I haven't had or heard this for years, but think it's a lovely album. The musicianship is first class.
The tunes are all by Alistair Anderson, played in arranged suites. Their names are mostly inspired by people, places, things around Tyneside and Northumberland, and seem like a wandering, atmospheric sketch of all this.
The possibilities of some traditional rhythms are explored, including the 3/2 - not much heard in the Eighties, at least by me. This has been developed, both by Alistair in ensuing albums and by The Kathryn Tickell Band, who have put their knowledge to truly rousing use on their last album, "Instrumental".
It is hard to define the essence of Northumbrian music, because within, by world standards, a tiny home region there are various quite different strands of it, as well as influences from elsewhere. But you know it when you hear it. I hear it in this album - though I have to add, some were less impressed by it than I was.
I should add, this is not a solo album - there are five musicians. These are:
Alistair Anderson - English concertina, Northumbrian smallpipes;
Tony Corcoran - fiddle (right-hand channel);
Chuck Fleming - fiddle (left-hand channel);
Robin Dunn - mandolin;
Martin Dunn - flute, whistle, piccolo.
Yes! ~ and "wandering atmospheric sketch" is fair comment, though the atmosphere brings on fits of coughing (to cover up uncomfortable laughter) and it makes my eyes smart and causes a desperate need to find wide open spaces and fresh air...
Does this post mean that this record has at last been remastered on cd ? My own copy is a vynil from the 80es... and I listened so much to it that it scrtches too much now... I was fortunate enough to mett Alistair Anderson 2 years ago - very great chap - and at hte time the recording coudn't be found... I was able to have the score, so very lovely tunes... and the philosophy of the recording's great !
Alistair Anderson - Steel Skies
I haven't had or heard this for years, but think it's a lovely album. The musicianship is first class.
The tunes are all by Alistair Anderson, played in arranged suites. Their names are mostly inspired by people, places, things around Tyneside and Northumberland, and seem like a wandering, atmospheric sketch of all this.
The possibilities of some traditional rhythms are explored, including the 3/2 - not much heard in the Eighties, at least by me. This has been developed, both by Alistair in ensuing albums and by The Kathryn Tickell Band, who have put their knowledge to truly rousing use on their last album, "Instrumental".
It is hard to define the essence of Northumbrian music, because within, by world standards, a tiny home region there are various quite different strands of it, as well as influences from elsewhere. But you know it when you hear it. I hear it in this album - though I have to add, some were less impressed by it than I was.
# Posted on April 3rd 2009 by nicholas
(NB - I meant to say, "The *tunes* seem like a wandering, atmospheric sketch...")
# Posted on April 3rd 2009 by nicholas
Alistair Anderson - Steel Skies
I should add, this is not a solo album - there are five musicians. These are:
Alistair Anderson - English concertina, Northumbrian smallpipes;
Tony Corcoran - fiddle (right-hand channel);
Chuck Fleming - fiddle (left-hand channel);
Robin Dunn - mandolin;
Martin Dunn - flute, whistle, piccolo.
# Posted on April 7th 2009 by nicholas
Yes! ~ and "wandering atmospheric sketch" is fair comment, though the atmosphere brings on fits of coughing (to cover up uncomfortable laughter) and it makes my eyes smart and causes a desperate need to find wide open spaces and fresh air...
# Posted on April 8th 2009 by ceolachan
Does this post mean that this record has at last been remastered on cd ? My own copy is a vynil from the 80es... and I listened so much to it that it scrtches too much now... I was fortunate enough to mett Alistair Anderson 2 years ago - very great chap - and at hte time the recording coudn't be found... I was able to have the score, so very lovely tunes... and the philosophy of the recording's great !
# Posted on April 17th 2009 by Nikita Pfister