Dave Swarbrick Live At Jacksons Lane CD

This is an entirely solo 1991 performance by Dave Swarbrick, just a man and his fiddle. Thankfully this is a predominantly instrumental set as Swarbrick's voice is a bit shaky on the opening selection "Bonny Black Hare." His voice seemed to solidify only slightly on the next vocal piece "Lovely Nancy." Singing, however, was never Swarbrick's selling point; rather, it's his precise yet soulful playing that has influenced many through the years. "Sleepy Maggie," "Lady Mary Hayes Scotch Measure," and "Bunker Hill" are reflective of his unique and perhaps unmatched style but they are marred by his uncontrollable grunts and snortles (à la Ian Anderson). On the other hand, some listeners might find such outbursts endearing or simply the embodiment of his total absorption into his craft. Always a fine interpreter of legendary Irish bard Turlough O'Carolan Swarbrick offers another soulful rendition of the lamentable "Sheebeg and Shemore," which he first recorded on 1977's Swarbrick 2. ~ Dave Sleger

Gadfly Records is proud to announce the release of "Both Ears and the Tail," a recently-unearthed 1966 concert recording from British folk legends Martin Carthy and Dave Swarbrick.This fascinating recording from the Folkus Folk Club in Nottingham features these two fixtures of the English folk scene in a lively and rambunctious performance and includes several songs not on any of their other releases. Recently-written liner notes from Carthy puts the performance in context and describes the details of the show (and explains the title of the CD!). This release coincides with Martin Carthy's four-week tour of solo and Waterson/Carthy performances."...I'm reminded by this of what an exciting time it was and what a good time we had when we were on stage. This is an honest and unadulterated representation of what we did and how we sounded back then." (Martin Carthy, in the CD's liner notes) Track list:1. The Leitrim Fancy*/Drowsy Maggie*/Staten Island/The Corbie and the Craw* -- High Germany2. Fair Maid On The Shore3. Porcupine Rag4. The Bonny Black Hare5. Sovay (The Female Highwayman)6. The Barmaid*/Peter St.*/The Mason's Apron*7. The Broomfield Hill8. The Wind That Shakes The Barley9. The Hen's March/The Four Poster Bed10. Man of Newlyn Town11. Dill Pickles Rag12. The Two Magicians13. The Kid On The Mountain/The Donegal/The Swallowstail/The Marquis Of Tullybardine**song or arrangement appearing for the first time from Swarbrick/CarthyAlso available from Gadfly Records:Dave Swarbrick, "Live at Jacksons Lane" (Gadfly 503)