Robin Hall: The Ballad of Johnny Ramensky (1959)

Robin Hall: The Ballad of Johnny Ramensky (1959)

01 The Ballad of Johnny Ramensky (Norman Buchan)
02 The Day We Went to Rothesay O (trade)

Robin Hall featured in the folk revival of the late 1950s in London. Originally from Edinburgh, he was one of a number of Scottish exiles in the capital. He combined with another Scot, Jimmie Macgregor and together they became the most successful folksingers in the country for many years.

Johnny Ramensky was a safecracker who spent more time behind bars than in freedom. His persona was as someone who could escape from any jail - he certainly did escape a few times, but the fact that he spent a total of forty-odd years in prison does not indicate a Houdini-type character!

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Fiddlers Three Plus Two Vol 2 (c1988)

Fiddlers Three Plus Two Vol 2 (c1988)


01 Flowers of Edinburgh/Bonnie Banchory/Roll Her On the Hill/Old Bog Hole
02 Light and Airy/Merry Girls of Dublin/The Fairies Dwelling/Jack Walsh
03 Inveran/Inspector Donald Campbell
04 Lasses Trust In Providence/Da Bressay Light/Road to Holigarth/Sleep Soond Ida Moarnin/Lay Dee At Dee
05 Sarona/The Buck o' the Cabrach/The Gladstone Reel
06 Airdie Lasses/Miss Sally Hunter/Lady Nellie Wemyss/Miss Grace Hay
07 Lord MacDonald's Reel/Over the Isles to America/The Sheepwife
08 Eight Men of Moidart/Banks of Clyde/Stourers Hornpipe/Polwart On the Green
09 Mr Michie/Kirrie Kebbuck/The Auld Wheel
10 Firth House Hornpipe/Shamrock Hornpipe/Lighfoot Hornpipe
11 He Mhairi Ho Mhairi/An T-Altan Dubh/Am Bata Rannach/Balaich An Iasgaich
12 Lord Rosslyn's Fancy/Drummond Castle/Jeanie's Blue Eeen/The Scottish Horse
13 Kelly's Reel/Jackie Colemans' Reel/Shehan's Reel/One of the Boys
14 Archie McKinley/Isabelle MacLean/The Lady in the Bottle

A second collection of tunes from Bob Christie, Gavin McIntyre and Hector McLeod, I estimate this one came out in about 1988.

Unavailable

Other posts featuring Fiddler Three Plus Two:
Fiddlers Three Plus Two (c1986)

Fiddlers Three Plus Two (c1986)

Fiddlers Three Plus Two (c1986)

01 Isle of Skye/McLaughlin's Scotch Measure/Scottish Legacy/Dean Brig

02 Hamilton House/Charlie Hunter/Pibroch of Bonnie Strathearn/Green Shades of Gask

03 Loch of the Rising Mist/Scarce o' Tatties/The Brown Haired Maid

04 Echoes of Oban/Cutty Sark

05 Sarah

06 Mrs MacLeod of Raasay/The Fairy Dance/The Mason's Apron/Soldier's Joy/Inver Lasses/Tail Toddle/Sandy Duff/The Kilt Is My Delight/The Drummer

07 Thistle Hornpipe/Vendome Hornpipe/The Landlubber

08 The Auld Alliance/Reginald MacDonald/Donald Blue/Dancing Feet

09 Gardebylatten

10 Camirsaveen/The Idle Road/Thady You Gander/Welcome to Cork

11 Major Graham of Inchbrakie/Ladlady of Inver Inn/Lady Charlotte Murray/Farewell to Whisky

12 Off to California/The Kildare Fancy/Morning Fair

13 Fitful Head/Galley Watch/Jack Lock the Prison Door/Da Forefit o' da Ship

14 Frank Thomson/Campbelltown Kiltie's Ball/The Wind That Shakes the Barley

The three fiddlers are Bob Christie, Gavin McIntyre and Hector McLeod, about whom I know nothing. The "Plus Two" are Lex Keith on accordion and Bill Hendry on piano. Keith seems to have been the musical director on this album, and he still performs with his band in Scottish Country Dance circles. This is a lively collection of tunes with a strong fiddle leading sound.

