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Alistair Anderson

Concertina Player, Northumberland, North East England

Steel Skies

Orig. release 1982 • Remastered release 2009 - Topic Records

  1. First Light / Rhymeside 1 / Rhymeside 2 / The Mountain Stream / Rhymeside 3 / First Light 8:38
  2. The Road To The North / Clennel Street / The Franklin River 8:37
  3. The Air For Maurice Ogg / Jumping Jack 5:18
  4. Green Ginger 3:06
  5. The Ironbridge / Eynhallow 7:11
  6. In Trim / Mount Hooley / Lemington Bank 3:25
  7. The Kestral / High Force / Dog Leaps Stairs / Hot Rivets / The Seven Gate Road 7:16
  8. When The Frosts Are Setting In 1:37
  9. East Winds / The Millstream / Centenary Pack 7:25

Alistair Anderson : English Concertina, Northumbrian smallpipes
  Tony Corcoran : Fiddle, Martin Dunn : Flute, Whistle
  Martin Dunn : Flue, whistle, piccola
  Robin Dunn : Mandolin, Chuck Fleming : Fiddle
  Chuck Fleming : Fiddle, viola, mandolin

All titles written by Alistair Anderson, published by Topic Records LTD.

Steel Skies CD cover - click for larger version

 

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“This was one of the first attempts at a composed musical folk soundscape, and it remains one of the most successful. ... instruments weave their polyphonic magic managing to be both evocative and invigorating”
Jon Boden 2010
 

Steel Skies - Original 1982 reviews:

“Bravely Anderson has decided to break with the traditional mould of unison melody playing... and a complex trelliswork of harmonies is created. All in all this is a delightful landmark in the development of folk music”
The Scotsman 1982

“Anderson has achieved what many others have tried without success. He has composed a work which, while remaining rooted deeply in the traditional music of his region of Britain, contains neither pastiche nor attempts to fuse irreconcilable elements. The melodic lines of songs without words give way to dance patterns enriched by unexpected harmonies and delightful combinations of instruments. It is a fluid living work, which will yield even more riches with successive performances.”
Daily Telegraph 1982

“The finest recent original contribution to the tradition of English music”
The Guardian 1982