The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #61060   Message #982338
Posted By: dick greenhaus
13-Jul-03 - 10:18 AM
Thread Name: Musical Traditions Records - CD sets
Subject: RE: Musical Traditions Records - CD sets
Hi-
Musical Traditions CDs (there are about 20 of them now, both singles and 2-CD sets) are the work of Rod Stradling. Mr Stradling is both knowledgeable and dedicated, which is an endearing combination--he produces recordings that are "conceived with the intention of bringing music which might never achieve commercial publication to the small audience which values it." IMO, he is succeeding magnificantly.

With the exception of a 2-CD set of Kevin and Ellen Mitchell (2 fine professional singers), MT has concentrated on what is variously known as "roots" or "field" recordings, almost entirely from the UK. THese are mostly single-performer CDs, though "Up in the North, Down in the South" and Just Another Saturday Night" are pub recordings f several singers.

There's a complete listing at the Musical TRaditions website; there's also one CD which is a sampler of MT's catalog. Particularly notable (again my opinion) are the Two 2-CD sets of "Far in the Mountains", a record of Mike Yate's retracing the footsteps of Cecil Sharp some 75 years after. They're brilliant reminders that this nmusic--American mountain music--is alive and well (or at least was in 1979-1982.)

FRankly, I'm a fervent MT enthuiast. THe recordings are top-quality, the artists are well worth listening to and the accompanying notes and booklets are superb.As I said before, CAMSCO is proud to help make these available in the US.