Sandy Denny - The North Star Grassman and the Ravens
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Music CD Cover
Artist: Sandy DennyEdition: Music CD
Format: Import, Original recording remastered
CD Release Date: 2005-06-07
Music Label: Ume Imports
Soundtracks:
- Late November
- Blackwaterside
- Sea Captain
- Down in the Flood
- John the Gun
- Next Time Around
- Optimist
- Let's Jump the Broomstick
- Wretched Wilbur
- North Star Grassman and the Ravens
- Crazy Lady Blues
- Late November [El Pea Version][*]
- Walking the Floor Over You [*]
- Losing Game [*]
- Next Time Around [No Strings][*][Version]
Free Music Notes for The North Star Grassman and the Ravens
Free Music Review: "...The Depths Of The Waters..."
Hit: 5 Stars
The two-word secret weapon for this CD remaster is DENIS BLACKHAM.
Now based in Skye Mastering in Scotland, his involvement in restoration, mastering and remastering goes back to the late 1960s and his resume now shows over 680 credits to his name across a huge range of genres (including a lot of folk).
Blackham has handled all 4 of the solo albums in this reissue series and as you've no doubt read from other glowing reviews, each remaster has been endowed with truly wonderful sound quality - frankly because care was taken.
Details first - having done her stints with Fairport Convention and Fotheringay - Sandy Denny's 1st solo album was issued 3 September 1971 on Island ILPS 9165 in the UK and this 2005 remastered version of it (57:05 minutes) features 4 excellent bonus tracks - including the rare "El Pea" double-album sampler version of "Late November" - an alternate version to the album's opening track (lyrics above).
Musicians - all the good Fairport associated people are here - Richard Thompson, Pat Donaldson, Gerry Conway, Trevor Lucas and Ian Whiteman. Polydor Folkmill artists Robin and Barry Dransfield also put in violin and vocals on "John The Gun" while long-time session man Tony Reeves plays bass on the Dylan cover "Down In The Flood" and Roger Powell plays drums on the Brenda Lee cover "Let's Jump The Broomstick". But my personal fave is "The Sea Captain" where Richard Thompson's delicate guitar picking perfectly compliments the beauty of her wayfaring love song. Gorgeous stuff.
The 12-page booklet has informative and affectionate liner notes from noted writer and folk-compiler DAVID SUFF (of Fledgling Records reissue fame) peppered with photos of a young Sandy, hand-written lyrics to the title track and a quirky trade advert for the LP's release.
But you keep coming back to the sound quality, which seems to have lifted the beauty of these folk-rock gems out of their former muddiness. Sweet as...
I once had the privilege of nattering to JOHN WALTERS (John Peel's producer) in a country pub in 1994 (I worked for Reckless Records in London's Islington at the time and we were buying his extraordinary record collection - he was even more talkative than I am!) and he relayed to me his first ever viewing of Sandy Denny.
One of his friends in the music industry had begged him to come see this new English folk singer gigging in some Godforsaken bar somewhere in London - he did - and was duly blown away. I'll never forget the look in John Walter's eyes (who along with Peel must have seen so much stunning talent) - he was misty - like he knew he'd been given the not-so-common privilege of glimpsing genuine greatness.
On listening to this lovely and lovingly restored CD, you can't help but feel that all involved in this project felt exactly the same - and have done the great lady's memory and musical heritage proud.
Recommended - big time.
PS: I've posted a Denis Blackham list of remasters worth checking out in Listmania
See also the "Meet On The Ledge" 3CD Island Folk-Rock box review I did - he remastered that too and to stunning effect...
The North Star Grassman and the Ravens Poster
Digitally remastered reissue of her 1971 album includes the bonus tracks 'Late November', 'Walking The Floor Over You' (Nsg & Tr Sessions), 'Losing Game' (Nsg & Tr Sessions) & 'Next Time Around (alternate take). Universal. 2005.Folk Music CDs
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