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Canterburied Sounds

(Redirected from Canterburied Sounds, Vol.s 1-4)

Canterburied Sounds is a series of four CDs of archival Canterbury scene recordings compiled from the private collection of Brian Hopper. The set includes some of the earliest-known recordings of Caravan, Soft Machine, Robert Wyatt, and Wilde Flowers.

Canterburied Sounds
Compilation album by
various
ReleasedJanuary 1998
GenreCanterbury scene
Length4:53:35
LabelVoiceprint Records (VP201-204)

Editions

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The first edition in 1998 was released as four separate CDs. In 2013 Voiceprint reissued the four discs in a single boxed set.

Cover

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The cover watercolor painting of Canterbury Cathedral is by Leslie Hopper, father of Brian and Hugh Hopper. Other watercolors by Leslie Hopper have been featured on Hugh Hopper’s official website.[1] In 1978 Hugh and his father published a book of his church paintings.[2]

Tracks

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The notes are excerpted from extensive comments on each track by Brian Hopper.

Volume 1: Canterburied Sounds

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Track Title Artist Composer Notes Recording Date Length
1 Feelin’, Reelin’, Squealin’ Caravan Kevin Ayers "Recorded live at The Foundry in Jewry Lane, Canterbury immediately following the Caravan's second LP" 1969 10:19
2 Mummie Robert Wyatt & Brian Hopper Robert Wyatt & Brian Hopper "An improvised duet of guitar & vocals, switching speeds on the tape recorder whilst recording" late 1962/early 1963 4:31
3 Da-Da-Dee/Bolivar Blues Mike Ratledge & Robert Wyatt unknown/Thelonious Monk “piano & drums duet with some argument on the choice of key” early 1963 11:56
4 Orientasian Brian Hopper & Robert Wyatt Brian Hopper "duet for my newly-acquired soprano sax and Robert Wyatt on electric guitar" 1967/68 4:03
5 You Really Got Me Wilde Flowers Ray Davies "Early rehearsal of Wilde Flowers with probably the first-ever recording of Kevin Ayers singing" summer 1964 3:53
6 Thinking of You Baby Wilde Flowers Dave Clark "We had to learn a repertoire of current, popular songs to get local gigs" summer 1964 5:20
7 Man in a Deaf Corner Brian Hopper, Hugh Hopper, Mike Ratledge, & Robert Wyatt Brian Hopper, Hugh Hopper, Mike Ratledge, & Robert Wyatt "Part of a long and spontaneous improvisation, with Mike showing a heavy Cecil Taylor influence" late 1962/early 1963 5:05
8 If I Ever Leave You Zobe cover of "I Love You More Than You'll Ever Know" by Al Kooper “From a live performance by my late sixties/early seventies band Zobe” 1970 6:15
9 Stop Me & Play One Robert Wyatt & unknown guitarist unknown “No-one seems to be able to recall the name of the quirky guitarist — there were SO MANY musicians passing through” 1963/1964 3:45
10 Piano Standards 1 Mike Ratledge various “Few people will have heard Mike play like this, but it does show the all-round musical experience that Mike had absorbed” 1964 3:36
11 Belsize Parked Brian Hopper, Hugh Hopper, & Robert Wyatt Brian Hopper, Hugh Hopper, & Robert Wyatt “Wellington House provided the opportunity for us to ‘blow’ for hours and develop a rare musical intimacy” late 1963/early 1964 9:19
12 Summertime Caravan George Gershwin & Ira Gershwin “Another ‘live at the Foundry’ gig with a number that was an early Caravan showcase” 1969 7:16

Volume 2: All Roads Lead Back to Canterbury

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Track Title Artist Composer Notes Recording Date Length
1 Carazobe Caravan & Zobe John Larner, Pye Hastings & Brian Hopper "Pye suggested several members of Zobe join in on an extended blow during a joint gig in East Kent" 1970 16:19
2 Instant Pussy Robert Wyatt Robert Wyatt “Robert described this as his answer to Leonard Cohen!" 1969 3:16
3 Esther’s Nose Job Soft Machine Mike Ratledge "Demo tape provided to me so I could work out the sax lines for Volume Two" January 1969 9:33
4 Moorish Robert Wyatt & Brian Hopper Robert Wyatt & Brian Hopper "A semi-improvised piece with an Iberian feel, with Robert switching between piano, cornet and finally guitar" late 1962/early 1963 8:33
5 Summertime Mike Ratledge & Robert Wyatt George Gershwin & Ira Gershwin "Another of several versions in my archive tapes" early 1963 4:24
6 Indian Rope Man Zobe Richie Havens "The band had to rehearse a selection of covers to provide sufficient variety for live gigs — which were few and far between" 1970 4:36
7 Drum Solo Robert Wyatt Robert Wyatt "Robert working out some interesting drum patterns — even at this comparatively early stage his drumming technique was impressive" probably 1963 1:39
8 Mirror For The Day Pye Hastings Pye Hastings “Pye working out the orchestral string arrangements for Mirror For The Day” 1973 1:26
9 Love Song with Cello Robert Wyatt plus others Robert Wyatt “Robert showing his seemingly endless versatility with an excursion on cello coupled with vocalisations” 1963/1964 4:18
10 As I Feel I Die Caravan Pye Hastings, Dave Sinclair, Richard Sinclair, & Richard Coughlan “Another track from the Foundry gig in Canterbury” 1969 4:45
11 Where But For Caravan Would I Caravan Brian Hopper & Pye Hastings “A song adapted from one of my early compositions entitled How Many Tears” 1969 11:59

