28 November 2011

News from Western Victoria – “Songs with Legs

Ee by gum. It's gradely to be back in Trad & Now with a few lines. This time about a couple of brave troupers: Fay White and Jane Thompson. They were encountered last Saturday night in the wheat-lands of Western Victoria at Rapunyup. An area that more frequently hears, clear my throat and expectorate, plagiarists of American country & western music and singers ashamed of their Australian accents.
Fay & Jane were performing as the duo "Songs with Legs". They sing songs that in the old troubadour idiom are going places. Going not only into your mind to stimulate your imagination but, swaggie-like, they are travelling around with Fay & Jane to bring the songs to the people in their village & church halls and homes. Many of these are also songs destined for the future to become tomorrow's folk songs from our today.
I have been aware of Fay White for getting on for twenty years through her performances at the National Folk festival. Aware as in attending one or two rare concerts with a lack of in depth understanding of what she was trying to achieve. Time and my ageing like smelly tasty Lancashire cheese has lifted my understanding. Alongside people like Margaret Bradford, John Dengate, Eric Bogle, John Warner, Ulick O'Boyle or Utah Phillips, Fay is a wizard at recording in song the life experiences, emotions and history of those who are most important to us individually. Not the kings and queens, the prime ministers, presidents or generals but the mums & dads. The every day people who ensure that the children safely cross the street to school each day. The firemen and SES workers. The farmer who produces milk for our breakfast porridge and a raft of other similar VIPs. In other words, those who are fundamentally responsible for much of our minute by minute existence, well being and experience.
Jane Thompson should be remembered from being an integral part of Blackwood with the Rigby brothers. They have quite a few CD's to their credit (see the Trad & Now 'shoppe') and have toured extensively in the past. Jane is also part ofThe Rainmakers”. I will take great pleasure in airing on the Gypsy Jack Boggle Showthe Rainmaker's“ new CD “Yandoit, Songs of Hope & Peace” during the upcoming festive season. It will also enable me to rub some perspiring local C&W singers' ears in the sound ofThe Rainmakerssinging abilities.The Rainmakers” recently won the Liz Johnston Award at the National Festival. Jane has only recently joined with Fay to create this new duo “Songs with Legs. Fay not only specially mentioned to me her thanks for being joined in the duo by Jane's vocal and playing contributions but also her song writing and awesome arranging skills.
I hope that the duo continues as they not only skilfully harmonise their beautiful voices and complimentary musical skills but also, at times, bounce their repartee like squash balls off the solid foundation and concrete walls of their respective life experiences. I suggest that the pairing of these two artistes can only substantially improve theCollective of Australian folk song and live performance for the betterment of fellow artiste and listener alike. I for one appreciated the fact that Jane, together with James Rigby have undoubtedly shared their skill & knowledge with the younger group members in “The Rainmakers. A move that the future will hopefully fully appreciate and give appropriate thanks to them and all who have contributed to the continuance of the art. If not it will be another sad day for humanity and folk music.
Many thanks both Fay and Jane for your siren songs. You can listen to many of Fay White's on her current album “These people, this place: everyday grace” made with the help of a lot of friends. Siren songs that are only dangerous if you are a listener who habitually and exclusively listens to lyrics containing the guile and the short lived inconsequential pap that many favour. Fay & Jane's lyrics are about the real stories of humankind. The kings and queens and their kind frequently do not wish to hear or allow songs like these. Fay and Jane's songs contain too many inherent truths and lack the guile demanded by those wanting to control history. Learn more at www.makingmusic.com.au aboutThe Rainmakersand simply contact Fay through faywhite.music@westnet.com.au .
To you dear reader, thank you for joining me, and please do so in person when you are driving through Horsham in Western Victoria so that I can record a chat for the radio. The Gypsy Jack Boggle Show is themed each week of the month. The themes are Australian, Celtic, English and World: folk and traditional music. The weekly classical music show is taking a break at the moment. As I sometimes say to exit the programmeDrive carefully and don't drink & drive, 'cos we don't want more cripples like me in the world. And........tune in next Sunday or chew your own ears off! Make yours an f.cubed (f.f.f.or f.3) f.f.f.folking good week. Gypsy Jack
©Rjn 2011

27 November 2011

Theme: World, Date: 27/11/2011

Theme: World
 © 2011 Rjn

Artiste:
Title:
The Spinners
The Family of Man

The Wurzels
Drink Drink Yer Zider Up, The Combine Harvester, I Am A Cider Drinker

Rosa Balistreri
Vittina Bedda, La Cursa di li Cavadd, La Tarantula
E. Timorese Performers
The Buffolo Horn Call, Ina Lou, Tebe from Olpana
Pipes & Drums of the Royal Tank Regiment



