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Festival Bell
''Festival Bell'' is a 2011 album by British folk rock band Fairport Convention, recorded at The Bowman's Retreat, Oxfordshire in 2010, and released in January 2011 on the band's own Matty Grooves Records label. The band have released over 30 albums since their debut, ''Fairport Convention'', in 1968. Overview The name of the album (as well as the cover and the title track) is a reference to the bell of the same name that currently rings in St Mary's Church in Cropredy, Oxfordshire. The track "Ukulele Central" features guest appearances from comedian Frank Skinner and singer Joe Brown. The song "Mercy Bay" tells of the ill-fated voyage of to search for Franklin's lost expedition, itself searching for the Northwest Passage. Release and critical reception The album was released four years after the band's previous studio work, '' Sense of Occasion.'' It consists of 14 tracks, mixing original compositions with four cover versions including a reworking of the title track from ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Fairport Convention
Fairport Convention are an English British folk rock, folk rock band, formed in 1967 by guitarists Richard Thompson (musician), Richard Thompson and Simon Nicol, bassist Ashley Hutchings and drummer Shaun Frater (with Frater replaced by Martin Lamble after their first gig). They started out influenced by American folk rock, with a set list dominated by Bob Dylan and Joni Mitchell songs and a sound that earned them the nickname "the British Jefferson Airplane". Vocalists Judy Dyble and Iain Matthews joined them before the recording of Fairport Convention (album), their self-titled debut in 1968; afterwards, Dyble was replaced by Sandy Denny, and Matthews later left during the recording of their third album. Denny began steering the group towards British folk music, traditional British music for their next two albums, ''What We Did on Our Holidays'' and ''Unhalfbricking'' (both 1969); the latter featured fiddler Dave Swarbrick, Dave "Swarb" Swarbrick, most notably on the song "A ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Rising For The Moon
''Rising for the Moon'' is the tenth studio album by the British folk rock band Fairport Convention, released in 1975. It reached number 52 in the UK albums charts. This was the last Fairport album to feature vocalist Sandy Denny. Historical perspective During this period, the band was dubbed by some fans—in a tongue-in-cheek manner—as "Fotheringay Convention" and "Fotheringport Confusion", as the core of Fotheringay (Denny, her husband Trevor Lucas, and Jerry Donahue) joined the remaining members of the early 1970s version of Fairport (Dave Pegg, Dave Mattacks and Dave Swarbrick) for this version of the band. Lucas, an Australian, and Donahue, an American, joined Pegg, Swarbrick, and drummer Mattacks in 1973 for the recording of the album '' Rosie''. Denny travelled with the band while they toured in 1974 and began performing with them on stage. This was the first Fairport Convention album not to involve John Wood in the production, and the only one not to feature any tra ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bouzuki
The bouzouki (, also ; ; alt. pl. ''bouzoukia'', , from Greek , from Turkish ) is a musical instrument popular in West Asia (Syria, Iraq), Europe and Balkans (Greece, North Macedonia, Bulgaria, Turkey). It is a member of the long-necked lute family, with a round body with a flat and a long neck with a fretted fingerboard. It has steel strings and is played with a plectrum producing a sharp metallic sound, reminiscent of a mandolin but pitched lower. It is the precursor to the Irish bouzouki, an instrument derived from the Greek bouzouki that is popular in Celtic, English, and North American folk music. There are 3 main types of Greek bouzouki: the ''trichordo'' (''three-course'') has three pairs of strings (known as courses) the ''tetrachordo'' (''four-course'') has four pairs of strings, & then the ''pentachordo'' (''five-course'') with 5 pairs of strings. The instrument was brought to Greece in the early 1900s by Greek refugees from Anatolia, and quickly became the central ins ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ukulele
