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12 Mar 11 - 07:01 AM (#3112220) Subject: English Dance Music Best CDs? From: Rozza I've recently bought "Hardcore English", "No Reels" from the Old Swan Band and Liam Robinson's "Welcome Here Again", which are all excellent. Which recent, or "classic" CDs would Mudcatters recommend as prime examples of traditional English dance music to listen to/learn from? |
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12 Mar 11 - 07:55 AM (#3112254) Subject: RE: English Dance Music Best CDs? From: GUEST,Ralphie There are lots! Both of the Bismark CD's for a start. There are several other OSB CDs still available. John Kirkpatrick has loads of tune CDs too.... Nick Barber has two excellent CDs with books to help, I could go on for hours! |
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12 Mar 11 - 07:57 AM (#3112256) Subject: RE: English Dance Music Best CDs? From: GUEST,Folkiedave The latest Old Swan Band called "Swan for the Money". |
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12 Mar 11 - 09:12 AM (#3112291) Subject: RE: English Dance Music Best CDs? From: SteveMansfield The best one I've heard in many a long year is 'Running Joak' by The Gloworms. A lot of English ceilidh bands are fantastic live but a bit nondescript on CD, but the Gloworms one is great both as a listen and to bop about to. For a single-disc overview of the 'History of the New Wave of English Country Dance Music' try to track down a copy of Stepping Up, released by Topic - an extended version of a collection originally put together by fRoots magazine (for the mentioning of which I immediately apologise if this thread gets highjacked by fRoots-haters!) Track listing c/o Amazon here. |
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12 Mar 11 - 09:13 AM (#3112293) Subject: RE: English Dance Music Best CDs? From: GUEST,PeterC The latest Old Swan Band called "Swan for the Money". Just finished reviewing it, brilliant CD. If one has to be singled out then Hardcore English. The second one to buy I would suggest would be New Victory Band as their arrangements get played in so many sessions. After that the Old Swan and Bismarks back catalogues, Katies Quartet of course and pray that Polkaworks get into a recording studio. |
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12 Mar 11 - 10:12 AM (#3112326) Subject: RE: English Dance Music Best CDs? From: GUEST,Ralphie Amen to New Victory Band. Also, did sound for the first Polkaworks gig....Hope they make the studio soon. And, just last week did the Electropathics re-union up in Poynton... Hoping to record Housewives choice at the end of the month, when we do our (probably) final gig! (Features Ed Rennie ex Bismarks). Also Mentioning Ed, If your are on Facebook, There is an increasing collection of Ed playing his favourite tunes, mainly English, on melodeon. Spiffing! |
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12 Mar 11 - 12:48 PM (#3112436) Subject: RE: English Dance Music Best CDs? From: Les in Chorlton Everything by The Boat Band and for a touch of the exotic Whapeasel L in C# |
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12 Mar 11 - 03:59 PM (#3112540) Subject: RE: English Dance Music Best CDs? From: Surreysinger Re Ralphie's mention of Ed Rennie's collection of favourite tunes, you don't even need to be on Facebook to access them. He's been recording steadily since Christmas at the rate of nearly one tune every day, and posting them up on Youtube where he can be found under the name of Hohnerous. If you want to look at his videos (39 so far) you can find them at this Youtube address (Be aware that he cloaks himself in mystery to play on these!) |
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12 Mar 11 - 04:05 PM (#3112542) Subject: RE: English Dance Music Best CDs? From: Surreysinger And re PolkaWorks, there is actually a Myspace page up with a few examples of the live performance at Godalming where they debuted (is that spelled right?) in 2008, which you can find at this location. Make the most of it while MySpace is still around. |
