John Fahey - see artist profile

Fairport Convention - see artist profile

Orla Fallon "The Water Is Wide" (Manhattan Records, 2006)
Pretty New Age-y and aqueous.... Her name is also spelled Orlagh Fallon...

John Faulkner & Dolores Keane "Broken Hearted I'll Wander" (Green Linnet, 1979)
As a young'un in the late 1970s, singer Dolores Keane was just a bit on the squeaky side; as she attained old-timers staus in the '90s, she took on a slightly leaden gravity. But in between, at the peak of her powers, she could not be beaten. These collaborations with multi-instrumentalist John Faulkner are like glittering, precious gems among the firmament of a trad scene that was heading towards overly-elaborate, crossover production. Keane's voice is so gorgeous, and Faulkner's accompaniment so tasteful and compelling, that this album is simply irresistible.

John Faulkner & Dolores Keane "Farewell To Eirinn" (1980)

John Faulkner & Dolores Keane "Sail Og Rua" (Green Linnet, 1984)
Another gorgeous set from Faulkner and Keane... This album, with its tenatative addition of one (single) electronic instrument has a slightly less mystical tone, but both albums are highly, highly recommended.

John Faulkner "Kind Providence" (Green Linnet, 1986)
A stalwart of the British/Celtic revival scene since the1960s, Faulkner worked with Ewan MacColl on several albums, and is probably best known for his glorious collaborations with singer Dolores Keane. On this gorgeous and subtle solo album, he indulges his passion for the quiet; both his calming voice and complexly melodic bouzouki playing capture what I find best in the trad ballad tradition. Highly recommended.

John Faulkner "Fanaithe (Nomads)" (Green Linnet, 1986)
A fascinating album about the Scottish diaspora, looking at highlanders at home and in the New World. Although the theme seems reminiscent of Ewan MacColl's old concept albums, there's a doleful emotional tone that holds things together, and several songs are quite lovely. Not as grand an album as his work with Dolores Keane, but quite nice.

Ffynnon "Celtic Music From Wales" (Green Linnet, 2002)
A fine album by this three-piece Welsh folk group... For a trio, they make a large, lush, expansive sound, not the least of which comes from the sweet singing of Lynne Denman and Stacey Blythe, whose vocals firmly fall into the "pretty Celtic female voices" category, ala early Enya and the like, but with a fair amount of traditionalist grit. This is pretty-sounding stuff, with most of the songs from older, traditional sources, and a few songs that are more modern. Amazing how all those extra Welsh consonants and vowels just melt away when the language is spoke out loud, or -- in this case -- sung in a lovely voice.

Ffynnon "Adar Gwylltion" (Taith, 2006)

Fiddler's Bid "Hamntaing" (Greentrax, 1999)

Fiddler's Bid "Da Farder Ben Da Welcomer" (Greentrax, 2001)
Mmmm... nope!! Sorry, there's just something too vaguely crossover-y here for it to work for me. It's mostly pretty traddish, I suppose, but there's a slight modern twist to the production that I find offputting... Besides, I gotta work to enjoy the instrumental stuff to begin with, so a set of jigs and reels that's been given a glossy studio feel is no plus for me. (Available through the Greentrax label.)

Fiddler's Bid "Naked & Bare" (Greentrax, 2005)

Cady Finlayson & Sean McCabe "Take Two" (McCabe's Music, 2000)

Cady Finlayson "Shines Like Silver" (Violin Caddy, 2002)

Cady Finlayson "Harp And Shamrock" (Violin Caddy, 2004)

Cady Finlayson "Irish Coffee" (Self-Released, 2007)

The Fisher Family "Traditional And New Songs From Scotland" (Topic, 1966)

Archie Fisher "Archie Fisher" (Celtic Music, 1968)
Scottish singer Archie Fisher's first solo album is notable for its melodic richness, a pleasant departure from the more plaintive style that predominated in trad music at the time. There are also nice, though mildly amusing, touches that were very much in keeping with the times, such as the gentle sitar work which pops up at the start of the album. He doesn't go overboard with it -- this is basically a solid trad album -- but it does show how early on many artists were open to outside influences. Nice album, if you can track it down.

