 |
|
Sleeve Notes
To an island face the lure of the sea is strong. It is friend and foe. giver and taker; yielding its fresh fruit to the fishermen harvesting its rich gardens, but taking as payment the lives of many unfortunate sailormen.
Since early times the English have been a maritime nation. Many a young English boy feels the salt water coursing through his veins when he hears the tales of Drake, first of the privateers and later the greatest of admirals, or when he reads in the newspapers about Sir Francis Chichesters' monumental achievement. It is therefore not surprising that English Folklore contains such a wealth of sea songs.
This is a really "live" recording, fresh as a breeze. With Colin and Shirley at the helm, they and their crew steer the listener through a sea of songs. We can't promise that you will hear the creak of rope. or smell the tang of salty air, but we can promise you entertainment — just what a record of sea songs should provide.
COLIN WILKIE and SHIRLEY HART are something of an institution to the folk fans of Great Britain. They are insatiable travellers, and. have wandered all over the continent of Europe winning new admirers wherever they perform. They even appeared for eleven months at the famous Staatstheater in Wiirttemburg in a play for which they sang the songs (in German) and also wrote the music. For them the most important thing is their music and its interpretation. Shirley, unlike some singers, never hesitates to roughen her beautiful voice if the song requires it. She sings with a breathtaking sweetness, with sincerity and deep feeling. Colin, the instrumentalist of the two, plays guitar, banjo. 12-string guitar, concertina, and mouth-harp, and is well known as a songwriter, and humourist. Together they form a duo worthy of their large reputation.