There's a rather unkind theory in British folk circles, and it's this: If you really want to be a performing folk singer, then the complete lack of a musical singing voice is no obstacle to achieving your goal. You simply need to join a Shanty group. While it's true that there's an abundance of formulaic maritime CD's (record it in an afternoon, stick a picture of a three-master on the cover, sell it to the drunks in the dockside pub and run), these two CD's are categorically NOT of that ilk!
The Revels are an American musical theatre company whose stated aim is "building tradition through music, dance and drama." Their productions celebrate the seasons and cycles of community life, and combine the talents of some of the very best professional singers, musicians and actors with volunteer participants from the communities in which they perform.
This CD (essentially the soundtrack to "Sea Revels") is a very high quality production indeed. There are a few familiar names listed among the vocal soloists including Louis Killen, John Roberts and Tony Barrand. The Revels Band provides a perfect musical backdrop with double bass, whistle, guitars, fiddle, accordion, banjo and mandolin. Then there are perhaps the real stars of the show, The Revels Chorus (and The Revels Children!) who perform with skill, enthusiasm and a tremendous amount of "wallop"! Maximum respect must go to George Emlen, who is The Revels Musical Director and Producer.
There's a wide variety of maritime songs represented, including shanties, ballads, old songs and new. There's even a set of sailor's dance tunes to get you jigging in the rigging. While there are plenty of familiar items here, including "Can't you Dance the Polka?" "The Leaving of Liverpool" and "Lady Franklin's Lament," the performances and arrangements ensure that every track comes up fresh.
For a British listener, it's also fascinating to hear "familiar" songs in their U.S. versions (and "Rolling Home to Old New England" is an impressive non sequitur in anyone's language)!
Finally, a word or two about The Revels Children, who contribute a couple of tracks here. Normally I have an almost pathological aversion to kids singing on "grown up" albums, and my hackles started to rise on the first hearing of "The Herring's Head." However, as soon as the track finished, my young son simply said "again." I obligingly repeated the track and caught sight of his lips moving soundlessly. "Can you play it again, Dad?" He asked.... Suffice to say that "The Herring's Head" is now our favourite song to sing together on car journeys, and THAT, my friends, is exactly what The Revels are all about. If this is what they can achieve through the CD medium, the stage shows must be truly awe-inspiring.
All of which links rather well with the second CD here....
Way back in the year of 1973, my Mother took me to my first ever music concert at The Royal Albert Hall, London. That was a folk concert with a maritime theme, and the promoters (the English Folk Dance & Song Society) cannily introduced Stan Hugill (the last genuine shanty man) to a mass audience by the simple expedient of engaging The Spinners as his backing group. (For the benefit of our American readers I should, perhaps, point out that I'm not talking about the Motown act here. In fact those Spinners were obliged to operate in the U.K. as the Detroit Spinners, much to the chagrin of Berry Gordy)!
During the 1960's, The Spinners were, in a nutshell, the folk Beatles. They had hit records, toured the big concert halls to capacity audiences and appeared in their own TV shows. There were (of course), four of them and they came from Liverpool...
Three decades on from this reviewer's "Damascus Road" encounter with folk songs; here's one of The Spinners, Hughie Jones, still going strong on this fine CD. For someone who's achieved such a remarkable level of commercial success in his long career, there's a refreshing streak of self-deprecating modesty about Hughie Jones. In the booklet notes he makes a point of thanking Fellside's Paul and Linda Adams for "their hard work and unstinting efforts indulging this old Spinner and his old fashioned ideas."
What he's alluding to, (I presume), is the fact that there's no concession to the current trend towards elaborate arrangements or complex accompaniment in these performances. That's not to say, however, that this album is any way musically lacking. With the likes of Brian Peters (concertina, melodeon), John McCormick (double bass) and Linda Adams (harmony vocals) on board, there's no shortage of talent involved in that department!
The straightforward approach is very evident in the sheer number of songs on this CD - there are twenty-five tracks here folks! Most of the titles will be familiar to anyone with an interest in this genre of folk music: "Liverpool Lou," "Whip Jamboree," "Sally Brown," "Ye Mar'ners All" and the rest.
What, above all else, lifts this CD miles above the hundreds of superficially similar efforts is the authoritative performance of Jones himself. These songs are as much a part of Hughie as an old sailor's tattoos, and there's an anecdote, tall tale or poignant story behind the acquisition or composition of every one of them.
Hughie Jones isn't (by his own admission), a particularly dazzling guitar player. He isn't young and fashionable and he's not going to gain any accolades for groundbreaking innovation. As a folk singer, however, what he is -- unquestionably, is "the real thing." That's reason enough to declare Seascape essential.
More information about Hughie Jones can be found at The Chantey Cabin. (This excellent web site provides a wealth of information, resources and links for all aspects of maritime music. Hughie Jones records for Fellside Records.
