Folk Favorites - YouTube Playlist

 

Click here to view my playlist, which consists of British, Irish, & American folk gems and some other surprises. If you've never navigated a YouTube playlist, look at the menu of videos along the bottom of the screen. Right on top of them on the left hand side are forward and backward buttons. You'll get the hang of it. The list is set to autoplay, so if you leave to pour a cup of coffee, the songs will cycle from one to the next on their own.

Cheers,

Angus

The Hendrix of Fingerstyle

...at least according to Neil Young. If you like acoustic fingerstyle playing, do yourself a favor and learn more about the Bert Jansch discography. This Scotsman has made many fine albums, including the recent Black Swan from 2006, which has a guest appearance from Beth Orton. Among my favorites is Avocet, an instrumental album from 1979. It's one of the guitarist's own favorites as well.

Between Bert Jansch and John Renbourn, I can't say who I like better. Both men were members of the folk rock band called Pentangle, along with singer Jacqui McShee. Renbourn features on two of the selections in the collection I'm posting. These are a few tunes from Bert Jansch's earlier albums that I called "A Collection" - i.e. my personal collection. He sings nicely on a number of these tunes, which are a mix of his originals and traditionals recorded in the 60s and early 70s. The playing speaks for itself. If you listen closely, you will hear where Jimmy Page borrowed some of his acoustic chops.

On Amazon you'll also find MP3 downloads of Jansch's albums. One online reviewer writes: "Bert and his music seem to come from the same place myth and folklore come from."  I agree. Here is a small sample of his work.

Download here (no password):
http://www.mediafire.com/?uiboci9k5kqld3v

Cheers,
Angus

Elgar: Symphony No. 1 - James Judd

This is a gem of a recording that earned a Penguin Rosette and went under along with the record company. James Judd has a keen sense for the mood and subtlety of the score. If you love Elgar, grab it. If you are new to Elgar and are interested in learning more about his symphonies, I heartily recommend this recording and Vernon Handley's recording of Symphony No. 2 (which I posted in April 2009).

I think the cover here perfectly matches the mood of the First Symphony. The knight on the horse seems bold and troubled as he surveys the landscape ahead. His young son clings on for dear life; the daughter looks up to him for reassurance. The combination of boldness and concern, beauty and foreboding gives this symphony a fascinating edge. The opening movement and the finale I find particularly inspirational. You'll find some reviews on Amazon here (including mine, from which I lifted a few of the above words regarding the cover.)

Download here (no password):
http://www.mediafire.com/?ht4zai3guaah2os

Cheers,
Angus