JANE STOKES - Mere Mortal
Private label
I suppose we all come across the occasional home-produced CD, and often these are plagued with amateur production (and sometimes performance) standards. This is most definitely not the case here. Over the years, Dorset-based Jane has become a regular and welcome fixture at many local sessions, arriving with her Celtic harp in its trademark clear plastic bag (somewhat patched with gaffer tape). Do not be deceived – the bag is the only bit of the performance that isn’t first rate.
The CD covers a lot of ground, from Irish and Scots traditional to contemporary French, giving the listener a broad and eclectic range of musical genres to enjoy. And it is enjoyable; Jane’s playing is confident and proficient, with an empathy for the music that allows it to speak – her version of the well-known Roslin Castle is an excellent example and there are lots of light and shade in her choice of pieces.
I did feel that, in a couple of instances where she’s married tunes to create a medley, the transition from one tune to the next could have been smoother, but this is a minor quibble. Overall, this is a thoroughly pleasurable recording and well worth acquiring – even more so when you know that all profits are going to support the work that the MS Society does for people in Jane’s situation.
www.janestokes.bandcamp.com
John Waltham
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Many CDs we review are available from The Listening Post. Check to see if this CD is available. The Listening Post is the CD mailorder service of The Living Tradition magazine. This album was reviewed in Issue 124 of The Living Tradition magazine. |