My first encounter with Bram Taylor would have been in a Folk Club in Bournemouth in the late seventies. He's been around a long time and has a loyal band of followers. He never seemed to acquire the status of some of his contemporaries and I really don't know why.

At fifteen tracks this CD is good value by any standards. Bram's voice gets better as he gets older and it is this inherent vocal quality that enables him to tackle an old 'chestnut' like The Holy Ground and give it a new lease of life. You have to give credit to a singer who can encompass a range of writing from Huw Williams to Robert Burns via Colum Sands... all on one CD! Bram enjoys the help of a fine collection of musicians and singers on these recordings but at no time does the arrangement get in the way of the song. And while we are about it... can anyone tell me more about the songs of Ian Chesterman, from Wrexham. Bram does a superb version of Ian's Next Time Around, which is one of the best chorus songs I've heard in a while. Let's all hope there are more where that came from!

If you've not listened to Bram Taylor before then this CD is a good place to start. You can also look forward to starting work on a back catalogue of albums from an association with the Fellside label that has just notched up its twentieth year.