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Other posts featuring Fiddlers Three Plus Two:

Fiddlers Three Plus Two Vol 2 (c1988)

Other posts featuring Bob Christie:

Various Artists: Fiddle Miscellany 2 (2010)

Jimmy MacBeath: Come A' Ye Tramps and Hawkers (1960)

Jimmy MacBeath: Come A' Ye Tramps and Hawkers (1960)

01 Come A' Ye Tramps and Hawkers

02 Nickie Tams

03 The Moss o' Burreldales

04 The Gallant Forty-Twa

Jimmy MacBeath was one of the legendary itinerant singers discovered by Alan Lomax, Hamish Henderson, Kenneth Goldstein and other collectors in the 1950s. His vast repertoire of songs delighted them, and subsequent audiences at folk clubs and festivals. Although this record has quite a few crackles and pops (it is fifty years old after all), the majesty of Jimmy's singing shines through.

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Ron Gonnella: Fiddler's Fancy (1975)

Ron Gonnella: Fiddler's Fancy (1975)

01 The Bonnie Lass o' Bon Accord

02 Donald MacPherson's Lament/Mrs Will/Sandy Grant o' Battangorm

03 Miss Gordon of Park/Miss Hannah's Jig

04 Chapel Keithack/Mrs James McInnes, Edinburgh/Lochrynach

05 The Cradle Song

06 Dumbarton Castle/Hoo Dinna Ye Play Mair?

07 Corgarff Castle/Death and Dr Hornbrook

08 The Music o' Spey/Mr Michie/Mr John Smith, Alford

09 Lady Niven Lumsden of Achindoir/The Earl of Fife/Lowe's Hornpipe

10 Mr Morison og Bognie/Miss Stewart's Jog - of Bombay/Maj L Stewart's Reel - of Java

11 Rosacre/Forbes Morrison/Davie Work

12 Sir Harry Niven Lumsden of Achindoir

13 Sandy's Goat/MacLeod and Mackay

14 The Weeping Birches of Kilmorack/Glen Cottage/Gibson's Whiskey

Another great collection of tunes from Ron Gonnella, whose fiddling here is at its finest.

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Other posts featuring Ron Gonnella:

Ron Gonella: Scottish Violin Music (1966)

Ron Gonnella: The Gow Collections (1973)

Ron Gonnella: Fiddle Gems (1976)

Various Artists: Fiddle Miscellany 3 (2010)

Silly Wizard: Take the High Road (1980)

Silly Wizard: Take the High Road (1980)

01 Take the High Road
02 Donald McGillavry/O'Neill's Cavalry March

A real oddity this. Silly Wizard, one of Scotland's folk supergroups of the 1970s and 80s, recorded a version of the theme tune to a Scottish soap opera called "Take the High Road". A must for collectors, but not essential listening. The B-side of this single is a track taken from their 1979 album So Many Partings.

Unavailable

Ron Gonnella: Fiddle Gems (1976)

Ron Gonnella: Fiddle Gems (1976)

01 Well May My True Love Arrive/Glenmorriston/Northern Racecourse

02 Rbel War Song/Belladrum House/The Favourite Dram

03 Well May Charlie Wear the Crown/Northern Meeting/Sprightly Minikin

04 Sitting In the Stern of a Boat

05 The Beauty of the North/Stranger in Place of the Worthies/Inauspicious Wedding Day

06 Good Wife, Admit the Wanderer/The Maid That Made the Bed to Me

07 The Fall of Foyers/The North Side of the Grampians/In Dispraise of Whisky

08 Archibald MacDonald of Keppoch/The Expert Dancer/The Merry Making

09 Huntly's Wedding Medley/General Gathering 1745/The Shepherdess/My Ain, Kind Deary

10 Hymn to the Saviour

11 My Wife Is Forever Storming At Me/The Hawthorn Tree of Cawdor/Come Lads, Now Be Ready

12 Caledonia's Wail for Niel Gow/Angus Fraser's Strathspey/Three Sheep's Shanks

This was one of the first Ron Gonnella albums I heard in the 1970s, and I realised I was listening to a very fine fiddler indeed. Originally from Dundee, Gonnella lived and taught for many years in the small Perthshire town of Crieff. Until he married - late in his life - he would sit in his small flat and listen to his precious record collection and practise the fiddle tunes for his next recording. Top Scottish fiddlers such as Duncan Wood and Gregor Borland have told me of their admiration for his skills and techniques, and I think of him as a fiddler's fiddler.

