Clive Carroll – The Abbot – Clive Carroll Plays the music of John Renbourn (self-released, 2023)
Clive Carroll’s The Abbot – Clive Carroll Plays the music of John Renbourn is a double-album. As the title indicates, it features solo guitar and ensemble arrangements of music by and associated with English musician John Renbourn (1944-2015), the pioneering guitarist and composer who led the 1960s ‘folk baroque’ wave.
A visionary, charismatic, and groundbreaking musician, Renbourn was always tinkering with his own compositions and arrangements. In this spirit, Carroll has not sought to recreate Renbourn’s performances; instead, he has taken favorites from Renbourn’s repertoire and infused them with his own exquisite, elegant and prodigiously performed guitar expression, with guest performances from 20 additional musicians.
Stylistically, the music is diverse, spanning various genres, from evocative English folk, blues, and jazz to scintillating world music and masterful western classical music.
Although The Abbot is a musical celebration of John Renbourn’s music, it also focuses on Clive Carroll’s memories and time with him. The two first met in the late 1990s in Manningtree, Essex, when Renbourn arrived to perform at The Red Lion pub only to find himself captivated by then-conservatory-student Carroll, who was opening for him. This meeting resulted in an enduring friendship and musical partnership. Renbourn subsequently took Carroll on the road with him, to North America and across Europe, and gave him much encouragement as he embarked on his own solo career.
In creating The Abbot, Carroll selected music that he and Renbourn performed together as well as from the treasure trove of Renbourn originals that have not been heard in live performance for decades. Standout Renbourn originals, such as ‘The Lady and The Unicorn’, ‘Another Monday’, and ‘Lady Nothynges Toye Puffe’ stand comfortably alongside jazz pieces ‘Buffalo’ and ‘Little Niles’, early music and traditional music from across Europe and America, and classics like Jackson C. Frank’s ‘Blues Run the Game’. Also included is the never-before-heard ‘Intrada and Danse Royale’, an ensemble work that Renbourn never recorded.
DISC 1
- Orlando (1:52)
- Buffalo (4:09)
- Lady Goes to Church (3:51)
- The Pelican (5:53)
- So Clear (4:59)
- Estampie (5:31)
- Blues Run the Game (4:18)
- The Hermit (3:48)
- Another Monday (2:08)
- No Exit (1:27)
- The Young Man Who Wouldn’t Hoe Corn (5:01)
- Faro’s Rag (2:41)
- Little Niles (8:46)
DISC 2
- Intrada (1:58)
- Danse Royale (2:25)
- The English Dance (3:53)
- I Know My Babe (3:22)
- Red’s Favourite (1:33)
- Watch the Stars (3:39)
- Lady Nothynges New Toye Puffe (3:56)
- Old MacBladgitt (4:16)
- My Dear Boy (1:36)
- Lament for Owen Roe O’Neill / Mist Covered Mountains of Home / The Orphan (7:09)
- The Lady and the Unicorn (4:13)
- O Death (4:37)
- Pavan d’Aragon (6:49)
- Sidi Brahim (feat. National Seven, Sandy Bells, Wedding Dress, Le Ballon Noir Special Rider Blues, and Banty Rooster) (15:24)
Musicians: Clive Carroll on acoustic and electric guitars, electric bass, banjo, mandolin, celeste, tambourine, glockenspiel, bodhrán, vocals.
Special Guests: Airavata Carroll on vocals (So Clear, O Death); Lisa Hannigan on vocals (Watch the Stars); Rob Millett on percussion (Estampie, Danse Royale, The English Dance, O Death, Wedding Dress); Matt Ridley on double bass (Orlando, Buffalo, So Clear, O Death); John Blease on drum kit (Buffalo, So Clear); Lily Neill on lever harp (Orlando, The Orphan, O Death); Jean-Luc Fillon on cor anglais and bass clarinet (The Pelican, O Death); Carlos Cano Escribá on flutes (The Pelican, The English Dance); Hannah James on piano accordion (The Pelican) and step dancing (Wedding Dress); Dariush Kanani on acoustic guitar (Ladye Nothynge’s New Toye Puffe); Niall Keegan on flute (The Orphan); Dermot Crehan on fiddle (The English Dance, The Orphan); Hernán Milla on piano (So Clear); Professor Robert A. White and the Unseen University’s Early Music Ensemble on (Intrada and Danse Royale); Paul Cheneour on flutes (Estampie, Sidi Brahim); Ansuman Biswas on tabla (Sidi Brahim)
Sidi Brahim features: Wizz Jones on vocals and guitar (National Seven); Mike Walker and Rémy Froissart on acoustic guitars (Sandy Bells); Jacqui McShee on vocals (Wedding Dress); and Stefan Grossman on acoustic guitar (Special Rider Blues and Banty Rooster).
Buy The Abbot – Clive Carroll Plays the music of John Renbourn.
Author: Angel Romero
Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.