The Skiffle Sessions - Live In Belfast 1998 is a
live albumA live album – commonly contrasted with a studio album – is a recording consisting of material recorded during stage performances. Live albums may be recorded at a single concert, or combine recordings made at multiple concerts...
by
Northern IrishNorthern Ireland is a part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and it is situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland. It shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
singer-songwriterA singer–songwriter is a musician who writes, composes and sings their own material including lyrics and melodies. They often provide the sole accompaniment to an entire composition or song, typically using a guitar or piano...
Van MorrisonVan Morrison is a critically acclaimed singer and songwriter with a reputation for being at once stubborn, idiosyncratic, and sublime...
, with
Lonnie DoneganLonnie Donegan MBE was a skiffle musician, with more than 20 UK Top 30 hits to his name. He is known as the "King of Skiffle" and is often cited as a large influence on the generation of British musicians who became famous in the 1960s...
and
Chris BarberDonald Christopher 'Chris' Barber is best known as a jazz trombonist.-Early life:...
, released in 2000 (see
2000 in musicSee also:* 2000 in music Record labels established in 2000-Events:*January - Gary Glitter is released from jail, two months before his sentence for sexual offences ends.*January 1**John Tavener is knighted in the New Year's Honours List....
). Lonnie Donegan had played with the Chris Barber jazz band when he had his first hit with "Rock Island Line"/"John Henry" in 1955. He had been a childhood influence on Van Morrison, who had first performed in his own skiffle band with schoolmates when he was twelve years old in
BelfastBelfast is the capital of and the largest city in Northern Ireland, a constituent country of the United Kingdom. It is the seat of devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly. It is the largest urban area in the province of Ulster, and the second largest city on the island of...
,
Northern IrelandNorthern Ireland is a part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and it is situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland. It shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
.
The Skiffle Sessions - Live In Belfast 1998 is a
live albumA live album – commonly contrasted with a studio album – is a recording consisting of material recorded during stage performances. Live albums may be recorded at a single concert, or combine recordings made at multiple concerts...
by
Northern IrishNorthern Ireland is a part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and it is situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland. It shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
singer-songwriterA singer–songwriter is a musician who writes, composes and sings their own material including lyrics and melodies. They often provide the sole accompaniment to an entire composition or song, typically using a guitar or piano...
Van MorrisonVan Morrison is a critically acclaimed singer and songwriter with a reputation for being at once stubborn, idiosyncratic, and sublime...
, with
Lonnie DoneganLonnie Donegan MBE was a skiffle musician, with more than 20 UK Top 30 hits to his name. He is known as the "King of Skiffle" and is often cited as a large influence on the generation of British musicians who became famous in the 1960s...
and
Chris BarberDonald Christopher 'Chris' Barber is best known as a jazz trombonist.-Early life:...
, released in 2000 (see
2000 in musicSee also:* 2000 in music Record labels established in 2000-Events:*January - Gary Glitter is released from jail, two months before his sentence for sexual offences ends.*January 1**John Tavener is knighted in the New Year's Honours List....
). Lonnie Donegan had played with the Chris Barber jazz band when he had his first hit with "Rock Island Line"/"John Henry" in 1955. He had been a childhood influence on Van Morrison, who had first performed in his own skiffle band with schoolmates when he was twelve years old in
BelfastBelfast is the capital of and the largest city in Northern Ireland, a constituent country of the United Kingdom. It is the seat of devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly. It is the largest urban area in the province of Ulster, and the second largest city on the island of...
,
Northern IrelandNorthern Ireland is a part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and it is situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland. It shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
. This would be Donegan's first studio album in twenty years; reviving his career until his death in 2002.
Reissue and remastered album
In January 2009, Exile/Polydor will release this album as part of Series four of four catalogue reissues of Morrison's albums dated from 1971 through 2002.
Recording history
Recorded on November 20 and 21, 1998, at Whitla Hall,
BelfastBelfast is the capital of and the largest city in Northern Ireland, a constituent country of the United Kingdom. It is the seat of devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly. It is the largest urban area in the province of Ulster, and the second largest city on the island of...
,
Northern IrelandNorthern Ireland is a part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and it is situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland. It shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
. In 1977, Morrison had discussed recording an album of skiffle music with
Dr. JohnMalcolm John "Mac" Rebennack, Jr. , better known by the stage name Dr. John , is an American singer/songwriter, pianist and guitarist whose music combines blues, boogie woogie and rock and roll....
, "because I started off in a skiffle group and there must be millions of other musicians who also began their careers playing that kind of music..." In preparation for this recording, he went to see Donegan perform and invited him to dinner and after a second meeting they arranged to record the sessions live.
Dr. JohnMalcolm John "Mac" Rebennack, Jr. , better known by the stage name Dr. John , is an American singer/songwriter, pianist and guitarist whose music combines blues, boogie woogie and rock and roll....
, who was playing in concert in the city's
Ulster HallThe Ulster Hall is a concert hall and grade B1 listed building in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Situated on Bedford Street in Belfast city centre, the hall hosts concerts, classical recitals, craft fairs and political party conferences...
the same evening, arrived toward the end of the recording to play piano on the final few tracks.
