If you have come to this page from a search engine click here to visit our home page.

There are three singers and three melodeon players featured on this record and only one of them has appeared on record before. Fred Whiting, who plays some fiddle tunes on Earl Soham Slog, here sings two songs, 'Poison Beer' and 'Who Owns the Game?'- a poaching song apparently unique to him. All the performers have been playing in Central Suffolk for many years and it seems that collectors have rather missed out this area as previous Suffolk recordings have come mainly from the East of the county. It makes one realise the wealth of traditional live music covering a large area and also the interaction between players and singers from different localities. This point is made very clear in the extensive sleeve notes which refer to other recordings of similar songs and generally trace back sources.
 

It's an interesting collection of songs, mainly short and fairly lighthearted ones that we've probably heard another version of, but which nevertheless stand up in their own right. A lovely version of 'John Barleycorn' by Roy Last is certainly worth having again in this fine version, delivered by a singer of great character.
There is some lovely melodeon playing from Cecil Pearl, whose style is rather light and controlled and influenced by the playing of Alf Peachey. Cyril Barber's playing is somewhat primitive, his forte is step-dancing, but Dolly Curtis is a joy to hear with a great bouncy style - and vet she never had her own melodeon, always borrowed one.
 

There have been recordings of music from Suffolk for many years now and this record has its part to play in building up a better picture of the music and songs that have been used over the years, thus making it a valuable addition to the existing body of recordings.

English Dance & Song
 

Who Owns the Game? is a worthy album which consists of performances, a high proportion of them quite excellent, by six singers and/or melodeon players. Of these, three are well known and three are not but deserve to be. Other pieces from the repertoire of Fred Whiting (including his fiddle playing) may be heard on Topic 12TS374, while Charlie Stringer and Cyril Barber are among those traditional performers who sometimes accompany John and Katie Howson to various folk festivals or clubs. It is really in this latter social context that the music should be heard, and one, misses the massed voices in the choruses, especially on Charlie Stringer's well sung `Kibosh the Cobbler', where the chorus is extended as far as possible without an actual full repeat and clearly reveals its inherent purpose and nature. My two favourite songs here area fine version of `John Barleycorn', sung by Roy Last, and, best of all, the title track, an indictment of the old Game Laws, as sung by Fred Whiting. The three melodeon players each exhibit stylistic differences, ranging from the no-nonsense, go-ahead approach of Cecil Pearl, through the driving basses of Cyril Barber, to the melodically highly-ornamented playing of Dolly Curtis. This latter performer is delightful, fully deserving of her high reputation, and merits a whole album to herself. The sleeve notes point out the probable influence of early 78 r.p.m. records by Scottish melodeon players on the local repertoire, and Dolly Curtis's version of `Woodland Flowers', which contains a good deal of Peter Wyper's highly-ornamented style, seems to bear this out. Her playing really comes alive when accompanied by the driving piano of Brian Felgate, pounded in the style of country pianists - a strong syncopated rhythm often at the expense of conventionally correct chords.

The Folk Music Journal

Veteran CDs & downloads

News    Veteran Mail Order welcome page    About Veteran  

English CDs    Scottish CDs    Irish CDs    American & Blues CDs    Books & DVDs

Search by English counties    Search by Instruments    Shanties & Sea Songs    Morris Dance music

Welcome  About Veteran  Veteran catalogue