Deeper Well

Country Gazette had it's beginning in the country/rock scene in southern California in late 1971. The first version of the band recorded two albums for United Artists. From 1976 to 1988 the band recorded five albums for Flying Fish, with banjoist Alan Munde and guitarist Roland White the mainstays of the band. This selection of 21 tracks, compiled by Munde, brings together some of their best, most characteristic work. Guests include Sam Bush, fiddle; David Grier, guitar and many others.

Tune playing on handbells has been practiced in England for many hundreds of years, originally on small sets of about twelve bells intended primarily for change ringing. Later, much larger sets of at least five octaves were used to thrill Victorian audiences with selections from operetta, oratorio and the popular music of the day. The art of playing music on large sets of bells I snow little known although, in it's heyday, handbell ringing was as popular as brass band playing and in some parts of the North of England almost every village could boast a team. The works on this release were compiled from three previous Saydisc albums: 'Ringing Clear- the Art of Handbell Ringing,' 'Church Bells of England,' and 'Church Bells of Britain.' The pieces include "off the table" style works, "four in hand" style works, "change ringing," and "carillons."

Njinga ruled 17th century Ndongo - now Angola - as 'king' because tribal custom forbade her to rule as a woman. Flowing freely between time periods, the play traces the diaspora of Njinga's people to Brazil and the United States.

In 2012, Emilia Amper’s solo debut disc Trollfageln (‘The Magic Bird) was a revelation. Not only to those who had never before heard the silvery sound of the nyckelharpa (‘keyed fiddle’), but also for the way Emilia on it combined her roots in Scandinavian folk music with her very own and individual voice. Lux, her new album, confirms the promise of the earlier disc- a selection of her own compositions and traditional Swedish and Norwegian tunes which she performs solo and with a group of musician friends in various constellations. With its roots stretching back to medieval Europe, the nyckelharpa almost died out in the middle of the twentieth century, but has made a remarkable comeback and is attracting an increasing number of performers in Sweden and around the world. Firmly grounded in Swedish traditional music, Emilia Amper has also worked with musicians from many other backgrounds, and can be regarded as an important ambassador for her instrument, but also for the inquisitive and open spirit which characterizes modern folk music.

At the Foot of Yonders Mountain

The twelve volumes comprising The Complete Songs of Robert Burns remain the benchmark of all Burns songs recordings. This groundbreaking series took seven years to complete and involved over 80 musicians. Encompassing ballads and bawdy songs, patriotic and political anthems plus songs which bring Scottish people and places to life, these volumes touch all aspects of human nature and represent a vigorous folk tradition past and present. ‘...a delightful cornucopia of excellent, often hauntingly authentic performances.’ (BBC Music Magazine)

Enjoy 30 selections of Appalachian, Shape-Note, Shaker, Gospel, bluegrass, and other traditional folk music from 1930's America, recorded LIVE at the 2019 Christmas Revels in Cambridge, Massachusetts. “2019’s Christmas Revels isn’t just set in the American heartland, it comes from the American heart.” (Boston Globe) “I can’t recall a Christmas Revels production better than this one, timed to recall the spirit of the holiday and the traditions that unite us as a nation.” (Iris Fanger, Cambridge Chronicle) “Revels’ exploration of the roots of American music covers a wide geographic swath from New England to the South. The musicians are top-notch...Carolyn Saxon slays with her vocals!” (Broadway World)

The Lark in the Morn and other folksongs and ballads

When we use the terms "Greek traditional," "Grek folk," or "Greek demotic" music today, we mean songs and tunes coming from the past, from areas that were home to Christian farmers, shepherds and sailors during the Byzantine and Ottoman periods. Mostly- though not exclusively- Greek speaking, these populations lived, as was normal then, in close proximity with other ethnic, linguistic, or religious groups. In these areas, some of which now form modern-day Greece, the oral tradition of folk song and ecclesiastical music were the only available forms of musical expression. This album is the highly anticipated re-release of the 1980 album of the same name, extended with tracks licensed from the Domna Samiou Greek Folk Music Association. Domna Samiou (1928-2012) was a charismatic and multifaceted personality who dedicated her life to a quest which is now synonymous with her name: the preservation, dissemination and teaching of Greek traditional "folk" music.

John Metcalfe, who arranges songs for big names such as Coldplay, Simple Minds and The Pretenders, has produced albums with Peter Gabriel and has been touring for decades as a member of the Duke Quartet. Now he releases his debut album on the Neue Meister label. Metcalfe has always been surrounded by music. As a child, he would listen to his father sing opera, before a love of Kraftwerk and Joy Division led to a stint as a drummer in a high school band. But it was a move to Manchester that really accelerated his development as an artist, and led to him finding his true calling. Joining cult band The Durutti Column, then signed to legendary label Factory Records, brought him into the orbit of Tony Wilson and the Ha�ienda, formative events that would help foster his renegade spirit. Unimpressed with the strictures demanded by the classical recording industry, Metcalfe persuaded Wilson to launch the ground-breaking Factory Classical Label, aimed at unearthing exciting - and unconventional - new British talent. It was here that Metcalfe found a home, and the group that would come to define his musical career; the Duke Quartet. For nearly 30 years, they've existed at the vanguard of contemporary British music, innovating and delighting in equal measure. As a solo artist, Metcalfe explores electro-classical soundscapes and the boundaries between genres. His finely tuned compositions are neat yet grand in scale, both in terms of sound and the conceptual ideas underpinning them. Absence, the fifth record to bear his own name, is something of a departure for Metcalfe, framing bold images and themes with some of the most conventional song structures he's ever employed. But it's also his most affecting, deconstructing a subject he's been interested in since his childhood in New Zealand: Dealing with loss.

