[AlterationsContraNews] Fw: [contra-corner] A contra dancer in England reviews KGB CDs
judithc
judithc@tinyonline.co.uk
Sun May 22 15:09:00 2005
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In case you're wondering which KGB CD to buy here's some suggestions =
from Bea . Of course if you still can't decide , then you might just =
have to buy them all..... ( one of my solutions to shopping problems !)=20
Judith=20
----- Original Message -----=20
From: Jim Robb=20
To: Contra-Corner. Org=20
Sent: Monday, May 16, 2005 4:07 PM
Subject: [contra-corner] A contra dancer in England reviews KGB CDs
CD Review by Bea Hawkins
KGB
Contra Intelligence
Volga Notions
In from the Cold
KGB are a contra dance band from the USA who will be visiting Britain at =
the end of May 2005 to play for dancing at Chippenham Festival with Cis =
Hinkle, and then touring the UK playing for contra dances (see elsewhere =
for details). The three members of the band play at least a dozen =
different instruments between them. On the first two CD=92s there are a =
couple of guest musicians on one or two tracks, but the most recent CD =
features a much larger number of guests including England=92s own =
Anthony Bearon (son of Norman and Denise) on trombone.=20
Why do they call themselves KGB? The band members are Julie King, =
Claude Ginsberg and Dave Bartley, but it doesn=92t stop there. All =
three CD=92s feature tunes with distinctly Russian/Eastern European =
influences, but the band draw their inspiration from all over the world, =
many of the tunes composed by the three band members. Not all the =
tracks on the CD=92s can be used for dancing, but then this is true of =
many CD=92s produced by dance bands. Very few bands can afford the =
luxury of producing a CD strictly for dancing. They need to appeal to a =
wider audience to recoup their costs. If you are thinking of using =
tracks for dancing make sure you play them through otherwise you may be =
caught out by changes of rhythm.
Of the thirteen tracks on Contra Intelligence (recorded in 1996) only =
some of them are suitable for dancing, but there are also several =
wonderfully lyrical waltz tracks. Some of the tracks are long (nearly 9 =
minutes for the last track) and there is no information about duration, =
ie how many times through. Track 4 starts with a very English Radstock =
Jig to which one can imagine oneself dancing an elegant Playford era =
dance. This is followed by a short set of polkas on Track 5 to which =
one could dance just about anything that required a brisk tempo. Then =
comes a complete contrast on the next track with a Caribbean influenced =
tune. Track 10 is a set of really traditional reels. All the tracks =
are a pleasure to listen to with a wide variety of influences besides =
Russia.
The sleeve notes to Volga Notions are much more comprehensive, but also =
a little puzzling. The sets of tunes (with the exception of a couple) =
have their dance length listed, and the notes suggest they can be used =
for dancing. Then the next paragraph says that the album is mainly for =
listening! I don=92t think so, this is definitely get-up-and-dance =
music. There is a good range of tempos, and the tunes are well phrased =
for contra dances, with the obligatory waltz tracks interspersed. If =
you want a CD for contra dancing at your club, then this is the one to =
buy.
The latest CD, In From the Cold, produced in 2004 starts off by having =
different packaging. Instead of the usual jewel case and fiddly =
inserts, this is a fold-out card mounted case, with comprehensive notes. =
Here, the notes do say that these are tunes played by the band at =
dances, but put into a concert setting, so not strict tempo on this =
recording, and with some very varied arrangements and influences. This =
CD features a lot of tunes written by band member, Dave Bartley, with =
only two tunes listed as traditional and two by the other band members. =
Track 5 is a waltz to die for! But then I=92m biased, as I love dances =
in waltz time and triple time. In some ways, if you are a dancer you =
will find this CD a little frustrating as there are snatches of very =
danceable tunes, but not in a useable form. This is probably one to =
have on your car CD player as I guarantee it will make your journey a =
whole lot more pleasant, and put you in the right mood for that dance =
festival you are travelling to.
The CD=92s will be available at Chippenham Festival and at their other =
gigs, but if you can=92t make Chippenham or one of the gigs, then =
contact Jim Robb (01480 391288 or jimrobb@ntlworld.com ) and he will =
point you in the right direction. The band have a website, =
www.kgbmole.com/kgb where you may also be able to order CD=92s.
