Description
Label Review.
12 tracks including 2 unreleased tracks from 2013. Topic.
Our Overview.
British folk singer, fingerstyle guitarist and fiddle player Nic Jones, was one of the most acclaimed artists to emerge from the British Folk Revival, Nic’s sensibility and approach to the arrangement of traditional folk songs has been a major influence on the folk scene since the early 1970’s. An ‘An Introduction To’ is a definitive 12 track entry point to this classic English folk singer and includes two exclusive, previously unreleased 2013 studio tracks; extensive sleeve notes by Colin Irwin (Roots, TheGuardian) and an introduction by Nic himself.
Not only is Nic Jones credited with a fine body of solo work and being the inspiration for countless bedroom guitarists to attempt his indefinable style, he’s also won awards galore and played alongside the likes of June Tabor, Martin Carthy, Richard and Linda Thompson, Peter Bellamy and Shirley Collins, to name but a few. 1980 saw the release of his classic Topic Records album, ‘Penguin Eggs’ but less than two years later, a disastrous car crash left him with virtually every bone in his body broken. The battle to rebuild his life was long and tortuous. Surely a return was impossible?
Except, eventually – almost thirty years later - he did return. Encouraged, protected and inspired by his wife, Julia, he was able to put the pieces back together again. Firstly, lured to play a few festivals and then in 2013, with the help of his son Joe Jones and Belinda O’Hooley (of Yorkshire folk duo, O’Hooley & Tidow ), to record a handful of new studio tracks - two of which (‘I Only Spoke Portuguese’ and ‘Now’) appear here for the very first time.
Nic insisted on compiling this introduction to his work, a mix of material from the Topics remarkable ‘Penguin Eggs’ and ‘Game Set Match’ albums. The tracklisting here includes the seminal ‘Humpback Whale’, ‘Seven Yellow Gypsies’,‘Dives of Lazarus,’ in addition to the two magical, beautiful, never-before released 2013 studio recordings.
“Nic Jones has been and continues to be one of the most influential English acoustic guitar players of all time. His playing is a benchmark in the history of the development of accompaniment of English song.” – Martin Simpson
“As an interpreter of ballads Nic is sans pareil” – June Tabor
TrackListing:1. Courting Is A Pleasure
2. Hamburger Polka
3. Isle Of France
4. Billy Don’tYou Weep For Me
5. Dives And Lazarus
6. Barrack Street
7. Farewell To The Gold
8. Rufford Park Poachers
9. Seven Yellow Gypsies
10. Humpback Whale
11. I OnlySpeak Portuguese
12. Now