JIGFOOT - Kindling
Private Label MELTP12CD
Jigfoot is an English ceilidh band that specialises in the music of the south of the country, although they very successfully venture into other parts as well. The line-up for this new CD comprises Nic Bradford, guitar; Ben Potton, fiddle; Gill Redmond, cello; Kim Sheil, melodeon; and Cath Watkins, fiddle; with Simon Harmer providing foot percussion. This combination allows a fair bit of variety in the overall sound, with the musicians feeding off each other to work out improvisational runs which give an extra dynamic to the overall sound.
They never lose sight of the fact that they are a dance band, however, and underlying this interplay is always the need to provide the right balance of tempo and swing to allow dancers to get on and dance. It doesn’t matter if you’re not a dancer, however, as the musicality is well worth listening to for its own sake, but if you do feel like taking the floor, this is an ideal group to have playing for you.
The tune sets themselves are all researched and sourced, with references to follow up if you so wish. Talking of which, I’d never want to start a cross-border dispute(!) but I’m sure everyone up here will argue that The Brighton whilst it may have been written into an 1822 book of Hampshire dance tunes is, in fact, Wha Saw The Tattiehowkers? But these arguments are all part of the folk process, are they not?
Never mind that, just put this CD on and dance your differences away!
www.jigfoot.com
Gordon Potter
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Many CDs we review are available from The Listening Post. Check to see if this CD is available. The Listening Post is the CD mailorder service of The Living Tradition magazine. This album was reviewed in Issue 122 of The Living Tradition magazine. |