The material on this fine recording is taken from three separate cassettes produced by Veteran, sadly no longer available, and I suspect that this compilation indicates that as complete albums they are unlikely to be so. The C.D. Consists of twenty-five songs, 10 songs from Sornerset singer George Withers, four from Dartmoor melodeon player and singer Bob Cann and the remaining eleven songs from Padstow singers Tommy Morrissey and Charlie Pitman I suspect choosing the material for this compilation, or rather what to omit from the originals, was very difficult. 1 would love to have seen the fifth song from Bob Cann's cassette (`5 Generations' recorded with Mark Bazeley) included, simply because there is so little song material from this wonderful west country singer and melodeon player available, and where would an evening of singing in Cornwall in the 70's have been without Tommy Morrissey's `Diving Bell'? (you find it on VTC5CD! - JH) That said, this is a splendid collection of field recordings which includes a mixture of the familiar, George's `Fly be on the Turmit' and `Seeds of Love', Bob's `Tavistock Goosey Fair', and Tommy and Charlie's duet `Pleasant and Delightful', to the more obscure, Charlie's `My Meatless Day' and Bob's `Down in the Fields', recorded in a variety of environments which includes some lively chorus singing. The singers' biographies and song sources are included in detailed sleeve notes which complement this interesting and varied.

 Folk London

The subtitle for the CD is "Folk songs sung in the West Country". I think I've died and gone to heaven!

This CD is a compilation of tracks from material previously released by Veteran on individual performer's cassette. The three counties of the South West peninsula are each represented by masters of the folk song art: Somerset by George Withers, Devon by Bob Cann (in singing mode rather than his more familiar melodeon mode) and Cornwall by the inseparable (and incomparable) Tommy Morrisey and Charlie Pitman.

Bob, Tommy and Charlie are sadly no longer with us, although George is is still very much alive and, indeed, has recently had a new CD of his own released. The repertoires, ranges and styles of each of the performers are well represented across the generous 25 tracks. There are 'classic' folk songs such as Seeds of Love and Robber's Retreat (more widely known as Cadgwith Anthem): 'parlour yokel' pieces like Joe Muggins and Someone in Somerset, parodies like Golden Kippers; local songs; local versions of more widespread songs, and even Bob Cann's own composition The Craftsmen on the Moor.

As the CD sleeve says, "These are traditional performers recorded in their locality, whose songs have been passed down to them by their families and communities". (One could add that the repertoires continue to be passed on within family and community as well as out in the folk revival). This CD needs to be on your shelf — whether just for the joy of the songs, as a repertoire source, a lesson in traditional singing styles and delivery, or a reminder of how folk song sounds in its natural environment.

As always, Veteran's notes are impeccable with biographies of the singers and of the songs. Recording quality is very good but, inevitably, varies in the different recording environments. Nevertheless, the whole CD blends well and is a good and representative reflection of West Country tradition. It cannot, of course, be a reflection of the repertoire and styles of the whole West Country, but it's a damn good start and like Veteran's original 'songs sung in' (Suffolk) series, perhaps this too will grow.

On first sight, I thought that Veteran had finally succumbed to the tourist market. The CD looks like something you might find in Past Times, or local tourist offices, but what better cover for a collection of vintage songs by vintage singers than a vintage postcard?

As can be seen above, the recording features four of the finest singers out of the area all of whom became known to the revival in the seventies. Bob Cann is perhaps the best known, but that shouldn't diminish the contributions of the others. Charlie and Tommy were both fishermen (Tommy had the dubious honour of employing Taffy Thomas as a deckyl), George and Bob farmers, and the songs and singing must have come as a welcome relief after a hard day's graft, coming over best in the tracks featuring , Tommy and Charlie. Recorded in local pubs, the sheer "We're doing it for the hell of it" that jumps out of the speakers is a joy. George's singing is perhaps a little more mannered, but none the worse for that. And Bob is Bob; doing what he did best, for the love and joy of it,

So much for the singers, what of the songs? Well, for a start you can forget joining in with Widdecombe Fair, as learned from Mrs Miggins in Music 1 on a wet Friday. The version here comes from Bob's grandfather, and it's a delight, breathing new life into an old standard, and as an opening track, setting the standard for the rest of the CD. We've a mixture of the sentimental and the serious, the folk club and the music hall, and, to my surprise, a self-penned number. I'd known Bob as a box player, step dancer, singer, dance caller and much else, but never knew he wrote "serious" songs. His The Craftsmen on the Moor comes as a real surprise, though I don't know why it should be, an excellent singer writing and singing about an area he knew and loved with a true sensitivity. George Withers weighs in with the more folky numbers, including a cracking Seeds of Love. Charlie has the edge on the humorous songs; Golden Kippers and My Meatless Day being particular highlights. We hear Tommy in a more sentimental mood on Maggy May (not the Rod Stewart one, nor the Spinners standard!) and The Watercress Girl. He also leads The Robbers' Retreat (or The Cadgwiith Anthem from the pub in which it is frequently heard), one of those strange songs about foreign locations and practices that seem to crop up frequently in the English tradition, perhaps as a welcome bit of exotica sung to relieve the hardships of the day.

Sadly, of the four singers here, only George is still with us. Apart from anything else, this recording is a more than fitting epitaph for the others. 25 tracks, and the usual high standard of Veteran presentation; lovely photos and informative notes on both singers and songs. And if it should make its way into Past Times or local tourist offices so much the better. Roll over Adge Cutler, tell the Wurzels the newsl