Solo Singer With Concertina? What Players And Albums?

[malcolm clapp]

Worth a trip to you tube. Geoff is a sensational singer and player!

 

Greg

 

Totally agree.

Some great chord progressions. Torn between trying some of then on the anglo or getting my Crane out of the cupboard for its occasional work out. I'm inspired!

Thanks for posting, Geoff.

 

Edited for spelling.

Edited December 4, 2013 by malcolm clapp

[David Barnert]

Geoff, your videos are great, but you're not really typing those url's manually, are you? I guess you must be, but no human being could be expected to do that with any degree of reliability. That's what copying and pasting is for. If you don't know how to use copy and paste, get someone to show you. It will change your life.

 

And may I make a request? Next time you're recording videos, how about "Brother Can You Spare a Dime?" I have the recording of you doing it with your band, but I greatly preferred hearing you do it solo at the Squeeze-In all those years ago. It was truly haunting.

[Don Taylor]

deleted.

Edited May 14, 2017 by Don Taylor

[Lakeman]

Hi David Barnet - I had a weird malfunction/ hiccup ( part- brain and part-technical) but copy-and-paste now ability now restored. Thanks.

I'll try and " steal" another 20 minutes studio time from my very busy eldest son soon to record "Buddy Can You Spare a Dime?"

 

In only less than 24 hours I've been amazed at the reaction to these Crane duet postings of mine - from the USA , Australia and UK.

 

Thanks to all for your encouragement.

Geoff

[MatthewVanitas]

John Kirkpatrick was actually mentioned back on the first page, but worth mentioning again. I mostly knew of him as a buttonbox player, but I'll have to track down his concertina work now. I mainly knew him as pretty much the only person to write an English folk-style song in Locrian mode, for his "Dust to Dust".

 

There's one fellow I'm having trouble finding concertina by; Worrall says that Michael Martin Murphey was a cowboy singer who played some concertina, but all I'm finding online is normal country tracks by him. Any ideas where to look?

 

Lakeman, I was initially expecting just some basic amateur tuneage (my own YouTube clips are certainly basic), so I was really impressed by your playing and singing!

 

 

My collection of "voice and solo concertina" keeps growing. I'll form up a Playlist on my iTunes of all such tracks I have, since I'll surely find a few dozen more once I peruse through my many Bellamy albums, and a few one-offs on some MacColl albums, and a few tracks from modern musicians like Newfoundland's Graham Wells.

 

By the bye, if anyone is checking out free sound samples anyway, if someone more knowledgable than I can listen to a free 30-second snippet of Mike Agranoff's "First Kiss" on iTunes (or Amazon, sample tracks here, I'd be curious to here what "genre" that belongs to. That's still probably the most distinctive of the tracks in my burgeoning playlist, and really well-composed and executed.

 

 

If anyone knows of any non-Anglophone tracks of solo concertina and voice, that'd be a great addition. Actually, for that matter I'm surprisingly short on Irish sung music with concertina. Is the consairtín just so heavily session-oriented that it eclipses any use for vocal accompaniment?

 

There are a lot of traditions that just never got into concertina (or at least not in the era of recorded music) that would sound great on the 'box, so I'll keep digging for Swedish, Breton, etc. music and song on those.

Edited December 5, 2013 by MatthewVanitas

[MatthewVanitas]

I went through all the Peter Bellamy tracks I have on my computer, to pick out the ones that are voice and solo concertina, and here's what I came up with:

 

