Mary Humphreys and Anahata CD release

Subject: Mary Humphreys and Anahata CD release
From: treewind
Date: 13 Jul 03 - 11:16 AM

In case this thread failed to catch your attention, we have just released our new CD Sharp Practice. Subtitled "Rarities and Renovations" it's a collection of English traditional tunes and songs, four of the latter from Cecil Sharps collections, hence the title. Mary has done her usual research, putting words from one source to a good tune from another when necessary, and finding some amazing songs that others don't sing, possibly because they'd not been recorded by anyone else yet.

If that sounds a bit academic - the album is not like that. We had a lot of fun making it, and I 'm sure some of that comes out in the music.

Apart from being a sort of refresh for the other thread, this is also an announcement that there are now short (15-30 seconds) clips of many tracks. Follow the clicky above...

Unlike our first album "Through The Groves", two tracks of which are on the MudCat CD's, this a pressed CD on a proper label - Wild Goose WGS312CD.

PM or email me to get a copy, £13 postage free. Sorry we can't handle foreign money or credit cards. Outside the UK you'll be able be get a copy soon somehow - Camsco have other Wild Goose albums, and the Wild Goose website has some international distribution contacts but I think there are more than what's shown there.

Latest news: We sold 9 at the Sutton folk club last night, as well as three copies of "Through the Groves" - a good start!

Anahata

Subject: RE: Mary Humphreys and Anahata CD release
From: 8_Pints
Date: 13 Jul 03 - 11:46 AM

Catchy CD title!

Bob vG

Subject: RE: Mary Humphreys and Anahata CD release
From: a gud ole bwoy
Date: 14 Jul 03 - 04:34 AM

Well now, as I'm sitting here a typin this I'm a listening tu 'SHARP PRACTICE'and du yu know that's tuk me nigh on arf our to get this much dun, cos i'm doin too much listnin an not anuff tie pin, it's a reel good un.
If yu missed um ut Sutton why dunt yu cum along tu Whittlesford (Red Lion)this Saturdee, all FREE folk festival, there in the evenin concert und i bet they'll do a bit a singin und playin durin the day und all ( starts wi the muusic at 1pm)
I shent miss it, Free ent it, but mind you that'll cost me nine bob just tu git there, but yu hefter splash out now und agen dunt yur.
Cheerio

Subject: RE: Mary Humphreys and Anahata CD release
From: greg stephens
Date: 14 Jul 03 - 09:11 AM

Just had the pleasure of listening to this for the first time. Excellent stuff. A very stunning Barbara Allen with miraclously seemless weaving together of voice and cello lines. And the melodeon/concertina interplay on some of the tunes is remarkably well thought out. Not only ingenious, but it sounds good! Students who stopped at the Beginners Book of Folksong Theory often maintain that traditional music is essentially monodic, but English tunes have more than a thousand years of harmonc tradition beind them. So why not recognise that when you play them! Being a cello player(I presume) has convinced Anahata of the impotance of a good bass-line, and it really shows in the arrangements. Altogether a very interesting and reqwarding listen. Buy now while stocks last.

Subject: RE: Mary Humphreys and Anahata CD release
From: My guru always said
Date: 14 Jul 03 - 09:16 AM

Oh I just gotta get me one of these.... catch you both soon!!!

Subject: RE: Mary Humphreys and Anahata CD release
From: greg stephens
Date: 14 Jul 03 - 09:26 AM

I didnt really mesn the "impotance of a good bass line". In case you were wondering whether I meant "impotence" or "importance"...well, decide for yourself!

Subject: RE: Mary Humphreys and Anahata CD release
From: treewind
Date: 14 Jul 03 - 01:02 PM

Well Greg, some signs of age are beginning to show but it's not that bad yet!

Yes, the cello was my first instrument and years of playing orchestral parts (especially Bach and Handel etc. where the bass line is definitely just that but at the same time interesting) must have had some effect.