Archie Fisher "Orfeo" (Decca, 1970)

Archie Fisher "The Man With A Rhyme" (Folk-Legacy, 1976)

Archie Fisher "Will Ye Gang, Love" (Topic, 1976)
Glasgow's Archie Fisher was an early fixture on UK folk revival scene, cutting several highly-regarded LPs in the late '60s, and establishing himself as one of the best new songwriters in the style. This mid-'70s album opens on a slightly strident tone, typical of this Scottish balladeer's semi-gruff style, but soon softens and settles into simple loveliness. Several of these songs are long-time favorites of mine, including "Lindsay" and "The Broom O' The Cowdenknowes," but the whole album is a delight. An enchanting record with stripped-down arrangements, this features mostly traditional material, but several top-notch originals as well.

Archie Fisher & Garnet Rogers "Off The Map" (Snow Goose Songs, 1986)
A lovely live album, combining the talents of Glaswegian Archie Fisher and Canadian folkie Garnet Rogers, brother of the late folk crooner, Stan Rogers. This kicks off with a fairly goopy modern folk tune, "Borderland," but quickly settles into more standard, traddish Celtic fare. It's a soft, stately, simply gorgeous album, which shows their mutual warmth and sympathetic musical talents. Definitely worth tracking down.

Archie Fisher "Sunsets I've Galloped Into" (Greentrax/Red House, 1988)

Archie Fisher "Windward Away" (Red House, 2008)
(Produced by Archie Fisher)
An utter delight. Since the 1960s, Archie Fisher has been a key player in the Scottish folk revival, singing first with his family band, and then as a solo artist. His early albums rank among my all-time favorites in the Celtic folk canon, and that was why, naturally, I approached this record with a wee bit of trepidation: was he an old, washed up coot? Was his voice going to be totally shot? Hardly. Fisher's great strength -- his resonant, reassuring voice, with its silken, soft-edged brogue -- is as unique and commanding as ever, giving him the uncanny ability to make contemporary folk songs sound ancient, and traditional songs sound timeless. This disc, his first album in twenty years, is an opus that took years to assemble but it sounds, for all the world, just like his best work from the 1970s and '80s. Indeed, there are eight tracks at the end that come from the long-lost master reel of a mid-'70s album that was first shelved and then misplaced for a decade or two. (Ooops!) There are many traditional tunes on here, but many more that are actually contemporary, Gordon Lightfoot-ish poetic-folk songs, whose modern origin only reveals itself after careful, intensive listening. Fisher is one of the few Celtic-trad singers I know who is so seamlessly able to blend present and past, retaining an elegant, serene acoustic sound, while never dipping into obtrusive pop crossovers This is an album that has a lot to offer and is deeply, richly rewarding. If you're an Archie Fisher fan, have no fear: you'll definitely want to check this out.

Cilla Fisher & Artie Tresize "Balcanquhal" (Trailer, 1976) (LP)
A fine set of warm, understated Scottish folk ballads, with sweet, simple accompaniment on fiddle, guitar and melodeon. The material is great, the performances are sparing and relaxed, and the simple, plain-spun harmonies are a delight. Cilla Fisher is one of Archie Fisher's sisters, and he appears on a couple of tracks here... Nice stuff! One of the gems from the Leader/Trailer vaults...

Cilla Fisher & Artie Tresize "Cilla & Artie" (Autogram, 1976)
"...Cilla & Artie Gelten Ale Schottlands Fuhrendes Folksanger Paar..." Yeah, okay... whatever you say! I'm not sure if this German LP was also issued on a UK label, but this edition has the added value of an extensive glossary of arcane Scottish phrases printed on the back cover... The performances are a bit stiffer and less melodically rounded than the other albums of theirs that I've heard... Great repertoire, though, hewing closely to traditional material, and plucking some fine old songs out of the highlands canon.

