Fiddle Me This Album Reviews : Christina Smith
All song in this Album
1. The Banks of Newfoundland
2. Crocker’s Cove Reel / Du Pain, Du Beurre, Et du Capelin
3. Black Duck Brook French Center Waltz / Cancer Waltz**
4. Eddie’sTune / Mother Wouldn’t Beat’n
5. On The Road To New Orleans / On The Way To Norway / Noel’s Dinn**
6. The BlueBird / Annie, Annie
7. The Landfall of Cabot / Jeannie’s on The Rum*
8. Wanda’s Tune / Coomb’s Cove / Green Grow The Rushes-O
9. ParsonsPond Jig / Daniel’s Harbour Breakdown
10. Debbie’sWaltz / Wedding Waltz**
11. Hound’s Tune / McBen
12. I’ll Hang My Harp On a Willow Tree
13. Sunstroke / The Silver Screen*
14. Eddie’s Close-In Tune / Green Grow The Rushes-O
Musicians
Christina Smith : Fiddle, Cello
Jean Hewson : Guitar, Spoons
Wade Pinhorn : bass
Fergus O’Byrne : Bodhran
Anita Best : Vocals
Wanda Crocker : Mandolin
Jim Payne : Accordion
All arrangements by Jean Hewson and Christina Smith © SOCAN 1994
Produced by Jean Hewson and Christina Smith
Recorded at Piperstock Studios, Torbay, Newfoundland
Engineered by Lee Tizzard
Mixed by Lee Tizzard, Jean Hewson & Christina Smith
Photography by Rosanna White
Produced with the assistance of the Newfoundland and Labrador Arts Council
All titles traditional except * by Christina Smith and ** by Emile Benoit.
Fiddle Me This Album Reviews
1. The Banks of Newfoundland
Also known as “Up the Pond”, this is a familiar tune to the fans of the Royal St. John’s Regatta. It was written in 1820 by Chief Justice Francis Forbes, and is associated with the Royal Newfoundland Regiment
2. Crockers’s Cove Reel / Du Pain, Du Beurre,Et du caplin
Crockers Cove is located in Conception Bay, near Carbonear. “Bread, Butter and Caplin” is a common supper in early summer in St. Pierre.
3. Black Duck Brook French Center Waltz /Cancer Waltz
Two lovely tunes written by Emile Benoit. The second is his last waltz.
4. Eddie’s Tune /Mother Wouldn’t Beat’n
Single jigs learned from accordion player EdwardDidham of Colinet
5. On The Road To New Orleans / On The WayTo Norway / Noel’s Dinn
Emile liked to celebrate people, places and eventsin the titles of his tunes. The first two document his travels. The lasttune is one of three he wrote for the late Noel Dinn.
6. The Blue Bird / Annie, Annie
Lively jigs from the repertoire of Rufus Guinchard
7. The Landfall of Cabot / Jeannie’s on The Rum
A couple of original tunes.
8. Wanda’s Tune / Coomb’s Cove / Green Grow The Rushes-O
A set of singles learned from fiddler and mandolin player Wanda Crocker.
9. Parsons Pond Jig / Daniel’s Harbour Breakdown
More unusual tunes from Rufus, named for communitieson the Great Northern Peninsula.
10. Debbie’s Waltz / Wedding Waltz
Emile wrote the first tune for harpist Deborah Clarke.The second was written for a wedding in Port au Port.
11. The Hound’s Tune / McBen
Rabble-rousing reels from Rufus.
12. I’ll Hang My Harp On a Willow Tree
A beautiful song melody collected on Fogo Island
13. Sunstroke / The Silver Screen
Two original hornpipes. The first was written in thirty degree temperatures in Seville, Spain. More than one person has told me that the second tune reminds them of music for silent films.
14. Eddie’s “Close-In” Tune / Green Grow The Rushes-O
Two more learned from Ed Didham. The second is another one of many versions of the tune
….exciting collection of fiddle tunes from the Rock…..striking results….one to listen to again and again.
- Sing Out!
….as vigourous and vibrant a debut as one could hope for …. a treat for fiddle music lovers.
- John O’Regan, Rock and Reel
..full of vibrant and compelling music, played impeccably…..deeply rooted in Newfoundland tradition….still fresh and contemporary in vision and execution.
- Steve Winick, Dirty Linen