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Dave Swarbrick: Swarb!

Swarb! A celebration of the life and music of Dave Swarbrick Free Reed FRQCD 45 (4 CD, UK, July 2003)

Written and researched by Nigel Schofield.
Edited and produced by Neil Wayne

This is a comprehensive 4 CD overview over Dave Swarbrick's career of 45 years with en extensive 136 pages book with en extensive 136 pages book.

Tracks

The four CDs are named after David Cyril Eric Swarbrick's initials.

The page numbers after the track titles refer to the comments in the box set's book.

CD 1 - D is for Duo (FRCD 41)

Carthy, Nicol, Dempsey, Hulett... a quartet of duos which span Swarb's career. They began with a missing work permit and continue today in memorable gis throughout the country. Here are classic performances and rare recordings of each of those duos - and many more besides - session work, less high-profile partnerships, overlooked live gigs. A chronological overview of Swarb's performing partnerships.
[from the Swarb! sleeve notes]

1. Jack Orion [p. 26] (3.58)
   From the album First Person (Topic 12T118, 1966). Swarb accompanies Bert Lloyd on a version of Child Ballad 67
2. Finale Medley (Bottom o' the Punchbowl / Swallowtail / The Mason's Apron) [p. 30] (9.28)
   With Martin Carthy, live at the London Troubadour in 1966
3. Our Captain Cried All Hands [p. 34] (2.02)
   with Martin Carthy; from the album Byker Hill (1967)
4. Streets of Forbes [p. 61] (3.43)
   Trevor Lucas sings this on the album The Great Australian Legend (Topic 12TS203, 1971)
5. The Heilanman / Drowsy Maggie [p. 66] (2.43)
   with Beryl Marrion on his album Swarbrick (1976)
6. The Lark in the Clear Air [p. 70] (3.33)
   with Savourna Stevenson at Kirkcaldy Folk Club, undated
7. Around Cape Horn [p. 62] (2.29)
   From Peter Bellamy's album Both Sides Then (Topic 12TS400, 1979).
8. 79's Farewell to Gibraltar / The Atholl Highlanders / The Devil Among the Tailors [p. 84] (4.53)
   with Simon Nicol on their album Live at the White Bear (1982)
9. Pittengardener's Rant / The Floggin' [p. 98] (4.38)
   with Simon Nicol live at Folk City, New York (1984)
10. White Dress [p. 102] (3.11)
    with Ralph McTell on the BBC Ralph McTell Show (1992)
11. The Pepperpot / Sailing into Walpole's Marsh / Bunker Hill [p. 98] (5.40)
    with Martin Carthy live at Carson's in Cincinnati (1990).
12. Mrs Bermingham / No 178 / Blind Mary [p. 102] (7.33)
    with Martin Carthy live at the Cropredy Festival (1992).
13. Days of 49 [p. 106] (3.17)
    with Alistair Hulett live at The Basement, Sydney (1996)
14. Nathaniel Gow's Lament for His Brother / Rory of the Hills [p. 106] (8.55)
    with Lars Kjaedegard live at Brunskepadhus, Denmark (1996)
15. I Know My Love [p. 114] (4.19)
    with Kevin Dempsey on a Fairport tour live in Croydon (2000)
16. Byker Hill [p. 120] (7.33)
    with Martin Carthy live at the Apollo, Oxford, on Martin's 60th Birthday Concert (2001)
17. Banksie [p. 122] (1.55)
    with Kevin Dempsey on English Fiddler (2003)

CD 2 - C is for Collaborations (FRCD 42)

The Ian Campbell Folk Group had a fiddler with the band; then they became the band with the fiddler. In chronological order, here are vintage vignettes from all the bands of which Swarb has beeb a full time member. A catalogue of classic collaborations.
[from the Swarb! sleeve notes]

