Swarb! ~ New Free Reed Boxed Set Released! A new boxed set celebrating forty five years of Folk's Finest Fiddler is offically released on the 7th Aug 2003, coinciding with this year's Cropredy Festival. The boxed-set covers the life and the music of Dave Swarbrick. Remember last year's amazing Fairport unConvential 4-CD blockbuster set?? "How can they follow that" we all said .... Well, Free Reed have delivered the answer in a stunning new release, another 4 CD Box-Set on 'the life and music of folk's finest fiddler' Dave Swarbrick. The set boasts 73 rare and unavailable tracks (including 13 un-released Fairport tracks), plus a stunning 136 page full colour book jammed with rare archive pics, a Swarbrick fiddle tune book and all the usual freebies, 'bells and whistles' that have kept these Free Reed sets firmly at the leading edge of the growing box-set market. The jaw-dropping packaging is even a replica of Swarb's own fiddle case, complete with fiddle string packs, (his bows are in the lid!) and littered with rare memorabilia from throughout his 45 five year career. But what about the Music! Compiler Nigel Scofield has woven a wealth of classics and rarities from throughout Swarb's career into 4 themed and bookletted CD's (all well over 75 mins long). The first of these, 'D is for duo' showcases his work in duos with Martin Carthy, Simon Nichol, A L Lloyd, Kevin Dempsey, Alistair Hulett and Peter Bellamy - with live gems and magical studio rarities. Next, the 'C is for Colloborations' CD, features his group work with the seminal Ian Campbell Folk Group, with Beryl Marriott's influential bands, through his many years with Fairport Convention (bags of rarities here!), and through to Whippersnapper, Eureka! and Band Of Hope. Rarities abound on CD3 - 'E is for Extras'. There's live versions of Swarb classics, new versions of familar songs - an acoustic 'Sloth' for instance, and really early live Fairport material - and his earliest known recording, with Ewan McColl from 1961! The fourth CD 'S is for Swarb', traces the history of Swarb's career through landmark performances with all his major influences and co-musicians, from the early days with Bert, Ewan & his Radio Ballads, through his Campbells & Carthy eras, through the invention of folk-rock and the Fairport years, to the Blue Mountains of Australia, right up to his active present day, with a June 2003 track from his latest USA release! Each CD has its individual set of notes, and is craftily packaged like a violin string pack, through the D,C,E & S titlings allude to 'David Cyril Eric Swarbrick' rather than the 'notes his wires would sing'. This veritable Box of Delights is topped off with a magificent 48 page fiddle-tune book entitled 'Swarb's Merrie Melodies', featuring 28 of his finest compositions, and has full Free Reed Atrax & Naxos catalogues - and there's a write-in freebie of Free Reed's 'Cropredy Chronicles' book - the 48 page history of the festival! Free Reed launch this stunning set at the 2003 Cropredy Festival, where Swarb is one of the main guests! UK Distribution of 'Swarb' is by Proper Music Distribution - tel sales office 0870 444 0800 / fax 0870 444 0801. This unique box-set is priced around £45, thats £1 for each year of Swarb's now legendary career! For more information regarding Swarb! visit www.swarb.com / email swarb@free-reed.co.uk For details of other releases by Free Reed visit their website at www.free-reed.co.uk |