When John Howson moved from Liverpool to Stowmarket in 1978, one motivation was to experience some of the musical tradition he knew about having met the likes of Reg Reader and Oscar Woods. What he didn't realise was that the Blaxhall `Ship' was over 30 miles from his new home. Fortunately for him - and for us - is that'John was tipped off about local men who knew some of the `old songs', and so he began an amazing quest that ended up as a number of recordings from the mid-1980's onwards.
 

These two CDs are compilations of six cassettes he put out on Veteran between 1987 and 1995 under the umbrella title `Songs Sung in Suffolk', each focusing on various themes, be it comedy, balladry or the sentimental. The sleeve-notes state `these recordings come from every corner of Suffolk, from remote rural hamlets to wind-blown coastal hinterlands. These are real traditional singers, village songsters who have had their songs passed down to them by their families or communities. The recordings are studio quality, although most were made in the singers' kitchens. Passing farm wagons, ticking clocks and crowing cockerels are all part of the atmosphere.' Add to that the occasional cough or clearing of the throat, and you have the informality by which such recordings were made. Another thing to appreciate when hearing the end result, is that few of the singers recorded could be considered consummate performers, with the exception of Ted Chaplin and Tony Harvey, who later went round with Howson and a group of like-minded musicians as the Old Hat Concert Party. I recall John Howson also describing Charlie Stringer as being `quite a star' when he convened local singers to meet in the pubs in the local area.
 

The first title, more accurately `Popular Folk Songs, Old Songs and Ballads' sung by traditional singers from Suffolk, consists of 28 items. These range from Fred Whiting singing `The Faithful Sailor' which he describes as known all the way up the east coast of England - not far wrong since both Kentish born singers George Spicer and Charlie Bridger had it in their repertoires. My personal favourites have to be Fred Whiting's version of `Sheepshearing and Thatching', `the Blacksmith's Mantrap' and `Barley Mow', which are rendered in a robust style. If I have any criticism to make, it is that many of the songs are very familiar and unremarkable to the folk `revival' - but remember - they have been handed down by real people and not book learnt.
 

`Comic Songs, Music Hall Songs and Parodies' continues in similar vein with the same singers. The same adverse comment can't be made here, with the exceptions being `Paddy Stole the Rope' performed here by Tony Harvey, and Cyril Barber's version of `The Old Sow' which was made famous by Leslie Sarony. Ted Chaplin is on form with `the Fella with the Trombone', but this is his sole contribution here - for his `the Wooden-legged Family' and `Is Izzy Azzy Wozz?' I had to dig up my `the Old Hat Concert Party' cassette. The acid test to the question `is it any good?' would be answered if I learn anything from it. You bet! Apart from `It Won't Take Very, Very Long' by Clifford Arbon and `Violets are Blue and Roses are Red' by Gordon Woods which Fred Cottenham of Chiddingstone once sang, I have already cast a covetous eye over `You've got a Long Way to Go' and `I was There a-Watching Them' (Tom Smith), and `I Finish Them Off (Hubert Freeman).