The ukulele ( ; ); also called a uke (informally), is a member of the lute (ancient guitar) family of instruments. The ukulele is of Portuguese origin and was popularized in Hawaii. The tone and volume of the instrument vary with size and construction. Ukuleles commonly come in four sizes: soprano, concert, tenor, and baritone. Ukuleles generally have four nylon strings tuned to GCEA. They have 16–22 frets depending on the size. History Developed in the 1880s, the ukulele is based on several small, guitar-like instruments of Portuguese origin, the , and , introduced to the Hawaiian Islands by Portuguese immigrants from Madeira, the Azores, and Cape Verde. Three immigrants in particular, Madeiran cabinet makers Manuel Nunes, José do Espírito Santo, and Augusto Dias, are generally credited as the first ukulele makers. Two weeks after they disembarked from the SS ''Ravenscrag'' in late August 1879, the '' Hawaiian Gazette'' reported that "Madeira Islanders recently arriv ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Electric Guitar
An electric guitar is a guitar that requires external electric Guitar amplifier, sound amplification in order to be heard at typical performance volumes, unlike a standard acoustic guitar. It uses one or more pickup (music technology), pickups to convert the vibration of its strings into Electrical signal, electrical signals, which ultimately are reproduced as sound by loudspeakers. The sound is sometimes shaped or electronically altered to achieve different timbres or tonal qualities via amplifier settings or knobs on the guitar. Often, this is done through the use of Effects unit, effects such as reverb, Distortion (music), distortion and "overdrive"; the latter is considered to be a key element of electric blues guitar music and jazz, rock music, rock and Heavy metal music, heavy metal guitar playing. Designs also exist combining attributes of electric and acoustic guitars: the Semi-acoustic guitar, semi-acoustic and Acoustic-electric guitar, acoustic-electric guitars. Inven ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Acoustic Guitar
An acoustic guitar is a musical instrument in the string family. When a string is plucked, its vibration is transmitted from the bridge, resonating throughout the top of the guitar. It is also transmitted to the side and back of the instrument, resonating through the air in the body, and producing sound from the sound hole. While the original, general term for this stringed instrument is ''guitar'', the retronym 'acoustic guitar' – often used to indicate the Steel-string acoustic guitar, steel stringed model – distinguishes it from an electric guitar, which relies on electronic amplification. Typically, a guitar's body is a sound box, of which the top side serves as a Sound board (music), sound board that enhances the vibration sounds of the strings. In Guitar tunings, standard tuning the guitar's six strings are tuned (low to high) E2 A2 D3 G3 B3 E4. Guitar strings may be plucked individually with a Guitar pick, pick (plectrum) or fingertip, or Strumming, strummed to play Ch ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Singing
Singing is the art of creating music with the voice. It is the oldest form of musical expression, and the human voice can be considered the first musical instrument. The definition of singing varies across sources. Some sources define singing as the act of creating musical sounds with the voice. Other common definitions include "the utterance of words or sounds in tuneful succession" or "the production of musical tones by means of the human voice". A person whose profession is singing is called a singer or a vocalist (in jazz or popular music). Singers perform music (arias, recitatives, songs, etc.) that can be sung accompaniment, with or a cappella, without accompaniment by musical instruments. Singing is often done in an ensemble (music), ensemble of musicians, such as a choir. Singers may perform as Soloist (music), soloists or accompanied by anything from a single instrument (as in art songs or some Jazz, jazz styles) up to a symphony orchestra or big band. Many styles o ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Simon Nicol
Simon John Breckenridge Nicol (born 13 October 1950) is an English guitarist, singer, multi-instrumentalist and record producer. He was a founding member of British folk rock group Fairport Convention and is the only founding member still in the band. He has also been involved with the Albion Band and a wide range of musical projects, both as a collaborator, producer and as a solo artist. He has received several awards for his work and career. History Early career Born in Muswell Hill, North London, England, Nicol was the son of a general practitioner, who died in 1964. He began to play guitar at the age of 11 and left school at 15. In 1966 he was asked to join local band the Ethnic Shuffle Orchestra by bass guitarist Ashley Hutchings, and soon left his job at a local cinema to play full-time. They rehearsed above his father's old surgery in Fairport House, which gave its name to the band he and Hutchings formed with Richard Thompson and Shaun Frater as Fairport Convention i ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sandy Denny
