Pavane

Here is the captivating sequel to The Fairie Round - and Shelley Phillips once again dazzles the ears with her work on oboe, harp, English horn, recorders and pennywhistle. With her talented friends including Barry Phillips, William Coulter, special guests Linda Waterfall and Harris Moore, and others, on guitar, cello, flute and more, she presents enchanting instrumental arrangements of folk, traditional, classical and contemporary music from England, Wales, Ireland, Scotland and Brittany. Indie Award (AFIM) nominee 1995.

Elizabethan songs (When Laura Smiles, It Was a Lover and His Lasse), Renaissance dances (Pavane and Galliard, Courante), traditional Celtic airs (Sally Gardens, The Faerie Queene, The Parting Glass) and Breton rondes are among the delights you'll discover on this charming album by one of Gourd's favorite artists. Album Description

Pastime With Good Company

Shelley Phillips credentials are quite remarkable. She plays harp, recorders, oboe, English horn, and whistle. Not just to dabble, but very well indeed. She is a member of several consorts, appears on an armload of recordings, and directs the Santa Cruz Community Music School. Whew!! And if you take the time to read the liner notes on this album (my favorite) wou will discover she has a far roving ear and eye, and despite a strong fondness for celtic work, is quite capable of performing Faure, Ralph Vaughan Williams, and a few friends as well.

Her chief accompanist is Barry Phillips, who plays enough instruments to make an ensemble between the two. But the cast includes many others, including an appearance by William Coulter. Seriously, if the music making on this album does not satisfy you, there is nothing to be done for it. Phillips wavers back and forth between original instruments and some fairly daring arrangements. Which makes the albums more than just an idle pastime.

Frankly though, this is light music - no distressing airs permitted. Much dance music, and a few things that very well could be. A sunny spirited album that reminds us that our ancestors knew how to have a good time. This is the kind of thing that we used to get together in college and rattle out on the back steps and stairwell. Not so well played (well, some of us played well) but in the spirit of entertainment and edification.

The last thing I expected when starting this review is that I would have an attack of nostalgia, but there it is. Phillips has a knack of drawing out the nature of the music rather than producing academic performances, and avoiding over production as well. This is extremely accessible work - buy all means give it a listen. June 29, 2004

A delight and a treat

The very talented musician Shelley Phillips delivers a consistently wonderful offering of traditional instrumental tunes, most of Celtic and European origin. She is one of the extremely talented group of musicians who comprise groups like Orison and Northern Lights, and all of their work is a musical feast. This is no exception. A CD to be treasured and listened to often. October 9, 1998

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