Dave Swarbrick (Fairport Convention), Weber, Acoustic Music Co

[trevor]

I don't know how to put this any better so here's my Facebook page entry on this.

I am delighted, cockahoop and over the moon to have the legendary, one and only Swarb (aka Dave Swarbrick) as a TAMCO and Weber Mandolins sponsor. Whether you were born with the Fairports as a background (or foreground) to your life or discovered them later there’s no denying their influence on folk and pop/rock and their catalogue of great music. Swarb is a major influence in fiddling and plays a mean mandolin.

Matty Groves from Leige and Leif is one of my all time favourite pieces of music. Just listen to Swarb going for it on that fabulous ending.

[mandotim1955]

Quite a coup, Trevor!

[amowry]

Very cool, Trevor! I Grew up listening to Fairport, too, and Swarb was always a hero of mine. One of my first forays into luthiery 25 years ago was building an electric violin so I could sound like him! Sadly, I'll never reach that goal

[mandocrucian]

Swarb... one of the two or three major inspirations for me to start plunking. (RT was another, Renbourn to a lesser extent.)

fwi: The only time I ever really experienced an MAS-type moment in 40 years was some 10 years ago (?) when Swarbrick had his Whippersnapper era electric violin up on Ebay. Struck me with full-blown Gollum irrationality.... "the precious, the precious, it should be mine."

[Marcus CA]

Any chance you could post the video either on your website or on YouTube?

I got to see Swarb on Fairport's reunion tour with Sandy Denny in the mid-70's. Fantastic show! Swarb was so dynamic that he kept drawing my eyes away from Sandy, which says a lot.

[Steve L]

There's an old live recording of he and Martin Carthy where he backs Carthy singing "Broomfield Hill". It's "just" mandolin and voice and Swarb doesn't play chords but weaves in and around the melody. It's absolutely wonderful. He's inspired a lot of us here I'm sure.

[Dave Hanson]

If you like Dave Swarbrick, get hold of the CD, ' Rags, Reels and Airs ', major mandolin content from Swarb, plus Martin Carthy and Diz Disley accompanying.

Dave H

[Dagger Gordon]

Listen to this mandolin playing.

http://www.myspace.com/music/player?sid=82530593&ac=now

[blueron]

I was lucky enough to see Fairport Convention live a few times in Glasgow in the mid-seventies. They were a wonderful combo, but there was never any doubt who the real hero of live shows was, the diminutive dynamo Dave Swarbrick. I never associated him with the mandolin until now. Thanks for filling in that gap.

ron

[Ivan Kelsall]

Trevor - I wish i had a £ for every time i've seen Dave Swarbrick & Martin Carthy together at the MSG in Manchester. They were very regular visitors & always packed the place. I remember one night when DS showed up with a mandolin for the first time - i was blown away by his playing,not Bluegrass that's for sure,but superb musicianship transcends any genre,& Swarbie's one of the greatest. A wonderful musician & an even greater 'character'. The record that DS & MC made with Diz Disley, "Rags,Reels & Airs",should be on the shopping list of every aspiring 'Folk' style mandolin player,if not ALL mandolin players.As for his Fiddle playing,he can make his Fiddle sing in a manner that very,very few people i've ever heard can - well done Trevor,
Ivan

[Richard.g.hampton]

Oh, The Swarb can play....how's this for the epitome of cool?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6r8hnls2Wbk

Richard

[Dave Hanson]

Incidently, Martin Carthy also plays mandolin.

Dave H

[Darren Bailey]

Dave is a real hero of mine. Your thread gives me the opportunity to post this picture I had taken with him which I'm very proud of.

[John Uhrig]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZKqGX...yer_detailpage
This is one I really like

[coelhoe]

Played a couple of gigs in late '65 in Denmark on the same bill with Ian Campbell Folk Group, which included Swarb. A little jamming back stage in the warm-up room on mando and fiddle, nice as you please. I hear Swarb in nearly all of my own fiddle playing, his imprint is so strong. Picked up "Rights of Man" from him on mando one night. Recently got his latest "Raison d'etre" album from him.

[Marcus CA]

Outstanding video post, John! It really shows the trail that Swarb was blazing back then. As much as I like the opening mando tune --- with the bulky pickup in that vintage pumpkin Gibson A --- in the second piece, you really see how he was totally on fire with the fiddle.

[John Uhrig]

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/dA6Uq65YorQ" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Here is another one This was posted elswhere on the cafe but I just had to share it again

[John Uhrig]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dA6Uq65YorQ

Lets try that again