Tag Archives: Leveret

January 1, 2021 · 14:50

Glory of the Sun

There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory. (1 Corinthians 15)

We are stardust… (Joni Mitchell)

A shiny-bright tune to wish one and all a kindly New Year of health, happiness and fellowship!

Glory of the Sun is from Playford’s 1657 English Dancing Master, paired here with Rob Harbron’s ultimate driving-with-the-windows-down composition The Road to Poynton. English folk trio Leveret spin a set to raise our spirits in dark times ‒  for in the shortest days and darkest hours of the northern hemisphere, the winter solstice rolls us surely back towards the Sun, and into an untrodden New Year.

Leveret

Andy Cutting (diatonic button accordion), Rob Harbron (English concertina), Sam Sweeney (fiddle)

Recorded live for their 2016 album In The Round

(Glory of the Sun / The Road to Poynton, YouTube video 5.46. Published by Leveret on Feb 25, 2016. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6kMR3Cz5oPg)

Leveret have a new double album out, Variations Live, recorded live in lockdown. Find it here https://leveretband.com/music-shop (But be quick – it’s limited to 1,000 copies!)  

Leveret: website Facebook Twitter YouTube

(Image: Detail of a miniature of Cephus (the King), from Ptolemy’s Almagest. British Library.)

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September 30, 2018 · 16:40

Milford

 

 

Andy Cutting’s lovely bourrée Milford seems to be rarely played. Here he is: first, playing it for a dance; and second, teaching it at workshop. As far as multi-instrumental versions go, the tune is part of trio Leveret’s repertoire (of which Andy is a member), but the only online video of a live performance is too poor a recording to be worth sharing, so finally I’ll link you to the marvellous audio from their album New Anything, on Spotify.

 

Andy Cutting (diatonic button accordion)

Playing for an Italian community dance in 2012.

(‘Millford (Andy Cutting), YouTube video 4.46. Published by girando49, Mar 13 2012. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uGZxf4Zb5U)

 

Andy Cutting (diatonic button accordion)

Teaching session at a Bonn, Germany, workshop in 2014.

(‘Milford – Andy Cutting’, YouTube video 2.25. Published by mattias de smet, May 20 2014. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R9FbuxBArc8)

 

Leveret

Andy Cutting (diatonic button accordion), Rob Harbron (concertina), Sam Sweeney (fiddle)

Audio track from their their 2016 album New Anything.

https://open.spotify.com/search/results/Leveret%20Milford

 

Andy Cutting:  website  Facebook

Leveret:  website  Facebook

 

 

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October 14, 2017 · 13:32

Gunga

 

Pre-eminent English melodeon player Andy Cutting presents this airy tune in two videos, one teaching, and one performance. According to a YouTube comment, ‘Andy isn’t sure of the real name, and only knows that it’s Scandinavian.’ If you knowGunga’s secret identity, please let us all know!

Andy Cutting is renowned for his work with a number of iconic bands, including Leveret, Blowzabella and Topette. You can hear him live right now, along with fiddler Sam Sweeney and conertina-player Rob Harbron, on the current Leveret album launch tour.

 

Andy Cutting (melodeon)

Recorded playing for his class at the 2016 Burwell Bash folk music summer school.

(‘Andy Cutting, playing “Gunga” Melodeon and Accordion Workshop Burwell Bash 2016’, YouTube video 4.36. Published by Burwell Bash Aug 22 2016. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6los3syfWVg)

 

Andy Cutting (melodeon), Jock Tyldesley (fiddle), Tola Custy (fiddle), Katherine Mann (flute), Brian Finnegan (whistle), Ed Boyd (guitar)

‘Gunga’ is first tune up (1.20) in this clip from the wonderfully eclectic 2016 Burwell Bash tutors’ concert.

(‘The Tutors’ Group Performance, Burwell Bash 2016 Tutors Concert’, YouTube video 16.15. Published by Burwell Bash, Aug 9 2016. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dvHsEn-jdM0)

 

Andy Cutting:  website   Facebook   Twitter

 

Leveret:  Current tour   website   Facebook   Twitter

New album Inventions available from RootBeat Records and via their website

 

Burwell Bash 2018:  http://www.burwellbash.info/

 

Use the Fiddletails search box to find more tunes by Leveret and Blowzabella

 

 

 

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July 16, 2017 · 12:45

Sylvia’s Serenade/Blew Bell Hornpipe

 

insect dance_b

 

It’s been a shamefully long time since my last post (see News), but to make up for it, here’s a great set of tunes for fiddling, dancing, whistling (if you’re good enough!) and all-round good-timing. Wonderfully synchopated, fun to learn, and total ear-worms. What could be better for a Sunday afternoon?