John Metcalfe, who arranges songs for big names such as Coldplay, Simple Minds and The Pretenders, has produced albums with Peter Gabriel and has been touring for decades as a member of the Duke Quartet. Now he releases his debut album on the Neue Meister label. Metcalfe has always been surrounded by music. As a child, he would listen to his father sing opera, before a love of Kraftwerk and Joy Division led to a stint as a drummer in a high school band. But it was a move to Manchester that really accelerated his development as an artist, and led to him finding his true calling. Joining cult band The Durutti Column, then signed to legendary label Factory Records, brought him into the orbit of Tony Wilson and the Hacienda, formative events that would help foster his renegade spirit. Unimpressed with the strictures demanded by the classical recording industry, Metcalfe persuaded Wilson to launch the ground-breaking Factory Classical Label, aimed at unearthing exciting - and unconventional - new British talent. It was here that Metcalfe found a home, and the group that would come to define his musical career; the Duke Quartet. For nearly 30 years, they've existed at the vanguard of contemporary British music, innovating and delighting in equal measure. Working with world-renowned artists across the entire cultural spectrum, from pop, dance, film, TV, and theatre, Metcalfe honed his arranging and producing skills; he's now one of the UK's most sought after arrangers, regularly working with some of biggest names in music. As a solo artist, Metcalfe explores electro-classical soundscapes and the boundaries between genres. His finely tuned compositions are neat yet grand in scale, both in terms of sound and the conceptual ideas underpinning them. Absence, the fifth record to bear his own name, is something of a departure for Metcalfe, framing bold images and themes with some of the most conventional song structures he's ever employed. But it's also his most affecting, deconstructing a subject he's been interested in since his childhood in New Zealand: Dealing with loss.

CONZASIEGGE is an expression in the dialect of Molfetta (a town in Apulia), indicating an ancient craftsman: the man who repaired chairs. Vincenzo Valente (1830-1908) was inspired by the “chant” of those trying to draw the attention of this craftsman, when he created his funeral march that he therefore called “Conzasiegge”. This record collects five of the most beautiful marches that animate the Holy Week processions in Molfetta, introduced by the typical sound of the “Ti te” that opens every procession. The original feature of this repertoire in the album is its version for mandolins that in the 1940s saw the barbers, especially Sabino Andriani, as refined and cultured amateurial players.

Saydisc presents this double album of traditional songs from England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. The tracks have been curated from Saydisc's extensive catalog, and only the very best have been included. Native and traditional musicians are featured on this release, offering up an authentic experience, with artists such as The McPeake Family Trio, Ray Fisher, Margaret Barry, Siwsann George, Thomas Hardy, and others performing. Lyrics to all of these songs are included in the liner notes, as well as translations for songs performed in traditional Welsh and Gaelic languages.

Guthrie enjoyed one of his most prolific periods in '41, writing about a song a day for a month. Not only does this CD collect his best-loved songs from that time, but also 11 versions of the songs recorded in '41 that were never released! His indelible classics Pastures of Plenty, Hard Travelin', and Ramblin' Round join Grand Coulee Dam; Oregon Trail; End of My Line, and more.

FRONTEJAS

THE FIRST MILLION MILES

THE TELLING TAKES ME HOME

Skye Consort & Emma Björling perform a mix of traditional music from Québec, Sweden, Norway, and Celtic music. Each musician brings their own interpretation to these traditions, creating this awesome collaboration, consisting of voices, fiddle, nyckelharpa, cello, and cittern. The result is an assortment of whirling polskas, groovy reels, passionate love songs, breathtaking hymns, and original compositions. Skye Consort met during a La Nef project in 2017 and with the serendipitous cancellation of a flight decided to form a band. Skye Consort has been accompanying singers since 2000 and has recorded 5 albums with singers such as Matthew White, Shannon Mercer and Michael Slattery. Emma Björling, on lead voice and shruti box is an award-winning Swedish singer, composer, arranger, active in the renowned Scandinavian bands Kongero and Lyy.

Starring Mike Seeger, Reed Martin, Laura Boosinger.

“This is a unique corpus of recordings, issued for the first time, made by the man who placed Quebec on the cultural map of the French-speaking world. The avowed paragon of Georges Brassens and Jacques Brel. Indeed Felix Leclerc overturned song in an incredible manner. Apart from his poetic elegance, he is the exemplifying trustee of the chansonnier, the song-writer who plays his own music. In 1950, only Charles Trenet and the Roche-Aznavour duo could boast as such.” Claude Colombini-Fremeaux

The inspiration for this musical shindig springs from the foggy mists of mid-nineteenth century Appalachia. With tunes hailing from Kentucky to Mississippi, McCamy's Old-Time Rendez-vous resurrects the shadows of dueling gentlemen, lovers lost and cash on the barrel-head, taking US to the very heart of a musical culture steeped in old Europe and an enslaved African past. Vintage Americana is an invitation to a country hoedown and a journey to the heart of popular American music. Coming from a Scots/American background Ian McCamy's roots are deeply anchored in musical traditions from both sides of the Atlantic: From Scotland to Tennessee's Smoky Mountains, these ancestral paths are the core of his inspiration and are directly reflected in his personal style of fiddling.

Winter Solstice

Step By Step: Hammer Dulcimer

Track Listing: " Dead Man Walking", " Labor Day", " Calling All the Children Home", " Closing the Bookstore".