Loot 5:26 Peter Bellamy Barracks Room Ballads of Rudyard Kipling Folk 2
Courting Too Slow 3:34 Peter Bellamy Fair Annie & Peter Bellamy Singer/Songwriter 6
Nostradamus 4:53 Peter Bellamy Fair Annie & Peter Bellamy Singer/Songwriter 4
Fair Annie 6:45 Peter Bellamy Fair Annie & Peter Bellamy Singer/Songwriter 2
The Spotted Cow 2:38 Peter Bellamy The Fox Jumps Over the Parson's Gate Singer/Songwriter 1
The Fox Jumps Over the Parson's Gate 2:35 Peter Bellamy The Fox Jumps Over the Parson's Gate Singer/Songwriter
Way Through the Woods 2:27 Peter Bellamy Mr. Bellamy, Mr. Kipling & the Tradition Singer/Songwriter
Dayspring Mishandled 1:45 Peter Bellamy Mr. Bellamy, Mr. Kipling & the Tradition Singer/Songwriter 1
The Liner She's a Lady 6:21 Peter Bellamy Mr. Bellamy, Mr. Kipling & the Tradition Singer/Songwriter
My Boy Jack 1:45 Peter Bellamy Mr. Bellamy, Mr. Kipling & the Tradition Singer/Songwriter
Follow Me 'Ome 5:04 Peter Bellamy Mr. Bellamy, Mr. Kipling & the Tradition Singer/Songwriter
Philadelphia 3:55 Peter Bellamy Mr. Bellamy, Mr. Kipling & the Tradition Singer/Songwriter
Tyne of Harrow 4:05 Peter Bellamy Mr. Bellamy, Mr. Kipling & the Tradition Singer/Songwriter
Cholera Camp 6:09 Peter Bellamy Mr. Bellamy, Mr. Kipling & the Tradition Singer/Songwriter
Death Is Not the End 4:57 Peter Bellamy Mr. Bellamy, Mr. Kipling & the Tradition Singer/Songwriter
The Old Songs 4:38 Peter Bellamy Mr. Bellamy, Mr. Kipling & the Tradition Singer/Songwriter
The Slip Jigs & Reels 4:49 Peter Bellamy Mr. Bellamy, Mr. Kipling & the Tradition Singer/Songwriter
Down the Moor 4:19 Peter Bellamy Mr. Bellamy, Mr. Kipling & the Tradition Singer/Songwriter
The Death of Bill Brown 4:09 Peter Bellamy Mr. Bellamy, Mr. Kipling & the Tradition Singer/Songwriter 1
Her Servant Man 4:15 Peter Bellamy Mr. Bellamy, Mr. Kipling & the Tradition Singer/Songwriter 1
The Santa Fe Trail 4:31 Peter Bellamy Mr. Bellamy, Mr. Kipling & the Tradition Singer/Songwriter 1
Peggy Bawn 3:01 Peter Bellamy Mr. Bellamy, Mr. Kipling & the Tradition Singer/Songwriter
On Board A '98 3:20 Peter Bellamy Wake The Vaulted Echoes [Disc 1] Country & Folk 2
The Bitter Withy 2:32 Peter Bellamy Wake The Vaulted Echoes [Disc 1] Country & Folk 1
Tommy 3:38 Peter Bellamy Wake The Vaulted Echoes [Disc 1] Country & Folk 1
Danny Deever 3:52 Peter Bellamy Wake The Vaulted Echoes [Disc 1] Country & Folk
Abe Carman (The Robber's Song) 3:49 Peter Bellamy Wake The Vaulted Echoes [Disc 1] Country & Folk 1
The Black And Bitter Night 6:14 Peter Bellamy Wake The Vaulted Echoes [Disc 1] Country & Folk
A Pilgrim's Way 3:26 Peter Bellamy Wake The Vaulted Echoes [Disc 2] Country & Folk 1
Shallow Brown 4:28 Peter Bellamy Wake The Vaulted Echoes [Disc 2] Country & Folk 1
Riding On Top Of The Car 3:54 Peter Bellamy Wake The Vaulted Echoes [Disc 2] Country & Folk
Way Down Town 3:05 Peter Bellamy Wake The Vaulted Echoes [Disc 3] Country & Folk
Cholera in Camp 7:06 Peter Bellamy Wake The Vaulted Echoes [Disc 3] Country & Folk
Allan Tyne of Harrow 4:38 Peter Bellamy Wake The Vaulted Echoes [Disc 3] Country & Folk

[MatthewVanitas]

Does anyone have any recommendations on recordings of Australian "Bush" style concertina? It appears to be one of the good old basic unschooled styles of harmonic playing, and there's a good website of tunes, but I'm not clear on where to find recordings, particularly for ballads, voice accompaniment, etc.

 

While I'm here, not really "Bush" style, but Danny Spooner is the main Australian I know playing while singing concertina, though English rather than Anglo. I have just two of his albums I bought at that music festival in Newfoundland, so here's the listing of tracks from those two which involve solo concertina and voice:

 

