Burton Bradstock
aka Jimmy Cannon (vocals, arranger); Dorian Ford (piano); Iain Ballamy
(saxophone); Julian Ferraretto (violin); Pete Berryman (guitar and
co-arranger); Riaan Vosloo
(bass); Tim Giles (drums); also various musicians playing strings
(Review by Ann Alex).
This is an
unusual CD of traditional folk songs played and sung in a jazz-like manner by
very talented musicians who have excellent credentials and much
experience. My reaction, as a jazz-loving
folkie, was mixed.
I doubt if this would
appeal to lovers of very traditional folk song, but jazz fans may like it
better, as there is plenty of jazz involved.
As for folk, there are some very successful tracks, but some tracks veer
too far towards classical music because the strings are overused, thus missing
the gutsiness of real folk music. The
vocalist sings in a pleasantly slightly husky voice, which would have suited
more gutsy, adventurous arrangements, moving away from the tune, maybe even
with a bit of scat. I think Iain Ballamy should have been used more – after all this instrument (saxophone) is starting to
appear in folk clubs.
I did like The Foggy, Foggy Dew, one of the less
complex arrangements, with a ragtime piano accompaniment and brushed drums
percussion – very effective. Then there
was John Barleycorn (all about
growing barley and making beer, but from the barleycorn’s point of view), a
no-holds-barred modern jazz arrangement with
a distinctly drunken sound. All Things Are Quite Silent is a song
about the press gang, and the tragic theme deserved more than just luscious
playing by the strings. Early One Morning was a missed
opportunity, which needed a more lively singing style.
As I said, this
is a group of skilled musicians, who should maybe try more folk song
arrangements, with some instrumental only tracks, and a selection of songs such
as Border Ballads, which can be done well as Blues. I know this works, because some musicians
from the Newcastle Folk Degree did this in a Sage concert last year.
The CD - All Upon A Lovely Summer’s Day: Burton Bradstock - is
released on October 29th on the F-IRE label, catalogue number
F-IRECD 58. There is a CD launch at the
Pizza Express Jazz Club, Soho on 30th
October.
Ann Alex (Russell is nowhere in my name!)
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