Category Archives: Music

Paul Brady’s The Paul Brady Songbook

I first saw Paul Brady in about 1968 or ’69 as part of The Johnstons folk group, upstairs at Yardarms Club in the Bull and Stirrup Hotel in Chester. In those days the Johnstons were one of the cornerstones of … Continue reading

Posted in Music | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Paul Brady’s The Paul Brady Songbook

Paul Brady’s Nobody Knows: The Best of Paul Brady

Chris Woods wrote this review. Okay, hands up anyone who has heard of Paul Brady? On second thought, that’s a silly question to ask here because you are reading this review. Maybe we should try the question on a typical … Continue reading

Posted in Music | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Paul Brady’s Nobody Knows: The Best of Paul Brady

Tarbaby’s You Think This America

Melodic, rhythmic, replete with lush harmonies and head-turning improvisation, Tarbaby’s You Think This America is just about everything I want in a jazz record. Tarbaby is pianist Orrin Evans, bassist Eric Revis and drummer Nasheet Waits. They’ve been playing together … Continue reading

Posted in Music | Tagged | Comments Off on Tarbaby’s You Think This America

Linda Thompson’s Won’t Be Long Now

Add my voice to the chorus that is hailing Linda Thompson’s third solo album of her revived career as a contemporary folk delight. Won’t Be Long Now is an intimate recording featuring many members of her family that masterfully mixes … Continue reading

Posted in Music | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Linda Thompson’s Won’t Be Long Now

Linda Thompson’s Proxy Music

What do you do when you have a heart (and a notebook) full of songs but can’t sing them yourself? Well, if you’re Linda Thompson and you have connections to (and are beloved by) several generations of musicians on both … Continue reading

Posted in Music | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Linda Thompson’s Proxy Music

Ar Log’s ArLog VI, Bob Delyn a’rEbillion’s Gwbade Bach Cochlyd, Cusan Tan’s Kiss of Fire, Esgair’s The Ridge, and various artists’ Goreuon Canu Gwerin Newydd

Lyrics-obsessed reviewers (such as me) shouldn’t review CDs in languages they don’t know. Luckily, the CDs in this this collection of Welsh music contain enough instrumental tunes and enough sheer beauty to moderate the language barrier. The various artists’ compilation … Continue reading

Posted in Music | Tagged , | Comments Off on Ar Log’s ArLog VI, Bob Delyn a’rEbillion’s Gwbade Bach Cochlyd, Cusan Tan’s Kiss of Fire, Esgair’s The Ridge, and various artists’ Goreuon Canu Gwerin Newydd

Crasdant’s Crasdant, Gwerinos’s Lleuadllawn, Ogam’s O Gam I Gam, various artists’ Welsh Choirs Sing Folk, and various artists’ Rough Guide to the Music of Wales

Welsh music is often known for its harps, male choirs, and its pibgorn or hornpipe; the Welsh people themselves often given the reputation for a certain dark, dour nature, and deep religious bent. Although Wales is right in the center … Continue reading

Posted in Music | Tagged , | Comments Off on Crasdant’s Crasdant, Gwerinos’s Lleuadllawn, Ogam’s O Gam I Gam, various artists’ Welsh Choirs Sing Folk, and various artists’ Rough Guide to the Music of Wales

Trefor & Vicki Williams’s Timeless Land

Apart from occasionally hearing Trefor and Vicki sing at various local festivals, the first time that I ever really met them was after Gordon Morris and I sang our song “The Fight of The Fiddlers” at Chester Folk Festival, 2000. … Continue reading

Posted in Music | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Trefor & Vicki Williams’s Timeless Land

Various artists’ The Music of Wales, The Folk Collection, and The Music of Wales, The Classic Collection

Nos da. Croeso I Gymru. To those of you not fluent in Welsh that means “Good morning. Welcome to Wales.” Wales has always been a kind of forgotten sibling to England, Scotland and Ireland. But the Welsh language is as … Continue reading

Posted in Music | Tagged , | Comments Off on Various artists’ The Music of Wales, The Folk Collection, and The Music of Wales, The Classic Collection

Pigyn Clust’s Perllan (Orchard)

This is an exquisite album. It’s difficult to decide whether the instrumentals or the vocals are more compelling — rest assured that both are lovely, and the combination is at once exciting and restrained. This disc will appeal both to … Continue reading

Posted in Music | Tagged , | Comments Off on Pigyn Clust’s Perllan (Orchard)