Mazurka Berserker

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Songs from this album are available to purchase as MP3s. Click on "Buy MP3" or view the MP3 Album.

fRoots, October 2001
John K has never shirked a challenge in his long and varied career as morris champion, squeezebox icon, singer, songwriter, session musician par excellence and imaginative collaborator with the likes of Carthy, Hutchings and Thompson through many adventures of folk rock, brass banditry and much else besides. He has of course made numerous albums over the last three decades with Sue Harris, Albion Band, Steeleye Span and solo. He's been involved in some of the finest--nay, even landmark--albums produced in the name of folk music and he hasn't been immune to the odd howler either. Incredibly he's still finding new ways to strut his stuff, this time duetting with a series of varied artists, including Nancy Kerr & James Fagan, Alistair Anderson, Bob Johnson, Kevin Dempsey, Dave Swarbrick, Martin Carthy, Richard Thompson, Ray Fisher and Hijaz Mustapha. Not all were in the same room with him at the same time, but all bring something different to the party on a mix of traditional songs and tunes and John K originals, with a couple of jokers thrown in for good measure. These special guest affairs can often be overblown and pompous (as a quick glimpse through the Chieftains back-catalogue will reveal), the main artist either obliterated by the star turns or any sense of cohesion or continuity lost in the confusion of styles and egos. This one gets the balance about right. The "duellists" contribute enough style and flair of their own to create enough contrast and flair to keep you guessing without interrupting the overall flow and character of John K's own music, unpredictable enough in its own right. The squeezebox fest with Alistair Anderson on the splendidly titled "The Citroen Took Unleaded After All" sets the tone of musical mischief and admirable virtuosity that is its trademark. When he and Carthy get together there's no knowing what they may do, and on this occasion it's a bold assault on Richard Rodgers' "March Of The Siamese Children", from The King And I, once a hit for Kenny Ball! Deep into the album he takes on a hugely complex and demanding blast of Jewish music ("Dance Of The Jews") which is fascinating, but not exactly easy listening, and must be one of the most leftfield pieces Richard Thompson has ever played; and then climaxes the album with the man from the Mustapha contributing bouzouki and "Vietnamese" lap steel to the mazurka of the title. Add in some strong traditional material and you have an album that's deceptively daring and impishly impressive. Horse lovers, however, might want to avoid the sad, melodramatic tale of "Black Bess". --Colin Irwin

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