An Evening With Dave Swarbrick

Tunes, stories and reminiscences from a life in music.
 

Regarded by many as Britain’s finest folk fiddler Dave Swarbrick has inspired and
influenced countless musicians over five decades. From his early work with the Ian
Campbell Folk Group and his groundbreaking time with Fairport Convention he has
continued to be at the forefront of the British folk movement. Famously killed off by
the Daily Telegraph in 1999, Swarb continues to confound the press and the
medical profession.

He won his battle with emphysema after a life saving, double lung transplant in 2004
and his resilience and strength enabled him to return to the road. Since then he has
travelled Britain, Europe and Australia playing with his new band, Swarb’s Lazarus,
and has been re-united with both Martin Carthy and Alistair Hulett for outstanding
duo tours.

In the Summer of 2010 Dave Swarbrick released his first solo album with a stellar cast of accompanying musicians making appearances including Michael Burnham, Martin Carthy, John Kirkpatrick, Beryl Marriott, Kevin Dempsey, Martin Allcock, Simon Mayor, Jude Rees, and The Jason Wilson Band (Jason Wilson, Marcus Ali, Iain Green, Andrew Stewart, Bobby Hsu & R. J. Satchithananthan). 

A message from Swarb: "It has taken all of 8 years for me to complete this cd and I don't think it can be repeated. There are 4 EFDSS 'Gold Badge' holders involved, the highest accolade of the English Folk Song and Dance Society: Beryl Marriott, Martin Carthy, John Kirkpatrick and myself have all had the honour of being awarded it. The opening track of my very first solo album 'Rags, Reels and Airs': 'Spanish Ladies Medley', has been revisited with The Jason Wilson Band' a group of highly talented Canadian musicians. I have researched and arranged English music previously unrecorded from 1680 to 1745. And then, to ice the cake, along with a couple of my own compositions there are two tracks featuring the glorious playing of the great Beryl Marriott. So, with the help of 14 of the best players I know, I offer to you... 'raison d'etre'." 

His fiddle flits and swoops like a swallow in full flight ...both his sense of humour and cavalier instinct are intact. FROOTS

We Brought the Summer With Us features Dave Swarbrick' s playing at its best. A truly stunning end to a brilliant CD. Raison d'Etre shows just why he is one of the select few. LIVING TRADITION

… he treats us here to his full range of enduring skills, through hearty baroque to classical, Irish and ceilidh music. MOJO (4stars)

….listen to his masterclasses in bowing on Sweet Alban and A Jigg Called Long Time/Running Footman's Jig/The Brown Joak' and laugh and weep. R2 (ROCK’N’REEL)

Lifetime Achiever Swarb, fiddle player by appointment to the universe. NETRHYTHMS

Raison d'etre brings to the listener a selection of great tunes played in Swarb's inimitable style and is the work of a fine fiddler who simply refuses to lie down and rest on his not inconsiderable laurels. EFDSS MAGAZINE


Radio 2 Folk Awards Winner:
Best Duo (with Martin Carthy) 2007
Most Influential Folk Album – Liege & Lief (with Fairport Convention) 2006
Lifetime Achievement Award 2003
The Hancock Awards – Best Musician 2007
EFDSS Gold Badge Award
British Academy of Composers & Songwriters – Gold Badge of Merit
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Martin Carthy & Dave Swarbrick

Two of English music’s living legends celebrate their 70th years

A startlingly intense reunion from this legendary, ground-breaking duo. All the old skills are demonstrated with a new collection of traditional songs and instrumentals. Their experienced approach to their art lacks none of the fervour of their early days, and brings a maturity born of many years living with the music that is an integral part of their beings.

"Intense and demanding, this is hard core traditional music. Sublime fiddle playing and the passionate delivery of evocative old songs by their ablest interpretor." Telegraph

"Swarbrick is an absolute revelation here, as instinctively sympathetic and wickedly inspirational as he ever was. It’s like they were a couple of twenty somethings again. To hear Swarb bowing with such soul and tenderness and dynamism too is an unconditional joy." fRoots

This remarkable pairing played an important part in the tremendous shake up given to British folk music in the middle to late 60's. Dave Swarbrick first came to prominence on the folk scene as a young instrumental virtuoso in the Ian Campbell Folk Group. Having worked alongside other leading musicians such as Ewan MacColl and Peggy Seeger, Beryl and Roger Marriott and A. L. Lloyd, he teamed up with Martin Carthy in 1966. While they featured hot instrumental tracks in their live sets and recordings, Dave's forte in the duo was sensitive accompaniment to Martin's vocals and guitar. On Rags, Reels & Airs the focus was solely on Dave and it finally gave him a chance to really stretch out and demonstrate his leading instrumental prowess. The result was a new era of English instrumental folk music and a new approach to folk music altogether. When they parted in 1969 Dave joined Fairport Convention and his contribution to folk and folk/rock music is legendary and well documented.

For more than 40 years Martin Carthy has been one of folk music's greatest innovators, one of its best loved, most enthusiastic and, at times, most quietly
controversial of figures. His skill, stage presence and natural charm have won him many admirers, not only from within the folk scene, but also far beyond it.

“Arguably the greatest English folk song performer, writer, collector and editor of them all!” Q Magazine (2004)