Upcoming digital reissue of The Cobbers back catalogue

Today received the following email:-
Hi Paul,

My name is Dave Walker and I run a Celtic Folk label based on the Mornington Peninsula called Green South Records.

I firstly wanted to congratulate you for your commitment to preserving the music, it's a mighty effort and really important work.

A big focus of Green South Records is the reissuing of the great Celtic Folk albums, ensuring, as you do, that they don't get lost. 

I just wanted to let you know that we're about to reissue the entire Cobbers back catalogue and make it available on digital platforms for the first time. Our label is more a collective than a traditional label, ensuring that the artists are fairly paid for their music and striving to give a lot of these acts the recognition they so richly deserve.

We'll be releasing a new Cobbers album per week over the next few months and it would be great if you would be able to let visitors to your site know where they're available. I'll keep in touch as we progress.

Your website is a fantastic resource and I'd be hopeful that we can work collaboratively into the future to promote and recognise the great music that has gone before.

Kind Regards

Dave Walker

www.greensouthrecords.com

0425749323

Martyn Wyndham-Read 2016 Australian Tour

Martyn Wyndham-Read has already commenced his 2016 Australian Tour. He has been a regular visitor for over 50 years and has been a consistent performer of Australian folk songs over all that period with, I think, 3 albums mainly featuring Australian related content. He has featured on many albums in this Blog. He also has a significant repertoire of British folk song.

I highly recommend that you catch one of his appearances. Click  here to go to his website.

Sept 30th -Oct 3	Goulburn Gathering	Goulburn, NSW	Yvonne O’Grady (02) 4233 1073	bushtraditions.org
	Blackheath Folk Club	Blue Mountains NSW
Oct 8	Sydney Bush Music Club	Sydney,NSW	Sandra Nixon 02 9358 4886
Oct 14,15,16	Kangaroo Valley Folk Festival	Nowra, NSW	Alison 0418 436224	kangeroovalleyfolkfestival.com.au
Oct 19	Artback Gallery Wentworth	Wentworth NSW 2648	Mike Oates 03 5024 5601	artbackaustralia.com.au
Oct 21,22,23	Fleurieu Folk Festival	Willunga SA	Peter Thornton 0407 614996	fleurieufolkfestival.com.au
Oct 29, 31	Maldon Folk Festival	Maldon ,VIC,3463	Pam Lyons 0421 643 478	maldonfolkfestival.com
Nov 2	Gladstone Hotel	Orange ,NSW 2800	Paul Kelly (02) 6362 5277/0409 826834
Nov 5	2828 Gulargambone	Gulargambone, NSW	(02) 6825 1828	2828nsw.com
Nov 8	Armidale	NSW	Missy Jones 0434 612496
Nov 9	Grafton	NSW	Mazza (02) 6647 3274 ( mob.0414 225838)
Nov 11	Magda	Brisbane, QLD	Mervyn Langford 0400 497422
Nov 12	Maleny	QLD	Jenny Fitzgibbon 0457 968863
Nov 16	Newcastle Folk Club	NSW	Lainey Velt 0421 412358/Ron Brown 0427 261313
Nov 18	Troubadour Folk Club	Woy Woy, NSW	Michael Fine (02) 4342 6716
Nov 20  2pm	Yuin Folk Club with Danny Spooner	NSW	Coral Vorbach (02) 6493 6758
Nov 25	Albert Park Yacht Club	Melbourne,VIC	Cliff Ellery 0418 179411	albert park
Nov 27	Burke & Wills Winery	Mia Mia, VIC	Andrew (03) 5425 5400	wineandmusic.net

"The Kinsfolk Collection" 2CD reissue set of "Ain't that news" (1969 LP) and "For Tomorrow" (1970 LP)

I recently found this 2 CD set at a local re-selling outlet. I was massively surprised to find not only a CD re-issue of an early Australian folk group but also because it was a 2 CD issue of two albums, namely, "Ain't that news" (1969).

