Sunday for Sammy 2012 DVD now released…

Where else but at a Sunday for Sammy show could you see Auf Wiedersehen Pet’s Tim Healy, Kevin Whately, Chris Fairbank and Julia Tobin in a hilarious sketch written by Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais that also featured Emmerdale’s Chris Chittell, Loose Women’s Denise Welch and Byker Grove’s Donna Air, all playing the parts of King Arthur and his court and kept in order by Merlin the Magician, played by the inimitable Brendan Healy.  Add to that a rapturous standing ovation for surprise guest Joe McElderry following his stunning rendition of ‘Nessun Dorma’, another pair of side-splitting sketches written by Ed Waugh and Trevor Wood featuring Emmerdale’s Charlie Hardwick and Chelsea Halfpenny plus

VIN GARBUTT – Teesside Troubadour (Pancrack TV PAN4DVD)

For those not in the know, Vin Garbutt is the kind of bloke that you would like as your best mate. He could talk the hind legs off a donkey (in the nicest possible way) and his entertaining banter covers the sublime to the ridiculous. OK with introductions and clichés out of the way this documentary is lovingly crafted by Craig Hornby and should be required viewing by anyone who considers himself a true ‘folk music’ fan. The opening scene shows our hero emerging rabbit-like from his warren (or house in this case) looking onto a glorious vista of rolling hills that you would only normally expect to see on a postcard or the top of a box of biscuits. How any man could be enticed away from such a beautiful setting is beyond me but of course, as is the nature of the beast and to gain that somewhat dubious honour of being a fully paid-up member of the elite band of ‘real’ troubadours Garbutt has to travel far and wide in search of his own personal pot of gold.

VARIOUS ARTISTS – Transatlantic Sessions 4 (Whirlie Records DVD03)

You can tell from the photo on the sleeve of “Transatlantic Sessions 4” that this DVD is going to be something special. It depicts Aly Bain and Jerry Douglas broadly grinning at each other as if they were the cats that had got the cream and who could blame them? In the illustrious company of amongst others; Karan Casey, Rosanne Cash, Phil Cunningham, Julie Fowlis, Donal Lunny, Mike McGoldrick, Donald Shaw, Emily Smith and James Taylor it’s enough to make any real ‘folk’ enthusiast salivate at the very thought of what lies in the little black box. As a musician myself, there’s a feeling of jealousy but then again, who wouldn’t want to be part of such an astonishing gathering. To coin the vernacular, “…they must have been freezing their nuts off!” wouldn’t I suspect be too far from the truth but the musicians collective warmth for each other would be enough to power a small sun. Onto the content itself and really it’s a case of where to begin? The title credits encapsulate everything by bringing a sense of wonder with stunning views of chilly rivers and a beautiful Scottish vista all within 28 seconds (and yes, I did set my stop-watch to time it) utilising Douglas trademark dobro, gently brushed snare drum, Uilleann pipes and fiddle. This in itself is enough to draw the listener/viewer in and get your feet tapping with the expectant thought of what is about to emerge phoenix like (this is the 4th series) from this box of treasures. The glue that holds everything together is of course the chemistry between the musicians and the main protagonists in this respect are fiddler Ali Bain and the astonishing accompaniment from Jerry “We are not worthy” Douglas. The camaraderie of everyone involved is a welcoming sight/sound and the collaborative juices flow without any sense of awkwardness just a mutual respect for each other and the obvious delight of working in such exalted company. The songs and tunes are painstakingly crafted and so too are the contributions of all the technical staff. In particular I’d like to point out the professional integrity of all involved (something you don’t see too often in the ‘folk world’) in providing such a banquet of audio and visual delights directed by Mike Alexander and produced by Douglas Eadie. Particular mention in despatches must go to the splendid eye for photography of Mark Littlewood, Derek Ritchie’s lighting and Allan Young’s superb mastery of capturing the sound so well. I’d also like to extend a round of applause to George Brown for making this four-hour extravaganza available via the Whirlie Records catalogue. If you can’t tell from this short review how blown away I am with this double disc DVD then do yourselves a favour, rifle through your bank account (I know how difficult that is in the present climate) and treat yourself to some tangible ‘magic’. http://www.whirlierecords.co.uk/ PETE FYFE

CARA DILLON – Live At The Grand Opera House (Charcoal Records CHARDVD001)

