Harbourtown Records Catalogue

All Titles are £12.00 plus £1.00 Postage and Packing

HARCD 001 - PETE MORTON - "Frivolous Love"  HARCD 001 - CDR ONLY

PETE MORTON - "Frivolous Love”

Tracks: The Sloth and the Greed / Mother's Day / The Last God of England / Time / Tamlyn / A Babe of the World / Without Thinking Love / Rachel / Just Like John Barleycorn

Pete Morton was voted "most promising artist" by Folk Roots magazine's readers in 1987 and is distinguished from his contemporaries not only by his stage presence but also in the startling energy which he displays in the interpretation of both his own songs and the many traditional songs he has breathed new life into.

"Eleven of Pete's most popular songs digitally recorded with just voice and guitar, full tilt with all his usual power. It's a blinder quite simply the best debut record by a singer/songwriter out of the British folk club scene in recent memory. That's how to make records!” (Folk Roots)

  HARCD 002 - CDR ONLY

ROGER WILSON - "The Palm of Your Hand”

Tracks: John Henry / John Hilt's - Richmond - The Peg in the Hole / Mother's Day / Ramble Away / The Unlikely Trip - The Gumble Waltz / Jack Frazer and Lucy Brown / Don't You Go / The Cotton Reel - The Trip to Windsor - McKerron's / Sleepy eyed John / The Great Titanic / My Laddie Sits Ower Late Up.

A young singer and musician with the ability to present a large repertoire of largely traditional British and American material in a vibrant and exciting style based on consummate musicianship.

Roger Wilson (vocal, guitar), Karen Tweed (accordion), Pete Townsend (double bass), Jan Jodelko (drums).

"This year's (1988) best album by anyone in the acoustic field could well turn out to be "The Palm of Your Hand", Roger Wilson's debut..... ..Roger's strength is a creative musicianship, you can hear it in every arrangement......The record is a landmark within the territory of a new generation exploring song with acoustic foundations.”

  HARCD 003 - CDR ONLY

JANET RUSSELL - "Gathering The Fragments"

Tracks: Old Woman is Watching / The Children Are Running / The Blude Red Rose / The Band of Shearers- The Musical Priest - The Wind That Shakes the Barley / The Hills of Ardmorn / All the Tunes in the World / The Secretary's Song / Sanctuary / Fast Bright Nights / Choices / Land of the Leal / Curtain Call.

Janet Russell is the latest in an illustrious line of women singers from Scotland. Steeped in traditional song and music but also open to the most recent musical influences, Janet stresses the unity of old and new songs and interweaves them seamlessly in her repertoire.

"Janet's guitar and voice are complemented by some classy fiddle from Tom McConville and Paul Stevens, with further backing from Mary MacMaster, Sally Barker, the late Nick Keir and Jack Evans. The result is a most enjoyable album of thought provoking lyric and musical excellence."

  HARCD 004

PETE MORTON - "One Big Joke"

Tracks: The Prisoner / Simple Love / Water from the Houses of our Fathers / The First Day / The Little Boy's Room / Another Train / Lucy / The Old Grey Moon / One Big Joke / Girls Like You / River of Love / Somewhere in Love / Live Your Life.

A second album from Pete Morton, this time with a band, Roger Wilson (fiddle), Simon Edwards (button accordion, piano), Hester Goodman (ukulele), Mickey Firebird (electric guitar).

"This man's lyrics are so strong, his tunes so straightforwardly direct and clearly influenced by our roots, his vocal delivery so awe inspiring! This guy is among the best the British roots music scene has produced in living memory."

HARCD 005 - BRIAN PETERS - "Fools of Fortune"  HARCD 005 - Currently Out of Print

BRIAN PETERS - "Fools of Fortune"

Tracks: The Lost Fourteen Hundred / Schottis Fran Norbotten / The Oldham White Hare / A Swedish Dance - Sherwood Forest - La Belle Halimande / John Barbour / The Northern Lass / Dallas Rag / The Last God of England / Shelter :From the Storm / Doed a Ddel - Ap Siencyn - Mopsi Don / Sir Patrick Spens / The Unquiet Grave.

Brian Peters is a singer and instrumentalist who has made a considerable impact on the British folk scene in recent years. Although his roots are firmly in the tradition Brian has absorbed a variety of other influences, approaching his material with great vigour and inventiveness. "Fools of Fortune" sees Brian performing solo on several tracks, but on others he is supported by long-standing musical associates - his regular duo partner, fiddle player Jamie Knowles, his occasional country blues band The Mossley Dukes, jazz rock musician Mike Nacey on bass and Dave Shaw on Northumbrian pipes.

"An album of strong songs, surprises and good music from the big songs of the tradition to anglo concertina ragtime, via cajun accordion.”

"Fools of Fortune" was awarded the Music Retailers Association Award for Excellence in 1990.

HARCD006 - GEORGE FAUX - "Time For a Laugh and a Song”   HAR 006 - Vinyl LP - No Longer Available

GEORGE FAUX - "Time For a Laugh and a Song” 

Tracks: The Birthday Reel - MacDonald's / Farewell to the Building - The Cultural Dessert / Kellswater / Parker's Fancy - Johnson's / Farewell to London / Artesian Water / Legget's Reel - The Old Grey Cat / Do Me Amma / The Gallant Brigantine - Dominic's March / Time For a Laugh and a Song.

