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07 Aug 08 - 08:44 AM (#2407493) Subject: Review: Archie Fisher 'Windward Away' From: maeve Please join me in celebrating the new cd release from my friend Archie Fisher; thirteen years in the making. It's on the Red House label, found here: http://www.redhouserecords.com/ Don't look for critical commentary from me, folks. I've waited for this for a very long time, and I'm more than delighted by what I'm hearing. Archie's guitar work continues to fill my ears with the beauty of the Borderlands, the sea, Ontario, a beloved horse. He sings of all of these, as well as of friendship and love. New tracks included are: Borderlands, Ontario Dust, Bonnie Border Lass, Windward Away, Surge of the Sea, River and the Road, Shepherd on the Hill, Every Man's Heart, Ride Through the Rainbow, Speak Your Name, Before Eternity I've had an early version of "Windward Away" (in poem form, then called "Neptune's Daughter) framed on my wall since the early 1980s, and had in fact set it to music before I learned it was still under revision. I finally know how it was resolved! Along with the new tracks, there are eight tracks from a once-missing master recorded on the Blackbird label when he was touring with Tommy Makem and Liam Clancy. Tracks from the missing master are: Final Trawl, The Winter It Is Past, Silver Coin, Star of Belle Isle, Ashfields and Brine, Eire Lingers, Cuillins of Home, Joy of My Heart. Some of the "missing master" instrumentation surprised me, yet I enjoyed all of the older cuts. Supporting musicians include Archie Fisher, Flyde, David Paton, Allan Barty, Lucy Cowan, Francis Cowan, Christina Cowan, Mike Whellans. The sound is clean, the musicianship exquisite, and I am so very happy to have this album at long last. I will be learning and singing every one I can glue to my memory. Thank you to Red House Records, to Hart Street Studios, engineer Roy Ashby, all of the musicians, and to Archie. I am grateful to have this music at long last. |
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07 Aug 08 - 09:26 AM (#2407518) Subject: RE: Review: Archie Fisher 'Windward Away' From: Charley Noble Thanks for bringing this CD to my attention. Cheerily, Charley Noble |
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07 Aug 08 - 09:30 AM (#2407520) Subject: RE: Review: Archie Fisher 'Windward Away' From: Alio I love the "old" tracks which were recorded back in the 70's - in fact I've chosen one of them, The Final Trawl, to play on Sounds of Folk on Monday evening. It's an excellent album. Ali |
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07 Aug 08 - 09:30 AM (#2407522) Subject: RE: Review: Archie Fisher 'Windward Away' From: Effsee Also available in UK from Greentrax Records. |
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07 Aug 08 - 09:38 AM (#2407530) Subject: RE: Review: Archie Fisher 'Windward Away' From: maeve Thanks Charley, and Alio- I'm glad you've chosen to include a cut on your show. That's great. Yes, Effsee, thanks for mentioning Greentrax. Ian Green always has wonderful music. He's done a lot to bring out good music and gifted musicians. Still listening to it all. |
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07 Aug 08 - 10:00 AM (#2407550) Subject: RE: Review: Archie Fisher 'Windward Away' From: maeve "Before Eternity" That's the one I must sing first. |
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07 Aug 08 - 10:05 AM (#2407553) Subject: RE: Review: Archie Fisher 'Windward Away' From: Barry Finn This is great, as is anything coming from Archie. Does this mean he may also consider touring to promote the CD. It's been to long since seeing him live tooooo. Barry |
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07 Aug 08 - 10:22 AM (#2407569) Subject: RE: Review: Archie Fisher 'Windward Away' From: maeve Archie tours in Canada for the most part, since our dear land is hard on visiting musicians. I'm looking into it and hoping, Barry. If anything seems likely I'll post it here. |
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07 Aug 08 - 10:54 AM (#2407596) Subject: RE: Review: Archie Fisher 'Windward Away' From: maeve Just me again: I also must learn his version of Graham Miles' "Shepherd On the Hill" maeve |
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07 Aug 08 - 12:21 PM (#2407672) Subject: RE: Review: Archie Fisher 'Windward Away' From: nutty Just listened to some clips .... a definite "must have" for me |
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07 Aug 08 - 02:20 PM (#2407764) Subject: RE: Review: Archie Fisher 'Windward Away' From: Willie-O "Archie tours in Canada for the most part, since our dear land is hard on visiting musicians"...which dear land is that then, dear? I'm so happy to hear this. A few years back I had the great thrill of opening for Archie when he played Perth, ON. (and frankly, if he tours only in Canada, he needs to get out more, we haven't seen him since). The peak of my career. At that time, he had zero recorded product available for sale at his gigs. A friend of mine actually brought a bunch of Archie's old LP's for display in the foyer so it wouldn't seem so empty...oh my god, I have to go buy this right now! Keep at it Archie. Thanks Maeve. W-O brimming over... |
