bermes@ihu1m.UUCP (Terry Bermes) (12/14/84)
It seems that I remember seeing a listing of Ossian records in
a catalog called something like 'Record Roundup' or 'Roundup Records'.
While I can't find it now I got the catalog by writing an address
from an album on the Rounder Records label. Maybe someone else out
there can provide more specifics. Sorry for the spotty information.
A request: How about a few words describing Ossian's music (i.e. instruments,
original or traditional, etc). I don't believe I've ever heard them but
being an Irish/English/Scottish music enthusiast I'm always looking for
different groups.
Thanks,
Terry Bermesbruce@hp-pcd.UUCP (bruce) (12/23/84)
I have two Ossian albums that I bought from them when they performed
here a while back:
"Dove Across The Water" (1982) IR004
"Seal Song" (1981) IR002
They are both on Iona Records. The address on the albums is:
Iona Records
9 Eastfield Avenue, Cambuslang
Glasgow, Scotland
Anyone really interested in obtaining the albums could probably
write to this address and ask them who distributes their records
in the US.
To summarize the music, it employs a wide variety of instruments
as well as singing on many songs. The album cover lists the members
and their instruments:
Billy Jackson: Harp, Uileann Pipes, Whistle, Double Bass, Vocals
George Jackson: Cittern, Guitar, Whistle, Flute
John Martin: Fiddle, Cello, Whistle, Vocals
Tony Cuffe: Vocals, Guitar, Tenor Guitar, Whistle, Tiple
Iain MacDonald: Pipes, Vocals, Flute, Whistle, Jew's Harp
The vocals are mostly in slightly accented English but a few are
Gaelic. The music is most pleasant. Ossian performs mostly
traditional titles, but they do their own arrangements.
-- Bruce Stephens (hplabs!hp-pcd!bruce)worley@Navajo.ARPA (12/27/84)
> > It seems that I remember seeing a listing of Ossian records in > a catalog called something like 'Record Roundup' or 'Roundup Records'. > While I can't find it now I got the catalog by writing an address > from an album on the Rounder Records label. Maybe someone else out > there can provide more specifics. Sorry for the spotty information. > > A request: How about a few words describing Ossian's music (i.e. instruments, > original or traditional, etc). I don't believe I've ever heard them but > being an Irish/English/Scottish music enthusiast I'm always looking for > different groups. > Thanks, > Terry Bermes Ossian, besides currently being my favorite folk group, have been described as "tending to the softer side of Scottish music" (from the infamous Ballads, Bards, and Bagpipes discography). They have put out at least 4 records, Ossian Springthyme SPR004 (1977) St. Kilda Wedding Iona IR001 (1978) Seal Song Iona IR002 (1981) Dove Across the Water Iona IR004 (1982). I think that Iona Records is their own record label. You can order their records from some of the folk oriented mail order places, like Elderly Instruments (1100 N. Washington, P.O. Box 14210, Lansing MI 48901 for catalogs) or Down Home Music Inc. (10341 San Pablo Ave., El Cerrito, CA 94350). From the 1982 album, Ossian is made up of 5 musicians: Billy Jackson - harp, Uileann pipes, ... George Jackson- guitar, fiddle, ... John Martin - fiddle, ... Tony Cuffe - guitar, ... Iain MacDonald- Pipes, ... Categorize them as traditional, I suppose. - Pat Worley WORLEY@su-score.arpa