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Other posts featuring Ron Gonella:

Ron Gonnella: Scottish Violin Music (1966)

Ron Gonnella: The Gow Collections (1973)

Ron Gonnella: Fiddler's Fancy (1975)

Various Artists: Fiddle Miscellany No.3 (2010)

Various Artists: Sandy Bell's Ceilidh (1979)

Various Artists: Sandy Bell's Ceilidh (1979)

01 Bell's Big Ceilidh Band: An Comhra Donn/The Galway Hornpipe/The Strand
02 The McCalmans: John Barleycorn
03 Aly Bain: Fort Charlotte/Calum Donaldson
04 Chorda: The Lea Rig
05 Dick Gaughan: The Cruel Brother
06 Bell's Chorus: Lowlands Away
07 Liz & Maggie Cruikshank: Sandy Bell's Man
08 The McCalmans: Kirsteen
09 Aly Bain: Crossing the Minch
10 Chorda: Johnny Sangster
11 Dick Gaughan: Sleepytoon
12 Bell's Chorus: Doon In  the Wee Room
13 Bell's Big Ceilidh Band: The Lilting Fisherman/Lough Gowna/Sweet Biddy Daly

Sandy Bell's is the name given to a pub in Edinburgh which has been a centre of folk music since the late 1940s. Until recently its official name was The Forest Hills Bar, but it was known by all in the know simply as Sandy Bell's (Sandy Bell never actually existed, but that's beside the point). Many singers and musicians spent time in the bar, which was also a favourite stop-off for touring folk musicians in Edinburgh for a concert. This album dates from 1979 and has a cross-section of some Bell's regulars: Dick Gaughan, Aly Bain, The McCalmans to name a few. Also on the album is the band Chorda - who later metamorphosed into Jock Tamson's Bairns.

Unavailable

Other posts featuring Chorda:
Various Artists: Folk Philosophy (1971) (As Chorda Cleich)

Ivan Drever and Dick Clarke: October Bridge (1988)

Ivan Drever and Dick Clarke: October Bridge (1988)

01 Col HIDB Grant's Farewell to the Final Instalment/The Austrian Ladies
02 The Foaming Sea/Nancy
03 Dick Head's Delight/The Three Midwives
04 Mrs Macdonald's Lament
05 The Minister's Dog/The Bells of St Luis
06 Seona Dunsmuir
07 Song for Yesterday
08 The Stronsay Waltz/The Marino Waltz
09 Day of the Drover/The Eavesdropper
10 Lorne Leader
11 The Old Mountian Road/The Haggis/The Blashie Night

After Knowe o' Deil's final album in 1987, Ivan Drever's partner Ian Cooper changed direction and "went on to do other things". Ivan Drever (vocals, cittern, guitar, whistle, mandola) soon teamed up with Dick Clarke (guitar, vocal, harmonica, keyboards, bodhran) from Skye, who had recently returned to Scotland after working down south as an actor and session musician. He joined the Easter Ross folk group Black Donald, and established a violin-selling business which trades to this day.

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Other posts featuring Ivan Drever:
Knowe o' Deil: The Viking's Bride (1987)

Jean Redpath & Alastair Hardie: The Scottish Fiddle, The Music & Songs (1985)

Jean Redpath & Alastair Hardie: The Scottish Fiddle, The Music & Songs (1985)

01 The Cradle Song
02 Niel Gow's Lamentation for Abercairney
03 The Lowlands of Holland
04 Through the Wood, Laddie
05 Nathaniel Gow's Lament for the Death of His Brother/Willie Duncan/Mrs Dundas of Arniston
06 The Birks of Aberfeldy
07 I'm A' Doun for Lack o' Johnnie
08 Caledonia's Wail for Niel Gow/Niel Gow's Style/The Heiress
09 A Wee Bird Cam' To Oor Ha' Door
10 Highland Harry
11 The Flower o' the Quern
12 Niel Gow's Lament for the Death of his Second Wife

