FolkWorld Issue 38 03/2009
Label:
Own label; 2008
The CD starts with the hypnotic “Rack and Ruin” and the cool sound of the harmonica, London’s bewitching voice and his beautiful finger picking. The music instantly captures the listener and ensnares him with it’s simple but haunting arrangements. There are few musicians that are able to do so; if I should compare his music to someone well known I’d say Sting. The rhythmic title track is an all solo performance with voice, guitar and programming. The words tell of a lonely busker yearning for an attentive audience; well Jon London has at least one that really listens, me. His music is a fusion of different styles mainly Folk, Blues, Rock and Jazz. Especially with Banton on double bass he develops a breathtaking jazzy sound like on my favourite song “Come round when the racings on”. London’s beautiful voice, roll-licking guitar riffs and cool double bass melt together to an innovative and remarkable song.
With his debut Jon London has shown that you don’t need big arrangements and names to produce an outstanding album. This guy is certainly someone to listen to, don’t hesitate to visit his website.
www.jonlondon.co.uk
Adolf 'gorhand' Goriup
Label:
Own label; 2007
Lou is a wonderful singer with a soft voice and a great feeling for rhythm, which she proves with the outstanding opening song “Morning Light”. Gav’s Conga playing, the rhythmic guitars and Lou’s singing are some of the finest playing together on the album. But you also can hear beautiful melancholic ballads like “These Arms” or folk songs with beautiful finger-picking and harmony vocals like “A Scenic View”. Lou sings “Isn’t She amazing?” and I’ve got to say yes she is as well as the musicians on her album.
“What are you singing about?” she asks on the title track with the catchy melody and the intoxicating rhythm; the way she does it is brilliant anyhow. Lou Brown has recorded an album that is really worth listening to; get an idea of her music at her website or buy the CD, I’m sure you’ll like it.
www.loubrownmusic.com
Adolf 'gorhand' Goriup
Label:
Celtic Collections; 2008
The idea came from Aengus Fanning, executive producer, who wrote the only song that was previously unreleased, “the last wave”, an up tempo jazz song, featuring Richie Buckley on saxophones and Paul Sweeney on trumpet. On “nobody knows you when you’re down and out” Sweeney showcases together with Myles Drennan on piano and drums, Dave Fleming on double bass, Buckley on guitar – including a terrific voice backed guitar solo – as well as Ronnie on lead vocals his talented Armstrong-like trumpet playing; this cool jazz ballad by Jimmy Cox is my favourite track. But not only Ireland’s great jazz musicians have been invited. Ronnie sings a duet with folk singer Damien Dempsey on Shane McGowan’s “rainy night in Soho” and jazz singer Mary Coughlan joins him on “we had it all” by Mike Hanrahan. Classical trained tenor singer Emmanuel Lawler sings with Ronnie on “Loves own sweet song” and Ronnie recites a Willie Buckley poem to a musical theme by Hugh Buckley accompanied by guitar and Ciaran Wilde on clarinet.
Another highlight brings us back to the origins, when Ronnie brings forward “Molly Malone”, arranged by Buckley in a jazzy way without destroying the raw beauty of this traditional song. Well and that’s what the album represents: a wonderful fusion of traditional and jazz music, featuring some top jazz musicians from Ireland as well as great singers coming from different genres, all together paying respect to the work of the other, a wonderful heritage of one of the pioneers of Irish Folk Music.
www.celticcollections.com
Adolf 'gorhand' Goriup
Label:
Own label; 2008
The title track is a hauntingly beautiful Country Song from Pateman, who also sings the lead vocals. Ivan Rosenberg adds his Dobro sound to Rogalsky’s clawhammer banjo and Watson’s mandolin, a great sample of Americana songwriting. Following up you can hear some of the best sound you can find on the other side of the big pond; there’re Hillbilly (Long Time Mama), passionate Blues ballades (Hospital Moon), Bluegrass songs (That’s where I lay down) as well as beautiful Country songs (Leaving California) and a breathtaking and “slightly adapted” gospel song by Rev. Gary Davis (I belong to that band). “Jethro’s Chocolates” (Rogalsky) is the only instrumental track on the CD and an exceptional witty tune brought forward perfectly by the quartet on mandolin, banjo, guitar and bass. Another highlight is the stunning Bluegrass performance on “Cold Nights” (Watson).
