Peter Bellamy As Concertina Player

[stuart estell]

Folks,

 

Today at the Baggeridge Folk Festival (South Staffs) I picked up a Peter Bellamy LP, "Second Wind", for the princely sum of a quid. Not only is it in excellent condition, but there are several tracks on which Bellamy is playing concertina, which is something I've not heard before - other material I've encountered is either solo voice or accompanied by other instrumentalists.

 

The playing style, voicing of chords etc. indicate that he's playing anglo. However, curiously, the playing on a couple of the songs seems to suggest that the home key of his instrument is (approximately) B major - and yes, I did adjust the pitch on my turntable before checking! Would this most likely be a Bb/F instrument in old pitch?

 

Finally, are there any other Bellamy LPs that feature his concertina-playing prominently?

 

Cheers

Stuart

[Ken_Coles]

One of the people at Pinewoods this year (see my report) showed what was "Peter Bellamy's Anglo." It never occured to me to ask what key it was in...I assumed it was a C/G. I have some LPs (and CDs remastered from LPs) where the pitch is clearly off thanks to variable speeds on some studio tape recorder. Try playing along with Altan's "Snowy Path" (a slip jig I recently learned). I have trouble believing Altan was tuned nearly a semitone off A440! More likely a technical problem, as cuts of later vintage on the same anthology are dead on A440.

 

I figured most folks knew anglo playing was among Peter Bellamy's many achievements -- see for example the Free Reed collection, "This Label is Not Removable." Maybe we need the experienced experts to write about some of this...

 

Ken

[JimLucas]

My Bellamy recordings run mostly to tapes, but some fine stuff. Try his Kipling stuff, e.g.

 

In live performance I only heard him solo, and the only instrument I ever heard him play was the anglo.

 

Meeting him for the first time is a story in itself, which I may tell another time.

[Chris Timson]

Meeting him for the first time is a story in itself, which I may tell another time.

I have heard many stories about Peter Bellamy over the years, we have our own too. You could have a forum devoted to them.

 

The Bellamy concertina style, like his singing, was pretty distinctive. So far as I could see it depended on a) holding the drone button permanently down; holding most of the rest of the buttons down for most of the time. I heard of a Bellamy fan over Sheffield way who was so enamoured of the style that he had a clip fitted to his concertina to keep the drone button permanently depressed (opportunity for a Jim pun here).

 

Chris

[Howard Mitchell]

Take a look at "Wake the Vaulted Echoes", the CD set from Free Reed Records of Petter Bellamy's works.

 

Details at

 

Wake the Vaulted Echos

 

I agree with Chis, the anglo style is distinctive but I remember this style amongst singers here in the UK in the 70s - perhaps copied from Peter's playing.

 

Howard Mitchell

[Chris Timson]

I agree with Chis, the anglo style is distinctive but I remember this style amongst singers here in the UK in the 70s - perhaps copied from Peter's playing.

I remember similarly, and that is my belief.

 

Talking of huge chords, who else remembers father Kenneth Loveless? I've got a tape of a gig I recorded back in the 70s and I was listening to it the the other day. It remains a great tribute to Crabb Concertinas that it could stand the punishment Rev Ken gave it! Prhaps the nearest modern equivalent, for volume of voice and instrument at any rate, would be David Cornell.

 

Chris

[Howard Mitchell]

I remember playing at a morris ring meeting. I had adopted a stance with the right leg forward and the instrument held aloft and was giving it welly for all I was worth. When I finished a voice behind me boomed "well done my boy". I hadn't realised, much to the mirth of those around me, that I had unwittingly been imitating Ken Loveless's style (without the pipe) and the man himself had been stood behind me.

 

Howard Mitchell

[Roger Digby]

I have been asked by Free Reed to consider putting a few lines together on this very subject for their projected release of an extended reissue of The Transports. I knew Peter well and was very fond of him. Let's say that playing the Anglo was not his strongest suit.

[stuart estell]

Take a look at "Wake the Vaulted Echoes", the CD set from Free Reed Records of Petter Bellamy's works.

Thanks for the suggestion - I ordered it from Free Reed online on Sunday night and it arrived, impressively, this morning.

