Announce: William Kimber CD
Derek Schofield
launched on Wednesday 26 May in The Mason's Arms, Headington Quarry with an
audience of over 100 people, including Nibs Matthews, Ron Smedley, Ivor
Allsop, EFDSS staff and trustees, representatives of the Morris Ring,
Morris Federation, Sophie Lunch (Bill Kimber's daughter), and two of Bill's
grand-daughters. Headington Quarry Morris danced, and the display included
Bill's great grandson Chris Kimber-Nickelson who also danced a jig.
If you have already ordered a 'special offer' price CD from EFDSS, the CD
will be dispatched in about a week, as there has been a delay with the
shrink-wrappers. For those of you who are going to Bampton this weekend,
and who have not yet ordered a copy, I will have copies for sale (not
shrink-wrapped!) straight from the manufacturers.
The text of the publicity leaflet is given below - print it off to order a
copy -- and there are more details on www.efdss.org/kimber.htl
Derek Schofield
Absolutely Classic: The Music of William Kimber EFDSS CD03
William Kimber was the best-known English traditional instrumentalist of
the twentieth century. On Boxing Day 1899 he was playing for the
Headington Quarry Morris Dancers when they first met the folksong and dance
collector Cecil Sharp.
Following the interest in reviving the dances by Mary Neal, Sharp started
to collect, publish and publicise English folk dances, and William Kimber
illustrated his lectures with his dancing and concertina playing. He
continued to play for English Folk Dance and Song Society (EFDSS) and
Morris Ring events, as well as for the Headington Quarry Morris Dancers,
right up until his death in 1961. He became a revered and respected
figure: the 'Father of the Morris' and the 'Grand Old Man' of English folk
dance.
To celebrate the centenary of the first meeting with Sharp, the EFDSS has
released a new CD of archival recordings of William Kimber's playing on the
anglo-concertina, his singing and his reminiscences – many of the
recordings have never been made available before.
The CD also illustrates William Kimber's continuing legacy, with recordings
of current Headington Quarry Morris Dancers' musician John Graham, and of
England's best-loved free-reed instrumentalist, John Kirkpatrick.
The CD is 'enhanced': as well as playing it on the CD player, you can pop
it in the CD-ROM drive of your personal computer to access archival and
contemporary film clips, over 45 photographs and an inter-active picture of
the 1899 scene.
The CD comes complete with a 64-page illustrated booklet, detailing
Kimber's life, musicianship and influence. The CD has been compiled, and
the booklet edited, by Derek Schofield. The CD has been sponsored by The
Morris Ring.
The CD is priced at £14.99, plus postage and packing of £1.00 (for each
additional CD add 50p). Postage to the USA: £2.50 per CD.
Further information on the CD is available on www.efdss.org/kimber.htl
Absolutely Classic: The Music of William Kimber
Please send me ________ copy/copies of Absolutely Classic: The Music of
William Kimber
I enclose a cheque made payable to EFDSS for £14.99, plus p&p of £1.00.
Payment by MasterCard or Visa
Card Number ________________________ Expiry date ______________
Amount ____________________________ Signature ________________
Name ___________________________________
Address _____________________________________________________
Return to Absolutely Classic CD, EFDSS, Cecil Sharp House, 2 Regent's Park
Road, London NW1 7AY. Tel 0171-485 2206 Fax: 0171-284 0534.
Derek Schofield
email: de...@dschofield.demon.co.uk