Ashley Hutchings, Phil Beer & Chris While play Music from The Ridge Riders 2001.02.04 - Chequer Mead Arts Centre, East Grinstead England, SBD FLAC



Soundboard/Sony D7/adobe audition >Tracks> Flac 8

Ridgeriders are Ashley Hutchings, Phil Beer and Chris While, who need no introduction. All are blessed with songwriting skills which were harnessed by Meridian TV for a long-running series, Ridgeriders, which blends ancient history and classic motorbikes against a backdrop of rural southern England. Their music is a highlight of the programmes - That was the preview from the Ram Club site, a folk club to be found in Claygate, in Surrey England.

Some TV details, but not much.
http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/series/24261

Using the highways of ancient man, the presenter travelled the South of England in the company of some bike-mad celebrity. These included Midge Ure, Neil Morrisey, Paula Hamilton, Jamie Theakston and Chris Serle. How good the series was I don't know as I never saw an episode, but if this performance is anything to go by it was probably very good indeed.
But what of the music? As you would expect from any project Ashley is involved in, it's of high quality. All the tracks are specific in their references and must have linked closely to the programme content, for which they were specially written. Some found their way into Albion repertoire including the brilliant "Along the Pilgrim's Way" sung beautifully by Chris While. This track has a more complete feel to it than some of the others due the shortness of some of the material - most being less than three minutes - but this was because of programme restraints.

It is very English in feel. Nothing wrong with that though!!!!!


CD 1

01 intro
02 Shapes on the landscape
03 Ashley talk
04 The drovers’ song
05 Ashley talk
06 A row of pines
07 Chris talk
08 I am a humble bridge/Close your heart
09 Phil talk
10 Robbers' roost/The smugglers' way
11 Intro
12 The travellers
13 Ashley talk
14 The Saxons' song
15 Intro to Work of the Devil
16 Work of the Devil
17 Phil talk
18 All-Seeing Stour
19 Ashley talk
20 Forever England?
21 Chris talk
22 The turnpike reel

CD 2

23 Ashley talk
24 Up on the Ridgeway
25 Ashley talk
26 Rosa
27 Chris talk
28 Mossing We'll Go
29 Ashley talk
30 Tan Hill fair
31 Ashley talk
32 Michael Morey's Hump
33 Ashley talk
34 A coneyman for me
35 Chris talk
36 What Celia sees
37 Phil talk
38 Up the crooked spire/General Ward
39 Ashley talk
40 To be a Pilgrim/
41 Chris talk
42 Along the Pilgrims'Way
43 Phil talk
44 Cursus At Bignor
45 Chris talk
46 These high and wild places

Encore

47 Chris/Phil talk
48 Albion Heart