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A Capella CDs???
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Subject: A Capella CDs??? From: WyoWoman Date: 19 Nov 99 - 09:48 AM On a previous thread (I can't remember which and I'm too hurried right now to search...) someone mentioned a beautiful a capella recording. I love a capella singing and would enjoy having some CDs with such. Can you recommend any for me? Best, WyoWoman (going to work today with teeth gritted over what she knows she's going to run into today) |
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Subject: RE: A Capella CDs??? From: Wolfgang Date: 19 Nov 99 - 09:57 AM My personal favourites: Watersons (English) and Voice Squad (Irish). Wolfgang |
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Subject: RE: A Capella CDs??? From: Alice Date: 19 Nov 99 - 10:06 AM Robbie McMahon of Spancilhill, tape is called "The Black Sheep". You can order it directly from him. Info is on the Spancil Hill thread (link under Memorable Mudcat Threads). alice |
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Subject: RE: A Capella CDs??? From: paddymac Date: 19 Nov 99 - 10:35 AM WW - "a capella" is a pretty broad descriptor. The first thing that comes to mind for me is contemporary singing in the barbershop style. And then there are the Gregorian chants; and lots more besides. There is a current group called "The King's Singers" that does some amazing things. And then the Tibetan monks that sing two notes simultaneously. Care to be a bit more specific? |
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Subject: RE: A Capella CDs??? From: Judy Cook Date: 19 Nov 99 - 10:56 AM If you like English traditional song, all a capella, many solo vocalist, Fellside has an excellent sampler called "Voices". One song each by Maddy Prior, Cyril Tawney, Watersons, Peta Webb, A.L. Lloyd, Roy Bailey, Dave Weatherall&Martin Hall, Linda Adams, Martyn Wyndham Read, Peter Bellamy, Hughie Jones, Patti Reid, The Wilsons, Bram Taylor, Damien Barber, Frankie Armstrong, John Kirkpatrick, Martin Carthy, The Arthur Family, Roy Harris, Shirley Collins, Dave Burland, Swan Arcade, June Tabor, and Jez Lowe. --Judy |
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Subject: RE: A Capella CDs??? From: Jeri Date: 19 Nov 99 - 11:06 AM I second Wolfgang's recommendation of the Watersons and the Voice Squad. I'd also recommend our own Graham Pirt's group Cockersdale. I have heard one song by Coope, Boyes and Simpson and will probably buy every recording they've ever done based on how they sound on that song. The goup Finest Kind do wonderful a capella songs, but their recordings mix acapella with capella, as well as mixing genres, including country and swing with English songs. This drives me nuts, but others may enjoy the variety. |
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Subject: RE: A Capella CDs??? From: Alice Date: 19 Nov 99 - 11:22 AM ditto on Voice Squad and King's Singers.
There is also a CD of English, French, and German songs recorded by Cambridge Singers, John Rutter, titled "A Cappella".
There is a men and boy's choir recording from St. Thomas Church called ... A Cappella from St. Thomas Church.
