Ashley Hutchings, Human Nature

A Collection of New Songs Observing the Human Relationship With Creatures and Plants

Talking Elephant Records TECD053 (2003)

Gran bel lavoro questo "Human Nature"! Ashley si circonda di tanti amici musicisti, da Rory McLeod a Ralph McTell, oltre naturalmente alle persone con le quali lavora abitualmente. Le composizioni sono di grande spessore evocativo: è il caso di "If There's No Other Way" grazie alla voce di Polly Bolton, alla viola di Joe Hamilton e alle tastiere di Jon Sheperd; ma significativa in questo senso è anche "This Blessed Plot", cantata da Judy Dunlop. Suggestiva è anche l'interpretazione di Barry Coope in "Art Nouveau". Molto valido il progetto in generale a partire dalla concezione grafica: il booklet è illustrato da foto B/N di Carlos Guarita sul tema "Il teatro delle stagioni", poi diventato anche spettacolo teatrale.

Tracks:

- Stand Quite Still (3:53)
Steve Knightley, lead vocals; Pete Zorn, backing vocals; Ken Nicol, acoustic & electric guitars; John Shepherd, keyboard; Nip Heeley, drums

- If There's No Other Way (5:19)
Polly Bolton, lead & harmony vocals; Ken Nicol, acoustic guitar; John Shepherd, keyboard; Joe Broughton, violin; Robin Wilson, violin; Joe Hamilton, viola; Anna Picken, cello; String arrangement by Joe Broughton

- The Rockery Rock (3:09)
Rory ``King Bee'' McLeod, lead vocals; Ken Nicol, acoustic & electric guitars, mandolin; Pete Zorn, alto & baritone saxophones; Johnny Wood, upright slap bass; Nip Heeley, drums

- This Blessed Plot (4:16)
Judy Dunlop, lead vocals; Barry Coope, lead vocals; Coope Boyes & Simpson, vocal chorus; John Shepherd, keyboard; Martin Bassersby, leader, cornet; Matthew Challendet, flugelhorn; Norman Horton, cornet; Vicki Wilmott, tenor horn; Ged Hankock, euphonium; Mike Sampson, baritone horn; James Pickering, tuba; Arrangement for brass by John Shepherd and Martin Bassersby

- Don't Clear That Corner Away (3:09)
Ralph McTell, lead vocals, acoustic guitar; Ken Nicol, lead vocals, acoustic guitar

- Art Nouveau (3:01)
Barry Coope, lead vocals; Ken Nicol, acoustic guitar; Joe Broughton, violin; Robin Wilson, violin; Joe Hamilton, viola; Anna Picken, cello; String arrangement by Joe Broughton

- Brambles on a Hill (5:17)
Kellie While, lead & harmony vocals; Joe Broughton, violins, acoustic guitar; John Shepherd, keyboard; Ashley Hutchings, electric bass; Nip Heeley, drums

- Our Stolen Season (3:56)
Emily Slade, lead vocals, acoustic guitar; John Shepherd, keyboard;

- Good King Heny (2:55)
Pete Morton, lead vocals; Joe Broughton, acoustic guitar; Pete Zorn, whacky minstel's gallery (baritone sax, recorder, triangle, alto sax, slide whistle, flexitone)

- You Never Know Where We Have Been (3:44)
Blair Dunlop, lead & harmony vocals; Pete Zorn, backing vocals; Joe Broughton, fiddles; Simon Care, melodeon; Ken Nicol, acoustic guitar, mandolin; Ashley Hutchings, acoustic bass

- Harvest Will Come (4:28)
Ken Nicol, lead vocals, acoustic guitar, sampling; Martin Bassersby, leader, cornet; Matthew Challendet, flugelhorn; Norman Horton, cornet; Vicki Wilmott, tenor horn; Ged Hankock, euphonium; Mike Sampson, baritone horn; James Pickering, tuba; Arrangement for brass by Andrew Keeling

- Just Human Nature (4:00)
Ashley Hutchings, lead vocals, electric bass; Jennie Sawdon, backing vocals; Joe Broughton, electric guitar; Kellie While, acoustic guitar; John Shepherd, keyboard; Nigel Corbett, fiddle; Nip Heeley, drums, percussion

Tracks 1, 3, 5, 6, 11 Ashley Hutchings, Ken Nicol (Albino Music / Copyright Control)
Tracks 2, 7, 9 Joe Broughton, Ashley Hutchings (Copyright Control / Albino Music)
Tracks 4, 8, 10, 12 Ashley Hutchings (Really Wicked)
Tracks 4, 8, 10, 12 Ashley Hutchings (Albino Music)

Recorded at Foundry Recording Studios, Chesterfield, Derbyshire in the Winter of 2002/03
Engineer: Paul Hopkinson, assisted by Mick Twelves
Producer: Ashley Hutchings
Track 11 was partly recorded and mixed by Ken Nicol ar MVS Sound, Preston, Lancastershire
Booklet design by Malcom Holmes for Johnny Boy Productions
All photos taken by Carlos Guarita from the ``Theatre of the Seasons'' Exhibition, © Carlos Guarita