Kings Of Gypsy Music, The - Travelling Gypsies

Advantages: An absorbing novel with factual description
Disadvantages: None!

...Review of Water Gypsies by Annie Murray. Not an audio book, please disregard specific criteria! ISBN 0330492144 Paperback novel- 458 pages. Published by MacMillan in 2004. Cover price £6.99 The Plot Water Gypsies is a modern fiction novel by popular female author Annie Murray. The story is set in 1942 and follows the life of narrowboat skipper's wife, Maryann Bartholomew. Maryann and her husband Joel work the canal system around Birmingham in their narrowboat Theodore and butty, Esther Jane . The life is a hard one, loads to be collected and delivered, children to raise and care for, all in the confines of a seven by nine foot narrowboat boater's cabin. Maryann had a life of suffering as a child growing up in Birmingham and her past often comes back to haunt her. She has recurring nightmares of the horrors she faced... Read review

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Advantages: A change in sound by Hendrix
Disadvantages: A change in sound by Hendrix

...After disbanding the 'Jimi Hendrix' Experience, the 'man' himself went on to form the 'Band of Gypsys' with bassist Billy Cox and drummer Buddy Miles (who penned two songs on the album). Although a studio album was never released, this live album just about covers what the new band was about, a more relaxed, bluesy style. Jimi dropped the British pop sound altogether and adopted his own style of blues. When you first hear this album you are immediately taken aback with the change of style compared to the previous studio albums, but after a few listens you will start to get in the groove again. The sound is laid-back, but as with all live albums is spontaneous and experimental. I know that some Hendrix fans regard this as his finest piece of work, I disagree as this belittles his previous work, which earned him his reputation as simply... Read review

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Advantages: Fast, lively, talented, rare sounds
Disadvantages: None that I can think of except it might be difficult to understand lyrics

...on this masterpiece. Apart from the aforementioned songs, there are also a collection of live songs taken from a concert in Bucharest, which was actually their first ever, which was quite astonishing to say they were fairly popular outside of their own country at that time. Each song is a lively example of hidden gems that had remained previously unplayed. Taraf de Haidouks really are the best gypsy musicians in my opinion and if you are looking to get into gypsy music or simply enjoy listening to uber-talented musicians, this album is a must. The event was also captured by a french filmmaker in a DVD of the same name. This is also worth watching out for as are several of the other albums which I'm about to review!... Read review

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