George Faux was well known known for his work as a fiddle player in a series of 'quality' innovative bands, notably Shegui, Hom Bru and Red Shift. As a solo performer George built a fine reputation for himself as a wonderful musician and no mean singer and writer of both tunes and songs. This debut album is a mixture of tunes and songs - some traditional, some contemporary and some self-penned - all of which are played with an obvious enjoyment of performanc and are a delightful and atmospheric proof of George's abilities. 

"An album that sees tradition treated with respect but manages not to be overwhelmed by it....the results that grace this release cannot fail to fill you with delight....A crisp clear production adds a steely concision to both songs and tunes.”

HARCD 0053 - FIDDLIN' BOOTS BARFIELD AND THE BOAT BAND - "Back up and Push”  HAR 007 - Vinyl LP - No Longer Available

FIDDLIN' BOOTS BARFIELD AND THE BOAT BAND - "Back up and Push”

Now Reissued On The Double CD Set - “Take Me Over the Tide” HARCD 053

Tracks: Bechet Rhumba / The Onions / Bright Morning Stars / Gumbo Frog / Trouble in Mind / Cripple Creek - Old Joe Clark - Kitchen Girl / Pig Ankle Rag / Dink's Song / Back up and Push / Balma Mines / Single Girl / Magic Island Merengue.

The Boat Band are a good time band of indeterminate size and instrumentation, equally at home on the concert stage or adding music to all kinds of celebratory outdoor events. Their name comes partly from their annual seagoing tour of the Western Isles of Scotland playing wherever they make landfall.

It's cajun, it's Bahamian, it's extremely danceable mayhem, gently leavened with some very atmospheric songs. 

Recorded live in a large shed at the canalside, where a good time was had by all.

  HARC 008 - Compact Cassette - No Longer Available

JIM WOODLAND - "Miracles"

Tracks: Padlocks / Her Indoors / Berlin Wall / This is the Outside / Taking Her Away / The Academic / One and One / Bright Rooms / Happy Happy Happy / Miracles / You Can Dance / Flower and the Seed.

Jim Woodland is simply one of the best songwriters around! He has a history in rock music, cabaret, theatre and the contemporary folk circuit. 

"He has chosen to present himself in a solo setting for this album, just singing to his own guitar or piano accompaniment, and there's enough in Jim's words and tunes to engage the ear on their own, not a dud amongst the twelve presented here."

  HARCD 009

FRANKIE ARMSTRONG - "Ways of Seeing"

Tracks: Ja Helo / Ways of Seeing / Meeting / Girl in a Garden / Zaspo Janko / A Soothing Croon / Low Ground / Dead Leaves / Message From Mother Earth / Bread and Roses / I Only Believe in Miracles / Seven Gates / We Are Women / The Trial / The Pearl / Weave and Mend / Shto me e Milo / Shall There be Womanly Times.

"You'd be hard pressed to find a singer with a voice as powerful, versatile and expressive....Frankie has the remarkable ability to vividly convey the imagery of a song, capture and project it's every nuance, and perfectly exploit the natural tensions of lyric and melody, always giving her words space to breathe”. 

"Ways of Seeing" is a powerful set of live concert recordings featuring Frankie singing on her own, in duets and with up to ten other women.

  HARC 010 - No Longer Available

HARBOURTOWN SAMPLER CD 1

  HARCD 011 - Currently Out of Print

SARA GREY - "Promises to Keep"

Tracks: I Love You Well / Lakes of Champlain / La Belle Riviere / Sweet William's Ghost / Jenny's Gone to Ohio - Cider Mill / Oh Death / Dry Stone Walls / Lady of Carlisle / Mervin Barr / The Sky / Going Away / Sunrise / Nice Like That.

There are certain singers who have been involved with traditional music over many years for whom the arts of a singer and a story teller merge to produce a web of tales and songs capable of transporting an audience from a club room to the intimacy of a kitchen fireside - Sara Grey is one of these singers. She is also a leading exponent of old time banjo tunes and styles. 

"Twenty years into her career as a recording artist and Sara Grey comes up with her best album!”

  HAR 012 - Unreleased Project

  HARCD 013 - CDR ONLY

SISTERS UNLIMITED - "No Limits"

Tracks: No Going Back / Promises / Breastfeeding Baby in the Park / Tomorrow / Mouth Music / My Better Years / Working Girl Blues / Old and Strong / My True Love Once / When I Was Single / On Children / No Man's Momma / Forgive and Forget / We Were There.

Four Women, Peta Webb, Sandra Kerr, Rosie Davis and Janet Russell, fine singers all, with four separate and highly respected individual careers already well established, join forces in this powerful musical statement of their combined abilities and experiences.

  HAR 014 - Unreleased Project

HAR 015 - Vinyl LP - No Longer Available

THE BOAT BAND - "Take Me Over the Tide”

Now Reissued On The Double CD Set - “Take Me Over the Tide” HARCD 053

Tracks: The Captain Go Ashore / J'ai Ete au Bal / Shallow Brown / Woodchopper's Reel - Lancaster Hornpipe - Harbinger Hornpipe / Crawdad Song / Muntilor / The Lady in the Boat - The New Rigged Ship - The Ship in Full Sail / The Ship in Distress / Soldier's Joy - Miss McLeod's Reel - Fairy Dance / Run Come See Jerusalem / Mama Rosin / Take Me Over the Tide.

