Jill Rogoff: "a world in one voice"

Medieval woodcut; detail from Horae, published in Paris in 1506

Medieval woodcut; detail from Horae, published in Paris in 1506

Friends, Colleagues and Countrymen

Jill's second, third, fourth and sixth solo albums, The Celtic Cradle, Across the Narrow Seas, The King's Well and The Voice of the Wanderer respectively, are available either directly from her (see The Shop) or from CD Baby, both as physical albums and as MP3 albums. Check them out.

Also available is The Celtic Lullaby which features a track by Jill, and her liner notes about Celtic lullabies (see Articles by Jill, elsewhere on this site).

Visit Judi & Lynn Lewis at the Tzora Folk Club.

Other musicians on the Israeli folk scene include, harpist/harper par excellence Sunita Staneslow and singers Rahel Jaskow and Sandy Cash.

Ray Scudero is gone, but his music lives on.

For high-quality sound production in the heart of Jerusalem, contact Mitch Clyman of Muso Productions.

Visit the site of the English Speakers' Club of Ashdod to find out about their activities.

The popular band Marcipán, based in Prague and led by the talented singer/violinist Jiriacute; Hodina, plays traditional Czech and Moravian songs with affection, and some dash and daring, not hesitating either to use some instruments not usually associated with this repertoire or to bring in elements from other styles of music.

For music that makes you laugh, dance, sing along and occasionally bring a tear to your eye, listen to The Gladsmiths, which consists of Julianne Moscovitz, Susan Jennings and Don Jennings on vocals and the following (dazzling) array of instruments: mountain dulcimer, guitar, autoharp, mandolin, bouzoukis, banjo, fiddle, hammered dulcimer, Irish lap harp, bodhran, djembe, limberjacks and spoons.

If you like Irish harp music, try the concerts and recordings of Gráinne Hambly, one of the finest harpers you'll ever hear.

For a jazzy look on life, look to Esther Haynes in the USA, who sings both in a duo with Phil Mathieu and with the group Hokum Jazz.

For virtuosity with humour, listen to the talented trio from the Welsh borders Hoover the Dog. That's Paul Hutchinson on accordion, John Hymas on fiddle and Tony Harris on guitar and bouzouki.

If, like me, you love the inspiring sound of sea shanties sung heartily by a group of male voices, you're bound to enjoy listening to the Baggyrinkle Swansea Shanteymen. They sing in three-part harmony, sometimes accompanied by the concertina.

Mary and Maria co-run the Richmond Folk Music Society, which produces a fine series of traditionally-oriented concerts every year.

For excellent translations into English of some of the finest European poetry from days gone by, visit the site generously posted by Mr Tony Kline, a gentleman with a wonderful feel for language. This includes ancient Roman poetry, the entire body of Petrarch's sonnets, and more recent classics as well.

Deb Filler is a stand-up comic with a difference: sometimes she also makes you cry! For a look at her internationally successful shows Punch Me in the Stomach and Filler Up!, it's well worth taking a look at her web site.

For a detailed look at the folk scene in New Zealand, visit the New Zealand Folk Song home page.

For a look at the Jewish folk scene around the world, visit Tara Music Publications and All Jewish Music.

Medieval woodcut; detail from Dyalogus Creaturarum, published in Gouda in 1480

Medieval woodcut; detail from Dyalogus Creaturarum, published in Gouda in 1480

Let me introduce you to some friends and acquaintances who play in various Early Music ensembles.

The Esterházy Ensemble, whose members are Michael Brüssing (baryton), Mária Brüssing (viola) and András Bolyky (violoncello), specialises in rare music on the baryton. They are based in Vienna.

Ensemble Baroque consists of Martina Bley (Baroque flute), Elke Filthuth (Baroquefagott) and Jörg Jacobi (harpsichord and organ). They are based in Bremen, Germany.

Mediva, whose members include Clare Norburn (singer), Ariane Prussner (singer), Ann Allen and Sarah Humphrys (both shawms and recorders), Leah Stuttard (harp), Masa Kasahara (saz), Lester Bennet (percussion), Rebecca Austen-Brown (fiddle) and Arngeir Hauksson (oud, saz and gittern). They are based in London.

Vox Antiqua, whose members include Marilena Zlatanou (singer), Vegard Lund (medieval lute) and Steinar Amundsen (medieval lute and hurdy-gurdy). They are based in Norway.