Hello. , and !
1. Who are you and where are you from?
I'm Mark, I live just north of Oxford, close to the Oxford Canal.
2. What made you join Talkawhile?
I've just remembered about this forum having joined back in 2005. I've not been around for nearly 10 years. I think I joined to get a bit more involved in the music scene, and maybe pick up a few gigs for my bands, Three Pressed Men (folk song) and Traction (barn dances)
3. What do you know of Fairport Convention and/or Cropredy if anything?
I've been keen on Fairport since the late 1980s when a friend lent me a copy (on LP) of Liege & Leif. I went to Cropredy for the first time in 1989, a year or so after moving to Oxfordshire, with some friends from the Nettlebed Folk Club. I've been back perhaps 7 or 8 times since then, the last time probably 2005.
4. What kind of music do you like?
All sorts - early, classical (but not much opera), rock & pop (pre-hiphop), jazz and blues (in small doses), "world" (especially east African guitar bands) and, of course, folk.
5. What was the last gig/festival/recital/concert that you attended? What was it like?
Bampton Classical Opera's production of La grotta di Trofonio by Salieri. It was very well done: great singing, great translation and great production. The story, of course, was naff and I'm not a fan of Salieri - he's very competent but not inspiring. Tonight, by way of contrast, I'm going to see The Spooky Men's Chorale at The Sheldonian Theatre in Oxford. I've heard great things about these guys, and seen some video on YouTube, including a previous visit to The Holywell Music Room. Actually, I rather wish they were at the Holywell tonight, since the benches in The Sheldonian's circle are excruciatingly uncomfortable!
6. What was the last CD that you bought? Would you recommend it?
"L'Allegro, il Penseroso ed il Moderato" by Handel, performed by The Gabrieli Consort & Players, conductor Paul McCreesh. Highly recommended! The last folk CD I bought for myself was probably Mayday by
Lady Maisery. Again, highly recommended.
7. Complete the following sentence:
“Tonight, Sir Robert, I am going to be my all time favourite singer ……. (name of singer) and I will
sing: ' ................................' (name of song)
Martin Carthy, who has taught me so much about how to sing, and how not to sing, folk songs; The Devil And The Feathery Wife, my first real success as a floor singer, Nettlebed circa 1988, and still my fall-back when asked for a song without warning!