A seasonal one is "Carols from the Old and New Worlds", American, Irish, English, various choirs, Indiana University, Paul Hillier. alice |
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Subject: RE: A Capella CDs??? From: lamarca Date: 19 Nov 99 - 11:24 AM All my favorite unaccompanied singers are British Isles: The Young Tradition - Their early recordings have all been re-released on CDs now. Vigorous, driving vocal close harmony on traditional English songs. Coope, Boyes and Simpson - A FANTASTIC English trio who do mostly contemporary English songs; their albums "Hindsight" and "A Garland of Carols" have traditional material. My personal favorite is "Falling Slowly". Their harmonies are spine chilling. Jim Boyes was a member of Swan Arcade. Franke Harte - fine singer and collector of Irish songs, especially from Dublin. His album "Daybreak and a Candle End" has been re-released on CD, and he has a new one of songs from the Rebellion of 1798(?). Frankie Armstrong - you either love her voice or you hate it. She has a POWERFUL, projecting voice, singing everything from old ballads to contemporary feminist material. No particular favorite album. Peter Bellamy - primary force behind the Young Tradition, Peter's vocal style is another acquired taste that I have acquired hook, line and sinker. His renditions of Kipling poems set to tunes (by him) are splendid, as is his choice and singing of English traditional material. Dave Parry - the late Dave Parry of Canada did for Robert Service what Bellamy did for Kipling. A member of Friends of Fiddler's Green (also a good mostly a capella group), he had another strong voice and wonderful material. Judy Cook is being modest - she has a self-produced CD of traditional American and British Isles songs. All these recordings are available from one or more of these sources: Camsco Music: http://www.camsco.com Tayberry Music: http://www.tayberry.com Rockin' World: http//www.rockinworld.com Enjoy! |
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Subject: RE: A Capella CDs??? From: Wolfgang Date: 19 Nov 99 - 11:39 AM Review of (and information on) on Frfank Harte's new CD (just to remove the one '?' in Lamarca's choice. It's truly great, however mostly not a capella. Wolfgang |
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Subject: RE: A Capella CDs??? From: Art Thieme Date: 19 Nov 99 - 11:56 AM Smithsonian Folkways can make a custom cassette for you of HORTON BARKER's great LP that was recorded for them by Sany Paton. Mr. Barker, from Chilhowie, Virginia was a blind man who just blew away the urban audiences at the first University of Chicago Folk Festival in 1961. A marvelous person and a GREAT ballad singer. EMERY DENOYER---another blind ballad singere but from the lumber woods (lumberjack songs) can be heard on several of the Library Of Congress LPs---now available in other formats I believe. He was my personal favorite a capella singer-----but there are so amny. ALMEDA RIDDLE is a great one.
the recordings of many fine singers made by the Canadian folklorist EDITH FOWKE and issued on Folkways (Smithsonian). "WOLF RIVER SONGS" collected in Wisconsin by Sidney Robertson Cowell and issued on Folkways also. AUNT MOLLY JACKSON---the Library Of Congress Recordings. JEANIE ROBERTSON (just a wondrous singer) and the CD by ROY HARRIS---LIVE AT THE LION that I made a separate thread to talk about recently. ...there are so many... Art Thieme
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Subject: RE: A Capella CDs??? From: Mandochop Date: 19 Nov 99 - 01:59 PM Hey all, As an avid fan of a cappella music, I know that the hotbeds for some of the worlds best a cappella groups are the colleges and universities of the USA. Franklin and Marshall college in Lancaster, PA has a great coed group called the Poor Richards......Yale University has loads of great groups, including The Alley Cats, The Spizzwinks, and the Whiffenpoofs......Harvard University is home to The Crocodilloes amd The Din and Tonics...... I'm sure a few minutes on the web could find you a disk by any of these great groups. Also check out the soundtrack to Spike Lee's movie "Do It A Cappella" Mandochop |
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Subject: RE: A Capella CDs??? From: Dani Date: 19 Nov 99 - 02:11 PM Don't forget Sweet Honey in the Rock! |
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Subject: RE: A Capella CDs??? From: Sandy Paton Date: 19 Nov 99 - 02:11 PM Folk-Legacy also carries Judy Cook's CD If You Sing Songs.... My new collection of traditional ballads and songs sung by traditional singers (recorded in the field over the past forty years) will soon be available. We're being held up only by our search for a CD jewel box capable of holding the 60-page booklet that goes with it! Sample coming in soon might shorten the wait. Keep an eye on our web site! Sandy |
