Traditional English Folk Music - Recommendations

[symon]

Oooh! I just got back from Shrewsbury Festival and saw lots of things that are right up your street, Nick.

If you want real old traditional English stuff - go back to the last of the originals - The Copper Family, Harry Cox, Sam Larner, The Watersons, and so many more.

Check out Topic Records, they do loads of stuff. Also Sanctuary records put out a lot of stuff. They took over a label, but I can't remember which one right now.

There is a 20 disc set, the name of which escapes me right now. I'll post it here when I remember what it's called.

Alternatively, come round my house and take a look at what's on my CD shelves. I've got plenty here you might be interested in.

[symon]

I remembered now
The Voice of the People

[Beechwoods]

Alternatively, come round my house and take a look at what's on my CD shelves. I've got plenty here you might be interested in.

I will, and hopefully I should have a good excuse to soon (and about bloody time, you might say )

[symon]

Excellent! I really do have quite a bit of folk stuff here. And, I started pretty much from where you are now - Martin Carthy and Dave Swarbrick. I'm sure we could have an entertaining evening listening to folk music old and new. I'd be glad of the chance to share this wonderful music. I might end up going on about a chap called Chris Wood a lot - simply because he's a genius!

[Beechwoods]

I would really like that. I have a lot to learn!

On a different tangent I've been reading about and listening to a lot of early (1920-1950's) American music and developing a similar fascination for the early stuff. It's interesting how some of 'our' songs made their way 'over there'. But that's a subject for a different thread some other time

[symon]

It's true. There are quite a few songs that have travelled the world. The Watersons/Carthys are good at following songs around and tracing their history.

[symon]

It's time to resurrect this thread, I think.

I was very lucky over Christmas to pick up two excellent trad folk type things. The first is a double disc set of Harry Cox. A proper traditional folk singer who has some great songs, plays fantastic melodeon and almost unbearable violin! Perfect.

And, the other was the Topic Records 70 years boxset. 7 CDs of pure joy. I haven't listened to all of it yet, but what I have heard spans from early cylinder recordings made by Vaughn Williams, through to the latest pie Martin Carthy has his fingers in. Great stuff and definitely recommended. The packaging (it's a book!) is excellent and I'm looking forward to properly reading through the history of the record label.