A second outing from the ever boisterous, never quite predictable Boat Band. Much more 'boat' material on this time including a tune utilising trombones (Muntilor) which they say they use as a foghorn on board the good ship Harbinger in bad visibility in the Irish Sea! 

This album uses more brass instruments than the first one and is again a live recording in "The Shed".

  HAR 016 - Vinyl LP - No Longer Available

PETE MORTON / ROGER WILSON / SIMON EDWARDS - "Urban Folk Vol. 1"

Now Reissued On The Double CD "Urban Folk Volume II "Self Destructive Fools" - HARCD 032

Tracks: Love's Trainee (part one) / The Fox / Hey Joe / Lord Randall / Absent Love / Old Joe Clark - The Louisiana Two Step / Delia / Bleak Mist / Rambleaway / False Bride / Shadow of an Absent Friend / It Takes a Lot to Laugh, it Takes a Train to Cry.

Three of the strongest young artists of the British acoustic music scene combine to produce a true 'project album'. A musical landmark for their generation.

  HARCD 017 - CDR ONLY

DAVE GOULDER - "Stone Steam and Starlings"

Tracks: The Clearing Place / The Carter / Stone on Stone / These Dry Stone Walls / Go From My Window / Proper Little Gent / Linden Lea / The Colours / Seven Summers / Friar in the Well / Sally Gardens /Follower / I Will Go With My Father A'Ploughing / Forth Bridge / Footplate Cuisine / Boy in Winter

Dave Goulder's seventh album - His first with Harbourtown Records. Recorded in America with Gordon Bok and Carol Rohl.

  HARCD 018

PETE MORTON - "Mad World Blues"

Tracks: Mad World Blues / Songbird / Kurdistan / It Is What It Is / Down To Earth / John Barleycorn / People who Go Under / Patriotic Claptrap/ Malnutrition at Standing Rock / Keys To Love / Crazy Man / Katie.

Here is Pete Morton's third album. The first two "Frivolous Love" (HAR 001) and "One Big Joke" (HAR 004) were unequivocal successes on every level with universally glowing reviews and Pete being voted artist/songwriter most likely to.....' all over the place. He's been in great demand throughout Europe and North America since these early triumphs. 

Pete recorded this album with a band line-up of two acoustic guitars, fretless bass and drums, helped along by some fabulous backup in the vocal department from Sally Barker.

  HARCD 019

THE HOUSE BAND - "Stonetown"

Tracks: Skepper Schotish - Schotish fra Lyo / The Lonesome Drunkard's Walk - Stonetown / Eliziza - Air / Sundays Best / New Tobacco - The Rolling Waves - Ryans / The Final Trawl / The Killybegs Highland - Charlie O'Neills - Rond de Loudeac / Here Come The Weak - On The Turn / Hernon's - The Phoenix / Geordie / Wals Voor Polle / Baldazka - Horo

Ged Foley (vocals, guitar, Northumbrian pipes), Chris Parkinson (vocals, melodeon, keyboards, harmonica) and John Skelton (flute, whistle, bombarde, bodhran) are three musicians united in the belief that traditional music can be exiting, complex and above all relevant. 

Stonetown is their fourth album and bodes to be their most successful yet, with a move to a more live and immediate sound reflecting their powerful appearances on the international concert stage.

  HAR 020 - Vinyl LP - No Longer Available

Now Reissued on CD - HARCD 055

THE WILSON FAMILY - "The Wilson Family Album"

Tracks: John Barleycorn / The Mistress's Health / Beggars Carol / May Garlands / Thyme / The Jolly Ploughboys / Bay of Mexico / Sweep Chimney Sweep / Byker Hill / Young Banker / Hawks and Eagles / Children of Africa / Somewhere in Japan / Think Again / Big Steamers / Nelson's Death and Victory / Close the Coalhouse Door

The Wilson Family is an instantly recognisable and unfailingly popular feature of the English folk festival and club scene. Born and bred in Billingham with the heavy industries of Teesside all around and the Durham coalfield to the North, the five Wilson brothers have developed a uniquely muscular approach to the art of unaccompanied harmony singing. 

Like other family groups such as the Watersons and the Coppers - both of whom remain major influences - The Wilsons have an instinctive mutual understanding. They sing as they feel, and the sheer power of these five voices is awesome. At last The Wilson Family has set down a collection of their own favourites, and they have never sounded better. 

Here is a collection of songs drawn from an enormous repertoire and refined by years of performance delivered with a conviction driven by a love of song and the very joy of singing - the wait has surely been worthwhile!

  HARCD 021

BRIAN PETERS - "The Seeds of Time"

Tracks: The Manchester Jig - Welcome Home - The Pippingo Reel / History Lesson / Living in the Past That Never Was / Cropper Lads / Kitty Fisher - My Lad's Ower Bonny For the Coal Trade - Coffee and Tea / The Lowlands of Holland / The Box in the Attic - Northern Nanny - The Low Flier / A Servant of the Company - Sir William Stanier's Favourite / Lovely Joan / The Oyster Girl - The Lad With the Trousers on - Mad Moll / False Foudrage / Old Haile Hornpipe / Padlocks / The Ruins By the Shore / The Dark Island - The Arran Boat.