1. The Bride's March from Unst (The Bride's March / The Keel Man's Petition / Show Me the Way to Wallingford / Sword Dance) [p. 16] (5.24)
   with Beryl Marrion at the Essex Festival 1981
2. The Blind Man He Could See [p. 20] (3.23)
   The Ian Campbell Folk Group, Across the Hills, Transatlantic LP TRA 110 (1964)
3. Tail Toddle [p. 22] (1.24)
   The Ian Campbell Folk Group performance from the Hullaballoo TV Show (1965)
4. Tunes My Mother Taught Me (Bonny Kate / The Kilfenora / Boston Tea Party / Biff, Bang, Crash) [p. 44] (4.21)
   Fairport Convention live at the BBC, Nomvember 12, 1970
5. Dirty Linen [p. 44] (3.51)
   Fairport Convention live in Philadelphia, 1970
6. Me With You [p. 54] (3.27)
   Fairport Convention, from the Rosie sessions (1973)
7. Hexhamshire Lass [p. 56] (2.28)
   Fairport Convention live at Amazing Grace, Chicago, 1975
8. Rising for the Moon [p. 56] (4.06)
   Fairport Convention on Rising for the Moon (1975)
9. Country Pie [p. 73] (3.03)
   Fairport Convention live at La Trobe University, Australia (1977)
10. Sword Dance / Young Black Cow [p. 80] (4.13)
    Fairport Convention with Richard & Linda Thomson live at the Granada TV Show Celebration (1981)
11. Brilliancy Medley / Cherokee Shuffle [p. 82] (3.22)
    Fairport Convention on Moat on the Ledge (1982)
12. Boadicea [p. 84] (2.08)
    A Sandy Denny tribute from Dave Swarbrick's solo album Flittin' (1981)
13. Carolanning (Mrs Bermingham, Mrs Maxwell, John Jameson) [p. 90] (4.52)
    Whippersnapper, live at Burnt Post Club, Coventry (1983)
14. Farewell Lovely Nancy [p. 92] (4.31)
    Whippersnapper, live at Cropredy (1985)
15. Hen's March [p. 94] (3.28)
    Whippersnapper, live at Tønder Festival, Denmark (1987)
16. Waltzing's for Dreamers [p. 100] (4.50)
    Keith Hancock Band (incl. Martin Carthy and Dave Swarbrick), live at Southport Festival (1991)
17. Nonesuch Medley [p. 104] (4.50)
    Band of Hope (incl. Martin Carthy and Dave Swarbrick), live (1994)
18. Mad About You / Siege of Sydney Streets [p. 108] (5.24)
    Eureka!, Jammin' with Gypsy (1998)
19. Fiddlestix [p. 114] (3.07)
    Fairport Convention, The Cropredy Box (1997)

CD 3 - E is for Extras (FRCD 42)

Extra-curricular activities, Swarb's earliest vinyl appearance, and essential eccentricities all come together on this CD of recordings we uncovered, and which were too good and too unusual to be ignored. The rarity and uniqueness of these sixteen recordings means that the recording quality may vary somewhat, but the performance is consistently high. Here is Swarb stepping centre-stage to fill Sandy Denny's shoes, playing a triumphal final track at Whippersnapper's debut gig, being coaxed out of “retirement” at a friend's birthday celebration, and even taking on a challenge from the compiler of this set.
[from the Swarb! sleeve notes]

1. Royal Seleccion #13 (Haste to the Wedding / Clarke's Hornpipe / Parade of the Tin Soldiers / The Dashing White Sergeant) [p. 14] (3.55)
   with Simon Nicol live in Germany (1982)
2. The Bark Gay Head [p. 14] (2.37)
   Ewan MacColl, Whaler Out of New Bedford (1961)
3. Interlude - Pembroke Unique Ensemble [p. 38] (1.10)
   with Sandy Denny on The Young Tradition's Galleries (1968)
4. Tam Lin [p. 50] (6.02)
   Fairport Convention live in Stockholm with Dave Swarbrick singing (1971)
5. General Taylor / Jenny's Chicken / Mason's Apron [p. 46] (7.58)
   Fairport Convention live it the University of Chicago (1970)
6. Pleasure and Pain [p. 62] (4.41)
   Brian Maxine on his album Ribbons of Stainless Steel (1975)
7. Frog Up the Pump (Ril Gan Ah / unknown / Storka) [p. 68] (3.27)
   with Martin Carthy, rehearsal tape (1977).
8. When First Into This Country [p. 73] (2.32)
   Fairport Convention on a Capital radio broadcast (1976)
9. Now Be Thankful [p. 70] (3.02)
   The Three Desperate Mortgages live at Kenilworth Folk Club (1976)
10. Rosie / Pachelbel's Canon [p. 90] (6.05)
    Whippersnapper live at Burnt Post Club, Coventry (1983)
11. My Little Fiddle [p. 94] (4.23)
    Whippersnapper live, source unknown (1985)
12. Foolish [p. 94] (5.16)
    Whippersnapper live at Tønder Festival (1987)
13. Ship in Distress [p. 100] (5.04)
    with Martin Carthy, live at McCabe's Guitar Shop, Santa Monica, California (1990).
14. Bonny Black Hare [p. 103] (5.43)
    with Martin Carthy, live at Albert Hole, Bristol (1993).
15. Isle of Man Set [p. 116] (9.07)
    with Beryl Marriot, live at Wing Village Hall (1998).
16. Sloth [p. 122] (8.24)
    with Simon Nicol, live at Topic Folk Club, Bradford (1983).