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07 Aug 08 - 02:23 PM (#2407770) Subject: RE: Review: Archie Fisher 'Windward Away' From: bankley there's something so soothing about Mr Archie's voice.... 'Gunsmoke and Whiskey'....I suppose |
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07 Aug 08 - 04:54 PM (#2407881) Subject: RE: Review: Archie Fisher 'Windward Away' From: SINSULL That Archie! LOL THanks Maeve. |
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08 Aug 08 - 08:06 AM (#2408326) Subject: RE: Review: Archie Fisher 'Windward Away' From: maeve More information, here |
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08 Aug 08 - 08:40 AM (#2408339) Subject: RE: Review: Archie Fisher 'Windward Away' From: Stewie 'Ontario Dust' is as good as anything he has ever done. Important thoughts/images evoked so simply and effectively. Lovely! --Stewie. |
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08 Aug 08 - 08:47 AM (#2408346) Subject: RE: Review: Archie Fisher 'Windward Away' From: maeve Yes, Stewie, I agree. I'm glad some folks are pleased with the news of this new album. I was sure someone with more talent as reviewer would have started a thread, but I love the cd and the friend who made it and I couldn't wait any longer. |
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08 Aug 08 - 03:08 PM (#2408643) Subject: RE: Review: Archie Fisher 'Windward Away' From: Art Thieme Stewie, It's good to hear your cyber voice. We do seem to be here less than once we were. I had an interesting thing to occur today. We hit a pothole that was so deep that when we looked down in there, a family from Melbourne was way down in the bottom o' it having breakfast! They said they knew of you from Mudcat but they'd not ever got as far as your Darwin to meet ya in person. --- Surely, it's a shrinking world we inhabit these days. All the best to you folks, Art Thieme |
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08 Aug 08 - 06:15 PM (#2408861) Subject: RE: Review: Archie Fisher 'Windward Away' From: black walnut We heard Archie Fisher in concert this week at the Celtic College in Goderich (Ontario, Canada - on the beautiful shore of Lake Huron) and he'll be singing this weekend at the Goderich Celtic Roots Festival, as well. He was magnificent, as always! Click here for the Goderich Celtic Roots Festival. ~b.w. |
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08 Aug 08 - 06:52 PM (#2408886) Subject: RE: Review: Archie Fisher 'Windward Away' From: maeve black walnut- If there was any way I could shoot up there to Goderich College this minute I'd be on the road now. I wish... That looks like a tremendous opportunity for anyone who loves the music. What a line-up! Thanks for posting. I'm delighted you could hear and see Archie, even if I cannot. maeve |
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09 Aug 08 - 12:39 AM (#2409059) Subject: RE: Review: Archie Fisher 'Windward Away' From: Stewie Hi Art, likewise it is good to hear from you. I will PM you tomorrow. Regards, Stewie. |
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09 Aug 08 - 10:57 AM (#2409283) Subject: RE: Review: Archie Fisher 'Windward Away' From: karen k Thanks Maeve. Knew it was coming but didn't know it was out. First saw Archie about 1974 or 75 when Jean Redpath was teaching at Wesleyan in CT and brought him to play at the Sounding Board in Hartford. Subsequently got to know his sisters Ray and Cilla. Amazing family. Wonder how Ray is doing. I'll be getting this cd real soon. karen kobela |
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09 Aug 08 - 12:44 PM (#2409351) Subject: RE: Review: Archie Fisher 'Windward Away' From: maeve Hello, Karen. Ray is doing better. |
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09 Aug 08 - 08:45 PM (#2409614) Subject: RE: Review: Archie Fisher 'Windward Away' From: karen k Thanks, Maeve. Very glad to hear that. k |
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18 Aug 08 - 09:01 AM (#2416743) Subject: RE: Review: Archie Fisher 'Windward Away' From: maeve I came across this additional review this morning. http://www.musicscotland.com/acatalog/Archie_Fisher_-_Windward_Away_.html |
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18 Aug 08 - 03:00 PM (#2417096) Subject: RE: Review: Archie Fisher 'Windward Away' From: KathWestra This has not been out of my CD player since I heard about it on Lester Simpson & Mick Peat's BBC Derby radio show, "Folkwaves," a few weeks ago. I ordered it from RedHouse immediately. Agree about Ontario Dust. Great, evocative song. Not sure about the Graham Miles piece. Beautiful tune, and beautifully sung, but the words were a wee bit too depressing for my taste. Maeve, I'm with you about "Before Eternity." It's my kind of song. Maybe you can get the Quasimodal Chorus to do an arrangement? Otherwise I'm going to call you up and insist we harmonize on the phone, because it's the one I need to learn too. Having worked with Archie 30 years ago, when I played cello on his Folk-Legacy LP, "Man With a Rhyme," I have long been an admirer of Archie's amazing musicianship and songwriting ability. This new CD is an extraordinary testament to both. Definitely worth waiting for. Kathy |
