The Albion Band, The BBC Sessions

BBC / Strange Fruit SFRSCD050 (CD, UK, 1998)

Un cd davvero interessante che raccoglie brani della Albion Band relativi a quattro diversi periodi e ad altrettante registrazioni BBC, tutte relative agli anni settanta: 16 brani in tutto suddivisi in blocchi di quattro (1973, 1976, 1977, 1978). E' un viaggio nei ricordi che Ashley Hutchings, nella sua introduzione, compie a partire da vecchi album di fotografie. Ad ascoltarli oggi i pezzi di maggiore suggestione sono quelli del 1973, il primo periodo in cui nel gruppo militavano Martin Carthy e John Kirkpatrick. Alcune foto B/N nella confezione illustrano alcune fasi di vita del gruppo.

Tracks 1-4 (Albion Country Band), Recorded May 9, 1973 for the Bob Harris Show, Produced by Peter Ritzema, engineered by Bill Aitken

Personnel: Martin Carthy: vocals, acoustic guitar; John Kirkpatrick: vocals, button accordion, concertina; Sue Harris: oboe; Simon Nicol, vocals, electric guitar, tambourine; Ashley Hutchings: electric bass guitar; Roger Swallow: drums

Tracks:

The New St George (4:23) - I'll Go and List For a Sailor (4:07) - Hanged I Shall Be (6:24) - Harvest Home / The Gas Almost Works (3:19)

Tracks 5-8 (Albion Dance Band) Recorded July 22, 1976, Produced by Tony Wilson, engineered by Bill Aitken
Personnel: Shirley Collins: vocals; Eddie Upton: vocals; Phil Pickett: woodwinds; Simon Nicol: electric guitar, vocals; John Sothcott: vielle, woodwinds; John Rodd: concertina; Ashley Hutchings: electric bass guitar; Michael Gregory: drums; Dave Mattacks: drums

Tracks:

La Sexte Estampie Real (1:51) - Hopping Down in Kent (2:56) - The Horse's Brawl (3:40) - Old Sir Simon the King (2:00)

Tracks 9-12 (Albion Dance Band), Recorded May 31, 1977, Produced by Jeff Griffin, engineered by Mike Robinson
Personnel: John Tams: vocals, melodeon; Ric Sanders: fiddle; Phil Pickett: woodwinds; Graeme Taylor: electric guitar, electric piano, vocals; Simon Nicol: electric guitar, vocals; Ashley Hutchings: electric bass guitar, vocals; Michael Gregory: drums; Dave Mattacks: drums

Brani:

Holm's Fancy / Cuckold's All Awry (2:53) - Poor Old Horse (5:36) - Postman's Knock / Black Joke (3:19) - Boycott's Bouree (1:46)

Tracks 13-16 (Albion Band)

Recorded April 11, 1978, Produced by Malcolm Brown

Personnel: John Tams: vocals, melodeon; Ric Sanders: fiddle; Phil Pickett: woodwinds, tenor horn; Howard Evans: trumpet; Graeme Taylor: electric guitar, vocals; Simon Nicol: vocals, electric and acoustic guitars; Pete Bullock: synthesiser; Ashley Hutchings: electric bass guitar, vocals; Michael Gregory: drums; Dave Mattacks: drums

Brani:

Time To Ring Some Changes (3:20) - Rainbow Over the Hill (3:20) - Down the Road (2:06) - Uncle Bernard's / Albion Sunrise / Bacup Tune / Jenny Lind (6:11)

Tracks 1, 13, 14, 16b Richard Thompson
Track 2 Trad. arr. John Kirkpatrick
Tracks 3, 4 Trad. arr. Albion Country Band
Tracks 5-12 Trad. arr. Albion Dance Band
Tracks 15, 16a, 16c-d Trad. arr. Albion Band