It turned out that it was not a commercial release but a re-issue by the members of the group - three brothers and a sister whose last concert was in 1971. Notes to the CD indicate that it was released in about 2000 and the graphics include an updated photograph of the group and the information "These CDs will provide for family and friends a more permanent, better quality reproduction of the music which consumed so much of The Kinsfolk's time and effort during those happy years".

I am very grateful that they have gone to this effort because they very much should be remembered. The group performs in the folk revival style drawing upon a wide range of material. But I hasten to add that they had a more laid-back, sophisticated style than those earlier in the period and many of their tracks are delightful.

They were originally a part-time group but from 1969 onward they toured Asia, the UK and a very busy six months in the USA including performing at the Madison Square Garden. These CDs readily demonstrate why they were well received overseas.

This time I am putting up two downloads - one in the usual 224-256 VBR MP3 (87Mb) - the other is in the lossless FLAC compression (a little less than 400Mb). If you want FLAC please note that the file is in two parts and you must have both for successful decompression.

Click here to commence downloading the MP3 version
Click on each of the two parts below to download the two part of the FLAC version.
     Download Part 1 FLAC
     Download Part 2 FLAC

Decompress (7-zip, WinZip, etc) the files to extract the album folders and the individual tracks.
If the download is not available any more please let me know and I will re-up it.

Southern Cross "The Berlin Tapes" Cassette of unknown date

This is another rip provided by the Victorian Bush Folkie and cleaned and edited by me.
I have no ideas who the members of "Southern Cross" were and any detail will be very welcome. The album title "The Berlin Tapes" is somewhat intriguing as well.

I do love the artwork - it's so delightfully primitive and quite befitting a limited issue folk music album.

Whoever they were, they are definitely enthusiastic performers in the folk tradition. The standard of recording is fairly basic but the tape was otherwise relatively glitch-free. It is well worth a listen and provides a bit of variety over the top 20 Australian bush traditionals.

Tracklist (with spelling corrections)
1. Beneath the Southern Cross (Louis McManus)
2. Waltzing Matilda
3. South Australia
4. and the Band played Waltzing Matilda (Eric Bogle)
5. Lazy Harry's
6. The Laxey Wheel (Stuart Slack) (An Isle of Man feature).
7. Lachlan Tigers
8. Banks of the Condamine (shearer version)
9. The Ryebuck Shearer
10. The Writing of "Tipperary" (Bill Caddick)
11. (Farewell to) Carlingford (Tommy Makem)

Go to downloading by clicking here. It is one 50Mb file that needs to be decompressed before attempting to play the individual tracks.  MP3 224-256 VBR.
Email me at mr.stockman@gmail.com if file is no longer available for download and I will upload it again.

Tracey Munro Tracey "Nightpiece" LP 1987

We need to thank the Victorian Bush Folkie for making the tracks and graphics of this album available.

"Tracey Munro Tracey" was the group name chosen by Lynne Tracey, John Munro and Denis Tracey for the release of this album. It was recorded in 1986 and released in 1987. As far as I can determine, ti was not released on CD.

We have met Denis Tracey before on this blog but I know nothing about Lynne Tracey. Additional information from visitors:- Lynne Tracey is also known as Lynne Muir and is a well-known illustrator. See one of many web entries about her at The Printery House which makes this identification highly positive.

John Munro, an ex-pat Scot, will be very well known to many visitors on this blog. He has had a long career in folk but, of recent times, he is probably best known through his frequent and enduring association with fellow ex-pat Scot Eric Bogle. Need to know more? - then Google him.

There's just a little Australian content on this album, namely, the performance of Reedy River; the Henry Lawson poem as adapted by Chris Kempster. There are four tracks in the British Isles folk tradition, namely, Kelvin Grove, Miss Robertson's Reel combined with Troy's Wedding (instrumental), Bonny George Campbell combined with the instrumental Green Cathedral and the the Irish Giolla Mear (Mo Ghile Mear). The other tracks are not really folky (in the sense I use it) - more like early "new age". Of course, it is a pleasure to listen to this album with each of the performers displaying great talent. There is one unexpected feature in tracks 7 and 10 - Lynne Tracey's breathing in  is often very audible. Just ignore it.

