Following up some of the ideas from ‘The Hermit’ which continued on to the ‘Nine Maidens’ this was essentially a set of pieces centered around the fingerstyle steel-string guitar. Some are original and others are borrowed from the lute or keyboard or based on folk tunes. The arrangements include light instrumentation and are rather more extended than previously. Tony Roberts again contributed the woodwind parts. One track ‘The Pelican’ was named after a street in Paris where another old friend of mine lived, Remy Froissart a wonderful player from way back who helped me out on the ‘Nine Maidens.’ The title is a nod to the old Transatlantic company whose logo was a black balloon.
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The Moon Shines Bright The English Dance Bourree 1 and 2 The Mist Covered Mountains of Home The Orphan-The Tarbolton The Pelican The Black Balloon |