Brian Peters second album for Harbourtown Records. Over an hour of music, much of it drawn from the British tradition but also including items by contemporary writers, presented in a range of styles from unaccompanied to wild arrangements. Epic ballads rub shoulders with songs about today's issues and dynamic squeezebox tunes in a combination mixing simplicity with adventure, and eclecticism with strong local roots.

  HARC 022 - Compact Cassette - No Longer Available

J.C. GALLOW AND THE BOAT BAND - "Fais Pas Ca”

Now Reissued On The Double CD Set - “Back Deck Blues” HARCD 036

Tracks: Eunice Two Step / Cherokee Waltz / She Worries Me / Animal Zoo / Church Point Two Step / Bayou Teche / Mardi Gras Song / Zydeco Cha Cha / Les Traces de Mon Boghei / Devillier Two Step / Zydeco Run / Tous Les Temps en Temps / Hee Haw Breakdown / Les Deux Jumeaux

The Boat Band have turned their hands to Cajun and Zydeco in the last year and have become highly acclaimed amongst British Cajun musicians.

Having imported J. C. Gallow from Louisiana - a genuine rub-board playing singing Zydeco dance instructor - they've become much more than an English Cajun band. 

Here's 14 tracks of a great mixture of Cajun and Zydeco from a band that sounds like it means business!!

  HARCD 023

JUNGR AND PARKER - "Canada"

Tracks: Canada / Nothing Through the Letterbox Today / One Step Away From My Heart / Nights in a Suitcase / 21 Years / The Chosen One / Walking Wounded / It's Not There / You Can't Win 'em All / The End of the Line / Whatever You Do / Al Fresco / That's What Friends Are For

Barb Jungr: Vocals, harmonica, mandolin, percussion
Michael Parker: Vocals, guitar, ukulele, banjo, cornet, piano, bass
Roger Watson: Melodeons
Christine Collister and Ian Shaw: Backing vocals

Barb Jungr and Michael Parker broke into their busy schedule of Radio and T.V. work, a season at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and of course their concert and club appearances to record this album for Harbourtown. 

Their third recording and certainly their best to date - great original songs and superb performances including guests Christine Collister, Ian Shaw, Roger Watson and John Moloney.

  HARCD 024

CAUGHT ON THE HOP - "A Nation of Hopkeepers"

Tracks: Drill Ye Tarriers Drill / The jolly Thresherman / The Floating Bloater / The Last of the Dancing Bears / The Diamantina Drover / Da Slockit Light / The Banks of the Nile / Honey in the Rock / The Watford Explosion / Donahoe Downs / The Bonny Ship the Diamond / Sinner Man.

Merseyside's own folk rock band with their first CD release (their fourth album to date).

  HARC 025 - Cassette Only - No Longer Available

CHRISTINE COLLISTER/BARB JUNGR/MICHAEL PARKER/HELEN WATSON

"Hell Bent Heaven Bound II - Money the Final Frontier"

Tracks: You've Got to Pick a Pocket or Two / Nothin' Going on but the Rent / Gee Baby Ain't I Good to You / Your Cash ain't Nothin' But Trash / My Heart belongs to Daddy / America / One Meat Ball / Pharoahs / Summertime / Alimony / Do It Again / Mocking Bird / Money / Show Biz Kids / Dark as a Dungeon / I Ain't Got You / Wall Street Shuffle / Satisfied Mind / Soavey Soavey / I'll Take Good Care of You / Smile.

A “live” studio recording featuring all the songs from the stage show "Hell Bent Heaven Bound II - Money The Final Frontier”.  

This direct-to-digital recording links these four great voices in a set of exciting and inventive arrangements across a very wide ranging set of material.                                                                                                      

"Four highly individual voices whose collective sound is nothing short of tremendous" (Guardian).

  HARCD 026 

JANET RUSSELL - "Bright Shining Morning?"

Tracks: Bright Shining Morning? / Ettrick / Childminder's Song / Can't Hug You / Fly Away (Sadie) / Sheath and Knife / Garten Mother's Lullaby / Mouth Music / Jeannie Jenkins / Song for a Seafarer / soweto / Accidents / Bury My Heart / St Peters Fields / I Know Love / The Bluebell Polka

Janet Russell's second solo album with some help from Mary MacMaster, Tom McConville and Sara Grey (amongst others). Once again a mixture of traditional and contemporary songs following on directly from her first highly successful album on Harbourtown Records (HARCD 003).

  HARCD 027

FRANKIE ARMSTRONG "The Fair Moon Rejoices"

Tracks: Voices / London Song / Earth, Air, Fire and Water / Invitation / Flying High, Flying Free/Canaries in the Mine / Still is the Memory / Speech to Appollo / Out of the Darkness / I Feel that all the Stars Shine in Me / Ballad of Marie Sanders / Whore and the Holy One / Mourn Not the Dead/Song of Augustina Ruiz / Farewell My Friends / Let The Slave

Frankie's first Harbourtown CD cemented her reputation as one of the finest female folk singers in the UK. This second release is our long awaited CD of Frankie singing a collection of very powerful, mostly contemporary material, with Joan Mills, Biddy Wells, Peter Stacey, Ben Lawrence, Geoff Haynes and Darien Pritchard.

  HARCD 028 - CDR ONLY

SARA GREY - "Sara"

Tracks: Prodigal Son / State of Arkansas / Banks of Kilrea / Unfortunate Rake / As I roved Out / Miss Julia / The Day I Fought Dwyer / The Kissing Song / Sweet William / My God He is a Rock ; Betsy Liken - Sadie at the Back door / Lady Gay / Johnny Barden / Going to Leave This Country / High Toned Dance / The Milliner's Daughter / Last Winter Was a Hard One / Across the Bridge.

A wonderful follow-up to Sara Grey's debut Harbourtown album. A collection of powerful traditional songs, including big ballads treated with the utmost respect. Any lover of traditional song will want this album in their collection.

  HARCD 029 - CDR ONLY

PETE MORTON - “Courage, Love and Grace"

Tracks: Change / Heartland / On Your Side / Family Tree / Through it All / Learning of a Miracle / From Ireland / One Truth / Courage, Love and Grace / Cheating Man / Love Me in Eden / The Lion and the Lamb / The Harrowing of Pride / Eternity.

This Pete Morton album is both considered and extremely powerful - very strong songs and performances from Pete himself and some very fine session musicians (Sally Barker, Karen Tweed, Roger Wilson, Tom McConville and Mike Willoughby)

  HARCD 030

THE BOAT BAND - “Burning The Water”

Tracks: Jongle a Moi / Clair de Lune / Alberta / Bad Week for Old Fiddlers / Hipi Tiyo / Je M'Endors / T'as pas Raison / Chere ici, Chere la-bas / Kansas City / T'es Petite / Amadee Two-Step / Hoist Your Windows High / Bosco Stomp / Bonsoir Moreau

A superb album of  Cajun/Zydeco tunes and songs - the Boat Band just gets better and better.


  HARCD 031

BRIAN PETERS AND GORDON TYRRALL - "Clear The Road"

Tracks: Skipton Ram / Daniel Wrights Hornpipe; The Pearl Wedding; The Old Grey Cat / Just as the Tide Was a Flowing / Where Do I Fit In / Throw the Wood, Laddie-The Catching of Fleas-Buxton Races / Roads to Ruin / The Musical Priest-The Green Fields of America / Farewell My Dearest Dear / The Trp to The Toilet-The Random-Fair Jenny / The Ship In Distress / Blow The winds I-O - The Househusband - The First Steps / Almost Satisfied / Colm O’Donnell's-The Humours of Lissadell-The Hunters Purse / Bonny George Campbell / Roaring Mary; Cleaning Windows / Swansea Town

  HARCD 032 (Double CD) CDR ONLY

PETE MORTON, ROGER WILSON, SIMON EDWARDS - "Urban Folk Vol II - Self Destructive Fools"

VOL I: Love's Trainee (part one) / The Fox / Hey Joe / Lord Randall / Absent Love / Old Joe Clark - The Louisiana Two Step / Delia / Bleak Mist / Rambleaway / False Bride / Shadow of an Absent Friend / It Takes a Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry.

VOL II: Running Out of Lovin' / When You See Those Flying Saucers / Little Musgrave / Goodbye My Love / The Belly Boys / Cuckoo's Nest / O'Reilly / Swimming Song / None So Fair / Love Hurts / Derwentwater's Farewell / Jack of Diamonds

A "Two for the price of one" CD including all the tracks from "Urban Folk Vol 1" (previously released on HARCD 016)

  HARCD 033 - No Longer Available

STOCAI - "Champagne Brawl"

Tracks: Poolside Polka / Cafe Charbons Jig - The Queen of Hearts / Scottish a Virmoux - Biscuit Shuffle / Boodell Lope - Lambert Waddle / Damspolska / The Hornet / Sail Away Ladies - Horseshoes & Rainbows / Boddington - T.J.'s / The Tender Trap / The Sty at Night / Iron Legs - Champagne Brawl

A fine set of EC (English Ceilidh) dance tunes from this much-missed dance band from Buckinghamshire.

  HARCD 034

BARRY McDONALD & MAROOAN - "Where The Sun-Lights on The Dew Drops Shine"

Tracks: Highland Schottisches / Kate Kelly / Waltzes / The Indian Lass / The Three Weeds Jigs / Woodbine Hill / Bruce Smith's Set Tunes / McCluskey and O'Shule - Desertion / Jackson Knox's Schottisches / Longford Jail / Step Tunes / Green Light Upon The Green / Varsovienna and Mazurkas / Only a Soldier's Wife - Just as the Sun Went Down.

A beautiful collection of Australian traditional music from the New England Tablelands of New South Wales, Australia

  HARCD 035 (Double CD)

K-PASSA - "The Morning After"

CD1: Johnny / Where are Your Papers / Woman / Money / I Need You / Hey, Hey, Hey / Whispered Light / Don't Leave Me Now / Kickin out / Gonna Get you / Loves Trainee Pt2 / Absent Love / Every Morning / Tired Themes / You Don't Live Here Anymore / Rudi / Could You Leave Me Now / Loves Going Nowhere / Headrush . 

CD2: Jackboots / Maneater / Empty Air / Never Gonna Feel / Runnin Outta Lovin / Bad Man / All Fall Down / Do You Really Care / Feelings / Born Again / Bleak Mist / It's My Day / Whirlpool / Louisiana Two Step /Goodbye My Love / Loves Trainee / Take Me Home.