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13 Mar 11 - 06:23 AM (#3112823) Subject: RE: English Dance Music Best CDs? From: GUEST My recommendations for 'classic' cds would be The Old Hat Band for that East Anglian sound and the Band of the Rising Sun for the northern sort of sound. After listening to Mary Humphreys and Anahata playing tunes brilliantly at our Ryburn Spring Sing last night, I'm prompted to recommend their album of dance music with Nick and Mary Barber, playing under the name of English Rebellion. Band of the Rising Sun 'Setting It Right' (review) Old Hat Dance Band via http://www.veteran.co.uk/ English Rebellion is at Mary and Anahata's web site |
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13 Mar 11 - 06:24 AM (#3112825) Subject: RE: English Dance Music Best CDs? From: GUEST,johnadams apparently uncookied! Oops. My cookie seems to have f=dropped orf! J |
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13 Mar 11 - 07:08 AM (#3112828) Subject: RE: English Dance Music Best CDs? From: GUEST,Guest 'All Blacked Up' are worth checking out. 3 CDs I think. |
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13 Mar 11 - 05:51 PM (#3113095) Subject: RE: English Dance Music Best CDs? From: Banjo-Flower Hi surreysinger many thanks for your tip off about Ed Rennie on you tube it looks as if it could be a great help Gerry |
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13 Mar 11 - 07:32 PM (#3113134) Subject: RE: English Dance Music Best CDs? From: Rozza Thanks very much for the suggestions. Lots of good ones to check out. |
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13 Mar 11 - 08:19 PM (#3113166) Subject: RE: English Dance Music Best CDs? From: Gurney The Aardvark Ceilidh Band have two CDs which take me back to my dancing days. First on any list. Alphabetical list, anyway. |
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14 Mar 11 - 06:40 AM (#3113343) Subject: RE: English Dance Music Best CDs? From: SylviaN Most upset that Keith and I couldn't be at Ryburn's Spring sing, and heartily agree with John's recommendations. Also, should you be debating whether or not to get The Old Swan Band's latest CD "Swan for the Money", as the music is brilliant, it has the cover drawn by Tony Hall - what more can I say! Cheers Sylvia |
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14 Mar 11 - 06:52 AM (#3113345) Subject: RE: English Dance Music Best CDs? From: SylviaN Ralphie, also excellent choices. Let us know when the Housewives Choice CD is ready - I want a copy. Another great band is Random and their CDs "Deviation" and "Toadstone". |
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14 Mar 11 - 07:29 AM (#3113364) Subject: RE: English Dance Music Best CDs? From: treewind Thanks for the plug John - and the link is perfect for CD purchase but if anyone wants to know a bit more about us there's the English Rebellion web site. Also:
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14 Mar 11 - 10:08 AM (#3113481) Subject: RE: English Dance Music Best CDs? From: Mo the caller My favourite local bands Albireo and Time Bandits have CDs. Albireo - Northern Cross Time Bandits have 2 CDs though these are more varied than their ceilidh repetoire. For something different Boldwood play older tunes for ceilidh dances. If you do mean this rather than ceildh how about the Assembly Players; haunting tunes, inventive arrangements, but still danceable (unlike one American band who I find easy to loose one's place to.) |
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14 Mar 11 - 10:23 AM (#3113488) Subject: RE: English Dance Music Best CDs? From: SylviaN For "Unusual Ceilidh Tunes from Fenland Collections " led by Mary and Anahata at Gleanings, the Rural Study Centre over the weekend Fri. 24th - Sun. 26th June. For more details, go to their courses page. Cheers Sylvia |
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14 Mar 11 - 04:42 PM (#3113718) Subject: RE: English Dance Music Best CDs? From: GUEST,Ralphie SylviaN. Hold your horses! We've got to play and record the bugger first! While I'm on..Stocai and Stomp featuring the magnificent Sheena Masson are both worth seeking out too. Nothing to do with me, obviously....and, OAK...Vinyl only I think, but a seminal record. (Musical Traditions web page again) And check out John Howsons Veteran Tapes site.....Lots of Trad stuff there...Oh, and if you've got 400 quid to spare, theres always Topics "Voice Of The People" (Joke!) |
