Lots of news from Topic Records

the sun he is a-drawing to the west, to the west After a summer full of festivals in the sun, Topic looks forward to more great music, recorded and live, along with some very special offers from our back-catalogue. MARTIN SIMPSON ~ Photo by Sandy McGhie After a very busy summer touring solo and with Dom Flemons (The American Songster), Martin Simpson already has a pretty full touring schedule planned, beginning in September with the following dates: Friday 16th September – GUILDFORD – The Electric Theatre Saturday 17th September – SUDBURY – Quay Theatre Friday 23rd September – ST HELENS – The Citadel Arts Centre Saturday 24th September – KIRKGATE, Cockermouth – The Kirkgate Centre Sunday 25th September – LANGHOLM, Dumfriesshire – The Buccleuch Centre Monday 26th September – EDINBURGH – Traverse Theatre Friday 30th September – HEBDEN BRIDGE – Wadsworth Community Centre Also, as part of Nancy Kerr’s ‘Words and Music’ events at Kings Place, on Friday 2nd December, SimpsonŸCuttingŸKerr join forces with author Rob Cowen, exploring different ways of writing about nature and wildlife: Words & Music at King's Place  Our monthly special offers are a great way of filling the gaps in your music collection, or to give as splendid gifts for friends. Topic’s special offers for September are seven classic albums by Martin Simpson at the very special price of only £6 each:           SIMPCD001   BOOTLEG USA TSCD 513   THE BRAMBLE BRIAR TSCD 540   RIGHTEOUSNESS & HUMIDITY TSCD 567   PRODIGAL SON TSCD 578   TRUE STORIES TSCD 584   PURPOSE & GRACE TSCD 589   VAGRANT STANZAS Eliza Carthy & The Wayward Band have been playing stunning live sets at festivals during the summer months, and have a fabulous new album ‘Big Machine’, coming soon. Eliza appears with dad Martin Carthy and The Gift Band at the Lyme Regis Folk Weekend on Sunday 11th September, then has the following Wayward Band dates booked: Thursday 3rd November – BURY ST EDMUNDS – The Apex Friday 4th November – HASTINGS – St Mary in the Castle Saturday 5th November – LONDON – Islington Assembly Hall Sunday 6th November – WARWICK – Arts Centre Friday 11th November – SALISBURY – City Hall Saturday 12th November – MANCHESTER – Royal Northern College of Music Sunday 13th November – SCUNTHORPE – Baths Hall Saturday 26th November – BASINGSTOKE – Anvil Arts Sunday 27th November – NOTTINGHAM – Glee Club “…of course, we already know the band is great. So what follows may not be a surprise – but it is completely thrilling… with Carthy dancing about at the centre of a joyful musical whirlwind, thrilling in the moment."  folkwitness.co.uk Eliza’s finest work so far is showcased on the Topic double CD set Wayward Daughter, available throughout September at the very special price of only £9.00! TSCD772D  ELIZA CARTHY ~ WAYWARD DAUGHTER   Finale : an evening with PENTANGLE Pentangle at the Royal Festival Hall June 2008 ~ photograph by Chris Bates In 2007 the original five members of PENTANGLE - Bert Jansch, John Renbourn, Jacqui McShee, Danny Thompson & Terry Cox - reconvened to receive a Lifetime Achievement Award from Sir David Attenborough at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards. In 2008 they began a UK tour at the Royal Festival Hall, exactly 40 years to the day since they recorded their classic 'Sweet Child' at the venue. Emotions and memories ran high in the packed house. The evening was a musical triumph, as were the subsequent dates. Topic is very proud to be releasing Pentangle’s final live recordings on 7th October on  ‘Finale’, a double CD set with some of their classic material, beautifully played and recorded, a fine testament to the majesty of a mercurial band, whose substantial individual talents came together to create magic in their music.    The Guitar Player and The American Songster Our very good friends at Fledg’ling Records also have a very exciting release on CD, DL and vinyl LP due on 7th October, Ever Popular Favourites by Martin Simpson and Dom Flemons, a collection of recordings made out on the road, capturing the infectious joy of a shared transatlantic musical heritage. Seasons of Song      The passing of the seasons feature prominently in the canon of songs sung by The Copper Family of Rottingdean, and Topic has two beautiful books available with the words and music to many of these songs included, plus a superb memoir of his life by Bob Copper, ‘A Man of No Consequence’ Now since we have brought this so cheerfully round We will send for the ploughman who ploughs up and down. See the boy with his whip and the man to his plough Here's a health to the jolly ploughman who ploughs up the ground.