Thanks for the nice review - you must be one of the first people to have heard it, apart from some visitors to the Wild Goose Studio who got a sneak preview.

Anyone who remembers the instrumental tracks from the records made in the 70's by John Kirkpatrick and Sue Harris might recognize where I got the inspiration for some of those arrangements.

Hil (and anyone else!): Best place to get one soon is:
(a) The Old Rose and Crown, Walthamstow, this Thursday 17th
(b) The Red Lion, Whittlesford this Saturday (19th) tune session 1pm,
    concert in the evening (we're performing and it's a free festival)

Failing that, PM me for a snail mail address and we can do mail order at no extra cost.

Anahata

Subject: RE: Mary Humphreys and Anahata CD release
From: Kevin Sheils
Date: 14 Jul 03 - 01:19 PM


Hil (and anyone else!): Best place to get one soon is:
(a) The Old Rose and Crown, Walthamstow, this Thursday 17th

I guess that means we'll be seeing you both there, good. I think Ken will be contacting you re gigs etc

Anyone planning to come along to pick up the CD we do suffer from the 48 hours in advance members only PEL problem so "please" register for free membership at [e-mail] The main guest is that fine Irish singer Roisin White.

Subject: RE: Mary Humphreys and Anahata CD release
From: treewind
Date: 14 Jul 03 - 01:28 PM

Yes, we've decided to come this week, because we can't do next week (we're going to the Eric Bogle concert in Watford) and after that it's Sidmouth and after that it's far too far ahead to think about.

We saw Roisin at the Ryburn Spring Sing last(?) year - great singer!

Kevin, better make sure we are still members - no idea if/when it runs out. I hope we can set up shop with the CDs on your copious merchandise space...

Anahata

Subject: RE: Mary Humphreys and Anahata CD release
From: Kevin Sheils
Date: 14 Jul 03 - 01:32 PM

Membership never runs out (well there's no charge so no need to renew). We don't do it to raise subscriptions but because we have to.

There will be space for your CDs unless you're bringing the whole pressing.

Subject: RE: Mary Humphreys and Anahata CD release
From: GUEST
Date: 14 Jul 03 - 05:23 PM

If you think you've got enough of an audience to buy the whole
pressing... no, we'll be bringing what's left of the first batch of
100.

By the way, there's been a bit of a problem with the booklet -
some of the text in the middle two pages is missing and we've
printed replacements which you can staple in to make it complete on
the copies we've got. I've now heard from Alex who designed the
booklet and all his files are correct. It looks as if it's a
cockup by the manufacturers so there's a good change of getting a
free re-run, but it's out of my hands - when Doug Bailey gets back
from St Chartier he'll have to sort it out.

Nobody's complained yet, but if we get replacements I'll try to
get them out, even to our local gud ole bwoy if I can work out
who he/she is (er, hello, Roy...? your cover might be slipping)

Anahata

Subject: RE: Mary Humphreys and Anahata CD release
From: treewind
Date: 14 Jul 03 - 05:46 PM

Oops - that's what comes of using a different browser - no cookie!
That was me above, of course

Anahata

Subject: RE: Mary Humphreys and Anahata CD release
From: nickp
Date: 15 Jul 03 - 04:37 AM

And at Sidmouth Festival too I notice.

Subject: RE: Mary Humphreys and Anahata CD release
From: treewind
Date: 15 Jul 03 - 06:16 AM

Yes, we're on at The Arts Centre with The Ryburn 5 who have been let out on good behaviour (Pete + Sue Coe, Alice Jones, Chris Coe & Johnny Adams) and doing a couple of other sessions, in between numerous molly events and a couple of Anchor Gardens ceilidhs.

I hope there'll be CDs in the festival vendors stalls there - with the booklet cockup there might be a re-run and further delay.

