Customer Reviews

English Fiddler: Swarbrick Plays Swarbrick

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Fiddler Dave Swarbrick is one of several great British folk musicians, along with guitarist Richard Thompson and singer Sandy Denny, to have played in the band Fairport Convention. Denny and Thompson had left the group by the early 70s, and Swarb took the wheel until Fairport's (temporary) dissolution in 1979. The then-electric violinist's hearing problems helped precipitate that break-up, and when the band regrouped in the mid-80s with several charter members on board (they're still at it today), he stayed on the acoustic folk circuit, reuniting with guitarist Martin Carthy, forming a new quartet called Whippersnapper, and being spotted in other pairings as well as the odd solo outing.

This excellent Naxos World CD covers all those turns, in a newly recorded collection of Swarbrick's own compositions from the Fairport days to the present. While typically Swarb's previous recordings have comprised mostly traditional jigs, reels, and ballads, this compact disc amounts to a veritable history of Swarb-as-composer, with familiar Fairport songs included such as "Crazy Man Michael," (cowritten with Thompson), "White Dress," (penned for the now-deceased Denny), and the perennial concert singalong "Rosie." With these songs, as with jaunty tunes such as "Carthy's March" (composed for guess who) and "Pepperpot," this is a strictly instrumental affair. Swarb's solo albums have rarely featured vocals anyway, but this time it's not a matter of artistic choice. Like the Band's drummer Levon Helm, Swarbick's history of smoking has led to serious health problems and the loss of his singing voice. (At this writing, Swarb's website says he is awaiting a lung transplant.)

For all that, this is a great set from a real *legend* of British folk music. The performances are energetic, graceful, and at times poignant. Members of Fairport--alas no RT--and Whippersnapper make their appearances along with Carthy and accordionist John Kirkpatrick, and Swarbrick graciously introduces a new tune "Mrs. Marriott," dedicated to his early mentor Beryl Marriott, who accompanies him beautifully on piano. All in all this is a unique--and for me, continually replayable--album, the first and only "Swarbrick plays Swarbrick" collection, with spirited and expert playing, offered at a truly sweet price. In any case it's hard to put a price on the sound of the great Dave Swarbrick, The English Fiddler.