Two videos: first, ace English folk trio Leveret playing the two tunes as a set, followed by melodeon-player Anahata with a three-part version of the 18th-century Blew Bell (a 3/2 hornpipe). And as always, you’ll find the usual folk/aural tradition variations in the tunes as played. Just choose your favourite, and off you go!

 

Leveret

Andy Cutting (diatonic button accordion), Rob Harbron (English concertina), Sam Sweeney (fiddle)

From a 2015 concert in Lummen, Belgium. You can hear the set on their album New Anything.

(‘Sylvia’s Serenade / Blew Bell Hornpipe’ YouTube video, 7:08. Published by mattias de smet, Nov 13 2015. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VzRwD8Ny4HM)

 

Anahata (melodeon)

(‘Blew Bell Hornpipe – Anahata, melodeon’ YouTube video, 1:32. Published by anahatamelodeon, Feb 15, 2015. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bAPD1xbyLMM)

 

Gig Alert! Leveret are currently touring! https://www.leveretband.com/gigs

Leveret:  website   Facebook  Twitter

Anahata:  website   YouTube

 

 

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November 25, 2016 · 19:55

St. Catherine

 

stcatherine

 

A tune for 25th November – feast-day of the legendary Alexandrian princess, scholar and Christian martyr who has her work cut out as the patron saint of a diverse slice of humanity, from potters and unmarried girls to knife-grinders and librarians.

‘St. Catherine’ is the 1701 Playford name for My Lord Cutt’s Delight, a tune from Henry Atkinson’s 1694 Northumberland manuscript. (The Session has notes on repeats, if playing this tune for the dance.)

The two featured videos this week pair St. Catherine in dance sets with another tune – Leveret play it second to New Anything; melodeon-player Anahata places it first in a set with The Cotillon.

 

Leveret

Andy Cutting (diatonic button accordion), Rob Harbron (English concertina), Sam Sweeney (fiddle)

A track from the trio’s 2015 debut album New Anything. (St. Catherine begins at 1:58.)

(‘Levert – New Anything/St Catherine’ YouTube video, 4:19. Published by Sam Sweeney, 12 Dec 2014. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tev4RxJQwJE)

 

Anahata (melodeon)

A very clear solo version that makes an excellent a teaching video. Played on an Oakwood D/G melodeon.

(‘My Lord Cutt’s Delight/The Cotillon’ YouTube video, 3:10. Published by anahatamelodeon, 30 Aug 2011. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ko6pY_5VD78)

 

Leveret:  website   Facebook  Twitter

Anahata:  website   YouTube

 

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March 5, 2016 · 12:04

GIG ALERT: LEVERET CONCERT STREAMING LIVE

SUNDAY 6 MARCH 2016, 21:00 GMT

Live from The Convent, near Stroud, Gloucestershire.

Tune in live and watch in real time on Sunday night, or you can watch as many times as you like in the following week.
£7.50 to stream the entire gig into your living room in glorious HD.

Details and booking here.

Leveret are Andy Cutting, Rob Harbron and Sam Sweeney.

This gig is the last in their current tour launching their second album In The Round.

Leveret

Check out their music on earlier Fiddletails posts Whitefriar’s Hornpipe, Jenny Pluck Pears, Purlongs and The Rising Sun

‘We’re very excited to be playing at this amazing venue and we hope that people will tune in all over the world. Please help us spread the word about it and get in touch to let us know you’re watching it’

Leveret are on  Facebook  and  Twitter (@LeveretBand)

Leveret

 

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February 2, 2016 · 13:47

The Rising Sun

 

On Candlemass Day, a tune to drive winter away – a shining waltz from Leveret‘s newly-released second CD, In The Round. The cover notes tell us the tune was originally published by Daniel Wright in 1715, in An Extraordinary Collection of Pleasant & Merry Humours (etc.).

(See below for where to buy In The Round, and booking details on the UK launch tour)

 

Leveret

Andy Cutting (diatonic melodeon), Rob Harbron (concertina), Sam Sweeney (fiddle)

 

(‘Leveret – The Rising Sun’ YouTube video, 3.58.  Posted by Leveret, 17 Dec 2015. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P36U2v05nk4)

 

Leveret introduce ‘In The Round’

The band talk about the making of the CD, their material, and playing together.

