>
Martin Carthy >
Brass Monkey
>
John Kirkpatrick >
Brass Monkey
Brass Monkey
Biography
The history of Brass Monkey begins in 1973 with John Kirkpatrick playing with Martin Carthy in the Albion Country Band, one of Ashley Hutchings' many creations. (Carthy played with Hutchings before that in 1970-71 in Steeleye Span – another one – and again later in 1977-78.) Martin Brinsford joined Carthy and Kirkpatrick for Plain Capers (1976), a recording of Morris Dance Tunes from the Cotswolds. Howard Evans, who was with the Albion Band in 1978, joined the other three, together with Roger Williams, to form Brass Monkey in 1979. At some stage the band was briefly called the Martin Carthy Band. (see the short YouTube video of Jolly Tinker at the 1982 Cambridge Folk Festival).
Brass Monkey produced two LPs, Brass Monkey in 1983 and See How It Runs in 1986. On the latter, Roger Williams was replaced by Richard Cheetham. Both LPs were re-released on a CD, Brass Monkey, in 1993.
After a long break due to problems finding gigs for such a large band, they reformed in 1997 and recorded three more CDs with either Richard Cheetham and/or Roger Williams. Howard Evans died in 2006. In 2008, Brass Monkey recruited Paul Archibald as trumpet player and they started recording a new CD for Topic Records.
Musicians
Brass Monkey are
Martin Carthy: vocals, guitar, mandolin;
John Kirkpatrick, vocals, button accordion, melodeon, treble, baritone and bass Anglo concertinas;
Howard Evans, trumpets (1979-2006†);
Paul Archibald, trumpets (2008-);
Martin Brinsford, mouth-organ, C-melody saxophone, drums, percussion;
Richard Cheetham, tenor trombone, sackbut;
Roger Williams, bass trombone, tuba
Discography
1982
Martin Carthy Band at the 18th Cambridge Folk Festival
1983
Brass Monkey,
Brass Monkey,
LP, Topic 12TS431
1986
Brass Monkey, See How It Runs,
LP, Topic 12TS442
Loudon Wainwright III,
More Love Songs,
LP, Demon FIEND 79
1988
Various Artists,
The Derby Tup Presents…,
cassette, BBC Radio Derby DTP-01
1993
Brass Monkey,
The Complete Brass Monkey,
CD, Topic TSCD467
1996
Various Artists, The Voice of Folk, CD, Topic TSCD705
1997
Various Artists, New Electric Muse, Volume 2, 3 CD, Castle Music ESBCD 517
1998
Brass Monkey,
Sound & Rumour,
CD, Topic CD TSCD501
1999
Various Artists, English Originals, comp. CD, Topic TSCD706
Various Artists, The Folk Collection, comp. 2 CD, Topic TSCD707/8
2000
Various Artists, And We'll All Have Tea… English Folk Anthology, comp. 2 CD, Retro R2CD 40-106
2001
Brass Monkey,
Going & Staying,
CD, Topic TSCD531
2002
Various Artists,
The Acoustic Folk Box,
4 CDs, Topic TSFCD 4001
2004
Brass Monkey,
Flame of Fire,
CD, Topic TSCD550
Various Artists, The English Collection: A Definitive Collection of Classic English Folk Music, CD, Highpoint HPO6010
2005
Brass Monkey,
The Definitive Collection,
CD, Highpoint HPO6011
Various Artists, Folk Awards 2005, 2 CD, Proper Folk PROPERFOLK01
2008
Various Artists,
Huntingdon Folk 4,
CD, Speaking Volumes SVL 14CD
2009
Brass Monkey,
Head of Steam,
CD, Topic TSCD575
2013
Brass Monkey,
The Best of Live: 30th Anniversary Celebration,
CD, Park PRKCD 125, 2013
See also
- Brass Monkey - at David Suff's site