Grand Mamou - Recordings

The Road To Rouen, Cassette Album MAM001 1993 Close to The Hedge, CDMAM002 available now!

Close to The Hedge The band's second recording. Most of the tracks were recorded between January 1997 and March 2000 at CSJ in Trimley near Felixstowe by Colin Jacobs, apart from the Father Jack's / Pay the Reckoning / The Kesh Jig set and most of The Acadian Two Step, which were recorded in Pete's basement for a session broadcast on Pete Jennings' folk programme on Radio Suffolk in March 1995. The CD was mastered by Keith Gould at KG Engineering. The photograph on the front cover shows Pete's dad, Ken Rout in his garden in the late 1940's

Track listing
Clare Set Dance	An Irish set dance tune from County Clare which Pete learned from Bill O'Connell, a master melodeon player from Essex. Our arrangement shows more than a hint of Cajun and Zydeco influence. Pete: Cajun accordion in D, Vicky: fiddle, Chris: whistle, electric guitar, bass, John: drums.
Major Mackay's	A traditional Scottish jig. John's guitar part at the beginning is probably influenced by Django, the bass part has a flavour of Chris' favourite band - Blowzabella. Pete: Cajun accordion in D, John: acoustic guitar, Vicky: fiddle, Chris: bass, conga drum.
Rosie's Bathtime / Out Like A Light	John wrote the first tune in honour of his eldest daughter and Chris wrote the second one as a schottische but it's turned into more of a hornpipe. Pete: Cajun accordion in D, Vicky: fiddle, John: acoustic guitar, Chris: high and low D whistles.
Madame Bonaparte	An unusual 40 bar tune which John learned from Colchester band The Churchfitters. Both the instruments on this track were built by Derbyshire luthier Alan Marshall. John: acoustic guitar, Chris: bouzouki.
Valse de Soleil Couche	A traditional Cajun waltz. Pete: Cajun accordion in C, Vicky: fiddle, John: acoustic guitar, Chris: triangle
Father Jack's / Pay the Reckoning / The Kesh Jig	Chris wrote the first half of Father Jack's and took it along to a rehearsal where he and John finished it off (as no one else turned up). The two jigs were learned from recordings of that great flute player from County Mayo, Matt Malloy. Chris: high and low D whistles, John: acoustic guitar, Vicky: fiddle, Pete: darabuka.
Jongle a Moi	A traditional Cajun two step. The title means "think of me". Pete: Cajun accordion in C, Vicky: fiddle, John: vocals, acoustic guitar, Chris: vocals, bass, triangle
Transylvanian Twist	We learned this set of Transylvanian Jewish wedding tunes from a recording made by Hugarian band Muzikas. Vicky: fiddle, Chris: mandola, mandolin, John: bass, Pete: darabuka.
The Three Chimneys / Moll in the Wood / The Irish Washerwoman	Chris wrote the first tune the day the chimneys of the old Cliff Quay powerstation in Ipswich were blown up. Moll in the Wood is an English jig we learned from Blowzabella and The Irish Washerwoman is perhaps the best-known Irish jig of all. Vicky: fiddle, Chris: low whistle, bouzouki, John: acoustic guitar, Pete: admirable restraint.
Parlez Nous a Boire	Cajun two step. The gist of the song is "let's talk about drinking, not about marriage...". Pete: Cajun accordion in C, drums, Vicky: fiddle, John: vocals, Chris: vocals, acoustic guitar, triangle.
Pulteney Bridge / Out on the Ocean / Another Tune	More jigs - the first one was the first folk tune Chris ever wrote, the second is a well-known Irish session tune and the third was learned from Clare Garrard (who plays fiddle with the band sometimes). Vicky: fiddle, Chris: bouzouki, John: shaker, acoustic guitar, bass
Acadian Two Step	Cajun two step. Pete: Cajun accordion in D, Vicky: fiddle, John: acoustic guitar, Chris: triangle.
The Monaghan Jig / Merrily Kissed the Quaker	Traditional Irish 48 bar jigs. Vicky: fiddle, John: acoustic guitar, Chris: electric guitar, high and low D whistles, Pete: rub-board, drums.
Hackberry Hop	Cajun two step. Pete: Cajun accordion in D, Vicky: fiddle, John: drums, Chris: electric guitar, bass, triangle.
Frank McCollum's / 51 Strong / The Congress	A set of reels we learned from Clare Garrard apart from 51 Strong which Pete wrote and named after the code for the best cappuccino from the coffee machine at work! Clare: fiddle, Pete: Cajun accordion in D, John: acoustic guitar, concertina, shaky egg, Chris: bodhran, mandola, mandolin, conga drum.

The band's first recording, released on casette only. Recorded in 1993 by Colin Jacobs. We still have a few copies left.