Cilla Fisher & Artie Tresize "Foul Day And Fair" (Kettle Records/Folk-Legacy, 1978)

Cilla Fisher & Artie Tresize "Cilla & Artie" (Topic, 1979) (LP)
Another nice, low-key album from this Scottish duo... Some of Fisher's performances take on the dour, doleful, slightly-too-serious tone of June Tabor or Maddy Prior, but there's also a nudge and a wink to be found in some of the jauntier, more jovial songs. Again, a fine selection of material, performed with a richness and depth that's a pleasure to hear. Worth tracking down!

Cilla Fisher "Songs Of The Fishing" (Kettle Records, 1984)

Cilla Fisher & Artie Tresize "Reaching Out" (Kettle Records, 1986)

Ray Fisher "Bonny Birdie" (Trailer, 1972)

Ray Fisher "Willie's Lady" (Folk-Legacy, 1982)
(Produced by Sandy Paton & Mike Rivers)

Ray Fisher "Traditional Songs Of Scotland" (Saydisc, 1991)
As one of the early members of the Scottish folk revival, Archie Fisher's sister Ray must be given her due... Still, that being said, this later album is a bit dry. Fisher's voice in middle-age is not quite as fluid or evocative as it was in the '60s, reducing her to a more Spartan, craggy presentation, similar to Gordeanna McCullough's or Jean Ritchie's approach to traditional material. Great song material, including "Wark O' The Weavers," which is a grand old song, and accompaniment by no less than John Kirkpatrick and Martin Carthy, but it still didn't really grab me. But a devoted fan of Scottish song may find this disc to be a cultural treasure trove.

Ged Foley & Kevin Burke "In Tandem" (Self-Released, 2005)
Duets between fiddler Kevin Burke and guitarist Ged Foley, who have worked together for over a decade in the bands Celtic Fiddle Festival and Patrick Street... Lovely stuff!

Forest "Forest/Full Circle" (Beat Goes On/EMI, 1994)
Widely credited as a formative influence on the proto-metal band Spinal Tap's explorations into elves-in-the-woods folk-prog goofiness, this Birmingham-based trio made music that was every bit as whimsical and undisciplined as anything coming out of the hippie scene in the USA. Their trad-based, free-form romps sound a bit like their contemporaries, such as the Incredible String Band or the Dransfields, but hardly as focused or as compelling. Still, it should be pointed out that these fellows were well ahead of the game -- bands like Steeleye Span and Lindsfarne had hardly been formed when Forest's first album came out on Harvest Records, back in 1969... Who knows where they would have wound up had they had a longer run? Unfortunately, the BGO reissue doesn't include much information about the band in its CD booklet; the reproduction of John Peel's spacy original liner notes are fun in an indulgent, nostalgic kinda way, but something more informative might have been nice, too. The second album, Full Circle, shows a marked improvement in their musicianship, and greater variety than the debut disc. Worth checking out, particularly for fans of the proggier, druggier end of the Brit-folk genre.

Fotheringay "Fotheringay" (Island, 1970)
After her departure from Fairport Convention, singer Sandy Denny fronted this short-lived ensemble, along with her husband, Trevor Lucas, another medieval-retro RenFair folkie who'd been in the orbit of Fairport and other key folk-rock acts. Fotheringay hewed closely to the trad-oriented "Matty Groves" side of the repertoire, and largely forsook the blues-boogie rock side of the equation. That meant that this album was, from a trad-folk perspective, a more organic sounding, less kitchen-sinky effort. It's also impossibly pretentious and painfully self-important, but hey -- that goes with the territory. This is one of the stronger albums of the genre, a touchstone for those who can bear the loftiness of it all... and certainly required listening for anyone who's checking out Sandy Denny's legacy.

