BILL JONES
Turn To Me
Compass (2002)
http://www.compassrecords.com/billjones.htm
This is Staffordshire singer "Bill" Jones lovely first album, released in England in 2000. An almost-all-traditional album, Belinda sings here with a sweet, breathy, and youthful voice reminsicent of Kate Rusby. The arrangements, which prove unusually important to the overall sound, seem simple even when they are not, because of their clarity. Most of what you hear is Bill her self...piano and accordion, and flute as well. Some of these instruments she learned to play in music school.
There isn't much hell-raising on Turn To Me, and this is my biggest personal objection, though with the level of musicianship, I'm really embarrassed to object to anything. Bill's presentation of the great old songs shows always shows sensitivity to the material. The track I like best is "A Jug Of This," though typically rowdier than on Turn to Me. The percussion is sharp, and there is a little flute jig behind as well...some of the songs are like this, with a Celtic twist. Another favorite is "Mist Covered Mountain"...the tune is so beautiful, though her English accent is a little novel! "The Handsome Cabin Boy" which she accompanies with concertinaesque piano accordion, is nautical and perky. "Long John Moore," an old Martin Carthy classic legend, and "The Wee Croppy Tailor" are terrestrial and perky!. The "most unusual" award goes to a little No War Potpourri with Andy Irvine's "Blood And Gold" and "The Universal Soldier." "Blood and Gold," is essentially a Eastern European song (I think fused from Bartok and a Romanian tune) and has been sung more or less Balkan in earlier versions. Here it fuses with Bill's typical English style and backups, and both songs sound very similar to the old Buffy-Ste Marie/Donovan anti-war classic. I'm torn between considering it an effective interpretation and liking those which sound more exotic.
The arrangements here are very good, but seem to me very professional with the playing influenced by urban music school. To piano pundits, Bill's instrument can seem both stodgy and upscale, though you know the "folk" played pianos and sang in their homes during the 19th and 20th century. The cello sweeps sometimes unnecissarily darken the songs it touches. I am reminded of "Cast A Bell," excellent music but somehow now divorced from the rough details. I am also reminded of some college women I know, and of their calm and sweet view of life.
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