Folk music

[Fixtures]

All the labels people put on music stops it getting to new listeners.
Personally I can find something in all forms of music that I enjoy. My least favourites are rap or hip hop and modern jazz but I can find examples in even those genres that I can listen to.
Going back to folk music though - a lot of what Springsteen has done is "folky" even apart from the "Seeger Sessions" stuff, early American blues musicians played American folk music and if you want to listen to their roots you're going back to field hollers on the one hand and bluegrass on the other. I love the blues but I wouldn't class myself as a fan of bluegrass but without one there wouldn't be the other.

Wise words indeed.

 

[Icy Gull]

Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash - Girl of the North County
Sandy Denny-Tomorrow is a long time
Paul Simon - Sound of Silence
Dylan- Blowin in the Wind

 

[Trufflehound]

The Albion Dance Band - The Prospect Before Us

Tried and tested ENGLISH folk music. And the only album ever recorded with live Morris dancing in the studio.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

The Albion Dance Band - The Prospect Before Us

Tried and tested ENGLISH folk music. And the only album ever recorded with live Morris dancing in the studio.

A band with good Sussex connections as well.

 

[Grendel]

I'm partial to a bit of The Pentangle every now and then. I've never met anyone else that's even heard of them, let alone rates them, though.

 

[Trufflehound]

I'm partial to a bit of The Pentangle every now and then. I've never met anyone else that's even heard of them, let alone rates them, though.

Course I've heard of Pentangle. Didn't it used to be on the top shelf in the newsagent, between Playboy and Men Only?

 

[cheshunt seagull]

I am not a folkie but it makes a nice change from thrashing electric guitars.

Some of my favourites:

Let The Cold Wind Blow: Kate Rusby
Beeswing: Richard Thompson
A Heart Needs A Home: Richard & Linda Thompson
Bay of Biscay: Waterson Carthy
King of Rome: June Tabor
The Snow It Melts The Soonest: Anne Briggs
Needle of Death: Bert Jansch
Sandy Denny: Its Suits Me Well
Crazy Man Michael: Fairport Convention
City of Chicago: Christy Moore
The Town I Loved So Well: Paddy Reilly
Spancil Hill: The Dubliners
(Talk To Me Of) Mendocino: Kate & Anna McGarrigle
Albion Heart: The Albion Band
The Galway Farmer: Show of Hands

 

[Lord Bracknell]

I'm partial to a bit of The Pentangle every now and then. I've never met anyone else that's even heard of them, let alone rates them, though.

Heard of them? Certainly. Saw them at the Dome once. Bert Jansch, John Renbourn, Jacqui McShee - great performers all.

 

[Fourteenth Eye]

Seth Lakeman is where it is at. Mercury nominated violin shredding genius

Also playing the concorde on 9th Oct

 

[Deano's Right Foot]

Heard of them? Certainly. Saw them at the Dome once. Bert Jansch, John Renbourn, Jacqui McShee - great performers all.

...and not forgetting Danny Thompson.

I've worked with music for many years and had the pleasure of working with a few folkies - as far as the Brits go John Martyn deserves a mention, and of course the extended family of the Fairports, Nick Drake, Richard Thompson, Sandy Denny, Albion Dance Band, Dave Swarbrick were/are all the cream of the crop.

Of the newer folkies I love the Hank Dogs and The Eighteenth Day of May are pretty good also.

Must get along to Cambridge Folk Festival one year soon - haven't been for yonks.

 

[Mr Blobby]

A lot of the bands I like are influenced by folk or may even be considered folk(ish) bands. The Men They Couldnt Hang, The Saw Doctors, The Levellers, Springsteen are all still going. I have CDs and saw All About Eve many times, even a lot of the Pogues best stuff could be considered Irish Folk music. Runrig are another band with a big Folk influence. Enya/Clannad as well! Dubliners/Jethro Tull....the list could go on..............

Somebody earlier mentioned the Lowlands of Holland, the Levellers did a great cover of that song, used to play it live all the time but not for a long time.

The youngsters of today do not know what a good tune is ..................

 

[Kenneth Wattle]

Easy. Mulligan and O'Hare

 

[Grendel]

Heard of them? Certainly. Saw them at the Dome once. Bert Jansch, John Renbourn, Jacqui McShee - great performers all.

A man of taste

 

[Skaville]

Check out locally based Martha Tilston, daughter of Steve. Very good and plays a lot locally. Was picked out as one to watch for 2007 by Observer Music Monthly.

http://www.wupadupa.com/artists/martha/

 

[NMH]

I'm partial to a bit of The Pentangle every now and then. I've never met anyone else that's even heard of them, let alone rates them, though.

Basket of Light, Pentangling..... good band.
Bert Jansch and John Renbourne are always worth a listen, for quality guitar.

 

[NMH]

Tim Buckley got a mention, I liked the tune 'Buzzin Fly'.

Dylan should really always get namechecked, but then - he would virtually dominate a lot of best-of lists.

I avoided naming folk-blues in my own list, because then the whole blues genre would be included (another thread of its' own!).

 

[severnside gull]

Shirley and Dolly Collins and the Albion Country Band hail from Hastings Great grass roots folk

 

[Icy Gull]

Tim Buckley got a mention, I liked the tune 'Buzzin Fly'.

Dylan should really always get namechecked, but then - he would virtually dominate a lot of best-of lists.

QUOTE]

Although his folk days were over after the Newport Folk Festival when an irate Peter Seeger wanted to axe the power cable as Dylan was patently not playing Folk music, apparently

 

[Icy Gull]

Would I get away with suggesting Alice's Restaurant by Arlo Guthrie


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_7C0QGkiVo

 

[NMH]

...and not forgetting Danny Thompson.

I've worked with music for many years and had the pleasure of working with a few folkies - as far as the Brits go John Martyn deserves a mention, and of course the extended family of the Fairports, Nick Drake, Richard Thompson, Sandy Denny, Albion Dance Band, Dave Swarbrick were/are all the cream of the crop.

Of the newer folkies I love the Hank Dogs and The Eighteenth Day of May are pretty good also.

Must get along to Cambridge Folk Festival one year soon - haven't been for yonks.

Very knowledgeable and informative post DRF - what capacity of work in music, out of interest?

By the way, the extended Fairports should get Iain Matthews mentioned n'est pas? In the original band, he has put out about 20 albums since. Most include some cover tunes, but he's also adept at writing his own. 'Pure and Crooked' is worthwhile for the uninitiated, and has great examples of his own, and excellent covers ('Mercy Street' is sublime, for example, as with his own 'Bridge of Cherokee')