Old Swan Band, Fortyfived, CD WildGoose 2019 - WGS434CD 

With Fortyfived the Old Swan Band celebrates its 45th birthday. The now proven group features a triple violin front line (Fi Fraser, Paul Burgess and Flos Headford) complemented by saxophone and tin whistle (Jo Freya) as well as bass sax (Neil Gledhill), the brass are complemented by  trombone of John Adams; there is also Heather Horsley's piano and Martin Brinsford's unmistakable and characteristic percussion. Among the compositions, the schottische "Tyskan" is very beautiful (which the Old Swan Band learned from Ale Möller's band, Frifot) but also the "Quadrille de la fin de l'an / Partie de Lanciers", a quadrille in 48 bars written by Quebec flutist Jean Duval, just as splendid is "Road to the North" by Alistair Anderson. The album was recorded by Doug Bailey and John Adams in Wildgoose studios while the cover and artwork in general is the work of Katy Coope.

Con Fortyfived la Old Swan Band festeggia il suo 45esimo compleanno. Il gruppo ormai collaudato presenta una linea frontale a triplo violino (Fi Fraser, Paul Burgess e Flos Headford) integrata dal sassofono e dal tin whistle (Jo Freya) così come dal sax basso (Neil Gledhill), gli ottoni sono completati dal trombone di John Adams; c'è inoltre il pianoforte di Heather Horsley e l'inconfondibile e caratteristica percussione di Martin Brinsford. Tra le composizioni spiccano la tedesca schottische "Tyskan" (che la Old Swan Band ha imparato dalla band di Ale Möller, Frifot) ma bellissima è anche la "Quadrille de la fin de l'an / Partie de Lanciers", una quadriglia in 48 battute scritta dal flautista del Quebec Jean Duval, così come splendida è "Road to the North" di Alistair Anderson. L'album è stato registrato da Doug Bailey e John Adams negli studi Wildgoose mentre la copertina e l'artwork in generale è opera di Katy Coope.

Tracks: 1. Going to the Well for Water/ Kings of Kerry – 2. Dancing Dustman/ Louis James Quadrille – 3. Bälter Svens Paradpolkett – 4. The Mudgee and Rocking Schottisches – 5. Jimmy Duffy's Barn Dance Nos 1 & 2 – 6. The Swedish Waltz/ Stan Treacy's Very Particular Waltz – 7. Little Red Wagon/ Art Wooten's Quadrille – 8. Tyskan/ Stjuls på Källhagen – 9. Quadrille de le fin de l'an/Partie de Lanciers – 10. Sonny's Mazurka/ Druttjinkeilleitjen/Andrea's Swedish Mazurka – 11. Batt Henry's Barn Dance – 12. Moss-trooper's Polka/Billy Ballantine's Reel – 13. Road To The North/ Travellers' Joy – 14. Little Diamond/The Tournemore Polka/The Maids of Ardagh.

Musicians: Fi Fraser, fiddle - Paul Burgess, fiddle - Flos Headford, fiddle - Jo Freya, saxes & whistles - Neil Gledhill, bass sax - John Adams, trombone - Martin Brinsford, harmonica & percussion - Heather Horsley, piano keyboard.