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14 Mar 11 - 05:10 PM (#3113738) Subject: RE: English Dance Music Best CDs? From: GUEST,Dan Quinn Thanks, Treewind, old chap for the honourable mention of Flowers and Frolics. The reunion CD "Reformed Characters" is available from me and the original LP "Bees on Horseback" has been reissued on CD (with extra tracks) and you can get it from Free Reed. Our second LP "Sold Out" is languishing in the vaults. I'm now going to hijack this thread for a second. The 2011 Flowers and Frolics reunion gig is on Saturday 18th June at the King and Queen, Foley Street, London W1. Its an afternoon gig, from 1.30 to 4.30, entrance is £5 and our special guest is Bob Davenport. Hijack over. |
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14 Mar 11 - 05:10 PM (#3113739) Subject: RE: English Dance Music Best CDs? From: The Borchester Echo Oak's Welcome To Our Fair is available from Topic as a download, Gaoworms Running Joak seconded. |
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14 Mar 11 - 06:43 PM (#3113779) Subject: RE: English Dance Music Best CDs? From: GUEST,Jane Bird (without cookie) The Climax Ceilidh Band's CDs work well as albums, I think, not just as a record that reminds you that the ceilidh really was more fun. The Committee Band's albums work well for listening, too. |
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14 Mar 11 - 06:55 PM (#3113784) Subject: RE: English Dance Music Best CDs? From: Surreysinger Dan - gosh not lurking today then? Are tickets available from you ? |
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15 Mar 11 - 02:51 AM (#3113950) Subject: RE: English Dance Music Best CDs? From: GUEST,Dan Quinn Tickets on the door. |
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15 Mar 11 - 04:36 AM (#3113973) Subject: RE: English Dance Music Best CDs? From: Howard Jones Albireo's CD "Northern Cross", which Mo the Caller kindly mentioned above, is available from me, or you can downlaod MP3s from CD Baby |
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15 Mar 11 - 03:20 PM (#3114367) Subject: RE: English Dance Music Best CDs? From: CupOfTea Dunno if you consider US performers as germane to English Dance music, but in the US, the stars of English Country Dance music are Bare Necessities , from new England. All members of the quartet are well known for their contributions to dance music. Peter Barnes is a significant name with his books: two volumes of English Country Dance music & "A Little Couple-Dancemusik" book with Waltz, Tango, Schottishe and vintage dance tunes. His two volumes of ECD are so commonly used that "NIB" is used for the odd tune "not in Barnes" Mary Lea plays in another English Country dance band (MGM ), contra dance bands (Wild Asparagus, Yankee Ingenuity) & for vintage dance. Earl Gaddis plays for English, Scottish, American and international dancing & is a delight to band camp students. Jacqueline Schwab is known for her piano playing in many other contexts - like Ken Burns' Civil War series. She is the excellent dance instructor for Bare Necessities dance weekends. The Boston CDSS has produced a series of CDs covering the Country Dance repertoire with Bare Necessities playing the dances at speed: CDSS Music Collection Two of the Bare Necessities recordings, Take a Dance and Nightcap are more playing around with the tunes. ALL of it is superb music: this is the sort of playing that lifts you into the dance - music, dance and dancers merge Joanne in Cleveland & the ECD band Toad in the Hole |
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15 Mar 11 - 04:58 PM (#3114435) Subject: RE: English Dance Music Best CDs? From: Desert Dancer For U.S. readers, most of what's listed here is English Ceilidh dance music (for energetic, bouncy, uncomplicated dances, compatible with alcohol consumption; generally not found in the U.S.), rather than English country dance music (generally smooth and elegant, for Playford style & descendants). I believe Mo the Caller (14 Mar 11 - 10:08 AM, above) is the only one above who addressed what we'd call ECD style. (Please correct me if I'm wrong!) ~ Becky in Tucson |