The LP has cleaned up well.

Tracklist
1. Great Storm
2. Portrait of a Lady
3. Miss Robertson's Reel with Troy's Wedding
4. Kelvin Grove
5. Nightpiece
6. Too close to the Wind
7. The Stolen  Child (from W.B. Yeats poem)
8, Bonny George Campbell with Green Cathedral
9.  Reedy River
10. Giolla Mear

Click here to commence downloading.
You will need to decompress the file you download to extract the folders and the track files and graphics. MP3 @ 224-256 VBR - file size 62Mb.

Toni McRae "Banjo Flat" LP 1975

A friend (who prefers to remain nameless) provided me with .wav files of the tracks of this album which he had sourced from elsewhere.

The original source material had a high level of clicks and pops and had been recorded at slightly too high an input volume leading to some clipping. Nevertheless, the tracks have cleaned fairly well and the clipping is not overtly intrusive.

This is an interesting album - a sort of 1975 anthem to Australia mainly featuring (then) modern material and themes - both good and bad. Toni McRae's performance is of a high quality enhanced both chorally and instrumentally by some top-notch performers.  The line-up was:-

Vocal harmonies: Toni McRae; flute and harmonica: Toni McRae; Male Choir: Wayne Findlay, Kirk Lorange, Royston Nicholas, Ray Hall; narration: Ray Hall; acoustic guitars: Kirk Lorange, Doug Ashdown; electric guitar: Kirk Lorange; bass guitar: John Griffin; drums and percussion: Doug Bligh; all keyboards: Wayne Findlay; Didgeridoo: George Thompson.

My favourite is "On the Night Train" - I am certain that Henry Lawson would have approved. I have no proper graphics and have included some files used on eBay and a stop-gap measure - anyone able to help?

Tracklist:

    Side 1:
    1. (The Fight at) Eureka Stockade
    2. Bellbirds
    3. Second Class Wait Here
    4. Fairy Tales
    5. Henry's War (on Nature)
    6. Last of His Tribe
    
    Side 2:
    7. On the night train
    8. The Carpet Snake Song (Ballad of the Totems)
    9. Banjo Flat
    10. You Were Gone
    11. Going Home
    12. I Am Part of the Country.


Click here to commence downloading the compressed album file (ZIP file)
File is 53Mb and must be decompressed before playing. Tracks are MP3 @ 224VBR.
If download fails, let me know by, preferably email to mr.stockman@gmail.com, or by comment on this posting.

Ned Kelly's Cousins "Songs from the Land Down Under" Cassette 1997

I found this cassette at a book fair and I cannot find out anything about it other than what appears on the cassette information and that the National Library of Australia has a disc copy of the album. It looks like an album aimed primarily at an overseas market and/or as a souvenir for overseas visitors.

According to the cassette information, the album was recorded and mixed in Sydney and thanks are also offered to personnel at Cooneys Tavern in Wollongong. The band members are identified as:-
1. John Baxter - vocals and accordian (sounds Irish presumably related to next person)
2. Peter Baxter - producer, vocals, guitar and bouzouki and writer of one song on the album (Ned Kelly) - extremely likely to be the Irish performer at this link.
3. Alan Morrison - vocals , bass and guitar
4. Johnny Spillane - backing vocals, whistles. lager phone (sic), harmonica and bodhran. Now identified as an Irish expat from County Cork still resident in Wollongong. (see two visitors' comments below)
5. Gregg Stevens - vocals, guitar, mandolin and bouzouki (Australian?)

Can anyone help with further information on this group, its members and the circumstances surrounding the creation of this album? There is a strong Irish influence overall.

The tracks are traditional except where authors identified below.

Tracklist
1. The Overlander
2. Ryebuck shearers
3. Waltzing Matilda (Qld version)
4. The Wild Colonial Boy
5. Ned Kelly (P. Baxter)
6. Across the Western Plains
7. The Wild Rover
8. Black Velvet Band
9. Click go the Shears
10. Since Then (Henry Lawson)
11. Lachlan Tigers
12. South Australia
13. The Pub with no Beer (Gordon Parsons)
14. Botany Bay
15. Moreton Bay

If the below download link fails contact me by comment below or, preferably, email me at mr.stockman@gmail.com. download file needs to be decompressed.