 

(‘Leveret Introduce “In The Round”‘ YouTube video, 4.47.  Posted by Leveret, 26 Jan 2016. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HhLJ4pZe4IU)

(Recorded live at The Convent)

 

Leveret

 

CD available from Leveret website here

 

‘IN THE ROUND’ UK LAUNCH TOUR starts 25 February. Details here (scroll down for dates)

 

 

Leveret: website  Soundcloud  Facebook  Twitter

Rob Harbron: website

Sam Sweeney: website

Andy Cutting: website

(Social media: see websites for links)

 

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September 26, 2015 · 15:24

Purlongs

 

Purlongs is an intriguingly crooked tune from Playford’s Dancing Master (1651), and the roots of its inscrutable title are much debated. (Andy Cutting’s definition: ‘Any distance travelled by a cat.’)

However, the word appears to be a Middle English variation of ‘purloin’ – to steal, in a stealthy manner:

Purlong: Middle English purloinen, to remove, from Anglo-Norman purloigner. Noun: purloiner. (Via thefreedictionary.com)

And there you have it. Purlongs. Thieves/robbers. Case closed?

(Perhaps not. Googling purlongs also gave me furlongs/corruption of, and instructions for installing purlins when putting up a roof.)

 

Cut to the chase! Here are two wonderful bands – Leveret and Boldwood – playing the lovely Purlongs.

 

Leveret*

Andy Cutting (melodeon), Rob Harbron (concertina), Sam Sweeney (fiddle)

Purlongs played second in a set with Whitefriars Hornpipe, which was the tune for 28 May (Purlongs: 2:50). Mr Cutting half visible but entirely audible.

 

(‘Leveret – Whitefriars & Purlongs Live in Dursley Town Hall’ YouTube video, 5:41. Posted by Sam Sweeney, 12 Jul 2014. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FwCdsI6Qrx4)

The set is on Leveret’s 2015 CD New Anything, available from their website.

*GIG ALERT!

Leveret tourLeveret kick off their UK tour at Cecil Sharp House, London. THURSDAY 1 OCTOBER

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Boldwood

Becky Price (piano accordion), Matthew Coatsworth, Kate Moran, Daniel Wolverson (fiddles)

Played second in a set with Fete de Village (Purlongs: 2:10) in a live performance at The Queen’s College Chapel, Oxford, 1st June 2013, featured on the unpublished CD Mudlarking**.

 

 

For news of gigs and recordings, see Boldwood’s website and their lively Facebook page.

**For previously-featured tunes from Mudlarking, see also Jackson’s Shaving Brush (June 2015) and The Miller of Perth (Aug 2015).

 

 

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September 4, 2015 · 12:43

Jenny Pluck Pears

An attempt to conjure a golden September from this year’s grey English summer – if we all play it like mad, the sun will come out!

My beautiful namesake tune is from Playford’s Dancing Master of 1651. Two very different arrangements – it is traditionally played with the A and B parts in different time signatures. And (might have guessed!) any tune involving women and fruit had sexual connotations. Who knew…

 

Leveret

Andy Cutting (melodeon), Rob Harbron (concertina), Sam Sweeney (fiddle)

 

 

The tune is on Leveret’s 2015 CD New Anything, available from their website.

Leveret are touring in the UK in October – starting with a gem of a format: an acoustic set, performed in the round. Cecil Sharp House, 1 October. Details and booking here. Don’t miss it! Full tour dates here (scroll down to Gigs/Autumn Tour 2015).

 

Blowzabella

Andy Cutting (diatonic button accordion, triangle), Jo Freya (vocals, clarinet, bass clarinet, soprano and tenor saxophones, whistle), Paul James (border bagpipes, soprano and alto saxophones, whistle), Gregory Jolivet (alto hurdy-gurdy), Dave Shepherd (violin, octave violin), Barn Stradling (acoustic bass guitar, octave bass guitar), Jon Swayne (border bagpipes, soprano and alto saxophones)

Played here with the traditional time-changes, first in a set with Half Hanniken

 

(‘Jenny Pluck Pears / Half Hanniken’ YouTube video, 4.37. Posted by #Blowzabella, 20 Nov 2014. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h49aR3R_g8U)

For upcoming gigs, band news and recordings, go to Blowzabella’s website here.

 

 

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