Bold Thady Quill 3:27 Danny Spooner Brave Bold Boys Folk 2
The Foggy Dew 3:00 Danny Spooner Brave Bold Boys Folk 1
Marlborough 3:21 Danny Spooner Brave Bold Boys Folk 2
Brown Adam 4:47 Danny Spooner Brave Bold Boys Folk 2
Joseph Baker 3:35 Danny Spooner Brave Bold Boys Folk 1
Lord Willoughby 2:50 Danny Spooner Brave Bold Boys Folk 1
Johnny Stewart, Drover 4:52 Danny Spooner Brave Bold Boys Folk 2
The Banks Of The Bann 3:43 Danny Spooner Brave Bold Boys Folk 2
John Ball 2:33 Danny Spooner Brave Bold Boys Folk 1
As I Came In By Fisherrow 1:33 Danny Spooner Brave Bold Boys Folk 2
And When They Dance 2:47 Danny Spooner Emerging Traditions Folk 2
The New Road 3:17 Danny Spooner Emerging Traditions Folk 2
Newell Highway 3:15 Danny Spooner Emerging Traditions Folk 3
Mothers, Daughters, Wives 5:24 Danny Spooner Emerging Traditions Folk 5
No Man's Land 7:30 Danny Spooner Emerging Traditions Folk 2
Now I'm Easy 3:28 Danny Spooner Emerging Traditions Folk 1
Cock Of The North 3:19 Danny Spooner Emerging Traditions Folk 3
Hey Rain 3:53 Danny Spooner Emerging Traditions Folk 2
Bring Out The Banners 3:58 Danny Spooner Emerging Traditions Folk 2

[David Barnert]

While I'm here, not really "Bush" style, but Danny Spooner is the main Australian I know playing while singing concertina, though English rather than Anglo.

 

Likewise, our own Steve Wilson, "Safari Steve" on these forums. If you haven't seen his youtubes, check them out.

[Chris Drinkwater]

 

While I'm here, not really "Bush" style, but Danny Spooner is the main Australian I know playing while singing concertina, though English rather than Anglo.

 

Likewise, our own Steve Wilson, "Safari Steve" on these forums. If you haven't seen his youtubes, check them out.

 

 

 

I'm surprised no one has yet mentioned that other great Australian singer and player of the EC and C.net member, Warren Fahey.

 

Chris

[Geoff Wooff]

I am a bit out of date with things Australian but see if you can find any recordings of Dave de Hugard, he is a wonderfull singer and plays both English and Anglo as well as accordeons, and prbably anything esle he can get his hands on.

[Irene S.]

Duet system players who accompany their own vocals and whose albums/songs have been at some point commercially available include Tim Laycock, Andrew McKay (both Crane system), Ralph Jordan (Maccann) and Michael Hebbert (Jeffries).

Can't think of anything available from a Hayden player; maybe they're all waiting for Brian to be the first.... :unsure:

Although an absolutely superb accompanist (as I know from having had the privilege of working with him, and being accompanied by him for a few years) Ralph Jordan hasn't accompanied his own vocals in a solo capacity in many years. (If indeed he ever did in the early days - I'm not sure about that one). Although he has performed as a vocalist with Crows, and provided backing vocals for James Patterson in a small way with the group Patterson Jordan Dipper, he doesn't sing these days. (His album "Eloise" - no vocals, is still obtainable though. If anyone is interested, please drop me a message here). He has,however, appeared on a number of other people's CDs as accompanist, either on Maccann duet, bouzouki, guitar or cittern .

 

To the best of my limited knowledge Michael Hebbert doesn't sing either (I stand to be corrected on that one) , although there is, of course, a recording of him playing solo and accompanying Andrew Frank's singing available through Free Reed Records.

Edited January 1, 2014 by Irene S

[MatthewVanitas]

I am a bit out of date with things Australian but see if you can find any recordings of Dave de Hugard, he is a wonderfull singer and plays both English and Anglo as well as accordeons, and prbably anything esle he can get his hands on.

 

I found a few de Hugard tracks, but the only ones on iTunes have other instruments such as piano supporting. So still neat Aussie stuff, but not quite in the "just concertina and voice" category. I've realized my title is a bit confusing, since "singer and solo concertina" might be clearer. I'm just looking for tracks that have no other instrument other than concertina, but fine with multiple voice. For some great solo Aussie concertina (though not finding any with voice), the account "Bush Traditions" on YT has a bunch of concertina clips from what appears to be some festival/symposium of traditional Bush music in NSW: http://www.youtube.com/user/BushTraditions

 

 

While I was glancing around South African stuff: does Johnny Clegg have any tracks which are just concertina and voice? I know his stuff tends to have larger ensembles, choirs and the like, but curious if there's any one-off solo tracks.

 

Similarly there's a current British musician named John Boden that playes EC, and I'm finding tracks of his that are almost just pure concertina, but not quite. Any solo ones amidst the rest?