Alexandra Elene MacLean Denny (6 January 1947 – 21 April 1978) was an English singer-songwriter who was lead singer of the British folk rock band Fairport Convention. She has been described as "[a]rguably the pre-eminent British folk-rock singer/songwriter of her time". After briefly working with the Strawbs, Denny joined Fairport Convention in 1968, remaining with them until 1969. She formed the short-lived band Fotheringay in 1970, before focusing on a solo career. Between 1971 and 1977, Denny released four solo albums: ''The North Star Grassman and the Ravens'', ''Sandy (Sandy Denny album), Sandy'', ''Like an Old Fashioned Waltz'' and ''Rendezvous (Sandy Denny album), Rendezvous''. She also duetted with Robert Plant on "The Battle of Evermore" for Led Zeppelin's album ''Led Zeppelin IV'' in 1971. Denny died in 1978 at the age of 31 from head injuries sustained as a result of a fall down a flight of stairs. Music publications ''Uncut (magazine), Uncut'' and ''Mojo (magazine ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Chris While
Chris While (born 1956) is an English songwriter, singer and musician, known particularly for her vocals and live performances. She has worked as a solo artist, a songwriter and as a member of a number of duos and groups. Her music is often classified as English folk, but contains strong American influences. Early career She was born and grew up in Barrow-in-Furness, Lancashire, where her childhood, work and relationships provided a basis to many of her songs. She began to learn to play the guitar at the age of thirteen and was soon performing and singing at local folk clubs. She left Barrow to tour in a duo with her then husband, pianist and songwriter Joe While.WhileandMatthews official site , retrieved on 08/01/09. After their divorce in 1991 she embarked on a solo career, releasing the albums ''Still on Fire'' (1991) and ''By Request'' (1992) in tape format. The albums demonstrated English and American folk and country music influences that have all remained important in h ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dave Pegg
Dave Pegg (born 2 November 1947) is an English multi-instrumentalist and record producer, primarily a bass guitarist. He is the longest-serving member of the British folk rock band Fairport Convention and has been bassist with a number of folk and rock groups including the Ian Campbell Folk Group and Jethro Tull. History Early career David Pegg was born on 2 November 1947, at Acocks Green, Birmingham, England. He began to learn guitar when 14 or 15, inspired by The Shadows, and played in a school band at Yardley Grammar School. After leaving school he worked as an insurance clerk for about a year while playing in a part-time bands the Crawdaddys and The Roy Everett Blues Band, who supported several performers from the Birmingham beat scene of the time, including the Spencer Davis Group and The Moody Blues. In 1966 he auditioned for The Uglys, featuring Steve Gibbons and was beaten to the position by friend and guitarist Roger Hill, but was offered the job of bass guitari ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ralph McTell
Ralph McTell (born Ralph May; 3 December 1944) is an English singer-songwriter and guitar player who has been an influential figure on the UK folk music scene since the 1960s. McTell is best known for his song " Streets of London" (1969), which has been covered by over two hundred artists around the world. McTell modelled his guitar style on American country blues guitar players of the early 20th century, including Blind Blake, Robert Johnson and Blind Willie McTell. These influences led a friend to suggest his professional surname.Hockenhull, p. 40. An accomplished performer on piano and harmonica as well as guitar, McTell issued his first album in 1968 and found acclaim on the folk circuit. He reached his greatest commercial success in 1974 when a new recording of "Streets of London" became a No. 2 hit on the UK Singles Chart. In the 1980s, he wrote and played songs for two TV children's programmes, '' Alphabet Zoo'', which also featured Nerys Hughes, followed by '' Ti ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
