Internet Video Jukebox #24
August 2020
Curated by Paul Walker
Steve Taggart (concertina enthusiast extraordinaire) has unearthed lots of musical goodies for us (enabling me to go and put the kettle on!).
He emailed: “Paul, here’s a lovely bit of crisp, very smooth, Anglo playing”
He writes: “Mareka Naito started playing the classical violin at the age of 3. She won numerous competitions in junior school such as the Japan Classical Music Competition & Velsus International Junior Violin Competition (Italy). She discovered Irish traditional music in 2007 and began learning to play the Irish fiddle. She studied medicine in Yokohama & graduated with a doctors license in 2014. Mareka is also proficient in the harp and concertina.”
So, the concertina isn’t even her first instrument! Such talent!
Steve writes: “This next hasn’t had many views, so far, but l suspect this track is still quite well known. Personally, l prefer concertina “solos” to be just that, but it seems even AP needed a piano acc.”
Alexander Prince 78 RPM – Alexander Prince – Washington Post, March (1913):
Steve’s found some excellent clips of singers plus concertina backing:-
Penny Sykes performing ‘The Boston Dame’ at Spilsby Theatre after being announced winner of the 2011 Lincolnshire Folk Song Competition. The song is about ‘Old Mother Riley’, a musical hall act, Arthur Lucan who was born in the county and lived in Boston:
Next, the wonderful, self-accompanying Anglo style of the great
John Roberts, with a superb rendition of that lovely song “The Old Figurehead Carver” (a beautiful tune about the great merchant ship Marco Polo. The song is sung from the point of view of the figurehead carver):
For anyone who might want them, the words are here: https://allpoetry.com/The-Old-Figurehead-Carver
Added chorus:-
“While my hands are steady,
While my eyes are good,
l will carve the Music of the Wind
lnto the wood.”
Terrific!
Steve reported: “Here are a couple of tracks with one of my oldest “concertina pals”, Lincolnshire lad Bill Whaley, together with his singing partner Dave Fletcher, now both sadly contemplating retirement from the Festival and folk-club circuit. On “The Call and the Answer” Bill plays the accompaniment on his 64key English Aeola:
Tom Lane’s “The Five-bob Side of the Street” with Bill playing his massive 81 key MacCann Duet:
Hoping that these may be of interest, Paul.”
Not only of interest, but a stunningly good introduction to players/singers I’ve never heard before. A big commend to Steve for the above. PW
And now concertina from Bolivia. Los Pukaras de Bolivia feat. Ivan Coa Apaza on concertina. This is in a folk setting, but see also their MTV type roots/contemporary video (e.g. posted on Facebook- ‘Friends who like International Concertina Association’ page):
Finally, a lovely piece of animation by Jack Hague, with music composed and played by Mick Bramich.