fellside French, Frith Courtney Pine FECD212 FLED3702 Crucible InvisibleKaiser, ThompsonMeans Love & Money JTR CP Compass Records Goodnight,COM44862The Bittersweets A long awaited CD re-release for the second There’s plenty of steel in this third outing from San Francisco album by an extraordinary quartet, complete GC the Sheffield-based quartet comprising Jess with a bonus live version of the Stones’ Play and Richard Arrowsmith, Gavin Davenport With Fire. and Helena Reynolds which proves that their The Bittersweets are a country-rock trio from template is capable of vibrant expansion whilst A band consisting of such notorious boundary- California who relocated to Nashville to cut this remaining true to the essentially traditional pushers could easily be in danger of over-the- album – thus the album’s title. San Francisco English flavour that marked out its predecessors, top muso noodling, so it’s to the player’s credit may once have been a famous music town but Changeling and Crux. that they rarely over-indulge, instead working it’s more psychedelic in flavour than country so as a ramshackle but supportive unit for each The Bittersweets must have stood out. This also The creative interplay bonding guitar, fiddles, other’s material. explains their shift to Tennessee – their melodic violas, melodeon and border pipes, shows Beefheart drummer John ‘Drumbo’ French songs are more likely to attract attention in how impressively focused this band is. Here delivers an out-of-character power ballad Music City than Silicon Valley. is beautiful, finely honed music with the with To The Rain, while Richard Thompson convincing ring of just-rightness about it. Lead by Chris Meyers (guitar, keyboards) and (supposedly brought in for a dose of Exuberant flourishes onOld Mrs Wilson/ Hannah Prater (vocals, guitar) – with drummer commercial appeal) supplies March Of The Dorsetshire Hornpipe betray their individual Cosmetic Surgeons – a bizarre mini-opera, Steve Bowman keeping things tight – The roots in dance outfits such as Heckety and complete with guest mezzo-soprano vocalist Bittersweets record a particularly melodic and Jabadaw, this groundwork providing a muscular Catherine Keen. affecting music, with songs like Is Anyone lift to the tune sets. Safe and When The War Is Over suggesting Amongst the far out time signatures and Henry urban alienation shot through with hope. Their Harmonies mesh on the tasteful assembly Kaiser’s swooping sci-fi solos, traditional anthem sound is lovely, quite ambient yet dynamic and of mostly traditional songs (True Love, Three Loch Lomond is played as a straight-ahead focused. Unlike so much Nashville music today Maidens) essayed here; - effortlessly beguiling, rocker, proving that when the potential musical The Bittersweets refuse to compromise; this is fresh-air sweet and providing enough variety to possibilities are endless, doing something 21st Century country music that will appeal to a prevent any onset of ennui. Crucible have found normal is often the weirdest path to take. Unlike very wide audience. their collective niche and fill it estimably. the lyrics to that song, this album avoids the high road and the low road, opting instead for the scenic route.

“They have the kind of chemistry that country “A definite triumph” rock legends are made of” Win every CD featuredfRoots in this issue enter our completion at www.properdistribution.com “One of the more radical beat combos to Seattle Post Sign up for the Properganda newsletter for regular updates between issues. blaze between rock and a hard placein the late-1980s” Jazzwise

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