With their new album The Breakmen have established themselves on top of the Americana scene, for me it is one of the best albums of the genre. All four are fine singers and highly talented songwriters and musicians.
www.thebreakmen.com
Adolf 'gorhand' Goriup
Label:
Folkways;
40179; 2008
Label:
Zohoroots;
200802; 2008
Label:
Brambus records;
200838-2; 2008
Label:
Own label; 2008
Label:
Acoustic music records;
319.1400.2; 2008
Label:
Rudolphon; rdp 190; 2008
Label:
Own label; 2008
Label:
Valve;
9087; 2007
Label:
Damaged Goods Records;
297-CD; 2008
Label:
Own label; 2008
Label:
Mojo Rodeo; 1950; 2008
Swamp Cabbage with their latest CD Squeal. This USA band mixes blues, gospel, jazz and rock in a solid and tasty blend. Even some soul and ragtime can be spotted in the rich sound of this trio. Three strong musicians in ten original songs. I love the lead vocals by Walter Park, who has a kind of Waits-vocal-approach. But also the well arranged and played guitars, bass and drums should be mentioned. A strong album with a good vibe and ditto music. Their webpage is great too, Go there!
Andy Egert and his blues band, can be heard live on I’m a blues man. For over twenty years Egert is a seen live act in both his home country Switzerland and abroad. This is his sixth album, this time with thirteen live recordings. Guitar, vocals, bas and drums (oh yes, and an occasional harmonica) that are the ingredients of this fine, straight on, blues-rock album. Egert shows to be a strong guitarist and a nice singer, although I find his singing a bit to decent for the extravert style of blues he is playing, but beside that a very nice album with some great guitar solo’s and a solid drummer and bassist. The next CD is by
Max Wolff. This Danish musician/composer started 20 years ago performing and since then he has been educated himself in composing, singing and playing the guitar. Blues has always been part of his music besides hillbilly and countryblues. Got you on my mind contains sixteen songs. Most of them original compositions but also Hometown blues by Steve Earl, Police dog blues by Arthur Blake and the Hank Williams song Honky tonk blues. On twelve tracks it’s only Wolff and his guitar and on the other four he is backed in a very sober way by piano, harmonica and percussion. Wolff plays the blues in a pure, acoustic way. His calm way of singing fit’s perfectly to his gentle finger picking. It’s relaxing blues and Wolff sings in such a way that the lyrics are understandable and I like that very much. He found the right balance between instrument and lyrics, a balance many musicians find very hard to find. From Denmark to Germany where Steve Baker & Dick Bird
have recorded King kazoo for the German Acoustic music label. Fourteen blues songs from this duo on guitar, harmonica and vocals. They are backed by a bass/drum and (of course) kazoo trio. Steve Baker has over thirty years experience and has been playing on countless recordings in a wide range of music styles. On this album he shows to be a great harmonica player, which is not surprise seen the fact that he is the author of several harmonica literature. Dick Bird is his partner on this album, a solid guitarist with a ditto voice. He sings and plays the blues in a direct way, without any pretensions. This King kazoo is a happy, easy going album with mainstream blues. Nothing more, nothing less. Another blues duo;
Georg Schroeter & Marc Breitfelder. A German duo that, for twenty years already, form a blues band together. On this 2-CD live album they play fourteen songs, including Clapton’s Runnin on faith and Fogerty’s Sunnyland. Most of the other songs are composed by one or both of the musicians. After a nice instrumental intro in which the harmonica almost sounds like an over-aged violin, some friendly, easy going blues sounds through my living room. The combination of piano, harmonica and vocals only is interesting in the beginning but after one CD it’s a bit to much of the same for me. But than, I’m a folky and not a bluesman. Honest, acoustic music. Might be nice for those who like blues in a non traditional setting. From Germany to Denmark;
Tim Lothar has been active in the Danish world of blues for many years. In it for the ride is his latest album with mostly self penned material but also a Charley Patton, Robert Johnson and a traditional. Except for an occasional keyboard, it’s only Lothar’s voice and guitar that does the trick. The result is a nice, personal album with decent finger picking and promising vocals although I personally think his voice would benefit from a bit more ‘age-wear’. Nevertheless a fine album from a fine singer-songwriter. Back to Germany for a live album by
Spencer Bohren. A blues singer who’s sixteenth album this is. Falling in love with the guitar at a young age, surrounded by gospel, folk, blues and all these related styles, he has the music deep inside him. As you all know by now, I’m not a blues specialist, but Bohren catches my mind from the first moment. The CD starts with his own composition Night is falling. A beautiful piece of music with a sad and dreamy guitar and strong vocals. The next song Morning blues is a much more traditional sounding blues song, nice but not as beautiful as Night is falling. These two songs reflect the two sides of this album. With some songs he makes me forget the world around me. Listen to his version of Wade in the water, a really nice recording where he manages to get the best out of him. But the other side is a song like Lovesick blues which sound great but doesn’t make me want to stop what I’m doing. On these songs I hear a strong musician, on the others I hear a personality. Maybe that’s the best way to describe the difference.
