A legend in his own lifetime, the most important English folk artist of his generation, and still playing folk clubs all over the world. Martin Carthy was born 21st May 1940, Hatfield, Hertfordshire, England. Initially an actor, by the late fifties he had become guitarist and singer with Skiffle group the Thameside Four. Early visits to folk clubs and exposure to the work of Ewan MacColl and particularly A.L. “Bert” Lloyd drew him to then infant folk scene. His first recordings were with The Thamesiders on their 1963 EP but a wider influence was already in evidence. A young Bob Dylan, during his first visit to London in early 60s, had been very impressed by Martin’s version of the song Lord Franklin. Dylan used the tune and the narrative style for his own song Bob Dylan’s Dream. Paul Simon borrowed Martin’s arrangement of Scarborough Fair to create a massive international hit for Simon and Garfunkel.
By the mid sixties Martin Carthy was recognised as a virtuoso folk guitarist and was resident at London’s top folk club, the Troubadour. Around this time he teamed up with fiddler Dave Swarbrick, skillfully mixing traditional material with contemporary interpretation and establishing a musical rapport that remains undiminished to this day.
Essentially he is at his best in solo performance, his vocal style is cleanly articulated, slightly nasal with a natural vibrato, accompanied by a distinctive guitar style.
He also relishes the challenge of being part of a group. Over the years he has performed with Steeleye Span, with whom he first played electric guitar, The Albion Band, The Watersons (left), which also included his wife Norma Waterson, and Brass Monkey with accordionist John Kirkpatrick and trumpeter Howard Evans. His most recent his group activities have been a family affair, in Waterson Carthy he shares equal billing with wife Norma and fiddle playing daughter Eliza.
Martin Carthy has the ability to take a traditional song, adapt it, often with either a new tune or additional words, and say something contemporary and relevant whilst retaining the work’s traditional roots. His intelligent approach made this music more accessible to wider audiences and enriched the British folk heritage.
Martin Carthy at iTunes
Philadelphia Convention Center Considers Labor Structure Used in New York.
Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News September 24, 2002 By Marcia Gelbart, The Philadelphia Inquirer Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News Sep. 24–As hope shrinks of reaching a final labor deal because of continued opposition from the carpenters’ union, the Convention Center Authority said it might urge the General Assembly to take over the center’s entire workforce. It is one of several options being considered as legislative alternatives.
Instead of working for private contractors, all labor unions’ members who set up and dismantle show booths would become direct employees of the building. Such a system — which would be implemented by amending the state law that governs the authority — would mirror the labor-force structure at New York’s Jacob K. Javits Convention Center.
To enable union workers to keep their union pension plans, the new Convention Center labor force would be exempt from participating in the state pension system, according to sources familiar with the proposal.
Among the uncertainties about the idea is whether there is legislative support for a state takeover and what legal hurdles must be overcome. The General Assembly, which reconvened yesterday for its fall lawmaking session, has not been asked to weigh in on the idea. see here philadelphia convention center
“The sentiment of the board is that we would be supportive of legislation that achieved the objective of the agreement,” spokesman Stephan M. Rosenfeld said yesterday.
Patrick Gillespie, a board member who represents four of the center’s unions as head of the Building Trades Council, said: “I’m not opposed to anything that will get us expansion and stay consistent with our labor agreement.” But, he said: “There is a sentiment out there that wants to destroy all organized labor, and I won’t be involved in anything like that. I’m still hopeful the carpenters will… sign the agreement.” It is the first time the board has identified how it would circumvent the carpenters’ opposition as it seeks to implement a new labor system and quell the complaints of fed-up convention exhibitors. The frustration of the exhibitors has soiled Philadelphia’s reputation, with allegations that its Convention Center labor is costly and unfriendly. go to site philadelphia convention center
All but the carpenters’ union have signed a proposed labor agreement to deal with those complaints. Among the changes, the agreement would allow exhibitors to use hand tools in certain circumstances for work that is now done by carpenters.
“I would love to see this issue resolved” without legislative action, board member Manuel N. Stamatakis said yesterday. But “you have to keep all the options open.” Such action could more than triple the number of employees who directly work for the center. There are now 81 full-time positions, all largely administrative; a state takeover would add hundreds of jobs held by union workers who set up and tear-down trade-show booths.
Authority chairman Bernard C. Watson said last week that the board would consider “alternative measures” if the carpenters did not sign the proposed labor agreement by yesterday.
It’s unclear how the attempt to legislatively impose the proposed labor agreement would tie into an effort by city tourism officials to press lawmakers to help fund an expansion of the center.
Also, the carpenters have maintained that they have a legal right to work in the building until 2004, when the union’s collective bargaining agreement expires.
The union, which says it still wants to negotiate, declined to comment yesterday on the prospect of legislative intervention.
Spokesman Steve Albertini said: “Rather than us fret over what might be or what if, we would rather focus our energies on trying to get things done.”
Tags: folk, group, song, style, traditional
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