Wild & Beautiful

by Silly Wizard

Overview

Produced by renowned songwriter Archie Fisher ("The Witch of Westmoreland"), this album presents Silly Wizard doing contemporary songs built on traditional themes. The mixture of original songs and favorite jigs strung together is compelling throughout, and the contemporary songs all have the feel of having been written centuries ago. A gorgeous Andy M. Stewart arrangement of two different versions of the same song, "If I Was a Blackbird," opens the album, and the music only gets more beautiful from there. Phil Cunningham's "The Pearl," written to honor his parents' 30th anniversary, may be one of the prettiest instrumentals ever composed for a modern folk group. The production and recording also give a wonderfully up close image of each instrument's distinctive timbre, imparting the intimacy of a chamber music performance to the proceedings. ~ Bruce Eder

Product Details

Release Date:	10/25/1990
Label:	Shanachie
UPC:	0016351792822
Rank:	65820

Tracks

1. If I Was a Blackbird
2. Pipe Major Donald Campbell/The Orphan/The Kestrel/Come up Alang
3. The Pearl
4. The Fisherman's Song/Lament for the Fisherman's Wife
5. Hame, Hame, Hame/Tha Me Sgith
6. Tha Mi Sgith (Strathspey) /Eck Stewart's March/MacKenzie's Fancy ...
7. Miss Patricia Meagher/Laura Lynn Cunningham
8. A.B. Corsi (The Lad from Orkney) /Ril Bheara/Richard Dwyer's Reels

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Silly Wizard   Primary Artist
Martin Hadden   Keyboards,Bass (Electric),Guitar (Acoustic)
Gordon Jones   Guitar (Acoustic),Bodhran
Dougie MacLean   Fiddle
Roy Ashby   Drums
Phil Cunningham   Vocals,Accordion,Keyboards,Whistle (Human)

Technical Credits

Alistair George   Studio Assistant
Traditional   Composer
Silly Wizard   Arranger,Composer,Producer,Liner Notes
Martin Hadden   Composer
Phil Cunningham   Composer
Neil Ross   Engineer
Archie Fisher   Producer
Dave Paterson   Photography
J. Wilson   Composer
Jon Zollman   Executive Producer
Bill Giolando   Mastering