various artists, Heel & Toe (Veteran, 2005)
Most of all, of course, we can be grateful to Steele for preserving fading rural English music traditions and to Veteran, the admirable label of authentic British folk music, for making these performances available to us. The sympathetic and warm-hearted liner notes tell us who the performers were and give them flesh, blood and lives beyond the songs and tunes. Naturally enough, there are ballads here, including variants of the familiar "Banks of the Sweet Dundee," "The Outlandish Knight," "Lamkin" (as bloody as any bloody old ballad gets) and "John Barleycorn." There are, as well, instrumental dance pieces such as the title polka, some hornpipes, the old American popular song "Whistling Rufus" and comic pieces from music stages of another era. Heel & Toe may not be for everybody, but it will certainly please any listener who is attracted to traditional folk music in its most rooted -- which is to say actual -- form. ![]() ![]() |
![]() Rambles.NET music review by Jerome Clark 4 February 2006 Agree? Disagree? Send us your opinions! ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |