Robin & Barry Dransfield

The Acoustic Folk Box presents a masterful overview of folk music from the British Isles, encompassing some 40 years of history and dozens of artists. Each of the four discs covers an era, the '60s, '70s, '80s, and '90s, and carries over an hour of music. Basically, The Acoustic Folk Box begins with the British folk revival of the 1960s and follows echoes that reverberate into the present. Many of the artists are well-known to general audiences (Martin Simpson, Richard Thompson, and June Tabor), while others (Shirley Collins, Anne Briggs, and John Renbourn) are perhaps less known than one might hope, especially in the United States. Where to begin? First of all, there's Alexis Korner and Davy Graham's lovely duet "3/4 AD," perhaps the mother of all fine British fingerpicking, and fellow picker Bert Jansch's definitive version of "Angi." Briggs offers a chilling version of "She Moves Through the Fair," leaving little doubt where Sandy Denny drew her inspiration several years later.

The Acoustic Folk Box presents a masterful overview of folk music from the British Isles, encompassing some 40 years of history and dozens of artists. Each of the four discs covers an era, the '60s, '70s, '80s, and '90s, and carries over an hour of music. Basically, The Acoustic Folk Box begins with the British folk revival of the 1960s and follows echoes that reverberate into the present. Many of the artists are well-known to general audiences (Martin Simpson, Richard Thompson, and June Tabor), while others (Shirley Collins, Anne Briggs, and John Renbourn) are perhaps less known than one might hope, especially in the United States. Where to begin? First of all, there's Alexis Korner and Davy Graham's lovely duet "3/4 AD," perhaps the mother of all fine British fingerpicking, and fellow picker Bert Jansch's definitive version of "Angi." Briggs offers a chilling version of "She Moves Through the Fair," leaving little doubt where Sandy Denny drew her inspiration several years later.

Following her celebrated first stint with Fairport Convention and the dissolution of the short-lived folk rock super-group Fotheringay, Denny recorded a run of fine solo albums during the '70s, interrupted by an artistically-if not commercially-successful reunion with Fairport. THE NORTH STAR GRASSMAN, the first of those solo albums, was co-produced and engineered by the ever-reliable John Wood. It's business as usual as far as participating musicians go. Denny's former Fotheringay companions are present, and ex-Fairport guitar prodigy Richard Thompson is all over the album.

Rhino's Troubadours of British Folk series, encompassing three volumes, four decades, 49 songs, and almost as many performers, is a model genre retrospective. For those who want a representative collection of the style's highlights, it covers virtually all of the major performers and innovators of British folk, represented by their best-known (and usually best) songs. For those who want an introduction/guide to the form, it's equally useful, serving as an excellent foundation to build upon if you're motivated to seek out more albums by these performers after an initial taste. Volume One covers the mid-'50s to the early '70s, encompassing skiffle (Lonnie Donegan), elder statespersons (Ewan MacColl), virtuoso guitarists (Davy Graham, Bert Jansch, Martin Carthy), traditional singers (Jean Redpath, Shirley & Dolly Collins), singer-songwriters (Donovan), and early efforts by the major players of British folk-rock (Fairport Convention, Pentangle, The Incredible String Band, Steeleye Span).

Rhino's Troubadours of British Folk series, encompassing three volumes, four decades, 49 songs, and almost as many performers, is a model genre retrospective. For those who want a representative collection of the style's highlights, it covers virtually all of the major performers and innovators of British folk, represented by their best-known (and usually best) songs. For those who want an introduction/guide to the form, it's equally useful, serving as an excellent foundation to build upon if you're motivated to seek out more albums by these performers after an initial taste. Volume One covers the mid-'50s to the early '70s, encompassing skiffle (Lonnie Donegan), elder statespersons (Ewan MacColl), virtuoso guitarists (Davy Graham, Bert Jansch, Martin Carthy), traditional singers (Jean Redpath, Shirley & Dolly Collins), singer-songwriters (Donovan), and early efforts by the major players of British folk-rock (Fairport Convention, Pentangle, The Incredible String Band, Steeleye Span).

Inside the new Uncut CD, Deep Roots: A Celebration Of Topic Records. Shirley Collins, Richard Thompson and a previously unreleased Anne Briggs recording! Topic turns 85 this year, which makes it one of the – if not the – oldest independent record label in the world. A good reason to celebrate, then, by putting together this compilation of some of the finest moments in the label’s history. We’ve concentrated on their folk side (they have an incredible set of world music and field recordings that deserve their own CDs), including tracks from the dawn of the ’60s folk revival right up to brand new material expected this year. Perhaps most excitingly, there’s an entirely unheard Anne Briggs recording, due as a bonus track this year on the upcoming deluxe reissue of her self-titled album.

Inside the new Uncut CD, Deep Roots: A Celebration Of Topic Records. Shirley Collins, Richard Thompson and a previously unreleased Anne Briggs recording! Topic turns 85 this year, which makes it one of the – if not the – oldest independent record label in the world. A good reason to celebrate, then, by putting together this compilation of some of the finest moments in the label’s history. We’ve concentrated on their folk side (they have an incredible set of world music and field recordings that deserve their own CDs), including tracks from the dawn of the ’60s folk revival right up to brand new material expected this year. Perhaps most excitingly, there’s an entirely unheard Anne Briggs recording, due as a bonus track this year on the upcoming deluxe reissue of her self-titled album.