Volume 3: A Kinship of Sounds

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Track Title Artist Composer Notes Recording Date Length
1 Slow Walkin’ Talk Robert Wyatt & Jimi Hendrix Brian Hopper “Robert was laying down demo tracks of organ, drum and vocal when Jimi wandering in and suggested doing the bass on Noel’s bass” October 1968 3:02
2 Frenetica Mike Ratledge & Robert Wyatt Mike Ratledge & Robert Wyatt “A largely improvised piece in which Robert supplies plenty of drive” 1963/1964 4:21
3 Idle Chat Mike Ratledge & Robert Wyatt n.a. “The tape remained running while Robert expounded enthusiastically about the style of the drummer of Peter Jay & the Jaywalkers, a popular group of the sixties” 1963/1964 1:32
4 3/4 Blues Thing in F Mike Ratledge & Robert Wyatt Mike Ratledge & Robert Wyatt “This is the number resulting from the previous deliberation” 1963/1964 4:17
5 More Idle Chat Zobe n.a. “Another time when the tape was left running” summer 1970 3:48
6 The Pieman Cometh Zobe Brian Hopper “Written at the end of the Wilde Flowers era, although never performed by them” summer 1970 6:02
7 Liu-Ba Robert Wyatt, Brian Hopper, Hugh Hopper plus unknown guitarist Brian Hopper, Hugh Hopper & Robert Wyatt “Another session with the unknown guitarist, although there are suggestions it could be Daevid Allen” 1963 8:36
8 Kansas City/Rip It Up Brian Hopper, Hugh Hopper & Pete Lawson Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller/Richard Penniman “These represent the earliest recordings on Canterburied Sounds — Hugh had only just purchased his first bass” 1962 2:25
9 That’s Alright Mama Brian Hopper & Hugh Hopper Arthur Crudup “This is about the only recording of just Hugh and myself playing and singing together” 1962 2:13
10 Tanglewood Tails Brian Hopper, Hugh Hopper & Robert Wyatt Brian Hopper, Hugh Hopper & Robert Wyatt “One of the more musically successful trio encounters — Robert is the drummer I always have a memory of” 1963 16:02
11 The Big Show/Central Park West/Songs Zobe Brian Hopper/John Coltrane/Brian Hopper “Another rehearsal track, unfortunately one of the last made by the band” 1970 16:43
12 If I Could Do It All Over Again I’d Do It All Over You Caravan Pye Hastings, Richard Coughlan, Dave Sinclair & Richard Sinclair “Yet another track from the Foundry gig, probably their most well-known number” 1969 4:09

Volume 4: Canterbury Pre-Soft, Pre-Wild

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Track Title Artist Composer Notes Recording Date Length
1 Slow Walkin’ Talk Zobe Brian Hopper “Another version from a Zobe rehearsal” 1970 5:43
2 Some-of-the-Time Mike Ratledge, Brian Hopper, Robert Wyatt & unknown guitarist Mike Ratledge, Brian Hopper & Robert Wyatt “Thinly-veiled variations on Gershwin’s Summertime (again!)” 1963/1964 14:45
3 Ghosts Robert Wyatt, Mike Ratledge & unknown guitarist Albert Ayler “More wild flourish from Mike in the Cecil Taylor mould” 1963/1964 5:23
4 With an Ear to the Ground You Can Make It Caravan Pye Hastings, Richard Coughlan, Dave Sinclair & Richard Sinclair “Because they have not had sufficient time to rehearse it we are treated to a unique arrangement” 1969 8:48
5 Dalmore Rode Brian Hopper & Robert Wyatt Brian Hopper & Robert Wyatt “Robert is heard extending even further the sonic capabilities of the cello” 1963/1964 7:56
6 Piano Standards 2 Mike Ratledge various “Opening with a few Thelonious Monk tinged phrases, this is the second selection of piano standards” 1964 3:13
7 Johnny B. Goode Wilde Flowers Chuck Berry “We leaned heavily on the Chuck Berry catalogue to boost our early repertoire” 1964 3:10
8 Cecilian Brian Hopper, Hugh Hopper, Mike Ratledge & Robert Wyatt Brian Hopper, Hugh Hopper, Mike Ratledge & Robert Wyatt “Mike in his most intense Cecil Taylor style, with Hugh in his first recorded bass solo!” late 1962 12:00
9 Austin Cambridge Caravan Derek Austin “The first recorded example of Geoff Richardson on viola” late 1972 13:45

References

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  1. ^ "Home". hugh-hopper.com.
  2. ^ H.C. & L.T. Hopper: Thirty Kent Churches, ISBN 0-9506394-0-0 – Great Stour Publications – limited edition 750 cop. – calligraphy and map: Leon Olin and Sylvia Gansford
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