Pete Molinari is a singer-songwriter from the Medway delta. He plays country-blues and has a remarkable falsetto voice. On his second album A virtual landslide Molinari surprises me completely with his irresistible way of singing and some solid country-blues. His music has this authentic fifties/sixties sound, music that sounds simple but has such a perfect structure and has the right effect; taking me away to a different place in a different time. Listen to Oh so lonesome for you in which his voice reaches great heights. Although a very different style than I usually listen to, this might be one of the more interesting records I heard in 2008. It has a rare kind of pureness which I like a lot. Then the German band
Hootin the Blues from the Westfalian countryside. This band sings songs by Willie Dixon, Hank Williams, Sam Cook, traditionals and a lot more. The first thing that I notice is the lack of balance between the vocals and the instruments, somehow I got the feeling it doesn’t quit match. Second of all compared to all these other blues CD’s this is the less professional one, with standard style music and a bit to much on the country-blues cliché. Doesn’t work for me, sitting in my living room, being sober and all alone.
Paul Rishell & Annie Raines just released their fifth album called A night in Woodstock which indeed is a live album with special guests JohnSebastian and Bruce Katz. Thirteen tracks including some by Louis Armstrong, Johnny Winter, Jack Clement and a few own compositions. It’s nice acoustic blues music with a good old traditional vibe. Certainly interesting for lovers of the acoustic blues.
www.swampcabbage.com,
www.andyegert.ch,
www.maxwolff.dk,
www.stevebaker.de,
www.bluestour.de,
www.timlothar.com,
www.spencerbohren.com,
www.petemolinari.com,
www.hootingblues.de,
www.paulandannie.com
Eelco Schilder
Label:
Extraplatte;
ex 814-2; 2009
www.lostorpedos.org
Eelco Schilder
Label:
Own label; 2008
www.azadoota.com
Eelco Schilder
Label:
Own label; 2007
Label:
Traditional crossroads;
4334; 2008
www.mariammatossian.com
Eelco Schilder
Label:
Enja / Agua;
08-001; 2009
www.myspace.com/nicolaspirillo
Eelco Schilder
Label:
ARC music;
EUCD 2190; 2008
www.arcmusic.co.uk
Eelco Schilder
Label:
Ahoj records; 2008
www.p-k.info
Eelco Schilder
Label:
Peregrina Music;
PM50552; 2008
www.peregrinamusic.de
Eelco Schilder
Label:
Own label; 2008
www.gerryobeirne.com
Eelco Schilder
Label:
Buda musique;
860167; 2008
www.barbara-furtuna.fr
Eelco Schilder
Label:
Large river music;
4106; 2008
www.katecampbell.com
Eelco Schilder
Label:
Valve;
8087; 2008
www.michaelwestonking.com
Eelco Schilder
Label:
Chou ;
0802; 2008
Label:
Own label; 2008
www.choux.net,
www.taxi-sandanski.de
Eelco Schilder
Label:
Bell; BLCD08; 2008
www.johnnyduhan.com
Eelco Schilder
Label:
Navigator records;
17; 2008
www.bellowhead.co.uk
Eelco Schilder
Label:
Intrepid records; 4217; 2008
www.ulrike-dangendorf.de
Eelco Schilder
Label:
Traditional crossroads;
4339; 2008
www.klezmermountainboys.com
Eelco Schilder
Label:
EMI; 5099922942326; 2008?
www.mariza.com
Eelco Schilder
Label:
Galileo;
BAY004; 2008
Label:
Crocodiles music;
BM-A04; 2009
www.adjiri-musik.de,
www.bmayo.de
Eelco Schilder
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© The Mollis - Editors of FolkWorld; Published 03/2009
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