and related musicians.
This page also includes the English Country Dance Band and
Token Women,
Rod Stradling and Jo Freya.
The Old Swan Band at the Bedford Hotel, Sidmouth Festival, 2004.
Left to right: Heather, John, Neil, Jo, Martin, Flos, Paul, Fi.
Picture copyright (c) S. Farthing 2004.
The Old Swan Band were formed in 1974 by Melodeon player Rod Stradling and others. The band emerged from sessions in a pub in Cheltenham, The Old Swan in 1973. Among those present with Rod Stradling were Martin Brinsford and Fi (pronounced "Fee") Fraser and her sister Jo Fraser, then young teenagers.
Between 1977 and 1981 the band recorded and released three LPs. Over this period the principal members (and instruments) were Rod Stradling (melodeon), Fi Fraser (fiddle), Jo Fraser (whistles), Martin Brinsford (percussion, mouth organ).
They recorded their first album "No Reels" in 1977. So called because at the time the band avoided high speed reel tunes.
The second album "Old Swan Brand" was recorded 1978-9. This included a bass trombone played by Mel Dean on some tracks, and the album included some songs.
The LP "Gamesters Pickpockets and Harlots" was recorded and released in 1981. This included additional fiddle player, Paul Burgess, and some tracks included a piano in the backing.
In 1982 Rod Stradling left and there was a significant difference in the music now due to the absence of a melodeon.
(Rod later formed the English Country Dance Band with Paul Burgess.)
Flos Headford joined, giving the band a line up featuring three fiddles.
Trombone player John Adams joined. This brought 'brass' into the band as a permanent element, though there had previously been occasional use of bass trombone by Mel Dean.
The band now consisted of: Fi Fraser, Jo Fraser, Martin Brinsford, Paul Burgess, Flos Headford and John Adams.
An E.P named The Old Swan Band was recorded with this line-up in 1983. The most recent available recording of the band, and the only one without Rod Stradling.
There is a CD with a large amount of their
recorded material, 23 tracks and 78 minutes long, and is excellent value. The
title is "Still Swanning... (after
all these years)". All the material was recorded before the end of 1983
and most includes Rod Stradling but two tracks from 1983 reveal the sound of
the band after he left. The cover gives little clue about its contents and could
easily be overlooked in a record shop. It has a booklet with a lot of history
about the band and was the source of much of the information on this page.
One account says the Old Swan Band folded in 1984. Martin Brinsford joined Brass Monkey around this time. In fact the band continued to get together occasionally despite the members living in different parts of the country and Heather Viga joined on piano.
Some time in the following years Jo Fraser progressed to playing saxophones in the band and in the late 80's changed her name to Jo Freya.
Neil Gledhill joined in 1989 playing bass saxophone, thus furthering the distinctive brass content of the band.
The line-up was now Fi Fraser (fiddles), Jo Freya (whistles and sax), Martin Brinsford, (mouth organ, percussion), Paul Burgess, Flos Headford, John Adams (trombone), Heather Viga (piano), Neil Gledhill (bass saxophone).
There have been no changes to the band's line-up since (as in 2004).
2004 is the 30th anniversary of the Old Swan Band and they held a special events at the final ceili at Sidmouth Festival with a number of former members appearing including notably Rod Stradling. (See picture elsewhere on this page).
There is a new C.D. Swan-Upmanship, the first new recording since 1983 over 20 years ago. It is great music typical of their live performances, and mostly traditional tunes. It also has a good long playing time of nearly 60 minutes.
Jo Freya's web site Includes an official Old Swan Band web page with contact details.
The English Country Dance Band consists almost entirely of former and current members of The Old Swan Band.
Left to right on picture:
Rod Stradling -Melodeon
Flos Headford - Fiddle
Jane Burgess - Fiddle, caller
Martin Brinsford - Percussion, mouth organ
Paul Burgess - Fiddle, piano
The most perfect English country dance music you are ever likely to hear at a ceili.
There is just one CD available by the English Country Dance Band, "Barn Dance". It is arranged in tracks consisting of sets of tunes for dancing and includes the instructions to the dances in the accompanying booklet. The CD cover is rather bland, and does little to convey the excitement of the music itself. Like the Old Swan Band CD it might easily be overlooked in a record shop, but in any case it later became available only direct from the band.
Sadly at the time of writing (2003) the English Country Dance Band has disbanded.
Rod Stradling's Music Traditions web site
Must be regarded as the founder of the Old
Swan Band which in turn has led to a whole revival of English country dance
music - his intention at the time. Left the Old Swan Band in 1982 and later
became a founder member of the English Country Dance Band. He is a highly respected
melodeon player.
The picture shows Rod appearing with the Old Swan Band's 30th anniversary celebration at Sidmouth Festival, 2004. Copyright (c) S. Farthing 2004.
Rod Stradling's web site, Music Traditions: www.mustrad.org.uk
Dare I say it? An all-woman version of the Old Swan Band? Well there are similarities. Multiple fiddles, brass, and even three members in common with both bands. Line-up in 2003:
Jackie Allen - Fiddle, Viola
Alice Kinloch - Tuba, Trombone, Euphonium
Fi Fraser - Fiddle, Clarinet
Jo Freya - Saxes, Clarinets, Whistles
Jo May - Percussion
Heather Horsley (formerly Viga) - Keyboard, flute.
They play mainly traditional English music but include some of their own compositions and other European music. All instrumental of course at ceilis with Jo Freya as a very able caller and mainly playing saxes once the dancing gets going. "All band members can sing". This suggests they may include songs at concerts and on their CDs.
For more information see Jo Freya's web site.
One of the original participants in the Old Swan sessions as a young teenager, then named Jo Fraser, and with sister Fi. Has been a constant member of the Old Swan Band, and progressed from playing whistles to becoming an excellent sax player, particularly excelling, in my view, on the alto sax/clarinet type of instrument. Has been a member of Blowzabella, a highly respected band of musicians many of whom are famous in their own right. Also an able caller, for example with Token Women, effortlessly setting up the dances efficiently without too much waiting around.
Although Jo Freya has appeared on many CDs in her role in other bands, this
is the only CD entirely in her own name. Traditional Songs of England, recorded
in 1992, is outstanding because of the superb instrumental backing from a large
ensemble of top instrumentalists including Flos Headford and Paul Burgess, and
the Rose Consort of Viols. No synthesisers, drum machines or even electric guitars
here! I also like the choice of material, being all traditional songs, and it
has approximately 70 minutes playing time.
Personnel on the CD: Jo Freya: voice, whistle |
Here are some selected search results for the Old Swan Band.
The following sites were checked and still present in August 2003.
www.folkmusic.net/htmfiles/webrevs/frcd31.htm - a review of the Old Swan Band CD.
About ECMW
www.mustrad.org.uk/ecmw_abt.htm
shindy::arts
- the fraser sisters official homepage
www.danceav.freeserve.co.uk/fraser/fsmain.htm
ophiuchvs's
Home Page
www.oocities.org/SunsetStrip/Alley/1993/CafeSol.html
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