Daryl Runswick, Ray Russell, Phil Lee, Tony Hymas, John Marshall, Linda Hirst
Description
The 24 songs on this double album are in some ways a completion. Together with Young Man Songs(ASC ASCCD181/ASCLP003) here are nearly all the songs Kerry Lee Crabbe and Daryl Runswick wrote (and Daryl sang) which are good enough to be issued. The subject matter here is wider ranging than on Young Man Songs:love songs, but also family, heroes and antiheroes, zen, celebration, nostalgia, philosophy, life and death.
Daryl Runswick writes: "I first set Kerry Lee Crabbe's words to music in 1967; for the last time in 2010. Our most prolific period was 1970-1980 during which time we had considerable success as a songwriting team, though we didn't have big hits. The pinnacle for us was when Cleo Laine recorded a whole album of our songs (One More Day: well worth looking out for on vinyl or CD). There are a number of reasons for our lack of hits: songwriting was for neither of us our main job - not 'the principal source of his revenue' as Paul Simon put it (One Trick Pony) - we did it in our spare time. Also, neither of us had any interest in being an entrepreneur, nor did we employ a manager to push the songs; also, perhaps we were snobs who disdained moneygrubbing; but perhaps the main reason was that these are art songs: art songs in the style of pop music, yes, but not aimed (other than tangentially) at the commercial market. We'd have loved to have hits but that's not why we did it and we didn't bother overmuch flogging our wares around.
Kerry and I were introduced to one another as undergraduates at Cambridge University. Kerry had written the book and lyrics for a musical (Someone is Squeaking) and I was instructed by Clive James, then President of the Footlights Club where I was Musical Director, to compose the songs. It was put on at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 1967 with Julie Covington in the lead role. Kerry directed and I was musical director, playing piano in the accompanying trio. After that summer I went down to London to be a jazz bass player while Kerry had a further year at Trinity College, Cambridge. After he came down, we got together again and continued making songs."
Tracklisting
Stan Sulzmann & Nikki Iles
Kate Westbrook & Mike Westbrook
John Turner & Neil Smith
Alan Barnes & Don Weller
Daryl Runswick, Ray Russell, Phil Lee, Tony Hymas, John Marshall, Linda Hirst
Daryl Runswick Rhythm Section, Dazzle Strings, Dazzle Brass
Daryl Runswick
Steve Plews Trio
Misha Mullov-Abbado
Tuohi Klang
Skerik, Brian Haas, James Singleton, Simon Lott
Heikki Sarmanto
Max Roach
Gil Evans
Henry Mancini
Ray Barretto
