Simon Nicol & Ric Sanders, “Greetings From Grolloo” (Talking Elephant)- This gentle acoustic celebration of the delights of roots music was recorded at a folk festival in the small Dutch village of Grolloo just over twenty years ago. This is the only time that Fairport Convention’s Simon Nicol and Ric Sanders have captured their activities as a duo on record and the finished product is a delightfully ramshackle and understated joy. The two musicians are nothing if not eclectic in their choice of subject matter, running the gamut from Bach’s “Double Violin Concerto” to Duke Ellington’s “Sophisticated Lady” by way of poignant ditties such as Huw Williams’ “Rosemary’s Sister” and Ralph McTell’s “The Hiring Fair.” As an added bonus Simon and Ric also regale their receptive Dutch audience with a classic track from Fairport’s fourth album,”Liege and Lief” in the shape of Richard Thompson and Dave Swarbrick’s “Crazy Man Michael.”

Iain Matthews & Ad Vanderveen,”Greetings From Grolloo” (Talking Elephant)- Here’s another musical memory culled from Grolloo’s folk archives, this time focussing attention on a rare performance from the short lived duo formed by Dutch guitarist Ad Vanderveen and former Matthew Southern Comfort frontman Iain Matthews. The latter is probably best known for his chart topping 1970 cover of Joni Mitchell’s “Woodstock,” and this memorable ditty also makes a welcome reappearance here, albeit in a much more stripped down “unplugged” version. The two men share centre stage and acquit themselves admirably here, with Fairport Convention fiddler Ric Sanders also guesting on a couple of tracks,”Funk and Fire” and “Satisfied.”

Van Morrison,”The Legendary Bang Sessions” (Charly Records)- The relatively meagre collection of tracks that this irascible character recorded with New York record producer Bert Berns in March 1967 have been the subject of countless re-issues by a variety of record labels over the years, and this splendid vinyl offering from Charly represents the latest addition to the ever expanding pile. This fine collection of alternate takes from these controversial sessions includes the infectious “Brown Eyed Girl” alongside some early examples of the “stream of consciousness” approach to music making which would later become Morrison’s trademark in the shape of “T.B.Sheets” and “Who Drove The Red Sports Car?”