Taggart King Posted June 2, 2009 Share Posted June 2, 2009 Hi, I have just been listening to John Watcham's contribution to Anglo International, and I really like his playing style. Can anyone suggest where I might find further examples of his playing (preferably solo rather than in a group)? Many thanks, Taggart Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Day Posted June 2, 2009 Share Posted June 2, 2009 Hi, I have just been listening to John Watcham's contribution to Anglo International, and I really like his playing style. Can anyone suggest where I might find further examples of his playing (preferably solo rather than in a group)? Many thanks, Taggart There is very little available of John playing Solo. I had one devil of a job, firstly locating John and then getting him to record.When I first thought of Anglo International John was one of the first I thought would be great to be part of the collection. He did of course record for" Morris On" ,but some of his solo work in the early days was just spectacular. I pleaded with him to record Purcell's "Trumpet and Air" which he played with full accompaniment ,but sadly he neither had the time or inclination to practice it again,choosing the Morris Medley that forms part of his work with Brighton Morris Men. This would be the only way you can watch him live. If there are any recordings out there they should be preserved for the future as John for my taste is one of the finest Anglo players I have had the pleasure of listening to. Al Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Winship Posted June 2, 2009 Share Posted June 2, 2009 Hi, I have just been listening to John Watcham's contribution to Anglo International, and I really like his playing style. Can anyone suggest where I might find further examples of his playing (preferably solo rather than in a group)? Many thanks, Taggart Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Winship Posted June 2, 2009 Share Posted June 2, 2009 He played in a band setting on "Son of Morris On" (it's fun listening to Ashley Hutchings following the concertina bass lines on electric bass), but for unadorned Watcham, Shirley Collins' "Adieu to Old England" has three cuts with him, including two unaccompanied tunes: "Lumps of Plum Pudding" and "The Sherborne Jig". Clarity, musicality, humor. I too wish there was a lot more of his music available. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woody Posted June 3, 2009 Share Posted June 3, 2009 (edited) I'm another fan of his contribution to Anglo International. About a year ago, the BBC was doing something about Steeleye Span and they showed a recording of one of their gig's in the 1970s. As part of the show Albion Morris performed with Mr. Watcham on Anglo. There's a thread about it here... http://www.concertina.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=8512 Unfortunately from a quick search I don't think it's available online. Maybe somebody in the Brighton area could do us all a favour and stalk Brighton Morris to get some video of his playing? Edited June 3, 2009 by Woody Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marshall Posted June 7, 2009 Share Posted June 7, 2009 Hello There is plenty of John's playing (though in a group context) on the 2002 CD "Albion Morris Still dancing after all these years" FOAD 30/CD. It seems as though you can still get this for about £6. Try a search for Albion Morris on ebay. Chas Hi, I have just been listening to John Watcham's contribution to Anglo International, and I really like his playing style. Can anyone suggest where I might find further examples of his playing (preferably solo rather than in a group)? Many thanks, Taggart Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Timson Posted June 8, 2009 Share Posted June 8, 2009 I have a recording of a half hour set with John and Mark Bingham Clifton in the guize of Mr Gladstone's Bag. The playing is superb and the performance is hilarious. It's with Johnny Adams right now, being transcribed from cassette to CD for his folk archive project, so at some time it may become more widely available. Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taggart King Posted June 9, 2009 Author Share Posted June 9, 2009 That is great. Thank you all for your help. The "Adieu to Old England" CD arrived this morning and I have just ordered the Albion Morris CD. I love the simplicity and directness of the playing, the crispness, the uncluttered playing style. I am going to run out of adjectives now. I shall go away and start using Amazing Slowdowner now! Best wishes and many thanks, Taggart Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkvN Posted June 9, 2009 Share Posted June 9, 2009 The website of the Albion Morris Men (http://www.albionmorris.co.uk/ ) offers some samples in mp3. Cheers, Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taggart King Posted June 9, 2009 Author Share Posted June 9, 2009 The website of the Albion Morris Men (http://www.albionmorris.co.uk/ ) offers some samples in mp3. Cheers, Mark Thanks, Mark, I will take a look. Best wishes, Taggart Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gcoover Posted April 22, 2020 Share Posted April 22, 2020 Reviving this old thread with a bit of good news - I'm currently working with John to put out a book of his tunes, arranged for Anglo concertina. Maybe later this year? Gary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Wild Posted April 22, 2020 Share Posted April 22, 2020 On 6/8/2009 at 7:41 AM, Chris Timson said: I have a recording of a half hour set with John and Mark Bingham Clifton in the guize of Mr Gladstone's Bag. The playing is superb and the performance is hilarious. It's with Johnny Adams right now, being transcribed from cassette to CD for his folk archive project, so at some time it may become more widely available. Chris Re-reading the earlier posts in this topic, I am curious to know if anything came of this. A Cd of Mr.Gladstone's bag wold be worth having I think. But it is nearly 11 years ago, so I suppose we would have known before now if there was one available. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Day Posted April 22, 2020 Share Posted April 22, 2020 We had a cocker spaniel once who always wanted to be somewhere other than where she was ,John was similar an absolute nightmare to pin down and even at the recording session for Anglo International he had to rush off quickly to somewhere else.. A fantastic player and any recording of him ,particularly a Gladstone Bag one would be like gold dust al Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Timson Posted April 23, 2020 Share Posted April 23, 2020 I'm in the process of digitising the recording. It's not quite a whole half but it is an uninterrupted 24 minutes from Mr Gladstone's Bag's second set and it's quite wonderful even after all these years. Chris 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Worrall Posted April 23, 2020 Share Posted April 23, 2020 Gary, Your proposed book of John Watcham's arrangements will be a superb addition to Anglodom. Can you get him to make a few recordings of the tunes, for putting up on Youtube to accompany the book? Cheers, Dan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Day Posted April 24, 2020 Share Posted April 24, 2020 Interesting that it was John Rodd who was the Anglo player on the follow up to Morris On. John 's playing was always very precise and accurate. He regularly came to the Black Horse Sessions in Nuthurst Sussex and I met him a number of times at the Kingston Hospital where he was in charge of the Blood Transfusion unit. He moved abroad I think to Canada but I really cannot remember and not heard of him since. Al Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex West Posted April 24, 2020 Share Posted April 24, 2020 It's probably worthy of a different thread but I think John Rodd and John Watcham shared the concertina duties on Son of Morris On and other LPs around that time. John Rodd and Will Duke were both playing concertina in the first iteration of the Albion Dance Band. I played (tuba) with John Rodd in the local band he had in Kingston after leaving the Albion fold and met up with him again when he returned from Canada. I last saw him when he was living in Chiswick in 2006 when I bought his last concertina - a nice CG Jeffries which I still have - but like you Alan, I've lost touch with him since then Alex West Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Day Posted April 24, 2020 Share Posted April 24, 2020 Thanks for the update Alex and that he is now back from Canada. When I last saw him he was getting interested in Cajun Music so you might have been involved with that. Will Duke of course living in Sussex I saw many times and actually played alongside him in The Biggest Trio in the World. Al Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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