CD 4 - S is for Swarb (FRCD 44)

These twenty-one tracks from Swarb's amazing and varied career from in-demand sideman to folk legend, from the folk clubs of Birmingham to the Blue Mountains of Australia, from the smallest folk clubs to the largest concert halls. Classics and rarities... groups and duos... solo work and sessions... it's Definitive Comprehensive Essential Swarbrick.
[from the Swarb! sleeve notes]

1. Bonaparte's Retreat [p. 8] (0.55)
   solo, from the album Swarbrick 2 (1977)
2. Rocky Road to Dublin / Drops of Brandy [p. 20] (1.26)
   Ian Campbell Folk Group, from their album This Is the Ian Campbell Folk Group (1963)
3. The Widow of Westmorland's Daughter [p. 26] (2.12)
   A.L. Lloyd, from his album The Bird in the Bush: Traditional Songs of Love and Lust (1967)
4. Earl of Moray [p. 22] (1.26)
   Ian Campbell Folk Group, from their rare EP Highland Songs (1967)
5. The Hen's March Medley (The Hen's March Through the Midden / The Four-Poster Bed / Swallowtail / Tail Toddle, Villafjord / Rakish Paddy) [p. 30] (6.28)
   with Martin Carthy, archive recording (1967)
6. Father Kelly / Skopje / Sligo Maid [p. 34] (3.39)
   with Martin Carthy and Diz Disley, from Rags, Reels and Airs (1967)
7. The Praties They Grow Small [p. 38] (2.46)
   with Lorna Campbell singing, from the album Ian Campbell and the Ian Campbell Folk Group with Dave Swarbrick (1969)
8. The Liege and Lief Medley (The Lark in the Morning / Rakish Paddy / Foxhunter's Jig / Toss the Frathers) [p. 42] (3.49)
   Fairport Convention, live at the Philadelphia Folk Festival (1970)
9. The Hangman's Reel [p. 52] (3.24)
   Fairport Convention, BBC 'In Concert' (July 26, 1970)
10. Hanging Song [p. 52] (5.40)
    Fairport Convention, live (1972)
11. Rosie [p. 54] (3.17)
    Fairport Convention, The Manor Sessions (1972)
12. Sheebeg and Sheemore (Si bheag si mhor) [p. 80] (5.51)
    with Simon Nicol live in Chicago (1981)
13. The Gravel Path to Granny's / The Leighton Buzzard Shuffle [p. 82] (3.30)
    Dave Swarbrick & Friends live at the Cambridge Folk Festival (1980)
14. Loving Hannah [p. 92] (6.03)
    Whippersnapper, BBC 'Folk on 2' (1984)
15. Carthy's March / The Lemon Tree [p. 100] (4.34)
    with Martin Carthy live at Carson's in Cincinnati (1990).
16. The Trip We Took Over the Mountain [p. 100] (3.14)
    with Martin Carthy and Savourna Stevenson Dave Swarbrick's 50th Birthday Concert (1994).
17. Bonny Black Hare [p. 103] (3.08)
    solo, BBC Worldwide (1994).
18. The Wives [p. 104] (3.18)
    with Kevin Dempsey at The Basement (1996).
19. Two Magicians [p. 104] (4.17)
    solo at The Assembly Hall, Melbourne (1996).
20. Lassies of Neilston [p. 120] (1.30)
    with Alistair Hulett on the album Red Clydeside (2002).
21. My Heart's in New South Wales [p. 108] (5.08)
    with Kevin Dempsey and Fairport Convention at Fairfield Halls, Croydon (2000); from English Fiddler (2003).