Fotheringay "Fotheringay 2" (Fledg'ling, 2008)

The Four Ramblers "Legendary Irish Quartet" (BACM, 2007)
An unusual entry in the British Archive of Country Music's illustrious hillbilly history series... The Four Ramblers were an Irish vocal quartet who appeared on a regular "western" themed radio show sponsored by the BBC. They modeled their sound on the smooth harmony singing of groups such as the Mills Brothers and the Sons Of The Pioneers, but although they sang a cowboy tune or two, they primarily sang Irish folk tunes, sometimes giving them a singing cowboy-ish musical twist. It's fun stuff, not as operatic or genteel as other Celtic-themed artists of the same era (the late 1940s-early '50s), and a pleasant blending of styles. It ain't Planxty or The Bothy Band, but it's still pretty nice.

Julie Fowlis "Mar A Tha Mo Chridhe" (Spit & Polish, 2006)

Julie Fowlis "Cuilidh" (Spit & Polish, 2007)
A sweet Celtic set, with gorgeous songs from the Hebrides Islands in Western Scotland... Fowlis has a fine voice, perhaps not as earthy as some Hebridean traditionalists, but direct and full of feeling, sounding particularly lovely when singing in Gaelic. She works through a variety of styles -- fiddles tunes, a capella ballads, bouncy, bouzoukied folk -- backed by an all-star cast of modern Celtic music's young guard, luminaries such as John McCusker (of Battlefield Band and Kate Rusby fame), John Doyle (of Solas), Chris Thile (of the American newgrass band, Nickel Creek) and stray members of Altan, Capercaillie and Danu. It all gels together quite nicely -- fans of traditional music will definitely want to check this out!

Julie Fowlis "Uam" (Shoeshine, 2009)
Another triumphant Celtic folk album from this young, up-and-coming singer... This is a stripped-down, nearly a capella outing, with subtle accompaniment to Fowlis' richly striking vocals. Although Fowlis has a deeply traditional inclination, there is also a modern feel to the production -- of its time, but not a cheesy pop fusion. Guest vocalists include Eddi Reader and Mary Smith -- a nice new voice on the Celtic trad scene!

Jackson C. Frank "Blues Run The Game" (Mooncrest, 1996)
Interesting historical recordings by Jackson C. Frank, an American folkie who pitched tent in the early '60s British scene, influencing and writing songs for the likes of Sandy Denny and others. His song "Blues Run The Game" was a widely-performed standard during the late '60s, in the years following the release of his lone album, in 1965. This disc reissues that record, as well as some demo material from a decade later... It's not the greatest material ever, but still pretty good -- earnest 'Sixties folkie stuff with a heavy blues base, and plenty of leftie politics, much along the lines of early Dylan or Barry McGuire. Not immortal, but worth checking out.

Jackson C. Frank "Blues Run The Game" (Sanctuary, 2002)
A more or less straight reissue of Frank's lone solo album, apparently co-produced by Paul Simon during an early sojourn to England. Doesn't include all the same material as the CD listed above, but it's still enough to give you a pretty good idea of what this fellow was about...

Jody Stecher & Alasdair Fraser "The Driven Bow" (Culburnie, 1989)
A Celtic-oriented folk collaboration with Scottish-American fiddler Alasdair Fraser and American bluegrass/old-timey artist Jody Stecher...

Finbar & Eddie Furay "The Collection" (Castle, 2002)
Nice 2-CD collection of early work by this Irish brother duet, who later formed the nucleus of the Fureys family band, along with Davey Arthur. This set draws from two albums originally on the Transatlantic label, their self-titled debut from 1968, and 1969's The Lonesome Boatman, as well as some material from an album of solo piping music by Finbar Furey. The music is a bit stark, heavy on the uillean pipes, and a bit light on the vocals (though when Eddie Finbar sings, it's quite nice). An excellent example of the emerging Irish folk revival of the 1960s. Didn't entirely wow me, but it's still recommended.

The Furays & Davey Arthur "The Green Fields Of France" (Banshee, 1979)
An adequate, though often overly flowery, overly wordy folk/trad outing, with a few socio-political songs and plenty of flawless instrumental work. Didn't really grab me, but it's a fine album nonetheless.

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