It comes as a surprise that despite a lengthy and distinguished period of involvement in music, David Carroll isn’t a household name, even to folk cognoscenti. His early tenure with folk band Spinning Wheel on the late-70s club’n’college circuit was succeeded by a long career as a fully qualified craftsman making and repairing stringed instruments, supplemented by a steady flow of session work – where over the past four decades he’s met, worked with and gained the friendship and respect of a large number of well-respected top-flight musicians from (mostly) the field of folk. Having appeared in that capacity on several recordings for other artists, David has spent the past few years gathering ideas to make a solo album in his own right while calling in the services of a whole cluster of those illustrious friends. By all accounts, all such contributions were most enthusiastically garnered. This comes through in the evident bonhomie – and natural-born expertise – of the playing (in other words, you don’t ever get the sense that they are just a competent, efficient bunch of hired session musicians). The positively ear-watering roll-call speaks for itself – two members of Fairport Convention ( Chris Leslie and Dave Pegg), three from Gryphon ( Brian Gulland, Dave Oberle and Graeme Taylor), and Tom Spencer (from The Men They Couldn’t Hang and The Professionals), plus fine vocalist Lucy Cooper. FORMED in 1969 Trapeze were a classic English prog band, popular on the college circuit who had been signed by Moody Blues for their Threshold label. Brass Monkey> Songs> The Foxhunt Bold Reynolds / Reynard the Fox / Gentlemen of High Renown / The Foxhunt / Old Snowball THE latest offering from Thomas Ruf’s admirable blues-based label focuses attention on the exuberant musical exploits of St Louis singer-guitarist Jeremiah Johnson.

A collection of traditional style folk songs given fascinating arrangements by David Carroll to whet the appetite of purist traditional folk song fans. When you see “and friends” in a billing you tend to think of a group of worthy but unknown local musicians. On Bold Reynold, however, the friends include three Gryphons: Dave Oberle, Brian Gulland and Graeme Taylor; two Fairports: Chris Leslie and Dave Pegg plus Lucy Cooper and Tom Spencer. David himself is a veteran of the 70s with a career including instrument making and innumerable groups, which is presumably where he made such good friends.

Finally, ‘Gentlemen Of High Renown’, which gives the album its title, enjoys an arrangement reminiscent of early 70s Fairport until Gulland weighs in with more crumhorns and a brief snatch of hunting horn. It’s far from being politically correct but it provides Bold Reynold with a rousing finish. With instrumentation ranging from crumhorns, cor anglais and uilleann pipes through fiddle, tabla, bouzouki and dulcimer to bass, drums and electric guitar and all stops in between, this is a soundscape not to be missed. Since early 2020 Josh has been entertaining us with exclusive monthly live sessions, streamed via Facebook.

JETHRO TULL ‘The Broadsword And The Beast’ (40th Anniversary deluxe 8CD/DVD, four-disc vinyl) Warner Music CHILDREN OF BODOM ‘A Chapter Called Children of Bodom (Final Show in Helsinki Ice Hall 2019)’ Spinefarm RecordsAny criticisms I have expressed are mere niggles (and personal idiosyncrasies) because Bold Reynold is an absolutely splendid album and I commend it to you whole-heartedly. Funded by Help Musicians UK the songs are interspersed with interviews with music therapists, mental health charities and guest musicians including Blair Dunlop, Nancy Kerr and Julie Matthews. The second CD features an extensive jam dubbed Silver And Gold, featuring an annoying flute player. The traditional ballad False True Love is a fine start to the album and this is followed by another classic folk song She Moved Through the Fair, inspired here by the street singing of Margaret Barry. They’ve got bold Reynold by the brush and will not let him go. Fairport Convention sing Reynard the Fox