 

I'm only on track 4 of the first disc at the moment, but it's fabulous stuff.

[eleyne]

one of the things that isn't generally known about peter bellamy is that he was absolutely fanatical about the rolling stones. in the early 80s, i picked him up in the bay area, and drove him down to santa cruz for the concert i was helping to produce. the very first thing he wanted to know when he got into the car was whether there was anywhere in santa cruz to look for rolling stones bootlegs. he was impressed that i not only knew where to look, but i knew a place that had several bootlegs that peter didn't already have.

 

the point of this story, though, is the sound check before the concert that night. after our sound guy thought he had things ready, peter stepped up on the stage and played the most beautiful, soulful rendition of 'tumbling dice' that you can imagine. we all had chills going up and down our spines ...

 

the sad part is that while we normally had tape rolling during the sound checks, for some reason we didn't have tape ready that night. so peter's 'tumbling dice' only exists in memory.

 

sarah

[Peter Brook]

one of the things that isn't generally known about peter bellamy is that he was absolutely fanatical about the rolling stones.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I was not aware of this discussion having joined the site more recently, but it has sparked off some lovely memories of Mr Bellamy and Father Ken.

 

I remember seeing Peter Bellamy at several occasions at Whitby Folk Week in North Yorkshire. He certainly was not your average folk performer. We are talking about twenty years ago (or more) but I seem to remember he approached everything at full speed all guns blazing holding nothing back. He was a performer rather than a musician in my opinion To this day I have never seen another folk performer look more like a rock star. Leopard skin print spandex trousers, open shirt and a hair style I can only describe as "Rod Stewart". I'd love to be back there now in the Metropole Bar or Friendship Club listening to him perform. [Where's the smilie for I've got a tear in my eye?]

 

As for Father Ken, I've got several memories but the strongest one, was at Kiveton Park folk club my first close hand view of an anglo concertina. I was sitting at the front and absolutely enthralled by this weird little box which produced such a huge sound. Father Ken was playing Williiam Kimber's concertina that night and in the interval let me have a little hold and play. I attribute this act directly to me always wanting a concertina and learning how to play.

 

Happy memories

[bigsqueezergeezer]

Many years ago, Father Ken came to the Broadside Folk Club in Portsmouth (the English one) and played and sung as a guest.

Afterwrds, he stayed the night at a friend's house, regaled him with stories for about three hours before retiring to bed, during which time he (Father Ken) drank a bottle of his best Calvados! What a splendid chap!

[Paul Read]

Although Peter Bellamy's playing may not have been technically 'correct', I think it worked extremely well with his singing style. His singing style was also quite quirky but it works for me. One of my great regrets is that I never saw him perform live but I'm told by friends who did see him that he was a powerful presence on stage, particularly with his concertina.

 

I accompany myself with the english but I'm learning the anglo now, partly inspired by Peter's performances.

[Alan Day]

I have a picture of me standing next to Father Ken at the Morris Ring weekend standing on the steps of Guildford Cathederal,with other Morris musicians.If I knew how to post it it would be attached.I was in full beard at the time but shaved it off shortly after the picture was taken.A real character and showman.

Al

[JimLucas]

I have a picture of me standing next to Father Ken at the Morris Ring weekend standing on the steps of Guildford Cathederal,with other Morris musicians. ... A real character and showman.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Which, Father Ken... or you?

[Alan Day]

Well Jim I will let you decide,if I can post this.With a little help from Dave Barnert.

Al

Well I think I have messed this one up.I think I will leave computer work to those that know what they are doing.If you do get the photos it is no 2 with Ken.

Sorry Dave I did try

Edited February 26, 2005 by Alan Day

[Pete Dickey]

Hi Al

 

If that's you in the centre in picture 2, I see you were quite a bit plumper back in those days. I also note your beard was already turning grey! On the other hand, Noel Edmunds on the left of the picture looks much younger

 

Pete

[Mark Evans]

Al, you did it and I could open it. The beard was very nice, but do prefer the clean shaven Al. Quite an esemblege in that first file. Was that Rosbif?