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CHRIS FOSTER
Jewels
Living Tradition: Tradition Bearers LTCD1102
The positive regard for Chris Foster in the '70s was as a cutting edge, serious interpreter of traditional song who made two fine albums for Topic, gigged extensively and then diversified during the '80s into more of a mixed media bag, steadily re-emerging onto the club scene over the past 10 years. That his ability is undimmed is confirmed by this thoroughly good collection, delivered straight - no gimmicks, no fat, just lean memorable songs with deft acoustic guitar.
His ability as an artist working within the Tradition is to create music whose sense of history is easily matched by an unassuming feel for its current relevance. Artist and material share a total engagement, and here you'll find two staples of repertory from first steps - The Banks Of Newfoundland and The New York Trader, still in set lists now - tough tales of Alantic crossings with added and unexpected hardships. There are real riches within this album of earnest, moving songs and I'd cite the version of Cecilia Costello's majestic night-visiting ballad, The Grey Cock, as a career highlight. Vital and wonderfully intense.
Jewels is an unaffected, subtle CD that will grow and grow on you, and there is a depth and resonance to Foster's voice whether in breezy, humorous mode as on The Cobbler And The Butcher or eloquent and spare on Lady Maisry that brings out the songs' inherent beauty. As he says in the insert notes, "I find they offer a richness of imagery, insight and music that still speaks to me powerfully in the 21st century."
This is not wine bar "folk-U-like" - it's quietly epic, well worthy of being under LT's Tradition Bearer imprint and if you didn't discover Chris Foster first time around, do it now. A potent and satisfying record.
Clive Pownceby - May 2004
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Folk & Acoustic
