Sunday 30 May 2010

EVENSONG: SPENCER THE ROVER.



6 comments:

lilith said...

The Copper Family are fabulous. Thank you Mr Smith.

call me ishmael said...

Like JM, Lilith, most of this particular ensemble are now passed away but a new generation, still defiantly non-showbiz, sings the same songs, in the same harmonies, from the same, shared, family songbooks. It is a delightfully English, rural, working class body of work, a living treasure.

Many of the songs were adapted by the folk-rockers
- Fairport, Steeleye Span, the Strawbs - and also given more sensitive reinterpretation by our many gifted solo singer-instrumentalists, Carthy, Martyn, Renbourne, Jones et al. I am glad you like it.

Elby the Beserk said...

Oh to sing so fine! Took me straight to the three part harmonies you get in Bluegrass so often, surely from the same roots.

Glorious, and a glorious song.

Dick the Prick said...

Seconded as per the Cooper family being brilliant and I bet their local Landlord concurs heartily!

call me ishmael said...

It is great stuff, mr dtp, our equivalent of Uncle Sam's Country Blues but more forthright,narrative, declamatory.

I will post some more over the weekend.

Dunno, mr elby, if Suffolk is the root of Appalachian music, I always hear as much in it, or more, of Irish and Scottish airs and harmonies, but I certainly agree that Bluegrass owes more to the British Isles than to any other Old Country.

call me ishmael said...

ps...

I also think that for all his innovative, breathy phrasing and fluent playing, the late John Martyn adds little, indeed detracts from Spencer the Rover. Steeleye Span were about the best, in my judgement, at Copper make-overs.