Jazzy D's Soul Notes

I have not dome a music post for a while so I will start with two tracks from a band I have seen twice, as they are based in Brighton. Yes, my old city that lived in for many years, and bought their first album on LP and a couple of CDr's. They self-produced all their recordings and hence available only on Lp or CDr. This can make their recordings hard to find but their last major work from 2015 is available - and if not the whole album is downloadable at Amazon.

I also knew a couple of the members of the band.

That album was also number 8 in Wire's Avant Rock best of 2015 in the Jan 2016 issue of the mag.

So here are a few tracks from that 2015 album on CDr only -

Hamilton Yarns - Thick of It




>Hamilton Yarns - Forget Things




Hamilton Yarns - Across the Sky



ENJOY

So if I feel fuzzy then you know I have imbibed!
Some fuzzy tunes -

Fresh Maggots - Dole Song



Lindisfarne - Fog On The Tyne



Jethro Tull - Aqualung



The Fuzztomes - Night Of The Phantom




ENJOY

First a classic folk-rock album from the early seventies -

Trees - Murdoch



One of the best electronica albums this year -

Autechre - r cazt



This was also released 12 days after Sign by them -

Autechre - X4



Of course, one of the best new folk albums this year is Heart's Ease by our Shirl.

Shirley Collins - Wondrous Love



She still lives in the Sussex town of Lewes.

Enjoy.

Classic prog rock from a less well-known band.

Renaissance - Kings and Queens (1970)



Renaissance was originally formed in 1969 by ex-Yardbirds vocalist Keith Relf and drummer Jim McCarty who wanted to explore new sounds blending elements of rock, folk, and classical music. Relf assumed the role of guitarist, and they were joined by bassist Louis Cennamo, keyboardist John Hawken, and vocalist Jane Relf. This lineup recorded the first self-titled album and most of the second album, Illusion (1971). A rapid series of personnel changes followed. Guitarist and composer Michael Dunford first appeared on Illusion. Before his departure from the band, Hawken recruited new vocalist Annie Haslam. By 1972, when the Renaissance recorded their third album, Prologue, none of the original members remained though McCarty still wrote music for the band.

By 1973 the lineup had stabilized with Haslam, Dunford, keyboardist John Tout, bassist and vocalist Jon Camp, and drummer Terry Sullivan. This lineup produced a string of relatively successful albums over the remainder of the decade. They had one Top 10 single in the U.K., "Northern Lights", from the album A Song For All Seasons (1978).

Renaissance - Northern Lights (1978)



Renaissance with their biggest ever hit single "Northern Lights" performing here on Top Of The Pops. The song made number 10 in the UK charts in July 1978. Anyone remember their other song from around that time called "Back Home Once Again" which was the theme tune of a children's television series called "The Paper Lads"?

Renaissance - Touching Once (Is So Hard to Keep)




Enjoy.

Some fine folk music now -

Barry Dransfield - Robin Hood And The Peddlar



This album from 1972 was reissued by Spinney in 2002. Barry still records but mostly concentrates on his business repairing violins and cellos in the coastal town of St. Leonards On Sea, Sussex.

Fairport Convention - Tam Lin



One to play on Halloween methinks.

Fotheringay - Banks Of The Nile



Sandy Denny's voice remains supreme!

Bob Dylan - Don't Think Twice, It's All Right



Enjoy.

Some English folk and folk rock music from my collection -

Norma Waterson - God Loves a Drunk



Richard and Linda Thompson - I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight



Pentangle - Willie O' Winsbury



Anne Briggs - Willie O Winsbury



Meg Baird - Willie O'Winsbury



One of my fave folk tunes. For those that do not know already, this is her cover of a traditional Scottish ballad. It dates back to at least 1775. From her 2007 LP "Dear Companion".

Meg is not British.
She is an American musician based in San Francisco, California, who, in addition to her solo career, is known as a founding member, lead vocalist, and drummer for Heron Oblivion, along with members from Assemble Head in Sunburst Sound and Comets on Fire.


Enjoy these tunes.