A collaboration between one of Scotland's international ambassadors of folksong and a well-respected musician from a line of fiddle players dating back to the eighteenth century. Jean Redpath and Alastair Hardie bring us an album of fiddle music and songs related to fiddle music, with American cellist Abby Newton adding an authentic bass sound - it was common in the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries for fiddlers to be accompanied by a cello; the LP cover shows a painting of Niel Gow playing with his brother Donald on cello.

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Ray & Archie Fisher: Far Over the Forth (1961)

Ray & Archie Fisher: Far Over the Forth (1961)

01 The Night Visiting Song
02 Far Over the Forth
03 The Twa Corbies
04 Kilbogie

An early release by brother and sister act Ray and Archie Fisher from Glasgow. Both went on to become hugely influential as solo singers.

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The Lowland Folk Four: Eh'll Tell the Boaby (1967)

The Lowland Folk Four: Eh'll Tell the Boaby (Waverley, 1967)

01 The Pear Tree
02 The Balaena
03 The Battle of Harlaw
04 Kilgannon Mountain
05 The Jute Mill Song
06 Cauld Kail In Aberdeen
07 Children's Street Songs
08 The Standard of the Braes o' Mar
09 When I Was New But Sweet Sixteen
10 The Spinner's Wedding
11 Mingulay Boat Song
12 The Seasons
13 The Tailor's Breeches

This group were stalwarts of the Dundee folk scene of the 1960s and 70s. Led by Stuart Brown, supplemented by his wife Anne and his brother Ramsay, with occasional fourth members through the years (the fiddler/mandolinist Allan Barty was one of the regular "fourth members"). The group recorded three LPs that I know about: this one from 1967, Time to be Singing Again from 1984, and This Is Lowland Folk from 1988. I think there may have been a CD, but I can't remember off-hand. They also featured on a compilation record from 1986, Coorse and Fine, a collection of Dundee songs released to coincide with Nigel Gatherer's book Songs and Ballads of Dundee.

Unavailable

Other posts featuring The Lowland Folk:
Various Artists: All Folk Together (c.1969)
Lowland Folk: Newport Braes (1985)

Lowland Folk: Newport Braes (1985)

Lowland Folk: Newport Braes (1985)

Lowland Folk - also known as The Lowland Folk Four - formed in the 1960s in their native Dundee. The Fifie was a steam boat which took people from Dundee to Fife and back before the construction of the Tay Road Bridge; the song was written by renowned Dundee singer Sheena Wellington. Folk singer Watt Nicol also wrote a song in praise of the much-loved ferry. Also featured on the record is occasional Lowland Folk member Allan Barty.

01 Queuin' At the Fifie Pier (Newport Braes)
02 Eh'll Tell the Boaby etc (Street Song Medley)

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Other posts featuring Lowland Folk:
Various Artists: All Folk Together (c.1969)

Other posts featuring Allan Barty:
Allan Barty: Barty's Bow (1980)

The Reivers: Govan Is a Busy Place (1960)

The Reivers: Govan Is a Busy Place (1960)

01 Govan Is a Busy Place
02 Down In the Mines

A single from The Reivers, Enoch Kent, Rena Swankie and Josh MacRae. See previous post for info about the group. The song Govan Is a Busy Place was written by Glasgow actor Roddy McMillan.

Unavailable


Other recordings featuring Enoch Kent:
The Reivers: The Work of the Reivers (1959)
New Voices from Scotland (1965)
The Exiles: The Hale and the Hanged (1967)

The Reivers: The Work of the Reivers (1959)

The Reivers: The Work of the Reivers (1959)

01 The Wark o' the Weavers
02 Balloo Baleery
03 Johnny Lad
04 The Wreck of the John B
05 The Wee Magic Stane (McAvoy)

The Reivers were formed in 1958 when three young singers, members of Norman Buchan's famous folksong club, got together to perform on Scottish Television's Jig Time programme. Enoch Kent later joined The Exiles and subsequently moved to Canada where he still sings Scots song. I don't know much about Rena Swankie, though I see someone mentioned on Mudcat that it was she who played guitar on Josh MacRae's hit Messing About on the River (1962). MacRae himself followed the producer and songwriter Tony Hatch (who wrote "River") to Pye Records and had a number of hits, somewhat contrary his earlier activities with the "Glasgow Eskimos" - a group of singers who were active in protesting the US nuclear presence in Scotland. MacRae killed himself in 1977. This EP dates from 1959.