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Subject: RE: A Capella CDs??? From: Date: 19 Nov 99 - 02:32 PM A bunch of Scottish women called "The Fiesty Besoms" have a capella CD called "Auld Flames". It has old songs on it and new songs. |
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Subject: RE: A Capella CDs??? From: Sam Pirt Date: 19 Nov 99 - 03:34 PM I can strongly recomend COCKERSDALE!!!! of couse theres no bias there at all, they are a good group with plenty of recordings and a Book!!, what more need I say? Cheers, Sam |
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Subject: RE: A Capella CDs??? From: PJ Curtis. Date: 19 Nov 99 - 03:36 PM Try The Voice Squad...The Watersons...the Golden Gate Jubilee Quartet....le Mystere De Voix Bulgares....Trio Bulgarka..... Sweet Honey in The Rock. PJ Curtis. |
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Subject: RE: A Capella CDs??? From: matt Date: 19 Nov 99 - 08:14 PM THE PERSUASIONS! |
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Subject: RE: A Capella CDs??? From: Art Thieme Date: 19 Nov 99 - 09:56 PM Sandy---That sounds wonderful. I am snxious to hear it! Of course, people, Folk Legacy has the two BEECH MOUNTAIN cassettes with the wonderful songs of Lee Monroe Presnell and others from that part of N. Carolina. Art |
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Subject: RE: A Capella CDs??? From: WyoWoman Date: 20 Nov 99 - 02:42 AM Thank all of you for these wonderful suggestions. (Now, I need to increase my CD allowance to a bazillion dollars, but ... "bit by bit my garden grows...." Thanks again, WW |
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Subject: RE: A Capella CDs??? From: Jeremiah McCaw Date: 20 Nov 99 - 09:41 AM What? All those posts and nobody mentioned Artisan? (Assuming, of course, that I didn't try to read too fast & missed a crucial reference.) English trio, stunning harmonies. These days they do a small amount of traditional material, the odd English music hall song, hardly any covers (except for an intriguing and innovative version of "The Mary Helen Carter") and a whole whack of very fine original material written by member Brian Bedford. They have several CDs available. Check them out. Out of the folk realm, Bobby McFerron does amazing jazz-inflected vocal stuff (most people have never realized that "Don't Worry, Be Happy" is an a capella number). And one last: the Billy Joel thing, "For the Longest Time" is one as well. |
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Subject: RE: A Capella CDs??? From: dwditty Date: 20 Nov 99 - 10:16 AM Hi Wyo, No I haven't forgeotten your DVR tape, just been busy/lazy. There is an organization called Primarily A Cappella (www.singers.com) that bills itself as the largest and most comprehensive source for a.c. music. If you go to their site and send them an email, the will send catalogs. They carry everything from babershop to contemporary, choral,doo wop, etc. In fact, I think I'll go there and order a Christmas CD right now. Thanks for reminding me. DW |
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Subject: RE: A Capella CDs??? From: Sandy Paton Date: 20 Nov 99 - 11:48 AM The Wilson family recording of Graeme Miles songs, although it may not be available as a CD. I don't know. Most of the cuts on the fantastic 2-volume Yazoo set of gospel songs titled "How Can I Keep from Singing" are without accompaniment. This is truly great stuff! Sandy |
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Subject: RE: A Capella CDs??? From: Jonathan Date: 20 Nov 99 - 12:18 PM Malicorne, from France, have put all their acapella songs on one CD. I can very strongly recommend it. |
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Subject: RE: A Capella CDs??? From: WyoWoman Date: 20 Nov 99 - 12:53 PM You know, the truly great thing about this is that, sometimes as a vocalist I begin to think that I'm in a very small (vocal?) minority because I sometimes just like to stand up and sing a song without accompaniment. And one of my favorite team sports is group harmonizing. It's so refreshing to know that there are so many people who love the sound of voices as instruments in and of themselves. Thanks, dwditty, I'm looking forward to the DVR whenever you can. And I'll going to that website right away. Thanks for the lead. WW |
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Subject: RE: A Capella CDs??? From: WyoWoman Date: 20 Nov 99 - 01:21 PM Oh, WOW, dwditty -- I just went to that website! This is such a find. I'm so excited. I ordered the "Sampler sampler" to start out. This is so cool. Everyone go to www.singers.com right now and check it out. I'll wait .... WW |