Click here to download compressed album file containing graphics. MP3 @224-256VBR 66Mb.

Lionel Long "Wild Colonial Boy" 1962 LP - Stereo Version now available

In 2008, I posted a MONO download for Long's 1962 album "The Wild Colonial Boy"
I have now ripped and edited a Stereo album and encoded it in lossless flac.
I have included its download link under the original post. Click here to go to the original post.

Please note that the file is just a fraction less than 200MB. You do not need to download the graphics file if you have previously downloaded the mono version.

The Bushwackers "Warrigal Morning" LP 1983

This LP was very kindly sent to me by Mark from Victoria. Many thanks as I had been wondering just when I would be able to do this one.

From the outset let me say that this is not quite in the vein that you might expect from The Bushwackers. The reason for this is that it is the soundtack album from the 1983 remake of the movie "Bush Christmas". It includes original performances of the traditionals "Lachlan Tigers", "Waltzing Matilda", "Billy of Tea"and the instrumental "The Fishing Reels". Sadly, it also includes that absurd rewrite of Saul Mendelsohn's "Brisbane Ladies" ("Augathella Station") that I have ranted about before. The album includes an instrumental performance of "Silent Night". All other tracks are original compositions specially written for the movie but well-and-truly in the style favoured by the band. Very good perfromances especially the guitar work of Tommy Emmanuel.

The "Bush Christmas" was a flop but you might like to look it up on the web to provide some context for some of the music. Apparently it was released on DVD in 2012.

Tracklist
1. Prince's Theme (a race horse)
2. Warrigal Morning (the movie theme)
3. Lachlan Tigers
4. Silent Night
5. Waltzing Matilda (Queensland Version)
6. Goanna Stew
7. The Fishing Reels
8. Billy of Tea
9. Travelling Music
10. Stir the Pudding (two parts)
11. Augathella Station
12. The Race.

Click here to commence download of the album. It is a compressed file which you will need to decompress. If download is not available email me at mr.stockman@gmail.com and I will put it up again. 50Mb MP3 @224-256 VBR.

Lionel Long "Songs of a Sunburnt Country" LP 1965

Ian from Tasmania provided a rip of this album. Thanks Ian!

This was the fifth of Lionel Long's albums and it is a mix of Australian country and folk; the latter including a strong component of Australian traditional folk songs which most visitors will immediately recognise.

"The Note on the Woolshed Wall" was penned by Lionel Long about when he was a roustabout at "Tarewinnabar" station  in about the late '50s. He did write a composition onto the wall of his room in the station's shearer's quarters but I cannot remember if it was this song but I do recall the phrase about "wild horses". (Certainly, this song was in play long before this LP was released but I cannot find any details of its initial release.) Back then, the station was owned by Sir William Gunn of The Wool Board fame. "Tarewinnabar" is about 40 miles north-west of Goondiwindi and just on the Queensland side of the QLD/NSW border but the album blurb infers Lionel was in North Queensland.

The LP has obviously suffered some wear but has generally cleaned to an acceptable level. The major exception is the recitation of the "Banjo" Paterson poem "The Man from Snowy River" which is highly sibilant. Fortunately, it is not that great a performance (IMO).

Tracklist

A1	The Shearer's Dream
A2	Oh, The Springtime It Brings The Shearing
A3	The Dying Stockman
A4	The Lime Juice Tub
A5	Anzac Cove
A6	My Country
B7	The Note On The Woolshed Wall
B8	Van Dieman's Land
B9	Out West
B10	Bold Jack Donahue
B11	The Man From Snowy River
B12	Waltzing Matilda (Queensland Version)

Click here to download. MP3 @224-256VBR - graphics included.
It is a compressed file needing decompression with 7-Zip, WINRAR, WIN  ZIP, or similar.
If link fails, let me know and I will create a new download link.