72-4 Winter 2010

The Singer, Song and Source series features a stalwart of the country’s folk scene, Pete Coe. The song is ‘Cruel Mother’ which he learned from the singing of Cecilia Costello, a Birmingham singer whose family came from Ireland. Roy Palmer and Cecilia’s grandson, Patrick Costello, have contributed to the ‘source’ section.

There is a feature on The Committee Band, who retire at the end of December after several years playing for ceilidhs, and hosting the Knees Up Ceilidhs at Cecil Sharp House.

There is also a feature on the long-established Weston Country Dance Band.

A different way or organising ceilidh events is explained in the article on Chiltern Ceilidhs.

A new full-length documentary film on morris dancing, Way of the Morris, is the subject of an article.

Tim Laycock and Colin Thompson examine a newly-discovered Dorset tune book compiled by Benjamin Rose in the early nineteenth century, and there’s a couple of tunes from the manuscript for musicians to play.

A season feature comes from Eddie Upton on the Odcombe Carol tradition from Somerset.

There’s a preview of the Intervarsity Folk Dance Festival, centring on the coincidence of anniversaries in the host city of Bristol.

And there’s also a preview of a new festival with a theme – Commonplace - at King’s Place, London.

There’s a comprehensive list of 150 folk festivals in England and Wales which is also available here: www.efdss.org/festivals/2011

Plus all the regular features – Festive Round-up, EFDSS Matters, news, reviews, letters and dance events.

Corrections

We used the wrong CD cover for the Shirley Collins Sweet England review in EDS. This is the correct cover. Apologies to Shirley and to Fledg’ling Records.

Sound and Video

‘Cruel Mother’ sung by Pete Coe. With thanks to Pete for permission to include this recording from his new CD, Backbone, www.backshift.demon.co.uk 

‘Come Ye Redeemed’ sung by the Odcombe Carollers. Recording made by Bob and Jacqueline Patten, to whom many thanks for making this available.

‘Spring Force’ on YouTube

Weston Country Dance Band at Whitby Folk Week 2010 on YouTube