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Subject: RE: A Capella CDs??? From: bobby's girl Date: 20 Nov 99 - 05:56 PM I can really reinforce the recommendations about Coope, Boyes & Simpson, who are wonderful, but also the Wilsons singing Graham Miles, which is(or was) available on a record called Horumariye (I think) - also their version of Close the Coalhouse Door has to be heard to be believed! |
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Subject: RE: A Capella CDs??? From: Sandy Paton Date: 20 Nov 99 - 07:36 PM There's an good article on Miles and his songmaking in the most recent issue of Living Tradition. Sandy |
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Subject: RE: A Capella CDs??? From: Frank Hamilton Date: 20 Nov 99 - 09:32 PM I believe that Alan Lomax's Lib. Of Cong. recordings of Iron Head Baker and chain gang songs have been recently released on CD. Frank Hamilton |
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Subject: RE: A Capella CDs??? From: Escamillo Date: 21 Nov 99 - 12:04 AM WW, you have received so many recommendations that I could only remind you something exotic: the South African religious songs of LADYSMITH BLACK MAMBAZO (7 male singers a capella) and those amazing harmonies I would so much like to sing sometime. Yours, Andrés Magré |
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Subject: RE: A Capella CDs??? From: Joe Offer Date: 21 Nov 99 - 12:04 AM I would like to respectfully disagree with any criticism jeri may have made about the two Finest Kind CD's. These two albums are absolutely wonderful. True, they draw from a wide variety of genres, but why not? Their harmonies are just like butter, better than Streisand... Now, if you're interested in what most people refer to as a capella nowadays, you might want to try the two doo-wop box sets from Rhino, or their two girl group CD's. Not completely without instrumental accompaniment, but terrific music nonetheless. -Joe Offer, back from Italy and Israel- |
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Subject: RE: A Capella CDs??? From: WyoWoman Date: 21 Nov 99 - 04:20 PM Welcome back, Mr. Offer. I trust you'll be giving us a full report. Andres, I had the honor of hearing Ladysmith Black Mambazo in New York a few years back, just before the official end of apartheid, singing on the steps of the Museum of Natural History (I think...). It was one of the most moving performances I've ever seen, particularly when they started singing "Afrika," and everyone in the audience bowed their heads and lifted their right fists in silent salute for a united South Africa. Wasn't a dry eye in the bunch of us. Then just a few months later they came to Santa Fe, N.M., where I was living at the time and sang in a big, lousy conference center and it was an excellent performance, but not nearly as high an emotional content. But they truly are masters. I love the African form of singing, and their amazing harmonies. WW |
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Subject: RE: A Capella CDs??? From: Graham Pirt Date: 21 Nov 99 - 04:46 PM Thanks to Sam for the recommendation! I suppose he likes to keep it in the family! You can try this link for the Cockersdale Web Page Graham |
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Subject: RE: A Capella CDs??? From: Jeri Date: 21 Nov 99 - 05:24 PM Or possibly here: Cockersdale |
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Subject: RE: A Capella CDs??? From: ddw Date: 21 Nov 99 - 08:56 PM Not sure it's the kind of music you're looking for, WW, but there is a wonderful Canadian group called The Nylons who do a lot of do-wop, '50s pop and other things with some of the best harmonies I've ever heard. Not sure what label they're on, but you might check out their albums at www.columbiahousecanada.com and poking around in there. I've picked up a couple of their albums and — tho' they're not the kind of thing I listen to often — I always get a kick out of hearing them. Saw them live a few years ago and they are also great showmen. Good concert. david |
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Subject: RE: A Capella CDs??? From: Michael K. Date: 21 Nov 99 - 10:21 PM TAKE 6 - First album (Grammy Winners) Gospel / Jazz Stunning arrangements and vocals |
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Subject: RE: A Capella CDs??? From: Jeri Date: 10 Jun 00 - 09:50 AM IT'S ALIIIIIVE! While on an extended stream-of-conciousness web-surfing adventure, I came across http://www.a-cappella.com, and discovered that the Persuasions have recently released a CD entitled "Frankly A Capella." It's a tribute to Frank Zappa, and is composed of his songs and instrumentals. Now this sounds interesting... (If you go to the bottom of the first page I linked to, there is an a capella web ring.) |