Unavailable

Other recordings featuring Enoch Kent:
The Reivers: Govan Is a Busy Place (1960)
Various Artists: New Voices from Scotland (1965)
The Exiles: The Hale and the Hanged (1967)

Fiddle Miscellany Vol.3

Fiddle Miscellany Vol.3 (Compiled 2010)

Another compilations of odd tracks from radio programmes, live concert recordings, LPs and CDs. This selection features some of Scotland's younger fiddlers in amongst some old hands.

01 Carmen Higgins: Mrs Scott Skinner

02 Bob Hopkirk: Lady Elspeth Campbell/The Brig o' Perth/Duntroon

03 Derek & Sarah Hoy: Missinyersel/The Olympian/Andy Coogan's Jig

04 Anna-Wendy Stevenson: Jean Mauchline/Tune for Nuala

05 Aly Bain: Herr Roloff's Farewell

06 Alasdair Fraser: Mrs. Major L. Stewart of the Island of Java/The Iron Man/Smith's a Gallant/The Forth Brig/Gillan's Reel/The Auld Wheel

07 Fochabers Fiddlers: Leaving Stoer

08 Bob Forbes: McKenzie Hay/Flowers o' Edinburgh

09 Dave Carrie: Air/Monymusk/Stumpie/Corn Rigs

10 Ron Gonnella: Weavers of Newly/Flowers of Edinburgh

11 Angus Fitchet: Lament for Will Starr/The Young King

12 The Exiles: Fiddle Tunes

13 Derek Hoy: Col Stuart of Garth/Lads of Mull

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Fiddle Miscellany Vol.2

Fiddle Miscellany Vol.2 (compiled 2010)

Mark Winchester (Keith)

1. Miss Elspeth Campbell/Dr Shaw/Dundee Burns Club

2. The Coalburn/Dr Robertson/The Mason’s Apron

3. Linda’s Watz/Thingummyjig Polka

Addie Harper Jr (Wick)

4. Abercairney Highlanders

Gregor Borland (Inverness)

5. Lochaber Gathering

Bill Brian (Elgin)

6. 74th’s Farewell to Edinburgh /The Iron Man /The Bungalow

7. Herr Roloff’s Farewell

8. Braes o’ Castle Grant /Laird o’ Thrums /Timour the Tartar

Bob Christie

9. Stirling Castle /Hey Ho My Bonnie Lass

10. Robertson Crescent/Harvest Home/Trumpet Hornpipe

Yla Steven (Edinburgh)

11. Dumbarton Castle

South of the Grampians

Marquis of Huntly

12. Roxburgh Castle/Staten Island/Kate Dalrymple/Soldier’s Joy/High Road to Linton

13. Sir Walter Douglas/Barren Rocks of Aden

Farquhar MacRae (Roshven)

14. Sandy Cameron/The Mason’s Apron

15. Traditional Highland Airs

Sandy & Andy Brown (Fife)

16. Earl of Dalhousie/Da Tushkar

17. Jolly Boys

Judith Davidson

18. John MacFadyen of Melfort

Here is the second compilation of odd tracks from various LPs in my collection. Once again, the majority are from fiddle competitions in the late 1970s, notably the Golden Fiddle Awards. Most of the fiddlers have not been featured in this blog before, Yla Steven and Bill Brian being the exceptions. However, the fiddling is still of a high standard, and it's worth giving it a listen.