The latest news from Fledg'ling Records.

"Essential Autumn listening!" Our newly-released Anne Briggs - Four Songs EP has received very positive responses throughout the press. Last month Folk Radio UK published a lengthy new interview with Anne that focused on her early years as a travelling musician and the time around Four Songs. Earlier this week BBC Radio4 broadcast a wonderful half-hour interview with Anne - The Voices of Annie Briggs. A further feature is due to be published in the next issue of fROOTS. Four Songs, as the title suggests, collects together four previously unreleased recordings - three BBC recordings from the radio series ‘Folk-Song Cellar’, plus one song privately recorded by one of Anne’s oldest friends - on a beautifully presented vinyl 7" EP. These rare, simple, unadorned and intimate performances, aching with poignancy, make their first appearance on record, fifty years after recording and capture Anne Briggs singing at just the right time in her brief singing career. Anne herself has been very excited about the project: “…the results couldn't have been better. Nice the way it came about too, with lost recordings and old friends caring for them for decades.” Track list: 1 The Recruited Collier, 2 My Bonny Boy (A Bower In My Breast), 3 Polly Vaughan, 4 The Verdant Braes Of Skreen. You can follow this link to preview: The Verdant Braes Of Skreen MARTIN SIMPSON and DOM FLEMONS proudly present a selection of Ever Popular Favourites will be released on Friday October 7th on CD / LP / DL. Track list: 1 My Money Never Runs Out, 2 John Hardy, 3 If I Lose, 4 Little Sadie, 5 Pay Day, 6 Short Times Come Again No More, 7 Too Long (I’ve Been Gone), 8 Bulldoze Blues, 9 Stealin’, 10 Champagne Charlie, 11 Coalman Blues, 12 Buckeye Jim. MARTIN SIMPSON ~ vocals, guitar, banjo DOM FLEMONS ~ vocals, bones, banjo, quills, harmonica, electric kettle You can follow this link to preview John Hardy You might care to purchase an exclusive set of four Ever Popular Favourites pinned insignia. During September we have a special offer on these three fabulous albums from the Fledg'ling catalogue at only £6.00 each:       FLED 3008  ANNE BRIGGS ~ Sing A Song For You FLED 3064  ANDY ROBERTS & The Great Stampede FLED 3088  ANDY ROBERTS ~ Urban Cowboy Early in 2017 we will release The Traveller's Tale a previously unreleased suite of tunes composed by from JOHN WARREN and recorded live in June 1993 by the  JOHN SURMAN / JOHN WARREN BRASS PROJECT. Best wishes and many thanks for continuing to support Fledg'ling. N E W   W E B S I T E We have a shiny new home on the Internet: www.fledglingrecords.co.uk