OK, some of us lesser mortals working within the confines of the poverty stricken ‘folk scene’ would find it hard to muster enough funds to run to making a top-notch DVD but thank goodness that some can. Seth Lakeman, Bellowhead, The Transatlantic Sessions and of course Cara’s previous DVD “The Redcastle Sessions” are all shining examples of how well this minority music can flourish in the art of visual presentation. Cara will require no introduction for those that have followed her burgeoning career from the early days with the band Oige (and yes, I’m pleased to say “I was there”) to the full-blown heights she has arrived at today. A thoughtful selection of songs predominantly selected from her critically acclaimed album “Hill Of Thieves” plus extras including “Black Is The Colour” and “There Were Roses” along with a set of tunes “The Knotted Hanky/The Huntsman/The Gold Ring” and you have a perfect evening. Although the DVD is squarely focused on the lady herself, Dillon’s associates as one would expect are a who’s who of the Celtic music scene and in this respect we have Ed Boyd (guitar), Zoe Conway (fiddle), James Fagan (guitar/bouzouki), Brian Finnegan (flute/whistles), Sam Lakeman (piano/guitar), Eamon Murray (bodhran/shaker) and James O’Grady (Uilleann pipes/low whistle). Full credit must also be given to the excellent camera crew (I think I counted about five) who between them managed to capture the musicians flailing fingers and plenty of smiles from both the audience and band. The only thing I can find at fault with this otherwise well produced DVD is the ‘behind the scenes’ extras which is a video played over and over again…three times actually…accompanied by different songs. Cheap, but not so cheerful – Hey Ho but I suppose you can’t have everything. Artist links: http://www.caradillon.com/ PETE FYFE

THE TRUE AND TERRIBLE HISTORY OF JOHN ‘BABBACOMBE’ LEE by Kevin Burke

I can’t remember where I first heard of this staging of Fairport Convention’s celebrated folk-rock opera but it proved irresistible enough for me to obtain a copy of this trimmed down ‘sampler’ DVD from a 2 hour show to 30 minutes. For those of us that were lucky (and old) enough to have witnessed the National Theatre’s excellent Lark Rise To Candleford in the late 1970’s will much appreciate that folk tales such as ‘Babbacombe’ Lee should adapt well to the stage and by utilising the strengths of predominantly Dave Swarbrick’s original songs and tunes employing a diverse array of talent from the ‘house band’ Little Johnny England and the ‘cast’ writer/director Kevin Burke should be proud of his efforts in conveying this tragic tale. With inventive use of aerial acrobatics (think Cirque Du Soleil) particularly on the effective “Dream Song” sequence, dance, magic lantern style puppetry and screen projected images the production would appear to move at a reasonably brisk pace. With only (to my knowledge) one production of the show it would be a great injustice to the ‘folk scene’ to be deprived of more outings and if there are any festival organisers reading this review could I suggest that you check out the following links below:

Further information can be found at Kevin’s website here www.kevinburke.co.uk

PETE FYFE

CAROLE KING & JAMES TAYLOR – Live At The Troubadour (Hear Records 0888072320536)

Please, a round of applause for those wonderful folk at BBC 4 TV for, without their skill in picking up documented gems such as Alison Krauss “Live From The Tracking Room” and this Carole King & James Taylor “Live At The Troubadour” recording we in Britain would be missing some classic musical moments from our Stateside friends. As a result of the screening I immediately went to Play.com (my sales place of choice!) and discovered that not only the CD of this 2007 concert was available but also that the DVD was included as a bonus disk! Having been introduced to Taylor’s music over twenty years ago I will always be grateful that his songs have played such an important part of my ‘folk’ education. The combined talents of this sublime collaboration come vividly to life reproducing ‘hits’ from their 1971 “Tapestry” and “Sweet Baby James” period of song writing and as you’d expect, there isn’t a duff track here. From “Fire And Rain”, “Carolina In My Mind” and King’s “Something In The Way She Moves” and the uncluttered beauty of “Will You Love Me Tomorrow” this is a duo that certainly knows how to bring their melodies to life. Both artists obviously had a ball and the gentle banter between them, their band (Danny Kortchmar [guitar], Leland Sklar [Bass] & Russell Kunkel [drums]) and the audience shows just how much they enjoy working together. Of course, it goes without saying that this is a must have CD for any self-respecting ‘folk’ collector and goes straight to the top of the tree. www.jamestaylor.com PETE FYFE

JIM MALCOLM – Jim Malcolm’s Bard Hair Day (BELDVD101)

This DVD is a gentle parody on the life and times of Robert Burns as seen through the eyes of Scottish singer-songwriter Jim Malcolm. Staging this tribute to the great man in Perthshire’s Soutar Theatre was an inspired choice of venue for filming as it proves just the right setting for Jim’s lavish costume (just don’t mention the hair!) coupled with over an hour of genuine ‘entertainment’ and singing from Jim and his audience. In this year (2010) celebrating his 250th birthday Malcolm’s take on Robbie and how he views the passing years proves a highly amusing experience drawing on anecdotes about the Scottish culture (drinking, womanising etc) and more contemporary references neatly segueing the subject of whisky with “…Glenmorangie, Glenfiddach but at all costs avoid Glenn Miller…You have to be in the mood”. Perhaps we have a budding Tim Vine in our midst although, a little more controlled. Of course, for those of us that have been following Malcolm’s career (by the way have I mentioned his jig-doll skills?) over the years he stands alongside such artists as Dick Gaughan, Andy M Stewart, Rod Patterson etc and, with an established wealth of poems, songs and stories to choose from including “Ae Fond Kiss”, “Rantin’ Rovin’ Robin”, “Auld Lang Syne” (which is sung to the far better original melody) and the added bonus features of Rabbi’s Big Day Out and the obligatory Out-Takes you indeed have a well produced package. www.jimmalcolm.com PETE FYFE