So, I listened to the 2018 reissue if this eponymous classic album. I came to the conclusion it is still a classic bona fide album.

Top track, well, without a doubt.

The Band - The Weight

Crap start to the day - rain again - and I will have to pop out to Headcorn later for covert charity shop visits. Meanwhile more folkies -

Shelagh McDonald - Stargazer



Fairport Convention - Matty Groves



Mellow Candle - Reverend Sisters



Giles, Giles & Fripp feat. Judy Dyble - I Talk to the Wind



Martin Carthy - Scarborough Fair




( History of the song Scarborough Fair )

Finally a live version of another English folk song -

Pentangle - Willy O Winsbury



Enjoy

Tome for some night music -

Mazzy Star - Hair and Skin




Cat Power - Metal heart



Tune-Yards - Find A New Way



Pixies - Debaser



Band of Susans - Hard Light



Enjoy.

Listening to quite a bit of Pentangle today and this track adorned just one side of an LP -

Pentangle -Jack Orion



Jack Orion was as good a fiddler
As ever fiddled on a string
He could make young women mad
To the tune his fiddle would sing
He could fiddle the fish out of salt water
Or water from a marble stone
Or milk from out of a maiden's breast
Though baby she'd got none
He's taken his fiddle into his hand
He's fiddled and he's sung
And oft he's fiddled unto the King
Who never thought it long
And he sat fiddling in the castle hall
He's played them all so sound asleep
All but for the young princess
And for love she stayed awake
And first he played at a slow grave tune
And then a gay one flew
And many's the sigh and loving word
That passed between the two
Come to my bower, sweet Jack Orion
When all men are at rest
As I am a lady true to my word
Thou shalt be a welcome guest
He's lapped his fiddle in a cloth of green
A glad man, Lord, was he
Then he's run off to his own house
Says, Tom come hither unto me
When day has dawned and the cocks have crown
And flapped their wings so wide
I am bidden to that lady's door
To stretch out by her side
Lie down in your bed, dear master
And sleep as long as you may
I'll keep good watch and awaken you
Three hours before 'tis day
But the rose up that worthless lad
His master's clothes did don
A collar he's cast about his neck
He seemed the gentleman
Well he didn't take that lady gay
To bolster nor to bed
But down upon the bower floor
He quickly had her laid
And he neither kissed her when he came
Nor when from her he did go
And in and out of her window
The moon like a coal did glow
Ragged are your stockings love
Stubbley is your cheek and chin
And tangled is that yellow hair
That I saw yester' 'een
The stockings belong to my boy Tom
They're the first come to my hand
The wind is tangled my yellow hair
As I rode o'er the land
Tom took his fiddle into his hand
So saucy there he sang
Then he's off back to his master's house
As fast as he could run
Wake up, wake up my good master
I fear 'tis almost dawn
Wake up, wake up the cock has crowed
'Tis time that you were gone
The quickly rose up Jack Orion
Put on his cloak and shoon
And cast a collar about his neck
He was a lord's true son
And when he came to the lady's bower
He lightly rattled the pin
The lady was true to her word
She rose and let him in
Oh whether have you left with me
Your bracelet or your glove?
Or are you returned back again
To know more of my love?
Jack Orion swore a bloody oath
By oak and ash and bitter thorn
Saying, lady I never was in your house
Since the day that I was born
Oh then it was your young footpage
That has so cruelly beguiled me
And woe that the blood of the ruffian lad
Should spring in my body
Then she pulled forth a little sharp knife
That hung down at her knee
O'er her white feet the red blood ran
Or ever a hand could stay
And dead she lay on her bower floor
At the dawning of the day
Jack Orion ran to his own house
Saying, Tom my boy come here to me
Come hither now and I'll pay your fee
And well paid you shall be
If I had killed a man tonight
Tom I would tell it thee
But if I have taken no life tonight
Tom thou hast taken three
Then he pulled out his bright brown sword
And dried it on his sleeve
And he smote off that vile lad's head
And asked for no man's leave
He set the sword's point to his breast
The pommel to a stone
Through the falseness of that lying lad
These three lives were all gone


A traditional folk song of bloody deeds.