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Jamil Sheriff: The Ilkley Suite
ByThe suite takes listeners on a musical journey from river ("The River Where We Live" and "Verbeia") to rocks (the supposedly druidic stones which inspired "Solstice With The 12 Apostles" and the mysterious "Cup And Ring" markings), along the way meeting up with the legendary giant Rombald on the song of the same name, where Beirne sings the giant's tale over a pretty if mournful instrumental.
Ilkley is best-known for a long-established (probably nineteenth-century) song about a young man who goes courting on the local moor but foolishly does so bare-headed"On Ilkla Moor Baht 'At." It's a dangerous move: the cautionary but humorous lyric chides the subject of the song for taking such a risk, which can only result in death from exposure and a fate as food for worms. Sheriff retains the title but reinterprets the song, reworking the jaunty, up-tempo tune with something altogether less catchy and translating the original and much-loved Yorkshire dialect lyrics into standard English, the evocative "baht 'at" becoming the humdrum "without a hat."
The brief and brisk "Cup And Ring" is the album's most intense and energetic tune. Repeated phrases from sax and piano open the number then interact with the drums and bass as all four instruments mingle, compete and weave flurries of sound before a sudden, emphatic, note on tenor brings things to a close.
Track Listing
The River Where I Live; Verbeia; Cup And Ring; The Healer; Solstice With The 12 Apostles; Rombald; Ilkley Moor Baht At; Cut From Stone.
Personnel
Jamil Sheriff
pianoBeverley Beirne
vocalsNadim Teimoori
saxophone, tenorGarry Jackson
bassDave Walsh
drumsAlbum information
Title: The Ilkley Suite | Year Released: 2020 | Record Label: 33 Records
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