THE real crown jewels of England are not on display in the Tower of London; rather they are the traditional tunes and songs usually attributed to Anon.
So says folk musician Chris Wood, who, with Robert Harbron on concertina and John Dipper on fiddle, makes up the impressive ensemble EAC.
They treated an appreciative audience in Selby on Saturday night to a sublime selection of tunes and songs, some traditional, some their own compositions.
The Cottager's Reply takes a swipe at Yuppies from London willing to part with £500,000 to buy a Cotswolds idyll, while Up In The North warns of the dangers of tarrying while courting.
Wood's delicate guitar playing reminds me of folk legend Martin Carthy - playing notes rather than chords as his fingers dance up and down the frets. His rendition of the powerful folk song, John Barleycorn, inspired by Carthy, stressed its theme of victory over violence.
For the tunes St George's Day and Cuckoo's Nest, Wood plucked two violins at the same time to create a hypnotic counterpoint to Harbron's concertina and Dipper's fiddle.
Maggot, after the German for "ear worm", is used to describe a tune that stays in your head. The Hare's Maggot and Mr Isaac's Maggot were a delight, featuring Wood in full flow on fiddle, while Dipper's Variation On Bacca Pipes/Greensleeves was simply beautiful.
Walk This World, written by Wood to be sung while wassailing, was a strong end to a fine concert that was as English as the lark ascending.
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