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Subject: RE: A Capella CDs??? From: Pene Azul Date: 10 Jun 00 - 08:49 PM Wow, Jeri, that does sound interesting. Thanks PA |
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Subject: RE: A Capella CDs??? From: Micca Date: 11 Jun 00 - 03:54 PM Have you tried any of Animaterras Choir???? First rate a capella... drop her a PM and grt hold of the Winter 99.I most heartily recommend it. |
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Subject: RE: A Capella CDs??? From: Uncle_DaveO Date: 11 Jun 00 - 04:30 PM Are you fond of the Scottish and English Popular Ballads ("Child Ballads")? If so, check out Smithsonian/Folkways for three wonderful CD of unaccompanied ballads sung by Ewan McColl. Great stuff for those so minded. Dave Oesterreich |
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Subject: RE: A Capella CDs??? From: AllisonA(Animaterra) Date: 11 Jun 00 - 04:42 PM Awwwww, Micca me love, thanks for the kind words! Our Spring 00 is now out, and though there are a few off moments it is a fine one if I do say so myself! If I wanted to make them available here, what do I do? Send a bunch to Max? We mostly have cassettes. |
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Subject: RE: A Capella CDs??? From: GUEST,dick greenhaus Date: 11 Jun 00 - 11:28 PM I don't know whether I'm going to get sick of saying this before or after you get sick of seeing it, but CAMSCO Music can get you all the Smithsonian-Folkways CDs, as well as Yazoo's, Rounder's, Document's, Waterbug's, Topic's, Saydisk's, Fellside's, No Master's, Friends of Fiddler's Green's, Borealis' , Bear Family's, Tradition's, Golden Hind's and a couple of hundred more. And if you call me (free) at 800/548-FOLK, I can make suggestons, fill requests and whatever. And our prices are competitive with Amazon.com and CDNOW. We can seem to reach damn near everybody except Mudcatters. Are we doing something wrong, here? |
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Subject: RE: A Capella CDs??? From: GUEST,April790 Date: 12 Jun 00 - 01:49 AM Anyone know of the group that call themselves, Acapella? If you like gospel, they do the best in my opinion. |
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Subject: RE: A Capella CDs??? From: GUEST,James Date: 12 Jun 00 - 07:54 AM Mary Jane Lammond from Cape Breton...wonderful gaelic singer....The Watersons....There are also some wonderful recording of Russian Orthodox church music which is breathtaking. |
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Subject: RE: A Capella CDs??? From: GUEST Date: 12 Jun 00 - 10:26 AM if you like the sound of spiritual or tribal music sung by the soulful and wise voices of women, Sweet Honey in the Rock is perfect--never imperfection |
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Subject: RE: A Capella CDs??? From: radriano Date: 12 Jun 00 - 10:48 AM Hi WyoWoman, There's a great local Bay Are band called Out of the Rain that does great three part acapela stuff. They put out two cassette recordings and there is a CD about to be released of exerpts from live concerts. I recommend this group heartily. radriano |
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Subject: RE: A Capella CDs??? From: MAG (inactive) Date: 13 Jun 00 - 01:38 PM Jeri, NPR was plugging that recording as I was driving to Seattle for the Folklife Fest. I got the tape for car listening; it is lots of fun. The tape does not have at least one song on the CD. Feminist friends can't understand my affection for Zappa; besides that he was a helluva musician and an active opponent of censorship; he was also just plain funny. Wyo, I think you would LOVE Frankie Armstrong. Her Bold William Taylor is THE BEST. |
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Subject: RE: A Capella CDs??? From: Kim C Date: 13 Jun 00 - 03:02 PM My two favorites: The Voice Squad and Fellside's "Voices" sampler. The latter is very special to me as 1) my father in-law brought it to us from England and 2) it really sparked my interest in a lot of things. |
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Subject: RE: A Capella CDs??? From: Jim Dixon Date: 13 Jun 00 - 05:16 PM I had to laugh when I read about the group that "mix[es] acapella with capella." John Roberts and Tony Barrand, whose discography can be found here, sing mostly a capella. True sea chanteys (not to be confused with sea songs in general) are always done a capella, and so are other work songs, such as those sung by gandy dancers. It's easy to see why. |