We're also going to be a Whitby for the last couple of days of the folk week, on some sort of standby arrangement where we might get a singing spot somewhere if someone else drops out, we'll be at Bridgnorth some of the time and we've got our fingers crossed for Otley in September.

Oh, and The Old Rose and Crown, as promised by Kevin, on October 16th...

Anahata

Subject: RE: Mary Humphreys and Anahata CD release
From: treewind
Date: 16 Jul 03 - 01:16 PM

And the news is: new booklets will be printed!

I'll post them on to anyone who's had a CD already or gets one before the booklets arrive.

They should be with us in about a week.

Anahata

Subject: RE: Mary Humphreys and Anahata CD release
From: treewind
Date: 30 Jul 03 - 04:27 PM

Refresh and news update:

• the CDs with proper booklets are going to Sidmouth (minus shrink wrap 'cos there wasn't time to redo that)
  
• We'll get replacement booklets at Sidmouth, to send out when we get back.
  
• Expect an almost embarrassingly glowing review by Dave Kidman in "Stirrings" and possibly other magazines in a month or so. We are chuffed to bits!
  

Anahata

Subject: RE: Mary Humphreys and Anahata CD release
From: George Papavgeris
Date: 30 Jul 03 - 05:28 PM

A glowing review from David Kidman is precious indeed - he is known for not being afraid to call a spade a shovel (I'm still waiting for mine and confess to a mild concern...).

Mary, Anahata, you haven't extracted the price of a CD from me yet - if you can't emotionally blackmail friends, who can you blackmail, after all. So, next time we meet (soon, I hope), please make sure you have a copy (don't bother with shrink wrap, it will only make me more impatient and cause an increase in landfill) and I will gratefully exchange some coins of the realm for it!

Subject: RE: Mary Humphreys and Anahata CD release
From: treewind
Date: 30 Jul 03 - 05:48 PM

Dave is an old friend of Mary's - he's even 'collected' one of her songs - however I hope he's capable of being reasonably impartial despite that. He is a die hard traditionalist, of course, so he's going to be biased in our favour.

You should have asked at the Eric Bogle concert - we had some with us, but maybe you had other things on you mind... Never mind, hope to see you soon anyway George. And I'm looking forward to a copy of (even a rough mix) of your new one. After Sidmouth...

Anahata

Subject: RE: Mary Humphreys and Anahata CD release
From: yrlancslad
Date: 30 Jul 03 - 08:38 PM

Hi, I just played the new CD on my radio programme here in California and I think its great! Mary and Anahata are right up there with the Thelfalls as my favorite contemporary English singers.I hope to develop a following for you guys over here, then I don't have to come back to blighty to hear you.
PS No my love not I is my favorite!
malcolm

Subject: RE: Mary Humphreys and Anahata CD release
From: Mary Humphreys
Date: 31 Jul 03 - 08:25 AM

Thanks for your kind words. We would love to come and sing for you. Believe it or not, some of our friends have said that we are better live than on CD!
Multi-tracking is great and gives a very rich sound, but I much prefer singing to an audience of real live people rather than to a microphone in a recording studio. Even if we make mistakes - it is all part of the fun. That's why it's folk music - not mike music!
And Malcolm - you have picked my favourite too.
TTFN
Mary

Subject: RE: Mary Humphreys and Anahata CD release
From: treewind
Date: 26 Aug 03 - 09:19 AM

Update: someone asked (in the other thread, I think) where they could get a copy in the USA... the place to go seems to be:
Sidestreet Distributing
1100 N Washington
Lansing, MI 48906
800-315-6369

They should have it in stock - certainly listed in the online catalog, and I've just had an enthusiastic email forwarded to me, originally from Doug Berch at Sidestreet, who "listened to it several times over the weekend while on a long car trip."

