Here’s the great Nic Jones playing live on the John Peel show in 1976. This song was written by Phil Colclough (see Mainly Norfolk for background info here).
Category: Folk music
Lord Franklin (John Smith)
I love John Smith’s version of the traditional song ‘Lord Franklin’.
P.S. Wikipedia has a good history of this song (which first appears in London on a broadside ballad sheet in about 1850) here.
Ain’t No Grave
Well, this is just delicious.
Karine Polwart: ‘The Lark in the Clear Air’
It’s been a while since we’ve had any music on ‘Faith, Folk and Charity.’ So here’s the wonderful Karine Polwart singing ‘The Lark in the Clear Air..’
Karine’s website is here.
Yet More Songs of the Christmas Season!
My third living room gig of Christmas songs old, new, and in between!
More Songs of the Christmas season (December 11th 2020)
…in which I sing some more Christmas songs – some traditional, some whose authors are known, and one original.
Songs of War and Peace, November 11th 2020
This was a little Facebook Live gig I did from my home Wednesday evening.
Cold Blow and the Rainy Night
This is my version of the old traditional song ‘Cold Blow and the Rainy Night.’ It appeared on my 2013 album ‘Folk Songs and Renovations.‘ The words are traditional but I wrote a new tune for them which was inspired by a guitar riff by my friend Carrie Day!
Cara Dillon and Sam Lakeman Live at Cooper Hall
Cara Dillon and her husband and musical partner Sam Lakeman have produced a number of beautiful CDs over the years, including some with a little more instrumentation. But this stripped-down concert demonstrates what brilliant musicians they are. Cara’s voice is wonderfully expressive and she’s definitely at the top of her game. Sam’s piano and guitar arrangements are always just enough and never too much, and occasionally Cara throws in a little tin whistle for good measure.
And what better to give us during a time of pandemic than a concert with a healthy dose of traditional Irish folk songs, which probably express love and loss better than any other body of music on the planet?
Some of the media reactions:
“It is an inspiring and intimate delight from start to finish, the purity of Cara’s voice elegantly complemented by Sam on the venue’s Steinway grand piano and guitar”
“In the familiarity of her melody and emotive vocals, Dillon gave comfort to her online audience, creating togetherness across time and distance.”
“And what a glorious 75 minutes it was, beautifully set and staged, the music an exquisite patchwork of different hues”
Oh – and if you enjoy this concert, read this note from Cara and Sam and send them a donation. Like all folk musicians, their income has taken a huge hit during the pandemic.