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Subject: RE: A Capella CDs??? From: GUEST,karine polwart Date: 13 Jun 00 - 07:33 PM Really nice CD by Scots folk singer Elspeth Cowie called "Naked Voice" = primarily solo unaccompanied Scots songs. See www.musicscotland.com or www.scotfolk.com for more info. |
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Subject: RE: A Capella CDs??? From: Hotspur Date: 13 Jun 00 - 09:43 PM Tufts University has a fantastic, all male a capella group called the Beelzebubs. They don't do folk music per se, but are worth checking out anyway. Thier rendition of "With or Without You" by U2 is unbelieveable--almost indistinguishable from the fully instrumentalized version. |
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Subject: RE: A Capella CDs??? From: bbelle Date: 13 Jun 00 - 10:43 PM Last Friday I received a tape, I had ordered from Folk Legacy, called SHARON MOUNTAIN HARMONY. It's wonderful ... I've listened to it at least a dozen times. Mostly acapella ... great harmonies ... spirituals ... what I would call "primitive" ... moonchild |
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Subject: RE: A Capella CDs??? From: Barbara Date: 14 Jun 00 - 03:26 AM I love that tape too, moonchild. Played it and ones of the New Golden Ring for someone I know, and he later referred to it as "that practice tape you have". Well, you can't please 'em all, and it's polished enough for me. The harmonies are wonderful. Blessings, Barbara |
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Subject: RE: A Capella CDs??? From: GUEST Date: 14 Jun 00 - 07:42 AM Not a folkie really, but Todd Rundgren put out an a cappella CD called (strangely enough) "A cappella." An eclectic mix representative of various styles of music,there are two cuts on there which would probably blend well into the folk genre, "Johnee Jingo," and "Honest Work," both of which I think, are in the DT. |
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Subject: RE: A Capella CDs??? From: GUEST,Atlanticarc Date: 12 Jun 12 - 11:49 AM Naked Voice by Elspeth Cowie, ex Seannachie and Chantan mp3 album and trax from http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/elspethcowie artist website htpp://www.elspethcowie.com |
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Subject: RE: A Capella CDs??? From: GUEST,John Date: 12 Jun 12 - 01:31 PM The Watersons in their day the Wilsons every time now for me. |
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Subject: RE: A Capella CDs??? From: Phil Edwards Date: 12 Jun 12 - 02:02 PM Thanks for reviving this thread, Atlanticarc. The Futureheads' album Rant is all unaccompanied vocals, a lot of them in close harmony. The songs are partly the Futureheads' own, partly traditional and partly 'other' (e.g. Sparks' "Number one in Heaven"). I'm quite fond of their versions of "The Keeper" and Richard Thompson's "Beeswing". My own 52 Folk Songs project started out mostly unaccompanied & is now mostly not. Harmony singing is something I've only really discovered recently; I've had fun with it, as you can hear on my "Christmas album". in particular. |
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Subject: RE: A Capella CDs??? From: GUEST,mg Date: 12 Jun 12 - 02:32 PM I counted on "Songs for Our Ancestors" and there are 9 out of 19 that are a capella..only one person singing though. mg |
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Subject: RE: A Capella CDs??? From: Dave Hanson Date: 12 Jun 12 - 02:50 PM Practically no one mentioned in this thread sings a capella, they sing unaccompanied, a capella means ' in the style of the church or chapel ' this hardly applies to sea shanty's and drinking songs. Dave H |
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Subject: RE: A Capella CDs??? From: Dave Hanson Date: 12 Jun 12 - 02:52 PM The English folksong tradition is an ' unaccompanied ' tradition, not a capella. Dave H |
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Subject: RE: A Capella CDs??? From: Dave Hanson Date: 12 Jun 12 - 02:56 PM A capella is not even an English term. Dave H |
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Subject: RE: A Capella CDs??? From: Spongebrother Date: 12 Jun 12 - 07:31 PM Well spoken Dave Hansen. All this foreign rubbish. Bad enough to have to suffer the "world music" shyte, but why does simple unaccompanied singing of traditional folk songs have to be falsely labelled as some religious thingy. Rant over |