Some new music for the Summer and Autumn From Topic Records

Some new music for the Summer and Autumn   Both Topic and our colleagues at Fledg'ling have been busy preparing some exciting new records for your enjoyment. Today, August 12th, Fledg'ling Records are releasing four previously unissued recordings by the wonderful Anne Briggs. Four Songs will be released as a vinyl 7" EP, with rare photos, three BBC recordings from the radio series ‘Folk-Song Cellar’, plus one song privately recorded by one of Anne’s oldest friends. These rare, simple, unadorned and intimate performances, aching with poignancy, make their first appearance on record, fifty years after recording and capture Anne Briggs singing at just the right time. Anne herself has been very excited about the project: “…the results couldn't have been better. Nice the way it came about too, with lost recordings and old friends caring for them for decades.” Track list: 1 The Recruited Collier, 2 My Bonny Boy (A Bower In My Breast), 3 Polly Vaughan, 4 The Verdant Braes Of Skreen. You can follow this link to preview: The Verdant Braes Of Skreen  In 2007 the original five members of PENTANGLE - Bert Jansch, John Renbourn, Jacqui McShee, Danny Thompson & Terry Cox - reconvened to receive a Lifetime Achievement Award from Sir David Attenborough at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards. In 2008 they began a UK tour at the Royal Festival Hall, exactly 40 years to the day since they recorded their classic 'Sweet Child' at the venue. Emotions and memories ran high in the packed house. The evening was a musical triumph, as were the subsequent dates. On October 7th Topic will release PENTANGLE ~ Finale recorded live by the original line-up during the 2008 tour. This 2CD set captures the band on a musical high re-visiting their classic early repertoire. More details in the next newsletter; in the meantime, here's a link to preview: Light Flight Also on October 7th our friends at Fledg’ling Records will release Ever Popular Favourites - an infectious selection of songs recorded by Mr. Martin Simpson and Mr. Dom Flemons on tour in the autumn of 2015. Six of the best! Each month our special offers are a great way of filling the gaps in your music collection, or to give as splendid gifts for friends. The Topic special offers for August are six classic albums from the Topic catalogue at the very special price of only £6 each:         TSCD430  MARTIN SIMPSON ~ The Collection TSCD478  LAL WATERSON & OLIVER KNIGHT ~ Once In A Blue Moon TSCD485  VARIOUS ARTISTS ~ Deep Lancashire TSCD539  ELIZA CARTHY ~ Anglicana TSCD562  WATERSON:CARTHY ~ Holy Heathens & The Old Green Man TSCD565  TIM VAN EYKEN ~ Stiffs, Lovers, Holymen, Thieves

Topic Records in the pleasant month of May

'twas in the pleasant month of May In the Springtime of the year, Topic Records congratulates the wonderful Norma Waterson on her recent Lifetime Achievement Award at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards and has news of Record Store Day releases available now, along with special offers and details of SimpsonŸCuttingŸKerr tour dates. On April 27th at the Royal Albert Hall, Norma Waterson was the recipient of a Lifetime Achievement award at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards. Given a rapturous reception, her stirring speech and spirited performance with The Gift Band stole the show. You can watch her perform ‘Bunch of Thyme’ by clicking on this link  to the BBC iPlayer: Bunch of Thyme Record Store Day 2016 On Saturday 16th April, Topic released an exclusive 7” vinyl single by Martin Simpson and some of his musical friends. Available only in independent record shops on the day, we can now offer this fantastic limited edition record by mail order. A double A-side, the single features Martin with Andy Cutting and Tom A. Wright on a brilliant version of Booker T. and the MGs’ Green Onions, and, on the other side, with Andy Cutting and Nancy Kerr on the classic ballad Willie Taylor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   Also available now is Fledg’ling Records’ exclusive reissue of a rare Shirley Collins 7” EP that originally came out on the Collector label in 1964; English Songs volume 2 comes in a replica flipback sleeve plus a new inner sleeve with rare photographs. Our current vinyl catalogue can be found here: VINYL May 2016 special offers This month we have four titles from Topic’s acclaimed World Series, at the very special mail order price of only £6 each:     TSCD 908  FOLK MUSIC OF TURKEY TSCD 912  MUSIC OF THE TATAR PEOPLE TSCD 919  THE MOKEN – SEA GYPSIES OF THE ANDAMAN SEA TSCD 920  THE YEMEN THIAMA   To celebrate upcoming tour dates by SIMPSON∙CUTTING∙KERR and Andy Cutting's remarkable achievement in winning Musician of the Year at the BBC Radio Folk Awards for the third time, we are offering the superb deluxe edition of their wonderful album Murmurs at the very special price of only £10.00   Reg Hall 'A Few Tunes of Good Music' To coincide with the latest two volumes in the Voice of the People series - "It was mighty!" and "It was great altogether!" - we have published Reg Hall's monumental history of Irish music in London. The result of over twenty years research and a lifetime of playing Irish music, A Few Tunes of Good Music is a comprehensive history of Irish music and dance in London from 1800 - 1980 and beyond. Much of the material is based upon original interviews and historical research. The book runs to over 1000 pages including many illustrations and an extensive discography. A Few Tunes of Good Music may be downloaded for free or viewed online here: Reg Hall 'A Few Tunes of Good Music' May and June sees Martin and Eliza Carthy on the road, beginning at the Cornerstone, Didcot on May 13th. Tour dates are available by clicking the following link: Elephant tour Martin Simpson continues his busy schedule of touring, with solo gigs and then, in June, SimpsonŸ∙CuttingŸ∙Kerr undertake an extensive tour: Simpson tour