Track listing
All songs
traditionalTraditional music is the term now used in the terminology of Grammy Awards, for what used to be called "folk music". Full details of this change can be found in the article World music terminology...
except as indicated.
- "It Takes a Worried Man
- Notable recordings and performances :The Carter Family recorded this song for the Victor Talking Machine Company in 1930.It has also been recorded by Woody Guthrie in 1940, the Kingston Trio in 1959, Devo in 1979 and The Big Fash in 2008....
" – 3:40
- "Lost John" – 3:33
- "Goin' Home" (Antonín Dvořák
Antonín Leopold Dvořák was a Czech composer of Romantic music, who employed the idioms and melodies of the folk music of Moravia and his native Bohemia. His works include operas, symphonic, choral and chamber music...
) – 3:08
- "Good Mornin' Blues" (Leadbelly
Huddie William Ledbetter was an American folk musician, notable for his strong vocals, his virtuosity on the 12-string guitar, and the songbook of folk standards he introduced....
, John LomaxJohn Avery Lomax was an American teacher, a pioneering musicologist and folklorist who did much for the preservation of American folk songs...
) – 2:52
- "Outskirts of Town" (Andy Razaf
Andy Razaf , was an American composer, poet, and lyricist of such well-known songs as "Ain't Misbehavin'" and "Honeysuckle Rose".-Biography:...
, Fats Waller) – 4:20
- "Don't You Rock Me Daddy-O" – 1:51
- "Alabamy Bound" (Buddy DeSylva, Bud Green, Ray Henderson
Ray Henderson , was an American songwriter.Born Raymond Brost in Buffalo, New York, Henderson moved to New York City and became a popular composer in Tin Pan Alley...
) – 2:22
- "Midnight Special
"Midnight Special" is a traditional folk song thought to have originated among prisoners in the American South. The title comes from the refrain which refers to the Midnight Special and its "ever-loving light" ....
" – 2:53
- "Dead or Alive" (Woody Guthrie
Woodrow Wilson "Woody" Guthrie is best known as an American singer-songwriter and folk musician, whose musical legacy includes hundreds of political, traditional and children's songs, ballads and improvised works. He frequently performed with the slogan This Machine Kills Fascists displayed on his...
) – 2:33
- "Frankie and Johnny" – 4:31
- "Goodnight Irene
"Goodnight, Irene" or "Irene, Goodnight," is a 20th century American folk standard, written in 3/4 time, first recorded by American blues musician Huddie 'Lead Belly' Ledbetter in 1932....
" (Leadbelly, Lomax) – 2:46
- "Railroad Bill" – 1:57
- "Muleskinner Blues" (Jimmie Rodgers
James Charles Rodgers , known as "Jimmie," was a country singer in the early 20th century known most widely for his rhythmic yodeling...
, George Vaughn) – 3:06
- "The Ballad of Jesse James" – 3:07
- "I Wanna Go Home" – 3:46
Personnel
- Van Morrison
Van Morrison is a critically acclaimed singer and songwriter with a reputation for being at once stubborn, idiosyncratic, and sublime...
- vocal, acoustic guitar
- Lonnie Donegan
Lonnie Donegan MBE was a skiffle musician, with more than 20 UK Top 30 hits to his name. He is known as the "King of Skiffle" and is often cited as a large influence on the generation of British musicians who became famous in the 1960s...
- vocal, acoustic guitar
- Chris Barber
Donald Christopher 'Chris' Barber is best known as a jazz trombonist.-Early life:...
- vocal, tromboneThe trombone is a musical instrument in the brass family. Like all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player’s vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate...
, double bassThe double bass, also called the upright bass or contrabass, is the largest and lowest-pitched bowed string instrument in the modern symphony orchestra. The name, "double bass," derives from the early use of the instrument to double—an octave lower where possible—the bass part written...
- Paul Henry, Big Jim Sullivan
Big Jim Sullivan is an English musician, whose career started in 1959...
- acoustic guitar
- Nick Payne - harmonica
The harmonica is a free reed wind instrument which is played by blowing air into it or drawing air out by placing lips over individual holes or multiple holes. The pressure caused by blowing or drawing air into the reed chambers causes a reed or multiple reeds to vibrate up and down creating sound...
, saxophoneThe saxophone is a conical-bored transposing musical instrument considered a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and are played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by Adolphe Sax in 1841...
, background vocalA backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists...
- Dr. John
Malcolm John "Mac" Rebennack, Jr. , better known by the stage name Dr. John , is an American singer/songwriter, pianist and guitarist whose music combines blues, boogie woogie and rock and roll....
- pianoThe piano is a musical instrument which is played by means of a keyboard. Widely used in Western music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music, and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
- Nicky Scott, Chris Hunt - electric bass
The electric bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a plectrum....
- Alan "Sticky" Wicket - washboard
A washboard is a tool designed for hand washing clothing. With mechanized cleaning of clothing becoming more common by the end of the 20th century, the washboard has become better known for its originally subsidiary use as a musical instrument....
, percussionA percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound by being hit with an implement, shaken, rubbed, scraped, or by any other action which sets the object into vibration...
Charts
Album - UK Album Chart (United Kingdom)
| Year |
Chart |
Position |
| 2000 |
UK Album Chart |
14 |