Martin Carthy
The Lowry, 15 April 2012
Not just a national treasure, Martin Carthy is also very much a treasury of songs and tunes, all ancient, wondrous and fine.
They retain a mystery, these folk songs and ballads: the detritus of history and human experience clings to them still. Martin Carthy didn’t so much share or perform the songs as bring them to life, showing us in doing so the faces and the hearts of our ancestors, our forefathers and mothers. He acted as a vital connection to the past, to a community of people not unlike ourselves.
Nor should I neglect to mention what a fine musician Martin Carthy is. And his guitar-less performance of Adam McNaughton’s Hamlet song was exhilarating! There’s a link that song here.
Martin Carthy’s UK tour continues apace, details here.
Jildy Sauce 