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Fiddle Miscellany Vol.1

Fiddle Miscellany Vol.1 (compiled 2010)

I have a number of vinyl LPs on which there may be one or two tracks of solo fiddling, the rest being a fiddle orchestra or concert party or other stuff not worth posting. I have compiled these tracks into collections of solo fiddle playing recordings, and they may be of interest to you, as they give an opportunity of hearing recordings to which they would not normally have access.

The two fiddlers on Volume 1 - Angus Cameron and Douglas Montgomery - have between them won most of the fiddling contests in Scotland, including the Golden Fiddle Award of the 1970s and 80s; and both featured highly in the prestigious 1977 ‘National Fiddle Championships’ (when Montgomery was still at school).

Tracks:

Angus Cameron:

01 Balmoral Castle/Glenlivet/David Adams

02 Comps to Alex Webster/Mrs Garden of Troup/Carnie's Canter

03 Duke of Fife's Welcome/Forth Bridge/Forth Bridge

04 Dumbarton Castle/Marquis of Huntly's Farewell/Left/Handed Fiddler

05 H Mackworth/Eugene Stratton

06 Marquis of Huntly's Farewell/John McNeill

07 Scott Skinner's Comps/South of the Grampians/John McNeill's

08 The Last Minute/The Claymore/The Claymore

09 Duke of Fife's Welcome to Deeside/Stirling Castle/The Bride's Reel

Donald Montgomery:

10 Braes of Castle Grant/Craigellachie Brig/Sir David Davidson of Cantray

11 Caledonia's Wail for Niel Gow

12 Leaving Glenurquhart/Bob Steel/Pretty Peggy

13 McLean of Pennycross/Highlands of Banffshire/Carnie's Canter

14 Lament for Abercairney

15 Mrs HL macDonald of Dunach/Earl Gray/Marquis of Tullibardine

16 Prince Charlie's Last View of Scotland

17 The Valley of Silence

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Alex Campbell: Way Out West (Society, 1963)

Alex Campbell: Way Out West (Society, 1963)

01 The Wabash Cannonball

02 Careless Love

03 Bowling Green

04 On Top of Old Smokey

05 The Old Chisholm Trail

06 The Streets of Laredo

07 Jesse James

08 Down In the Valley

09 Orange Blossom Special

10 The Banks of the Ohio

11 The Frozen Logger

12 Barbara Allen

13 St James Infirmary

14 Railroad Bill

15 John Hardy

From the first scratchy tracks, you can tell that while this record is almost fifty years old, it is powerful. Not Scottish music by any means, but one of Scotland's most widely travelled and best known folk singers, Alex Campbell. Joining him on this session are some top musicians: Royd Rivers playing terrific harmonica, Gerry Loughran on guitar, Ian McCann on mandola, mandolin and autoharp, and Dave Laibman on guitar and banjo. Laibman was from Ohio originally, but studied at Oxford at the time this LP was recorded. Best known for his academic work in the field of Marxisim, he was also regarded as a pioneer in ragtime guitar, eventually recording albums in the US for Folkways, Rounder, etc, and publishing an instruction book. This album is enhanced by Laibman's outstanding guitar; check out Orange Blossom Special and Railroad Bill for examples. 

Front and back covers included.

Unavailable

Iain McLachlan and Fergie MacDonald: Kings of the Button Keyed Box (1987)

Iain McLachlan and Fergie MacDonald: Kings of the Button Keyed Box (1987)

The late button accordionist Iain McLachlan of Benbecula is most famous for composing Dr Mackay's Farewell to Creagorry, which later become better known as The Dark Island. Not one for travelling a great deal, McLachlan lived all his life on the island. He had a great friendship with Fergie MacDonald, who regarded him as 'the greatest three-row button-box player in the Highlands and Islands'. In 1987 they finally got together and recorded this two-hander album, each taking seven tracks and duetting on the final one. Joining Iain and Fergie are John Carmichael on second accordion, David Flockhart on piano, the late Billy Thom on drums and Alasdair Macleod on bass.