So there you go.
Anahata

Subject: RE: Mary Humphreys and Anahata CD release
From: Roberto
Date: 03 Sep 03 - 11:34 AM

I have bought the CD Sharp Practice, and I'm listening to it over and over. I listen to a lot of traditional music from the British Isles and America, since many many years, and I think this recording is among the gems. This Barb'ry Ellen goes with the great recordings of this ballad. Mary Humphreys' singing is out of the ordinary, it reminds me of the dignity and majesty of Norma Waterson's. I do appreciate Anahata's playing, so important yet so full of discretion. Another song I like very much is Mermaid, in this unusual happy-ending version, that is not banal, but moving. Sharp Practice has been a surprise and a pleasure. Roberto

Subject: RE: Mary Humphreys and Anahata CD release
From: Mary Humphreys
Date: 03 Sep 03 - 01:18 PM

Thank you Roberto for your generous appraisal of our CD.
I am so glad you like the Mermaid. When I sing it, I imagine Sister Emma sitting in the dormitory, singing this to the children in her care, and reassuring her 'Disgusting Boys' that everything will be all right, come what may.
Cecil Sharp found a true gem in Sister Emma. There are a lot more of her songs I would like to record. One day perhaps.....
Mary

Subject: RE: Mary Humphreys and Anahata CD release
From: RoyH (Burl)
Date: 03 Sep 03 - 02:02 PM

I've just reviewd this CD for the Welsh magazine Taplas, October edition. Only allowed 100-150 words I'm afraid so had to condense my opinions somewhat but the gist was that this is an excellent debut and I am now a fan. I recommend the album and I look forward to hearing them live sometime. Burl.

Subject: RE: Mary Humphreys and Anahata CD release
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 03 Sep 03 - 05:42 PM

And, of course, you can get it at CAMSCO. 800/548-FOLK (3655). And help the 'Cat at the same time.

Subject: RE: Mary Humphreys and Anahata CD release
From: treewind
Date: 03 Sep 03 - 06:03 PM

Thanks Dick - I didn't mention CAMSCO before because I didn't know whether you had it in stock yet. This is good news!

And Roberto and Roy (a.k.a. burl), thanks for your kind words and I hope we get to see a copy of Taplas. We have contacts in the appropriate area...

Anahata

Subject: RE: Mary Humphreys and Anahata CD release
From: George Papavgeris
Date: 13 Oct 03 - 11:03 AM

I got my copy eventually and I am only sorry I didn't get it earlier - I have missed MONTHS of listening to it...
Gorgeous CD, M&A - not only are the performances at the top of your (already high) standard, but the whole selection of material is so well balanced, it makes for a very "rounded" listening experience.
Why, it's almost as good as listening to you live!
I said "almost".

Subject: RE: Mary Humphreys and Anahata CD release
From: Alio
Date: 13 Oct 03 - 01:28 PM

It's an excellent CD. Someone from the record company sent me a copy to play on my radio programme, and I thoroughly enjoyed listening to it. Only one problem - it's so good, that it was very difficult to select one track! Oh well, I'll just have to play some more over the next few weeks! Looking forward to seeing Mary and Anahata "live" now.

Ali

Subject: RE: Mary Humphreys and Anahata CD release
From: The Borchester Echo
Date: 13 Oct 03 - 01:44 PM

You can see Anahata and Mary at the Old Rose & Crown this Thursday. Not to be missed.   I'll be there!

Subject: RE: Mary Humphreys and Anahata CD release
From: treewind
Date: 14 Oct 03 - 04:52 PM

Oh dear - More booklet embarrassment!

I mention in the booklet that the tune The India War can be found in Mike Raven's book of English country dance tunes. This is quite correct, but I've just had a phone call from Mike himself to point out the important extra detail that he actually wrote the tune. I could have worked this out because it says somewhere that he wrote all the tunes in that section of his book...

There isn't going to be a recall and reprint for this (!) but I thought it would be good to put the record straight.

We do have new booklets with the correct middle section (see earlier in thread for that story) for anyone who has only the temporary fix we did on the earlier ones.

See you at the Old Rose and Crown, again!

Anahata