Songwainers, Dunadane, Dave(2) and J Ll

Subject: Songwainers, Dunadane, Dave(2) and J Ll
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 27 Apr 05 - 12:18 PM

Clive (Wild Rover) Lever asked me to link the following interesting questions from the music anoraks site.

"Hello, Everybody!

Can any of you give me an answer to where the following might be now, and
what they might be doing?

1. The Songwainers. I actually did trace some references to them through a
Google search some time ago, but the data seemed fairly old. One of their
numbers was a rather complex piece about Robin Hood, featuring more than one
tune, and possibly put together from more than one set of words. Two of the
trio were pretty accomplished singers by any standards.

2. Dunadane. I'm not even sure that I'm spelling the name correctly, but
they were pretty well to the fore during the early 'seventies, doing (among
other things) a song called The Beggar Comes, as well as a version of Kemp's
Jig. I think they recorded more than one album.

3. Dave And Dave. One of these chaps was called Dave Hislop, but I can't
recall the surname of the other one. included in their repertoire were such
items as a version of Claudy Banks and an arrangement of Follow The Drum.

I had thought of writing to Jim Lloyd some years ago about all of this, but
never got round to doing so. Incidentally, I wonder what he's up to himself
these days?


Sandy Easton."

Subject: RE: Songwainers, Dunadane, Dave(2) and J Ll
From: George Papavgeris
Date: 27 Apr 05 - 01:59 PM

The Songwainers are singing again, I hear, albeit infrequently - with a replacement for one of their number who died some years back (not sure if it was Ken Langsbury or Dave Stephenson, I thik the latter). Ron Taylor had (and still has) the most angelic tenor voice, clear as crystal - he has also been a member of Regal Slip alongside Graham & Eileen Pratt and Sue Edwards).

The ballad referred to is the "Ballad of Robin Hood and the Three Squires":

"What news, what news, my fair lady,
what news I do thee pray?
-Oh, it is my three sons in Nottingham Town
today are condemned for to die..."

Do I win an anorak?
Especially if I have the original vinyl of their only album?

Subject: RE: Songwainers, Dunadane, Dave(2) and J Ll
From: George Papavgeris
Date: 27 Apr 05 - 02:06 PM

I should have said - the ballad is joined with the much shorter one of Robin Hood and the Old Beggar. The shift from one tune to the other is magic, it feels like entering a new chapter in a book; very smoothly done.

Ken Langsbury was responsible for the Songwainers' wonderful arrangements, breaking rules about polyphonic music as often as following them. Amazingly evocative discords, which Regal Slip tried in part to emulate later, but in a much more conservative manner.

I could go on for days. The Songwainers are part of the reason I followed folk music.

Subject: RE: Songwainers, Dunadane, Dave(2) and J Ll
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 27 Apr 05 - 05:44 PM

It was Dave Stephenson who died.

Tom Addison replaced Ron Taylor.

Ken Langsbury was at Sidmouth last year, with a revised Songwainers line up including Barry Lister and Tom Addison.

Kitty

Subject: RE: Songwainers, Dunadane, Dave(2) and J Ll
From: GUEST
Date: 28 Apr 05 - 07:59 AM

Haven't heard of Dunadain for about 30 years. They were excellent, I clearly remember them singing great versions of Chicken on a Raft, etc.

Subject: RE: Songwainers, Dunadane, Dave(2) and J Ll
From: Dave Bryant
Date: 28 Apr 05 - 09:56 AM

I haven't seen Dave Hislop for a while - he wa Chairman of the EFDSS NEC while I was serving on it many years ago. Wasn't his oppo Dave Trenow ?