After our trip around Wales we are back in England. The area known generically as the West Country is home to some of the iconic sites such as Stonehenge in Wiltshire and the Tor of Glastonbury. It is also the country of cider and traditional scones with clotted cream and the wild rugged coastline of Cornwall.
Traditional English dance ensemble the Old Swan Band used to be known as the Cotswold Liberation Front, which tells me they are from this gentle and idyllic landscape in Gloucestershire, where they have played at barn dances since the 1970's. Here's a tune from their 2014 album Fortyssimo called The Rose Tree / (The Bottom of) the Punchbowl
Traditional English dance ensemble the Old Swan Band used to be known as the Cotswold Liberation Front, which tells me they are from this gentle and idyllic landscape in Gloucestershire, where they have played at barn dances since the 1970's. Here's a tune from their 2014 album Fortyssimo called The Rose Tree / (The Bottom of) the Punchbowl
Moving south we come to Bristol, where this mysterious and short-lived band hailed from, Folkal Point. This is from their website:
Bristol, England 1971
In 1971 four teenagers from Bristol, England decided to record an album of traditional and modern English and American folk songs. Only five hundred LPs were pressed, half of which were damaged and destroyed in a flood. The remaining copies then embarked on an amazing journey over the next forty five years to become the most sought after British traditional folk album ever produced.
Here's a song from their one and only self-titled album, which these days is available digitally. The song is called Sweet Joan:
Also from Bristol, but a bit more modern are original jumping European folk band Sheelanagig, named after figurative carvings of naked women displaying an exaggerated vulva. Their upbeat music is Celtic and European influenced, namely with gypsy and Balkan undertones, and very much invites the listener to swing a dance leg. Their style can probably best defined as what Belgian band Jaunes Toujours coined as Europeana as opposed to Americana. This is the title track from their 2016 album Beard Town:
Folk singer Rosie Hood is a native of Wiltshire and specialises in the traditional music of her home county. She is known for her strong, pure voice and captivating performances with just minimal accompaniment. Here's a song called Adrift, Adrift from her only album to date from 2017, The Beautiful & the Actual.
Singer and concertina player Emily Portman grew up in Glastonbury, Somerset. Here's a song from her 2010 album The Glamoury called Stick Stock.
Next we head to Cornwall, to the village of Port Isaac in particular, where male singing group Fisherman's Friends hail from. The original members originally all grew up within half a mile of the village and all had some sea connection, being either actual fishermen or life boat crew or such like. Therefore their theme is traditional and contemporary sea shanties, which are delivered with a great deal of humour. Last year they shot to fame when a fictionalised romcom movie came out about them. Watch it if you haven't seen it yet, it's quite good fun. Here's the official trailer:
And here's the real thing, Fire Down Below from their 2018 album Sole Mates:
Moving even deeper into Cornwall to the village of Tregajorran where traditional Cornish band Dalla came from, who were active from the late 90's until 2017. They sang both in English and Cornish, the Celtic language of Cornwall. Dalla means both beginnings or to dazzle. This a song by them called Dean Younk a Gernow, Young Man of Cornwall, which features on their bonus album to the Rough Guide to Celtic Music:
From the end of Cornwall there is only one way to go, turn around. So we are heading into Devon. Folk songer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Seth Lakeman was born in Yelverton, He has collaborated with numerous acts including with his two brothers Sean and Sam and The Full English, but is mostly known for his solo efforts, playing fiddle, guitar, banjo and viola. This the opening track of his 2006 album Freedom Fields called Lady of the Sea (Hear Her Calling):
Folk band Show of Hands were founded in 1987 by friends Steve Knightly and Phil Beer (of Exminster, Devon). They are known for their songs with rousing choruses that address contemporary social issues. Here's a song by them, which originally featured on their 2019 album Battlefield Dance Floor, but got a new video make-over in the time of Covid 19. It's called You'll Get By:
If you find yourself with a lot of spare time, check out their feature length documentary:
That's it from the West Country, next up we'll explore the south coast of England. As usual you can follow my virtual exploits on my tripline map.
Folk singer Rosie Hood is a native of Wiltshire and specialises in the traditional music of her home county. She is known for her strong, pure voice and captivating performances with just minimal accompaniment. Here's a song called Adrift, Adrift from her only album to date from 2017, The Beautiful & the Actual.
Singer and concertina player Emily Portman grew up in Glastonbury, Somerset. Here's a song from her 2010 album The Glamoury called Stick Stock.
Next we head to Cornwall, to the village of Port Isaac in particular, where male singing group Fisherman's Friends hail from. The original members originally all grew up within half a mile of the village and all had some sea connection, being either actual fishermen or life boat crew or such like. Therefore their theme is traditional and contemporary sea shanties, which are delivered with a great deal of humour. Last year they shot to fame when a fictionalised romcom movie came out about them. Watch it if you haven't seen it yet, it's quite good fun. Here's the official trailer:
And here's the real thing, Fire Down Below from their 2018 album Sole Mates:
Moving even deeper into Cornwall to the village of Tregajorran where traditional Cornish band Dalla came from, who were active from the late 90's until 2017. They sang both in English and Cornish, the Celtic language of Cornwall. Dalla means both beginnings or to dazzle. This a song by them called Dean Younk a Gernow, Young Man of Cornwall, which features on their bonus album to the Rough Guide to Celtic Music:
From the end of Cornwall there is only one way to go, turn around. So we are heading into Devon. Folk songer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Seth Lakeman was born in Yelverton, He has collaborated with numerous acts including with his two brothers Sean and Sam and The Full English, but is mostly known for his solo efforts, playing fiddle, guitar, banjo and viola. This the opening track of his 2006 album Freedom Fields called Lady of the Sea (Hear Her Calling):
Folk band Show of Hands were founded in 1987 by friends Steve Knightly and Phil Beer (of Exminster, Devon). They are known for their songs with rousing choruses that address contemporary social issues. Here's a song by them, which originally featured on their 2019 album Battlefield Dance Floor, but got a new video make-over in the time of Covid 19. It's called You'll Get By:
If you find yourself with a lot of spare time, check out their feature length documentary:
That's it from the West Country, next up we'll explore the south coast of England. As usual you can follow my virtual exploits on my tripline map.
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