01 Iain McLachlan: Major Manson/John MacDonald

02 Fergie MacDonald: Dungannon/Lilting Fisherman/Ballycastle

03 Iain McLachlan: The Dark Island

04 Fergie MacDonald: Mouth Music On the Box

05 Iain McLachlan: Saddle the Pony/Donald Iain Rankine/Jig of Slurs

06 Fergie MacDonald: Iain Rhuadh's Lament

07 Iain McLachlan: Hills of Perth/Barren Rocks of Aden

08 Fergie MacDonald: Lady In the Bottle/Wee Murdie's/Sweet Biddy Daly

09 Iain McLachlan: Lady Elspeth Campbell/Sprig of Ivy

10 Fergie MacDonald: Maggie Moss/Reunion Reel

11 Iain McLachlan: Uist Song/Rhu vaternish/Mo Cailin Don

12 Fergie MacDonald: Tom and Mima's Golden Wedding/Millbank Cottage

13 Iain McLachlan: Maggie's Reel

14 Fergie MacDonald: Addie Harper's/Maureen's/Ness Bothan

15 Iain and Fergie: Donald MacLean's Farewell to Oban/Argyllshire Gathering

Unavailable

The Exiles: The Hale and the Hanged (1967)

The Exiles: The Hale and the Hanged (1967)

After the group's debut LP, 1966's Freedom Come All Ye, the follow-up was released in 1967. Although this is a poor recording - recorded from a scratched record with some beginnings of tracks cropped - it is important because it's such a rare album. This is the only recording on The Music Gatherer so far which was not recorded from my collection (I downloaded this from an anarchist blog -fiddler Bobby Campbell was a communist) and I've posted it here because I've never seen it anywhere else. If I ever do find a copy, I'll make a better recording.

Formed in 1964, The Exiles were Bobby Campbell (fiddle, mandola, mandolin, guitar, vocals), Enoch Kent (whistle, vocals), and Gordon McCulloch (guitar, banjo, harmonica, vocals). So named because the three, from Glasgow, were living and working in London. Campbell died in 1997, while Kent still sings in his adopted Canada.

01 The Jolly Beggar

02 The Fair Flower of Northumberland

03 The Corner House/The Sally Gardens

04 The Laird o Windy Wa

05 Dainty Davie

06 Le Reel du Pendu

07 Queen Eleanors Confession

08 The Plooman Laddie

09 The Shoals o Herring

10 The Coolin/I Walked up to Her

11 The Battle of Harlow

12 I Will Lay Ye Doon Love

13 Planxty Davies

Unavailable

Other recordings featuring Enoch Kent:
The Reivers: The Work of the Reivers (1959)
New Voices from Scotland (1965)

Various Artists: The Hoot'nanny Show (1964)

Various Artists: The Hoot'nanny Show Vol 2 (1964)

There were a number of highly successful folk concerts in Edinburgh in the early 1960s, with many visiting singers and musicians travelling from England and Ireland including Barney McKenna, Luke Kelly (both of The Dubliners), Nadia Cattouse, Roy Guest, The Ian Campbell Folk Group and so on. This album, Hoot'nanny Vol.2, is one of a number of similar releases from this time, and is a gem for those interested in the folk music revival era. The compere of the show was journalist W Gordon Smith.

01 Roy Guest: Kellyburn Braes

02 Ray and Archie Fisher: Johnny I Hardly Knew You

03 Eleanor Leith: John Riley

04 Barney McKenna: The Mason's Apron

05 Roy Guest: Strangest Dream

06 Ray & Archie Fisher: The Blackleg Miner

07 Eleanor Leith: The Water Is Wide

08 The Corrie Folk Trio and Paddie Bell: The Roving Ploughboy

09 Ray and Archie Fisher: Johnny McEldoo

10 Roy Guest: Everybody Loves Saturday Night

Unavailable

Companion album to
Various Artists: The Hoot'nanny Show Vol 1 (1964)

The Legendary Angus Fitchet (1983)

The Legendary Angus Fitchet (1983)