 

Another is an English concertinist from Wisconsin now residing in France, Juliette Daum. She has one CD that's all just classical music, but a few clips of her singing over solo concertina on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RH4sQQ0mdTY

Edited January 3, 2014 by MatthewVanitas

[Mike in Oban]

Are there any female musicians?

There certainly are. Here's a great piece from the Blyde Lasses

 

Mike

[Steve Wilson]

 

 

While I'm here, not really "Bush" style, but Danny Spooner is the main Australian I know playing while singing concertina, though English rather than Anglo.

 

Likewise, our own Steve Wilson, "Safari Steve" on these forums. If you haven't seen his youtubes, check them out.

 

 

 

I'm surprised no one has yet mentioned that other great Australian singer and player of the EC and C.net member, Warren Fahey.

 

Chris

 

I'm not quite sure that Safari Steve fella plays "Bush" style but he does play a few "bush"? songs. I think perhaps one needs to play the anglo, by far the most common concertina played in the bush in times gone by, to more easily capture the bush style.

 

Dave de Hugard does the bush style superbly. I don't think there's any solo concer with vocal on the the download available here http://australianfolk.blogspot.se/2009/01/dave-de-hugard-magpie-morning-1993.html , mostly accordion, but there's a bit of concer + banjo & singing.

 

And to mention another legend again, Warren Fahey http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4KnbyrUSjU8 We wouldn't forget you Warren

[Johanna]

Similarly there's a current British musician named John Boden that playes EC, and I'm finding tracks of his that are almost just pure concertina, but not quite. Any solo ones amidst the rest?

 

When Jon Boden did his A Folk Song A Day project a few years ago, he did many of the songs with concertina accompaniment (Maccann duet, I think, actually, not EC). A couple of my favorites off the top of my head:

 

Swansea Barracks http://www.afolksongaday.com/2013/03/05/swansea-barracks/

Four Angels http://www.afolksongaday.com/2013/03/02/four-angels/

[Jody Kruskal]

My CD, "Sing to me Concertina Boy" has 5 tracks with just Anglo and voice:

 

Princess Poo-Poo-Ly, The Log Driver's Waltz, Gooseberry Pie, Down in Sally's Garden, Please Mr. Conductor

 

Follow the link above to hear samples.

 

Also, from my recent UK tours. Here are 3 performances on youtube.

 

 

"The Lightning Express"

"Bravest Cowboy"

"Morning Blues", http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6XPlqvS0Ro

[MatthewVanitas]

Thanks Jody, I'll add this to the YouTube playlist Singing with solo concertina.

 

I'm finding it interesting that the clips I'm finding thus far are heavily, heavily English songs, with a smattering of Canadian/Australian/Scottish. I can think of a few clips of !Xhosa or Zulu solo singers with concertina that I need to add, but I haven't found any Boer clips of singing with just concertina. Then there are a smattering of 20th C. jazzy modern compositions. I'm (thus far at least) finding almost no clearly American folksongs; I had somehow thought David Wilkie's Cowboy Celtic album had some cowboy concertina on it, but maybe not, so I suppose Jody is pretty unique in doing Americana (trad or modern) on concertina? Excepting a maybe far fringe example like 16 Horsepower using Chemnitzer (like on

):

 

Oddly enough no singing of Irish songs with solo concertina. Maybe not "oddly" because I suppose the easy explanation is that concertina is a much more melodic and ensemble instrument in Ireland. But initially counterintuitive given their close history and shared (additional) language with Britain, and the fact that there are probably a number of Irish singing styles that would sound great with it. I know by definition/convention Sean-nós songs are unaccompanied, but some serious trad musicians have done great instrumental arrangements of sean-nos songs, and I think that some sparse-slow droney concertina accompaniment would go great with some sean nos, slow aires, etc. I think Amhrán na Trá Báine would sound breathtaking with minimalist concertina.

 

Is there any Irish singing with solo concertina, even light ballady stuff, music hall ditties, etc? I know Tommy and Connor Makem used English concertina some, but is it solo on any tracks?

 

Not to be all dogged here, just that I in general find voice and solo instrument to be a really compelling combo, and I think concertina makes a great lone accompaniment.

Edited January 3, 2014 by MatthewVanitas

[Jody Kruskal]

There are way more than a few !Xhosa or Zulu solo singers with concertina. I found a download on the web a few years ago of "Squashbox - Le Concertina Zoulou er Sotho en Afrique du Sud (1930 - 1965)" and have been enjoying all 25 tracks from this out of print album. Also lots of other material along the same lines if you look for it. I think it's called Palm Wine music.