Sam Lee on Front Row (BBC Radio 4)

Subject: RE: Sam Lee on Front Row (BBC Radio 4)
From: Phil Edwards
Date: 07 Jul 12 - 04:12 PM

The Bellamy tune is a masterpiece. I sort of wish Sam had stuck a bit closer to it really, but that's a very minor gripe.

I wish he'd just taken it a touch faster - the tune gets a bit lost in places - but that's a problem with a number of OAT contributions for some reason.

Subject: RE: Sam Lee on Front Row (BBC Radio 4)
From: Marje
Date: 07 Jul 12 - 01:43 PM

I'm listening to some stuff from his website right now. I don't usually enjoy fussy modern arrangements of folk songs, but this is quite refreshing, because he sings so well and with such repect for the song and what it's about. I could get to like this.

Marje

Subject: RE: Sam Lee on Front Row (BBC Radio 4)
From: GUEST,Blandiver
Date: 07 Jul 12 - 01:38 PM

Re Puck's Song. I often sing it very slowly to the morris tune London Pride (AKA Idbury Hill). Fit's like glove, and sort of confirms the Bellamy remit with respect of Kipling with the Tradition. The Bellamy tune is a masterpiece. I sort of wish Sam had stuck a bit closer to it really, but that's a very minor gripe.

Sam Lee excites me in the same way Grayson Perry does - both are inspired in their unique visions of traditional culture. Sort of makes it all worthwhile really. A pure joy.

Subject: RE: Sam Lee on Front Row (BBC Radio 4)
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 07 Jul 12 - 01:11 PM

Yes, Sam is a very talented young man and deserves all the help and encouragement we can offer him. I find it very exciting and incredible that he is still finding singing travellers that are unknown to the folk revival, and some very interesting stuff too. For instance the only known version of The Barley and the Rye comes down to us from Harry Cox. The only other source is a 17th century broadside. Sam has turned up another few verses of this rare song.

Sam is based in London, but is collecting material on the south coast somewhere. If anyone in that area genuinely wants to offer help and expertise please PM me. Unfortunately I am many miles away in Yorkshire, but I have already offered help with identifying songs and fragments.

Subject: RE: Sam Lee on Front Row (BBC Radio 4)
From: Phil Edwards
Date: 07 Jul 12 - 01:08 PM

He's got quite a strong vision, I think. I worked out a totally new and different arrangement of Puck's Song for 52 folk songs, only to discover when I played it back that it was obviously influenced by Sam Lee's version. It's like gravity - some people are hard not to be influenced by.

Subject: Sam Lee on Front Row (BBC Radio 4)
From: GUEST,Blandiver
Date: 07 Jul 12 - 12:59 PM

Caught Sam Lee by accident on Front Row on Radio 4 last night by accident. Great stuff! Listen again:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01kbm15

Who's Sam Lee? Well, he did a cracking Puck's Song on the OAK ASH THORN Folk Police album, and he's doing Great Works in the name o' Folk, offering new perspectives well deserving of our close attention.

Singer Sam Lee gave up being a visual artist, a teacher of wilderness survival skills and a burlesque dancer, to learn folk songs. He talks about collecting material from gypsy and traveller communities for his CD, Ground of its Own, and the sounds - including birdsong and drones - that he has added to his interpretations.