Alan Lomax & the Ramblers

Subject: Alan Lomax & the Ramblers
From: Roger the Skiffler
Date: 29 Oct 07 - 07:21 AM

Their skiffle EP was mentioned on another thread. Fans might like to know that 3 tracks: Railroad Man, Oh Lula, Hard Case by Alan and the Ramblers are on a double CD: Great British Skiffle....1948-56, on the cheapo SMITH & Co label, SCCD 1122. It contains most of the usual suspects (Donegan, Colyer, Vipers, Bryden)and some rarities (Lazy Ade, Arthur Baird, Bob Wallis Washboard Beaters) and Russell Quaye's New City Ramblers with Ramblin' Jack Elliot guesting on Midnight Special..

RtS

Subject: RE: Alan Lomax & the Ramblers
From: greg stephens
Date: 29 Oct 07 - 07:31 AM

Hard Case sung by Ewan McColl(unless this is another version?). I have the 45EP of Dirty Old Town and Hard Case.

Subject: RE: Alan Lomax & the Ramblers
From: Roger the Skiffler
Date: 29 Oct 07 - 07:41 AM

The Ramblers included Ewan,Pete & Peggy Seeger, Shirley Collins and Jim Bray.

RtS

Subject: RE: Alan Lomax & the Ramblers
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 29 Oct 07 - 10:17 AM

What ever happened to that lot?

Subject: RE: Alan Lomax & the Ramblers
From: Roger the Skiffler
Date: 29 Oct 07 - 10:47 AM

He He! Les. Jim Bray (who may be less well known to folkies)played bass with Chris Barber, Humph and many others, still performing, I believe.

RtS

Subject: RE: Alan Lomax & the Ramblers
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 29 Oct 07 - 10:50 AM

I think I have a 1960's sheet music of Dirty Old Town with a photo of them on the front The photo itself must be early 50's?

Subject: RE: Alan Lomax & the Ramblers
From: greg stephens
Date: 29 Oct 07 - 01:20 PM

Somebody jazzy played clarinet on some tracks, Hard Case I think. Al Fairweather? Can't remember.

Subject: RE: Alan Lomax & the Ramblers
From: greg stephens
Date: 29 Oct 07 - 01:27 PM

No, the other one, Sandy Brown.

Subject: RE: Alan Lomax & the Ramblers
From: GUEST,Hootenanny
Date: 29 Oct 07 - 01:29 PM

I think you will find that the Ramblers recordings pre-dated the time that Pete Seeger was able to leave the States and come to England and therefore he wouldn't have been a member of that recording group.

Jim Bray used to drive a funeral hearse to gigs as the space normally taken up by a coffin was ideal for carrying a double bass. Fellow bass man Brian Brocklehurst well known session player on BBC folk broadcasts on the other hand was a common site riding his bike down Bond Stret in London's west end with one hand,pipe stuck in his mouth and with his double bass tucked under his free arm.

Hoot

Subject: RE: Alan Lomax & the Ramblers
From: GUEST,Jim Carroll
Date: 29 Oct 07 - 02:07 PM

Bruce Turner on clarinet
Jim Carroll

Subject: RE: Alan Lomax & the Ramblers
From: TheSnail
Date: 29 Oct 07 - 07:26 PM

Don't kow if thiss accurate, but here it is Alan Lomax and the Ramblers

Subject: RE: Alan Lomax & the Ramblers
From: GUEST,Jim Carroll
Date: 30 Oct 07 - 03:24 AM

Sorry Snail,
You are right.
I had assumed because of Turner's association with MacColl on later recordings that it was him on this disc.
Jim Carroll

Subject: RE: Alan Lomax & the Ramblers
From: Roger the Skiffler
Date: 30 Oct 07 - 05:11 AM

CD notes have photo of Ramblers with both the Seegers on.

RtS

Subject: RE: Alan Lomax & the Ramblers
From: GUEST,Roger the cookieless skiffler
Date: 30 Oct 07 - 01:17 PM

I'll have to stop trying to provide information, here, I just demonstrate my ignorance: Pete Seeger WASN't in the line up or the photograph. DUH! Blame it on the tablets (But you aren't on tablets, Roger. Precisely!)

RtS

Subject: RE: Alan Lomax & the Ramblers
From: Leadbelly
Date: 10 Nov 07 - 01:09 PM

Just received this double CD via Caiman/Florida/USA.
Indeed, that's a highly recommendable compilation of british skiffle without any weak songs/groups. Many thanks to Smith&Co. and especially to Dave Travis responsible for compilation.
Obviously, it needed a company from the Netherlands to make this cheapo (around 8-9 Euro) available which is of splendid technical quality.

Gives back many memories: Lonnie, Ken, Dick, City Ramblers and some others of which I was not aware. Although I do own Lonnie's "Pye in the Sky" (Bear Family) there are some tracks of Lonnie (or Dick Bishop) which are not included in this anthology.

Would like to recommend this double CD to all skiffle fans. By the way- to avoid misunderstandings-without any commercial interest.

Manfred