RICHARD LUMSDEN – Morrs: A Life With Bells On (Dreamboat Records DRMBT014)

The legend that is “Morris: A Life With Bells On” continues apace with another extraordinary leap of faith and a labour of love on behalf of the producers (Lucy Ackhurst & Chaz Oldham) who booked Richard Lumsden on the strength that the composer knew nothing about the tradition of Morris. These melodies that are used to invigorate the dancers with their sprightly steps has infused the film with a quaint British-ness of the Ealing Studios variety whilst remaining resolutely true to what the ‘folk’ world sees as the established Morris ‘sound’. Of course the music isn’t all ‘folk’ based and Lumsden’s sweeping panoramic orchestrations induce the movie with a soundtrack that is as widely expansive as anything by say John Barry or the Russian film composer Vladimir Cosma. OK, so getting established folk fiddler John Dipper and box player Saul Rose on board as music advisors was a bit of a masterstroke to add authenticity to proceedings but it’s the use of lush string and wind arrangements that provides the pivotal role of the recording. Alongside the more traditional sounding “Derecq” and “Threeple Hammer Damson” the inclusion of the ‘rap’ inspired “Sonoma” featuring Mr McTwist is the icing on a not inconsiderable cake. This soundtrack rings all the right bells for this particular reviewer and even if you thought you weren’t the least bit interested in Morris melodies you’ll go away loving this album! This CD has become something of a coup de grace for me as I thought the soundtrack might not have been released if the film didn’t get a National release. Of course, it has and hopefully the DVD won’t be long in coming! Further information from http://www.dreamboatrecoords.co.uk PETE FYFE

Alison Krauss Live From The Tracking Room (Rounder Records)

Perhaps it’s Alison’s beautiful smile beaming from the sleeve or the thoughts that inspire it that convey so much about this country gal done good. For those of you that haven’t heard the ‘angels from heaven’ vocal style that evokes memories of the sadly departed Karen Carpenter for its individuality then do yourself a favour and, by hook or by crook obtain a copy of this great DVD. Whether you’re a musician or not, everyone will appreciate the duets with, amongst others; James Taylor (How’s The World Treating You), Brad Paisley (Whiskey Lullaby) and “Lay Down Beside Me” with John Waite. The glittering array of top-notch musicians she surrounds herself with is based on a mutual respect shown to a truly great artist and includes Jerry Douglas on steel guitars, Abraham Laboriel Snr (bass guitar) and Gordon Mote on piano. Predominantly used to promote the album A Hundred Miles Or More (of which there isn’t a duff track!) this visual record shows an artist in her prime and should be required viewing for anyone interested in getting on in the music business. You can tell during the linked interviews with the band the empathy they all feel towards Alison and she is equally rewarded by her trust in them in getting exactly what she wants in putting across her lyrics. When expounding the virtues of Alison’s performance everyone agrees (this reviewer included!) that she has that rare, gently commanding charisma that endears her music to anyone who hears it. The photography, as expected is first class with plenty of close-ups on the musicians’ digital dexterity and also shows the intensity and passion of the singers. If you’ve just become aware of Alison or are a long established fan then this DVD is for you. For more information visit www.rounder.com PETE FYFE

Eric Bogle Live At Stonyfell Winery (Greentrax Recordings DVTRAX2022)

What better way than to celebrate his ‘retirement’ from performing in the UK than a DVD by singer-songwriter Eric Bogle. A visual record of Eric along with trusted sideman of many years John Munro (guitars, mandolins), Emma Luker (fiddle), Hastings own Pete Titchener (guitar), Damien Steele-Scott (electric bass) and Jon Jones (percussion) this recording proves an ideal souvenir for everyone out there who has enjoyed this proud Australian/Scot’s words and music over the years. The photography is first class with crystal clear close-ups of digital dexterity from the musicians and plenty of head and shoulder shots of the man himself. In amongst the 21 tracks are favourites including “Now I’m Easy”, “No Man’s Land” and the towering “The Band Played Waltzing Matilda”. Bogle would appear to be a very contented individual according to his observations in the interview section and, whether he likes it or not, as Munro points out he will leave this planet with a legacy of some of the finest ‘folk’ music ever written. Recording engineer Mick Wordley and director Corey Piper are to be roundly applauded for capturing a concert that is full of warmth and humour and is a vital record for those of us that were unable to attend any of Eric’s ‘final’ tour of the UK. Further information from www.greentrax.com PETE FYFE