=20
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<DIV><FONT size=3D2>In case you're wondering which KGB CD to buy here's =
some=20
suggestions from Bea . Of course if you still can't decide , then you =
might just=20
have to buy them all..... ( one of my solutions to shopping problems !)=20
<BR></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2>Judith </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2> </DIV></FONT>
<DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message -----=20
<DIV style=3D"BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; font-color: black"><B>From:</B> <A=20
title=3Djimrobb@ntlworld.com href=3D"mailto:jimrobb@ntlworld.com">Jim =
Robb</A>=20
</DIV>
<DIV><B>To:</B> <A title=3Dcontra-corner@barndance.org=20
href=3D"mailto:contra-corner@barndance.org">Contra-Corner. Org</A> =
</DIV>
<DIV><B>Sent:</B> Monday, May 16, 2005 4:07 PM</DIV>
<DIV><B>Subject:</B> [contra-corner] A contra dancer in England reviews =
KGB=20
CDs</DIV></DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<P><FONT size=3D2><STRONG><FONT size=3D3>CD Review by Bea=20
Hawkins<BR><BR>KGB<BR><BR>Contra Intelligence<BR>Volga Notions<BR>In =
from the=20
Cold<BR></FONT></STRONG><BR><BR></FONT><FONT size=3D3>KGB are a contra =
dance band=20
from the USA who will be visiting Britain at the end of May 2005 to play =
for=20
dancing at Chippenham Festival with Cis Hinkle, and then touring the UK =
playing=20
for contra dances (see elsewhere for details). The three members =
of the=20
band play at least a dozen different instruments between them. On =
the=20
first two CD=92s there are a couple of guest musicians on one or two =
tracks, but=20
the most recent CD features a much larger number of guests including =
England=92s=20
own Anthony Bearon (son of Norman and Denise) on =
trombone. <BR><BR>Why do=20
they call themselves KGB? The band members are Julie=20
<STRONG><U>K</U></STRONG>ing, Claude <STRONG><U>G</U></STRONG>insberg =
and Dave=20
<STRONG><U>B</U></STRONG>artley, but it doesn=92t stop there. All =
three CD=92s=20
feature tunes with distinctly Russian/Eastern European influences, but =
the band=20
draw their inspiration from all over the world, many of the tunes =
composed by=20
the three band members. Not all the tracks on the CD=92s can be =
used for=20
dancing, but then this is true of many CD=92s produced by dance =
bands. Very=20
few bands can afford the luxury of producing a CD strictly for =
dancing. =20
They need to appeal to a wider audience to recoup their costs. If =
you are=20
thinking of using tracks for dancing make sure you play them through =
otherwise=20
you may be caught out by changes of rhythm.<BR><BR>Of the thirteen =
tracks on=20
<STRONG>Contra Intelligence</STRONG> (recorded in 1996) only some of =
them are=20
suitable for dancing, but there are also several wonderfully lyrical =
waltz=20
tracks. Some of the tracks are long (nearly 9 minutes for the last =
track)=20
and there is no information about duration, ie how many times through. =
Track 4=20
starts with a very English Radstock Jig to which one can imagine oneself =
dancing=20
an elegant Playford era dance. This is followed by a short =
set of=20
polkas on Track 5 to which one could dance just about anything that =
required a=20
brisk tempo. Then comes a complete contrast on the next track with =
a=20
Caribbean influenced tune. Track 10 is a set of really traditional =
reels. All the tracks are a pleasure to listen to with a wide =
variety of=20
influences besides Russia.<BR><BR>The sleeve notes to <STRONG>Volga=20
Notions</STRONG> are much more comprehensive, but also a little =
puzzling. =20
The sets of tunes (with the exception of a couple) have their dance =
length=20
listed, and the notes suggest they can be used for dancing. Then =
the next=20
paragraph says that the album is mainly for listening! I don=92t =
think so,=20
<STRONG>this is definitely get-up-and-dance music</STRONG>. There =
is a=20
good range of tempos, and the tunes are well phrased for contra dances, =
with the=20
obligatory waltz tracks interspersed. If you want a CD for contra =
dancing=20
at your club, then this is the one to buy.<BR><BR>The latest CD, =
<STRONG>In From=20
the Cold</STRONG>, produced in 2004 starts off by having different=20
packaging. Instead of the usual jewel case and fiddly inserts, =
this is a=20
fold-out card mounted case, with comprehensive notes. Here, the =
notes do=20
say that these are tunes played by the band at dances, but put into a =
concert=20
setting, so not strict tempo on this recording, and with some very =
varied=20
arrangements and influences. This CD features a lot of tunes =
written by=20
band member, Dave Bartley, with only two tunes listed as traditional and =
two by=20
the other band members. Track 5 is a waltz to die for! But =
then I=92m=20
biased, as I love dances in waltz time and triple time. In some =
ways, if=20
you are a dancer you will find this CD a little frustrating as there are =
snatches of very danceable tunes, but not in a useable form. This =
is=20
probably one to have on your car CD player as I guarantee it will make =
your=20
journey a whole lot more pleasant, and put you in the right mood for =
that dance=20
festival you are travelling to.<BR><BR>The CD=92s will be available at =
Chippenham=20
Festival and at their other gigs, but if you can=92t make Chippenham or =
one of the=20
gigs, then contact Jim Robb (01480 391288 or <A=20
href=3D"mailto:jimrobb@ntlworld.com">jimrobb@ntlworld.com</A> ) and he =
will point=20
you in the right direction. The band have a website, <A=20
href=3D"http://www.kgbmole.com/kgb">www.kgbmole.com/kgb</A> where =
you may=20
also be able to order CD=92s.<BR> </FONT></P></BODY></HTML>
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