Having recently rediscovered the manifold delights of Lemon Jelly's Nice Weather for Ducks I went in search of the sample (not technically a sample, but a flawless mimic of the original by the father of one of the band members) and came across the work of one John Langstaff who hitherto had only existed in long forgotten childhood memories. Here's what wiki has to say:

John Langstaff (December 24, 1920 - December 13, 2005), a concert baritone, and early music revivalist was the founder of the Northeast United States tradition of the Christmas Revels, as well as a respected musician and educator. He attended the Curtis Institute of Music as well as Juilliard. In 1943 he married Diane Hamilton. He was later married to Nancy Woodbridge, a pianist.

Langstaff's lifelong project, the Christmas Revels, began in 1957 with a show in New York. In 1971, the longest running Revels, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, began. The Revels, an eclectic mix of medieval and modern music and dance (primarily English in basis), involves the audience and the community in a continuation of pagan and older Christian traditions. Revels shows, now spread over the Northeast and the world, draw on local talent. Morris dancing, mummers, bagpipers and large choruses of men, women and children celebrate the turning of the Winter Solstice in a cheerful fashion.

Throughout his adult life, Langstaff was a dedicated music educator. In 1955, he became the music director at The Potomac School, in Washington, DC, and later taught at Shady Hill School in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He wrote twenty-five books, including the Caldecott Medal-winning Frog Went A-Courtin'. He hosted the BBC-TV children's program "Making Music" for five years, and produced a series of videos called "Making Music with John Langstaff" for parents and teachers. He also published songbooks, teacher's guides, and production guides for the Revels.

Langstaff's recording career was varied and long. Beginning with English traditional music in the 1950s, he continued with the founding of Revels Records, recording primarily children's and traditional music. Several of his early recordings were made in London, with noted producer George Martin.

On May 17, 2006, David Nath's documentary film To Drive The Dark Away, which chronicles Langstaff's life and work with the Christmas Revels, had its world premiere in Arlington, MA.

There are several CDs of his work currently available, a lot of which may be previewed at Amazon. We had a listen last night & were mightily impressed by both the breadth of repertoire and the very different slant Mr Langstaff's approach gives to such material than we're familiar with though more conventional folk artists. I was particularly taken by The Souling Song, which contrasts vividly with that recorded by The Watersons on their Frost & Fire album. Interesting to note that on one album at least he is accompanied by Martin Best, who went on to form the acclaimed Martin Best Medieval Consort (or is it Ensemble?) who popular on record & Radio 3 in the seventies / early eighties.

So to what extent does the work of John Langstaff figure in the revival I wonder? Or else in the memories of Mudcatters on both sides of the Altantic...