Simon Edwards of Urban Folk fame has been lead singer and accordion player with Bristol’s K-PASSA for ten years now. They are having a tenth birthday party bash in October and we've released this "retrospective" collection from the whole of that ten year period. Ten years of K-PASSA in two and a half hours of music in this great value two CD issue.

  HARCD 036 (Double CD)

THE BOAT BAND - "Back Deck Blues"

CD1 - Back Deck Blues: 'Tit Galop Pour la Pointe-aux-Pins / Zydeco Burke / Oh Babay / Reno Waltz / Bernadette / Fee Fee Poncho / Ciel / Sur la Courtebleau / New Iberia Polka / Lake Arthur Stomp / Rock Me Baby / La Porte en Arriere / In the Evening / Why You Wanna Make Me Cry / Personne Pole Danser Avec Moi / Happy One Step.

CD2 - Fais Pas Ca: Eunice Two Step / Cherokee Waltz / She Worries Me / Animal Zoo / Church Point Two Step / Bayou Teche / Mardi Gras Song / Zydeco Cha Cha / Les Traces de Mon Boghei / Devillier Two Step / Zydeco Run / Tous Les Temps en Temps / Hee Haw Breakdown / Les Deux Jumeaux

A new recording of The Boat Band featuring J. C. Gallow from Louisiana as a special guest. We've made this a special value release by adding a CD copy of the original Boat Band & J.C. Gallow collaboration - "Fais Pas Ca" (HARC 022) - that was previously only available on cassette.


  HARCD 037 

PETE MORTON - "Trespass"

Tracks: The Cuckoo / Gay Goshawk / Sylvia / Banks of the Nile / A Farmer's Boy The Mower and the Dairymaid / Lincolnshire Poacher / Little Musgrave / John Barleycorn / Dick Turpin / Banks of the Sweet Dundee / The Rose in June / Night Visiting Song

Pete Morton has finally recorded a collection of all traditional songs - just guitar and voice. It's been requested many times over the years - and now he's finally done it! 

  HARC 038 - Compact Cassette - No Longer Available

HARBOURTOWN SAMPLER CD 2

  HARCD 039 - Unreleased Project

  HARCD 040 - CDR ONLY

PETE MORTON - "Hunting the Heart"

Tracks: Drink to me Only / Hunting the Heart / Twitching Net Curtains/ Forgiveness Hill / Constant Motion / Madam or Sir / Battle of Trafalgar / Maybe Nothing's Spoken / Deep Blue Sea / The Desert / Thanksgiving.

A fine album of great Pete Morton songs and one old standard (Drink to me Only) given the special Morton treatment. Pete is joined on this recording by Andy Cutting on accordian, Tom McConville on fiddle and Julie Murphy on vocals.

"One of the few modern day songwriters of any real character and originality Pete Morton seems to have embraced the drama and imagery of traditional song ever more naturally in his own writing” (Folk Roots)

"An album to grace any Household.” (Folk Roots) 

  Enhanced CD HARCD 041 - CDR ONLY

PETE MORTON COLLECTION - "Another Train”

Tracks: Family Tree / The First Day / Tamlyn / Water From the Houses of Our Fathers / Without Thinking Love / The Prisoner / The Cuckoo / Songbird / The Gay Goshawk / The Battle of Trafalgar / Another Train / Constant Motion / Drink to Me Only / Katie

This is a collection of 14 songs, a mixture of Pete's own material and traditional songs taken from all his Harbourtown albums to date. The CD includes an enhanced sector which will play on PC and Mac platforms with MP3 audio of 19 songs and a full discography. 

  HARCD 042 - No Longer Available

STOCAI - "After The Brawl"

Tracks: The Cutter / Hornpipe - Dune / Chocolate Dog - Felix Aus Der Asch / Inisheer / L'Escapade / Auld Donald - The Keyhole / Jolly Frog - Muineira de Cabana / Sugar's in the Spotty One / Sayes Court - Miss Hannah Jolly / Thornton Jig - Red Admiral / Redstart - Big Cheese / Last Lock - Chimay Shimmy / Engelska

A second collection of EC (English Ceilidh) tunes from this much-missed Buckinghamshire dance band.

  HARCD 043

MERIDIAN - "Prime"

Tracks: Portesham Breakfast / Beamer / Joss Bay / Fair Nottamun Town / Crossing the Line / Allodion - The Mad Jig / B-Line / At the Break of the Day - The Glimmering / Unsquare Schottisch - 3/2 Hornpipe / Hike up the Dyke / The Thin Green Line / Road to Poynton - Road to Paignton

Fabulous first (and last) album of EC (English Ceilidh) tunes from the great dance band Meridian.


  HARCD 044

PETE MORTON - “Swarthmoor"

Tracks: The Two Brothers / The Luckiest Man / Simplicity / Goodbye to Oil / Listening to My Boots / Love Stood in My Way / Naseby Field / The Shepherd's Song / The Government Wall / Six Billion Eccentrics / St George Slew the Dragon

Eleven Pete Morton songs recorded with only vocal and guitar, just as you hear Pete in concert - no frills!

