In north-east England, ALISTAIR ANDERSON has been a key figure in the revival of trad Northumbrian music. He is known especially for his long-time expertise on the English Concertina since the '60's, but also plays the Northumbrian small-pipes. In the '60's-'70's he played with the High Level Ranters, who specialised in Tyneside/Northumbrian material.
He was involved with the Cut And Dry Band, who made two albums that feature duets as well as attempting to bring old pipe tunes with variations out of the closet. In the '80's he and other musicians produced an extended piece, a suite of tunes composed and linked by Alistair, called "Steel Skies". (I think all tunes were by Ali - there might be the odd trad - I've forgotten.) Any way, the record and performances were, in my view, a deserved success. There were strong individual tunes in the suite. Alistair has made other compositions of this kind, but I've only heard snippets and forgotten their names. I'm interested in how players/composers endeavour to get TM out of the box of its usual limitations and somehow extend it, without killing it in the process: "Steel Skies" is a successful achievement in this respect. Nearer to the present time Alistair has been much involved with Folkworks, an organisation that lays on summer schools for trad players or singers of all ages and abilities in NE England (I don't know about elsewhere). Teachers for this come from all over. Recommended, if you have/are going to get an instrument.
If you're interested in the English concertina, Alistair's recordings show what the instrument is capable of, including a rich and versatile range of chords. His repertoire majors (I think) on Northumbrian, Scottish, Shetland and related North American and Canadian trad, rather than Irish, but I assume that in an Irish session he could knock out the tunes with the best. Irish trad players tend not to play the English concertina - I can't think of any well-known player there who does - but I've heard Irish music played very well on it over here.
I haven't a discography of Alistair Anderson but the early High Level Ranters records and "Steel Skies" I'd definitely recommend. I don't know where you're coming from and which area's music/ which instrument interests you most; but in North-East England trad music, and in the world of English concertina playing, Alistair Anderson definitely occupies top place in any "Who's who" - with the proviso that there's always room at the top of the ladder for the space to be shared...
Who's who in trad???
Who's who in trad???
Who, in your own opinion, are the main heads in Trad
"AT PRESENT!!!!"
I have "MY OWN" but these are based on my own exposure to gigs, media and where I live.
Please list 3/4 names/bands and give an insight on how you have heard of them!
# Posted on August 13th 2006 by Shtrum
Re: Who's who in trad???
In north-east England, ALISTAIR ANDERSON has been a key figure in the revival of trad Northumbrian music. He is known especially for his long-time expertise on the English Concertina since the '60's, but also plays the Northumbrian small-pipes. In the '60's-'70's he played with the High Level Ranters, who specialised in Tyneside/Northumbrian material.
He was involved with the Cut And Dry Band, who made two albums that feature duets as well as attempting to bring old pipe tunes with variations out of the closet. In the '80's he and other musicians produced an extended piece, a suite of tunes composed and linked by Alistair, called "Steel Skies". (I think all tunes were by Ali - there might be the odd trad - I've forgotten.) Any way, the record and performances were, in my view, a deserved success. There were strong individual tunes in the suite. Alistair has made other compositions of this kind, but I've only heard snippets and forgotten their names. I'm interested in how players/composers endeavour to get TM out of the box of its usual limitations and somehow extend it, without killing it in the process: "Steel Skies" is a successful achievement in this respect. Nearer to the present time Alistair has been much involved with Folkworks, an organisation that lays on summer schools for trad players or singers of all ages and abilities in NE England (I don't know about elsewhere). Teachers for this come from all over. Recommended, if you have/are going to get an instrument.
If you're interested in the English concertina, Alistair's recordings show what the instrument is capable of, including a rich and versatile range of chords. His repertoire majors (I think) on Northumbrian, Scottish, Shetland and related North American and Canadian trad, rather than Irish, but I assume that in an Irish session he could knock out the tunes with the best. Irish trad players tend not to play the English concertina - I can't think of any well-known player there who does - but I've heard Irish music played very well on it over here.
I haven't a discography of Alistair Anderson but the early High Level Ranters records and "Steel Skies" I'd definitely recommend. I don't know where you're coming from and which area's music/ which instrument interests you most; but in North-East England trad music, and in the world of English concertina playing, Alistair Anderson definitely occupies top place in any "Who's who" - with the proviso that there's always room at the top of the ladder for the space to be shared...
# Posted on August 13th 2006 by nicholas
Re: Who's who in trad???
Me.
# Posted on August 14th 2006 by bodhran bliss