Ha! I came across this a long time ago: it's one of Alistair Anderson's early solo albums, before he began composing and arranging the suites of music that have won him acclaim since - "Steel Skies", et cetera. The tunes are predominantly a mix of Northumbrian, Scottish and English trad with one or more of his own - not much if anything by way of distinctively Irish tunes on here. Alistair Anderson is known as an English concertina player first and foremost and also as a Northumbrian smallpipes player: I believe both instruments are played on this one. I do not know if anybody else plays on this album.
A fine musician on the English concertina and the smallpipes, but, in general, I'm no fan of his compositions and his "Steel Skies" is not amongst my favourite listens, on the contrary...
Rants, Reels and Airs from Northumberland and Scotland
# Posted on November 20th 2011 by gian marco
Dookin' For Apples
Ha! I came across this a long time ago: it's one of Alistair Anderson's early solo albums, before he began composing and arranging the suites of music that have won him acclaim since - "Steel Skies", et cetera. The tunes are predominantly a mix of Northumbrian, Scottish and English trad with one or more of his own - not much if anything by way of distinctively Irish tunes on here. Alistair Anderson is known as an English concertina player first and foremost and also as a Northumbrian smallpipes player: I believe both instruments are played on this one. I do not know if anybody else plays on this album.
# Posted on November 21st 2011 by nicholas
"Alistair Anderson: Dookin' For Apples"
Front Hall Records, Voorheesvile, New York, 1979 - FHR-020
Produced by Alistair Anderson & Bill Spence
& the musicians and their instruments are ~
Alistair Anderson - English concertina & Northumbrian smallpipes ~
"I am accompanied on this record by the members of 'Fennig's All Star String Band' -"
Bill Spence - hammered dulcimer4
George Wilson - fiddle, guitar & upright bass
Toby Stover - piano
& - Evan Stover - mandolin
This is likely the start of Alistair's love affair with his own compositions, and there are several here -
Track 2: "Kaspar's Rant"
Track 7: "The White Meadow"
Track 8: "Simonside Reel" / "Wedderburn's Cave" / "Dookiin' for Apples"
Track 9: "Mayday"
A fine musician on the English concertina and the smallpipes, but, in general, I'm no fan of his compositions and his "Steel Skies" is not amongst my favourite listens, on the contrary...
# Posted on November 27th 2011 by ceolachan