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Subject: RE: A Capella CDs??? From: Phil Edwards Date: 13 Jun 12 - 03:29 AM falsely labelled as some religious thingy What about religious songs in choral settings - on your logic would it be OK to call them acapella? I don't call unaccompanied singing acapella myself, but it doesn't bother me if other people want to use the word. |
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Subject: RE: A Capella CDs??? From: Dave Hanson Date: 13 Jun 12 - 03:57 AM It's pretentious. Dave H |
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Subject: RE: A Capella CDs??? From: r.padgett Date: 13 Jun 12 - 04:10 AM O right I thought acapella was an accepted alternative term for unaccompanied singing But then I just do the singing and record songs I have learnt to CD Ray |
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Subject: RE: A Capella CDs??? From: Dave Hanson Date: 13 Jun 12 - 07:58 AM Ray, as I said earlier, the English tradition is ' unaccompanied ' A Capella is not an English term, so how can it apply to English traditional songs, except religious songs ? A Capella, in the style of the church or chapel, get it ? Dave H |
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Subject: RE: A Capella CDs??? From: Phil Edwards Date: 13 Jun 12 - 09:53 AM You might as well say that people shouldn't call unamplified instruments "acoustic" - acoustic, relating to audible sound, geddit? |
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Subject: RE: A Capella CDs??? From: An Buachaill Caol Dubh Date: 13 Jun 12 - 11:24 AM Not wishing to "rant" or anything, but would point out that the Irish singing tradition is, largely, unaccompanied by instruments too. I wonder if there's any distinction between "a capella" (chapel) and, say, "alla chiesa", in that a small side-chapel couldn't accommodate many participants although a whole church could. But then, isn't the Sistine Chapel fairly big? |
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Subject: RE: A Capella CDs??? From: Elmore Date: 13 Jun 12 - 04:53 PM Norman Kennedy, Elizabeth LaPrelle. (mostly A Capella) |
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Subject: RE: A Capella CDs??? From: ChanteyLass Date: 13 Jun 12 - 07:53 PM You might also do a web search for shape note recordings or sacred harp recordings and for Shaker recordings. |
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Subject: RE: A Capella CDs??? From: r.padgett Date: 14 Jun 12 - 02:56 AM Ah so really looking for unaccompanied harmony type singing such as Voice Squad and Watersons and Coupe Boyes and Simpson, and English Tapestry ~ do these qualify as A Capella What about duos? Ray |
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Subject: RE: A Capella CDs??? From: matt milton Date: 14 Jun 12 - 03:49 AM I'd love to hear more about contemporary, or new younger folk singers, that sing a capella. Stephanie Hladowski is the only one I can really think of. I mean, obviously, lots of people sing unaccompanied when they're doing a floorspot or a show at a folk club. But what I'm getting it is that it's not often you hear of a singer brave enough in this day and age to actually record an album, or even just a single or EP, wholly unaccompanied. There's a good reason for that: it's not exactly a sound commercial move. I'm hoping Sam Lee's forthcoming album has at least one or two unaccompanied tracks. The other night at Sharp's Folk Club, after the launch of the new Penguin book of English Folk Songs book, there was a huge amount of singers. The Cecil Sharp House bar was the most packed I've ever seen it. And it made it a wonderful night: you got all the regulars at Sharp's, who it's fair to say are very old-school folk (in the best possible way), next to anyone who happened to have come along to the book launch. So you got to hear a wide plethora of unaccompanied voices. From old men singing sean nos beautifully to young rather poseur-ish trendysomethings singing rather affectedly, and everything in between. Beautiful performances, bad performances, but all affecting and interesting. It was a real barometer of an evening. |
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Subject: RE: A Capella CDs??? From: r.padgett Date: 14 Jun 12 - 09:13 AM Yea the voice is an amazing musical instrument, combining basic tunes with lyrics expressed with tonal shade and feelings using the English language (or whatever language!) Ray |