01 Elizabeth Adair*/Donald Ian Rankine/My Dungannan Sweetheart/Shakin' of the Piggery

02 Millbank Cottage/Captain Carswell

03 My Heart Is Sair/Auld Scotch Sangs/Nameless Lassie/Annie Laurie

04 The Dancing Dustman

05 Melody for Jim McFarlane*/The Joan Blue March*

06 The Mary Smith Polka*

07 JB Milne*/Donald Stewart the Piper/Norman Whitelaw*/The Miller

08 Jack Cooper March*/John Stephen of Chance Inn*/Rhoda McFadyen*

09 Lerwick Waltz*

10 Hornpipes: Robertson's/Cooper's/College/Miss Gayton's

11 Golden Harvest*/Comps to Ian Powrie*/Lass o' Corrie's Mill/Mrs Agnes Watt

12 Scott Skinner's Cradle Song/Thrums Cairn

13 Miss Delicia Chisholm/Gay Gordons

14 Stool of Repentance/Jackson's Jig/Maids on the Green/Frost is All Over

In 1921 Angus Fitchet from Dundee was taken by his fiddler father to see James Scott Skinner perform at the Caird Hall. It changed his life and from that day he practised playing along with Skinner's 78rpm recordings. By 1931 he was recording for Beltona Records and thus began a long and successful recording and performing career. As well as his own bands, Fitchet played with many of the great musicians and bands of his day: Jimmy Shand, Will Starr, Robert Wilson, Jimmy Blue, Andy Stewart, Bobby Crowe, etc.

This album does not have much solo fiddling, disappointingly; it's very much a band recording, but it has Fitchet's spirit in it and includes many of his compositions (marked *).

Front and back covers included

Unavailable

Black Donald: Dancing Hazards (1985)

Black Donald: Dancing Hazards (1985)

01 Jim Christie of Wick/John Keith Lang/Barrowburn Reel

02 A Highland Laddie

03 Willie's Brogues/Old Toasty

04 Glenlogie

05 The Wee Tot/Ness Bothan

06 Ballachulish Glen

07 Eppie Morrie/Cooley's Reel

08 The Resting Chair/John Murray of Lochee

09 The Braemar Poacher

10 Charlie Hunter/The Highlander/The Stool of Repentance

11 Lady Mary Ann

12 Dancing Hazards/Black Donald/Donacht Head/Bert MacCroskie

Black Donald were David "Dagger Gordon (cittern, mandolin, banjo, whistles), Iain MacBeath (fiddle) and Ian MacDonald (vocals, guitar). The played around the north of Scotland for a few years but this was their only recording. Dagger Gordon released the first Scottish mandolin recording - Highland Mandolin in 1988 - and was involved with the group Highland Connection and the Donald Dubh ceilidh band (Donald Dubh - Scots gaelic, translates as Black Donald). Jim Sutherland of Mirk and The Easy Club also played on the album.

Unavailable

Fergie MacDonald: Come Dancing (c1966)

Fergie MacDonald: Come Dancing (c1966)

01 Bonawe Highlanders/MacLeod of Mull

02 Rose of Arranmore/Tramps and Hawkers/Forty Shades of Green

03 Old man of OA/Croonan Nan Tonn/Little Todd/Fairy Love Song/Paddy O'Rafferty

04 Marie's Wedding/Mormond Braes/Lass o' Fyvie/Barnyards o' Delgaty/Bratach Bana

05 Forlorn Bard/Leaving Lewis/Mingulay

06 Mason's Apron/Blackberry Bush/Stack of Wheat

07 Thistle of Scotland/Road to the Isles/The Black Mill

08 Arthur Bignall of Lochrosque/Hugh Alexander

09 Roddy McCorley/McPherson's Rant/Lord Lovat's Lament

10 Bonnie Flora/Farewell to Skye/My Love, the Maiden Fair

11 Duke of Atholl/Wee Murdie/Muckin' o' Geordie's Byre/Jean Ireland

12 Morag Made the Wedding/The Whisky Man/Wee Man from Skye/Calum Beag

13 Duke of Perth/This Is Nae My Ain Lassie/Caddum Wood/Rakes of Mallow

Button accordionist Fergie MacDonald is held with considerable affection in Scotland, celebrated for basic hard-core ceilidh music. His band was formed in 1960, and this early recording (his second album after Dance To Your Partner") probably dates from around 1966, when Fergie was resident at the Highlanders' Institute in Glasgow. Over twenty albums followed this, and Fergie is as much listened to today as he ever was.

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