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18 Aug 08 - 11:03 PM (#2417428) Subject: RE: Review: Archie Fisher 'Windward Away' From: maeve Kath- Wonderful to see your post here! I'd love to do a choral arrangement and I'd love to sing it with you, preferably in person! Stay in touch, eh? When I hear or sing the Graham Miles piece, I don't find it depressing. The "Loneliness" refrain carries the alone yet not hopeless sense for me; kind of a shepherd's blues feel. "Woke up this morning, the sheep got lost today. My lady Loneliness Has carried me away. I've got the shepherd blues... Baa-aaa-aaad blues!" I'm learning "Windward Away" too. I waited a long time to sing that one. Also "Every Man's Heart". maeve |
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19 Aug 08 - 01:48 PM (#2417885) Subject: RE: Review: Archie Fisher 'Windward Away' From: KathWestra Love the baa-aaa-aaad shepherd blues, Maeve! Thanks for the smile. |
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19 Aug 08 - 03:08 PM (#2417945) Subject: RE: Review: Archie Fisher 'Windward Away' From: Irene M My copy arrived last week and is getting a hammering. I LOVE Ontario Dust. He has SO caught the limbo feeling when you get home from a long trip abroad. You are still in that way of living, "home" is unfamiliar and it's the wrong bloody time! The older stuff sounds over-arranged in comparison to the new, but you would never know there 30 years between recordings of his voice. |
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20 Aug 08 - 11:15 AM (#2418675) Subject: RE: Review: Archie Fisher 'Windward Away' From: MAG I agree the older stuff has some overproduction, but I am so glad to have a recording of "Joy of my Heart" finally. It is the loveliest song about home I have ever heard. I picked up the CD this weekend after finding out here it existed. Shepherd's Song is melancholy but is quite evocative. Thanks for the heads up. The only time I heard ArchieFisher live was decades ago, with Garnet Rodgers at the good ol' OTSFM in Chicago. They had a good time with "Night Visiting Song" -- Garnet's standard joke about the speed bump. |
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20 Aug 08 - 11:25 AM (#2418678) Subject: RE: Review: Archie Fisher 'Windward Away' From: maeve Ah yes, the "speed bump"/bundling joke. I remember it well! Thanks for posting, MAG and IreneM and everyone else. I am glad you like the Shepherd song MAG, and delighted that several of us have bought the cd. The best way to get a Stateside tour is to show there's a good enough market. Buying this new album helps prove the point, so thanks to everyone who has shelled out the money. |
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20 Aug 08 - 02:47 PM (#2418819) Subject: RE: Review: Archie Fisher 'Windward Away' From: Irene M Mag. Archie and Garnet have a CD called "Off The Map", recorded live. Joy Of My Heart is on that. Archie once said that someone asked him to sing "that song about Fair Fiona". Turns out they thought the words were "Sing me O the coolies of Skye, of haggis and egg and fair Fiona...." |
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18 Dec 09 - 04:42 AM (#2791014) Subject: RE: Review: Archie Fisher 'Windward Away' 2010 From: maeve As I promised Barry Finn...sigh... here is touring information for Archie. I encourage folks to ask their favorite venue to contact Wooden Ship Productions asap to ask about available dates. Contact information ******************************** Wooden Ship Productions is arranging a 2010 North American tour for the highly esteemed Archie Fisher. Dates listed on the website so far: 2010 February 5 Morristown, NJ The Minstrel 6 Harrisburgh, PA Susquehana Folk Music Society 10 Rolingsford, NH Elsyium Folk Arts 11 Voorehsville, NY Old Songs, 12 A Music For Robin Concert, ST John's Methodist Church, 80 Mt Auburn St, Watertown, MA, (781)862-7837, http://music-for-robin.org 13 Cumberland, RI Blackstone Theatre 14 Woods Holk Folk Soc, Woods Hole, MA 15 Carthage,ME Skye Theatre Maine April 8 Wilmington, DE, Green Willow Folk Club 9 Baltimore, MD Uptown Concerts 10 Philadelphia, PA, Cross Currents 11 Toronto ON, Flying Cloud 14 Picton, ON Acoustic Grill 16 Lansing, MI, Ten Pound Fiddle, 17 Evanston,IL Hogeye Folk Arts Tour dates from: http://www.woodenshipproductions.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=56&Itemid=58 ********************************** maeve |
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18 Dec 09 - 03:53 PM (#2791515) Subject: RE: Review: Archie Fisher 'Windward Away' From: black walnut Thanks Maeve. I've put the Toronto date into my calendar. ~b.w. |
