Dave Swarbrick - Raison D’Etre 

A culmination of eight years’ work

During the last decade, Dave Swarbrick has been lauded in virtually every possible way a folk musician can be for his solo work and his historical collaborations with Fairport Convention and Martin Carthy. His fans will rejoice to engage with this, an album that the man has been assembling over the 10 years. If you’re expecting a crowd-pleasing, Fairport-styled jig’n’reelathon, however, you’ll be disappointed.

Instead, you get much more, as Swarb offers a historical overview of his career influences and the best of the music he’s drawn from. The opening medley revisits light and summery dance tunes from his first album, before continuing with a rich variety of moods and time signatures on hornpipe, Morris and country lilts. Of his own material, there’s the contemplative Andy’s Waltz, where he uses a baritone violin, and the gentle Sweet Alban, written for his partner Jill. He saves one of the best to last: We Brought The Summer With Us, arranged by and played with his long-time friend, pianist Beryl Marriot, leaving us with a beautiful, plaintive melody. Swarb’s sleevenotes give a full history of the tunes, making the whole album a rich embrace and a re-affirmation of our shared culture.

4 stars 4 stars 4 stars 4 stars

Shirty | 1

Reviewed by Kingsley Abbott
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