“Swarthmoor" named after a favourite place of Pete's is quite simply brilliant, just him and a guitar with eleven of his own songs. Right from the first track about the Middle East conflict I was hooked.  Everything else had to stop. There are highlights around each corner. Each song is sincere in its message and well crafted.  It feels as if a lot of love and care has been put into these before Pete has let us share them (Living Tradition)

  HARCD 045

FRANKIE ARMSTRONG - “Darkest Before Dawn”

Tracks: Darkest Before the Dawn / Voice that Lives Inside You / Questions / Life in the Old Girl Yet / The Soldier Armed with Sword and Gun / Growing Older / Bible According to Eve / Dia Funia / Cease Fire / War of the Poor / Reconciliation / Real Man / Way of Sex / Noi Vogliamo / Bread and Roses /Threshold.

Frankie with Sarah Harman and Shanee Taylor singing songs of defiance, peace, hope, fear and fun. The trio originally came together to sing at benefits for the Peace Movement, especially The Campaign Against The Arms Trade, and this has clearly influenced their selection of songs.


  HARCD 046

PEGLEG FERRET - "Not Fooling Anyone"

Tracks: All in a Day / Hexhamshire Lass / Harry Simms / Grandfather’s Clock / Davy Lowston / The Catch / John Barleycorn / Just One Spark / A Mackerel Song / The Sailors Way / Sair Fyeld Hinny / Strange Lover Is A Coal Mine / Old Admirals / Wild Goose Shanty / Essequibo River

Powerful and moving three part unnaccompanied singing from this highly-regarded veteran trio from the North East of England.

  HARCD 047

THE BOAT BAND - “A Trip To The Lakes”

Tracks:  A Trip to the Lakes - jig : Carlisle Reel / Haul Away the Hawser / Trip to Cartmel - polkas : Cumberland Waltz / Kendal Waltz -waltzes : Robinson's / Honeymoon / A Bonny Lass to Marry Me / The Cumberland - reels : Keswick Bonny Lasses / Stables' Grand - hornpipes : The Birds Upon the Tree - song : Cumberland Reel / Carlisle Races - jigs : Dear Tobacco / Bonny Cumberland / King's No 1 / King's No 2 - polkas : Stybarrow Crag / Iron Legs / The Calgarth - hornpipes : Corby Castle - song : Kendal Ghyll / When I Parted / Ulverston Volunteers - jigs : Westmorland Waltz - waltz : My Love She's But a Lassie Yet / Whitehaven Volunteers / Through the Wood Spinning - tunes for the Cumberland Square Eight : A Trip to Galloway - air

A best-selling collection of classic, uniquely Cumbrian dance tunes and songs.

"I love this album for its wacky flashes...great under-and-over percussion, which earmarks part of it for the world music market, yet it all emanates from a deep community hearth with a tipsy love for its music that is at once wise old chuckle and youthful glee....many will be venturing Lakes-ward this summer. This in your luggage will truly enrich the experience. It has a nutty jollity that will make children dance and normally unobtrusive stoics hire veteran cars--volume up, windows down. Cumbria here we come" (English Dance and Song magazine)

"Greg Stephens has been rooting out and collecting tunes from his native Cumbria for many years. On this recording the Boat Band wear these tunes like a set of well-loved,comfortable old clothes, worn to the perfect fit:just as they should sound" (Folk Buzz Magazine)

Johnny Adams, who knows a deal about such things, said of the CD: "It is a very honest bit of music which has all sorts of influences airbrushed into it, and for me challenges some of the assumptions about North English music.


  HARCD 048

PETE MORTON - “Flying An Unknown Flag”

Tracks: Harvest / The Shores of Italy / Great Gold Sun / Further / The Busker’s Song / In Another Life / Corruption Country / I’m in Love With Emily Dickinson / A Love that I Don’t Understand / The Post Office Queue / Another Train

Pete's vocal and guitar are joined by Roger Wilson (fiddle, guitar, mandolin), Neil Segrott (bass) and Chris Parkinson (accordion, harmonica).

"This latest collection of original songs from Leicester’s finest effortlessly maintains the standard he’s set over the years. Although the immediate impression is perhaps of a more relaxed set than Pete’s previous offering (the mighty Swarthmoor), there’s no lack of depth or commitment in the writing. The songs speak directly for themselves in exactly the way good songs should – reflective commentaries that have no truck with the empty posturing of the soapbox yet are ideally able to make meaningful commentaries on our lives.

One of Pete’s special gifts as a songwriter is that he doesn’t need to resort to an overt linguistic expression of anger or bitterness to make his point, and his songs are all the better for their succinctness and their thoughtful, cautiously optimistic demeanour.” (Living Tradition)

  HARCD 049 - CDR ONLY

NICK HENNESSEY - "A Rare Hunger"

Tracks: Balor / Falling Sun / Annachie Gordon / Lord Franklin / Donal Og / Naked Flame / Crow on the Cradle / Gallows Tree / Wandering Aengus / Scarecrow / The River / Hermit’s Song

A wonderful collection of songs from acclaimed storyteller and musician Nick Hennessey. Nick's vocals and harp are brilliantly supported by cello from Sherry Robinson.