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20 Dec 09 - 12:49 PM (#2792872) Subject: RE: Review: Archie Fisher 'Windward Away' From: Willie-O Thanks for the heads-up, Maeve. Picton eh! Nice spot. W-O |
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10 Feb 10 - 10:33 AM (#2834974) Subject: RE: Review: Archie Fisher 'Windward Away' From: maeve refresh |
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13 Sep 12 - 01:45 PM (#3404003) Subject: RE: Review: 'Windward Away' (Archie Fisher) From: maeve I see I misspelled Graeme Miles' name. My apology for the error. |
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28 Jan 13 - 05:26 PM (#3472644) Subject: RE: Review: 'Windward Away' (Archie Fisher) From: GUEST,Dee Meier Does anyone know where I could get the chords / tab to: Shepherd on the Hill? |
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28 Jan 13 - 06:18 PM (#3472656) Subject: RE: Review: 'Windward Away' (Archie Fisher) From: GUEST,999 Done by who? Is it a song, a hymn, new, old, any other info? |
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28 Jan 13 - 06:30 PM (#3472661) Subject: RE: Review: 'Windward Away' (Archie Fisher) From: maeve 999- "Shepherd on the Hill" is a Graeme Miles song sung by Archie Fisher on his "Windward Away" album reviewed herein. It may be in one of his songbooks, but to my sorrow I have not yet obtained any of them. |
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28 Jan 13 - 06:34 PM (#3472663) Subject: RE: Review: 'Windward Away' (Archie Fisher) From: maeve There is some helpful information in this "Shepherd on the Hill" thread. |
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28 Jan 13 - 06:43 PM (#3472668) Subject: RE: Review: 'Windward Away' (Archie Fisher) From: GUEST Thank you. |
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28 Jan 13 - 07:09 PM (#3472684) Subject: RE: Review: 'Windward Away' (Archie Fisher) From: GUEST,999 That was me. |
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28 Jan 13 - 07:34 PM (#3472689) Subject: RE: Review: 'Windward Away' (Archie Fisher) From: GUEST,999 Does anyone have any of the lyrics to 'Shepherd on the Hill'" |
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28 Jan 13 - 08:05 PM (#3472704) Subject: RE: Review: 'Windward Away' (Archie Fisher) From: maeve Fortunately, yes we do. Click on the link I posted above at 6:34 tonight and you'll find them there, In addition, there are 'Catters posting in that thread, who have the songbook and/or who sing it, and may well be willing to help with chords or tab for the song. I'd lend more of a hand but am submerged here. |
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30 Jan 13 - 06:48 AM (#3473435) Subject: RE: Review: 'Windward Away' (Archie Fisher) From: maeve refresh |
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23 Nov 14 - 11:07 AM (#3679353) Subject: RE: Review: 'Windward Away' (Archie Fisher) From: Bearheart Looking for more lyrics from this album, Maeve, but can't seem to find them. Ordered it from Red House after I saw him in Corning NY this fall. GREAT CONCERT. |
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23 Nov 14 - 11:23 AM (#3679358) Subject: RE: Review: 'Windward Away' (Archie Fisher) From: maeve Bearheart, I'm glad you ordered the album- good choice! Send me a PM with information regarding lyrics you seek. I'll help if I can. Maeve |
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23 Nov 14 - 03:46 PM (#3679409) Subject: RE: Review: 'Windward Away' (Archie Fisher) From: GUEST,Susie Archie's playing the Llantrisant Folk Club on 29th July, 2015. I'd love to know where else he's playing on this tour. Anyone got any info? |
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23 Nov 14 - 04:13 PM (#3679413) Subject: RE: Review: 'Windward Away' (Archie Fisher) From: maeve Robin at Wooden Ship Productions has listed a 2015 tour: "Men At Words with Archie Fisher, James Keelaghan & Jez Lowe ...Three of the world's finest songwriters and most respected singers have decided to take their friendship on the road. Having come together for several years while on a cruise they found that their music has a great synergy. James has toured separately with Archie and Jez and when they again all found themselves staying in the same house last Fall the idea for the tour was born."http://woodenshipproductions.com/ |
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28 Nov 14 - 12:15 AM (#3680647) Subject: RE: Review: 'Windward Away' (Archie Fisher) From: Bearheart Thanks Maeve, for yours, I will be in touch, and also for the post about the tour with Jez and James-- have CDs but never heard either of them live... Sound like a great time! |
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26 Feb 17 - 12:40 PM (#3841728) Subject: RE: Review: 'Windward Away' (Archie Fisher) From: akenaton This is Archie's finest performance in my opinion....I fancy I hear echo's of the Rodgers Brothers and Bluenose, Jeanie C etc? Beautiful in every way. |