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Subject: RE: A Capella CDs??? From: Phil Edwards Date: 14 Jun 12 - 09:27 AM it's not often you hear of a singer brave enough in this day and age to actually record an album, or even just a single or EP, wholly unaccompanied. This album by Tim Eriksen looks brilliant, although I haven't heard much of it. To be fair, I think unaccompanied song to the length of an album has always been pretty rare, at least since the Revival kicked off. I can name Bellamy, Anne Briggs and er. It might have been the norm among source singers, but the Revival was accompanied pretty much from the off. There's also the awkward matter of natural endowment; some singers just have a beautiful voice (I could listen to Dave Burland all night, singing anything). The rest of us are more likely to be bashful about putting the voice front and centre. My own current project started out entirely unaccompanied, but after a while I started to 'hear' arrangements - then I started messing around with multi-tracking and that was that. Even so, sometimes a song is so strong it seems to insist on being done unaccompanied; they're not always the popular ones, though. |
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Subject: RE: A Capella CDs??? From: GUEST,Henryp Date: 14 Jun 12 - 10:31 AM The Young'Uns from NE England will release their first CD in August; Man I Feel Like A Young'Un. See them at Cambridge Folk Festival. |
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Subject: RE: A Capella CDs??? From: matt milton Date: 14 Jun 12 - 11:10 AM Wow, that Tim Eriksen album sounds fantastic. Thanks very much for the link. I must admit, I don't really like the other Eriksen-related stuff I've heard (Cordelia's Dad) et al. But that's great, very different. |
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Subject: RE: A Capella CDs??? From: Elmore Date: 14 Jun 12 - 08:35 PM Attn: Matt Milton. Elizabeth is 23 or 24. Is that young enough? She has recorded 3 albums, Rain and Snow, Lizard in the Spring, and Birds Advice' Many of the songs are done A Capella. |
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Subject: RE: A Capella CDs??? From: matt milton Date: 15 Jun 12 - 08:10 AM Yes, I've heard Elizabeth LaPrelle a few times. It's great that someone so young is doing old-time music with such commitment and lack of compromise. But while I really want to like her, at the end of the day, I just don't like her voice. She's too nasal for me, and her old-time stylisation (vocal embellishments, catches in the voice, stridency) sounds studied; it grates on my ears. I wish she sounded more like "Elizabeth LaPrelle" as opposed to "Elizabeth LaPrelle emulating all the old singers Elizabeth LaPrelle likes". I feel much the same way about Frank Fairfield - I really want to like him, he clearly loves all the music I love with a passion, and he does everything right, but the singing sounds too much of a contrivance. I heard something similar on this side of the pond the other day at Cecil Sharp House. I think the singer was Alex Neilsen, from the band Trembling Bells. He sang unaccompanied in this very affected way, like a kind of Chinese Whisper of what a "folk singer" might once have sounded like. It sounded over-thought-out and buttoned-up; no spontaneity there. Ultimately like an odd cross between John Jacob Niles and Ewan McColl. Which, y'know, plenty of people might find an intriguing propect! But I'm not altogether sure that was really what he was going for. |
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Subject: RE: A Capella CDs??? From: Bettynh Date: 15 Jun 12 - 02:00 PM Have you heard the Short Sisters (not the ones from Australia)? I was actually surprised, when I re-listened to a few songs, to hear a banjo in the background sometimes, but their music is strongly vocal, modern, and sometimes beautiful. |
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Subject: RE: A Capella CDs??? From: radriano Date: 15 Jun 12 - 02:08 PM The term "A Capella", meaning "like a choir" really refers to religious music. The phrase "unaccompanied singing" more accurately reflects what most of the groups mentioned in this thread do. |
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Subject: RE: A Capella CDs??? From: GUEST,henryp Date: 15 Jun 12 - 02:36 PM http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01d44d8 Here's a clip of Alex Neilson and Lavinia Blackwall of Trembling Bells singing with Katy Cooper and Harry Campbell of Muldoon's Picnic - it's halfway down the page. They were singing together on Marc Riley's show on BBC Radio 6. Lavinia recently toured with The Lady; A Homage to Sandy Denny. She was, in fact, one of the stars. |
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Subject: RE: A Capella CDs??? From: Elmore Date: 15 Jun 12 - 03:43 PM Attn: Matt Milton. I know what you mean.I disagree about E. LaPrelle. but that's okay,I hope. As for the Short Sisters, mentioned above, I booked them for a concert in the eighties . They don't do many gigs now, but are always well received. |
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