Scotland the Brave
Queens Own Highlanders

 Pipe Major Willlie Ross Pipe Medley
Gordon Highlanders

Mist Covered Mountains



Joan Baez
Lowlands, Black is the Colour, Don't Weep After Me (with Ted Alverez & Bill Wood



Richard Burton
Tribute to Thomas Hardy – In the Servant's Quarters, At Casterbridge Fair, The Souls of the Slain, Reminiscences of a Dancing Man, Old Furniture

Rudi Knabl
Wer nennt mir jene blume, Immer frohlich, Bei der Linden
Klezmer Connection
V'Haer Enenn, Shalom aleichem, Raisins & Almond

Steeleye Span
The Blackleg Miner, Coshawholme Fair, The Boys of Bedlam



Bernardo Palombo y Cantoclaro
Por el fusil y la Flor, Triunfo Agrario, Cancion por el nino que viene, Hermano, Done tu mano followed by English translations read by Rjn

Cantigas
Minstrel Melodies, Village Fair, Constantinople

Kalyi Jag
Starvardestajdúy ratya, Fáni, Szosztar, mange, mama

Paco Pena
Sevillanas, Zorongo, Bulerias Cortas, Zorongo
Judy Pinder
The Parting Glass

20 November 2011

Theme: English, Date: 20/11/2011

Theme: English
 © 2011 Rjn
Artiste:
Title:
The Spinners
The Family of Man
Margaret Walters & John Warner

Kilroy Was Here, The Bergen, Telford's Bridge
Martin Carthy
Famous Flower of Serving Men, The Maid & the Palmer, Bill Norrie
Mike Waterson
Wensleydale Lad
Anne Briggs
Let No Man Steal Your Thyme,
June Tabor
Smiling Shore
Silly Sisters
Cakes & Ale
Norma Waterson
Barbary Allen
Eliza Carthy
Worcester Town

The Taverners

Sir Thomas Tyldesley, Windmills, La Pique, Sambo's Song, Lord Middleton

Bob Stewart
Sulis Music, The Leaves of Life, Seasons of the Year, Lord Inchiquin, Spring Dance
Ewan MacColl & A.L.Lloyd
Do Me Ama, Paddy West, Banks of Newfoundland

Duncan Chalmers
The Water is Wide, Christmas in the Trenches, House Carpenter, Boys of Bedlam
Alistair Anderson
One Horned Sheep, Admiral Cole, Derwentwater's Farewell
Alan Bell
Bread & Fishes, So Here's To You
Rjn:-








Pays homage to the following Poets:
Daniel Defoe – The Peerage of the Nation
Anon – From the Hag & The Hungry Goblin, Loving Mad Tom, Mad Maudlin is Come, A Cornish Toast
Richard Corbett – A Non Sequiteur
A.V. Rieu – Pirates on Funafuti
Jonathon Swift – A Satirical Elegy
H.G. Bell – The Fate of Sergeant Thin
Theodore Martin – The Biter Bit

13 November 2011

Theme:Celtic Date: 13/11/2011

Theme:Celtic
 © 2011 Rjn
Artiste:
Title:
The Spinners
The Family of Man
Evan Mathieson
Harry Robertson's Wee Pot Stove, Deep Sea Tug, Fred the Fitter
Kilmarnock
The Spey in Spate, Wooden Duck, Maggie Cameron
Stockton's Wing
The Humours of Clonmult
Christy Moore
The Voyage
4 Men & A Dog
Primrose Lass Selection, Donegal Breeze
Ewan MacColl
Hind Horn, The Laird O'Drum
Aled Jones
Plaisir D'amour, Bugeilior Gwenith Gwyn, The Children's Home
John Currie
Omah Town
Declan Affley
A Rake & Ramblin Man, The Flighty Tailor, Havanna

Eric Bogle
Scraps of Paper, A Reason For it All, If Wishes Were Fishes, Just Not Coping

Aly Bain
Dr James Donaldson, Anvil Reel, The Auld Noost, Margaret’s Waltz, De Braacken Baa, Violet Tulloch's Hornpipe

Jean Redpath
Songs of R Burns – The Tailor Fell Through the Bed, Tam Glen, Wha is that at my bower door
Steeleye Span
Rogues in the Nation, Cam ye o'er frae France
Capercaille
Miracle of Being, Oh my boatman, Islay Ranter's Reels
Alistair Hulett
Chylde Owlett, When the Wee Birds Start Leaving, Harold's Best Me
Judy Pinder

The Parting Glass