  HAR 050 - Unreleased Project

  HARCD 051

GREG STEPHENS AND CROOKFINGER JACK - "The Beggar Boy Of The North”

Tracks: Canny Cumberland/Yorkshire Lasses/The One Horned Sheep : Never Love Thee More/Cumberland Nelly/John Peel : Lonsdale Hornpipe : The Northern Lass : Liverpool Hornpipe/Keswick Bonny Lasses : The Willow Tree/Corn Rigs/Nanny O : Old Lancaster Hornpipe : Chester Waits/Farewell Manchester : The Beggar Boy of the North : The Bishop of Chester’s Jig/Andrew Carey/Drops of Brandy/Mad Molly : Jenny My Blithest Maid/The Glory of the North/Northern Nanny : The Cantsfield Polka

This is a re-release of a "classic" set of recordings made by Greg Stephens for Fellside Records in 1978. In many ways this is the inspiration behind Gregs "Trip to the Lakes" CD recently released on Harbourtown. The story behind these recordings is well documented by Greg in the accompanying 12 page booklet along with information on the musicians involved, where they are now and indeed a picture of those young men way back when they made this recording!. 

These twenty-four tunes represent a cross section of the music played by traditional musicians in the north-west of England over the last four hundred years or so; some were, and are, widely known and played throughout the British Isles, while others only seem to have enjoyed local currency.

This is the music of the area from Chester to Carlisle, bounded by the Irish Sea to the west and the Pennines to the east. These twenty-four tunes represent a cross section of the music played by traditional musicians in the north-west of England over the last four hundred years or so.

Some reviewers' comments from its first release back in 1978
"verve, skill and style” (Time Out)
"an inspired record” (BBC Folkweave)
"an album of exceptional quality” (NW Folk Guide)
"one of the most enjoyable instrumental albums I've ever had to review” (Fretwire)
"extremely enjoyable and very well researched” 
(Sandy Bell’s Broadsheet)
"displays of solo virtuosity and joyous ensemble bashes” (Folk Roundabout)
”my copy is new but already well-worn” (New Tomorrow)
"one of the best performances and most enjoyable listens I have had recently” (Guardian)


  HARCD 052

JANET RUSSELL - “Love Songs And Fighting Talk”

Tracks: Pretty Polly : Eppie Morrie : The Creole Girl’s Lament : Steely Water/Donal Og : Waxie’s Dargle : Mary Ambree : Sodjer’s Cairn : Matt Hyland : Collier Laddie : Banks of Sweet Dundee : My Laddie Sits/Maire Nighean Alastair/Gie My Love Brose – R. Burns : The Pigeon and the Sparra : Waly Waly Up The Bank : Wexford Lullaby : Willie Brewed a Peck o’ Maut/Barren Rocks of Aden/Swing Yer Maw

Janet's long-awaited third solo CD is a fine collection of songs featuring instrumental support from Tom McConville (fiddle), Najam Jawed (tabla), Steve Tilston (guitar) and Gill Redmond (cello).

    HARCD 053 (Double CD)

THE BOAT BAND - "Take Me Over The Tide"

A re-release on CD of The Boat Band's first two recordings - "Back up and Push” (HAR 007) and "Take Me Over the Tide” (HAR 015) - to mark their 20th year of music making together!

"Back up and Push”
Bechet Rhumba / The Onions / Bright Morning Stars / Gumbo Frog / Trouble in Mind / Cripple Creek - Old Joe Clark - Kitchen Girl / Pig Ankle Rag / Dink's Song / Back up and Push / Balma Mines / Single Girl / Magic Island Merengue. 

"Take Me Over the Tide”
The Captain Go Ashore / J'ai Ete au Bal / Shallow Brown / Woodchopper's Reel - Lancaster Hornpipe - Harbinger Hornpipe / Crawdad Song / Muntilor / The Lady in the Boat - The New Rigged Ship - The Ship in Full Sail / The Ship in Distress / Soldier's Joy - Miss McLeod's Reel - Fairy Dance / Run Come See Jerusalem / Mama Rosin / Take Me Over the Tide.

A re-release on CD of The Boat Band's first two recordings - "Back up and Push” (HAR 007) and "Take Me Over the Tide” (HAR 015) - to mark their 20th year of music making together!

  HAR 054 - Unreleased Project

  HARCD 055

THE WILSON FAMILY - "The Wilson Family Album"

Tracks: John Barleycorn / The Mistress's Health / Beggars Carol / May Garlands / Thyme / The Jolly Ploughboys / Bay of Mexico / Sweep Chimney Sweep / Byker Hill / Young Banker / Hawks and Eagles / Children of Africa / Somewhere in Japan / Think Again / Big Steamers / Nelson's Death and Victory / Close the Coalhouse Door

The Wilson Family is an instantly recognisable and unfailingly popular feature of the English folk festival and club scene. Born and bred in Billingham with the heavy industries of Teesside all around and the Durham coalfield to the North, the five Wilson brothers have developed a uniquely muscular approach to the art of unaccompanied harmony singing. 

Like other family groups such as the Watersons and the Coppers - both of whom remain major influences - The Wilsons have an instinctive mutual understanding. They sing as they feel, and the sheer power of these five voices is awesome. At last The Wilson Family has set down a collection of their own favourites, and they have never sounded better. 

Here is a collection of songs drawn from an enormous repertoire and refined by years of performance delivered with a conviction driven by a love of song and the very joy of singing - the wait has surely been worthwhile!

This album was originally recorded in 1992 and was only available on vinyl LP or cassette. When we began to listen to the material to re-master for CD we found an extra track (Rap Her T'Bank) which had not been included in the original release due to the time limitations of the LP format. So here is the full set of tracks remastered for CD.

© Harbourtown Records 1987-2024