VOICES FROM WALES - TWELVE OF FIFTY-TWO

The Eclectic Shed Experience are Ron Savory and Liz Crippin. Both solo singer-songwriters who have now combined to inspire fresh arrangements of their most popular self-penned material.

They hope to record their first album soon. You can find them on the web at: theese.co.uk

They have just performed at the World famous Tredegar House Folk Festival in Gwent.

Last week they recorded an interview with Malcolm Cawley for B.B.Skone’s Pembrokeshire Music Show for Pure West Radio.

If you want to listen to one of the the tracks in full that are played on the documentary:

This was filmed a few weeks back when we were in the middle of a cold snap and the rain was driving down the valley.

Hope you can feel the warmth of the people, the music and the bwythyn.

VOICES FROM WALES - 11 of 52 James Page, Columbus Campervans

An enthusiast from Swansea who over the years has learnt how to restore old VW vans and from a hobby has turned the projects into a small business.

I first heard about Jimmy nearly 30 years ago when a guitar tutor friend came to a band rehearsal and said:

"You wont believe this but I am teaching guitar to Jimmy Page! Hang on!" he said, "I’m also teaching bass to his mate, Steve Miller!"

As the boys grew older and learnt their respective guitars to a high standard, they formed a band. Another friend called Paul Young came on board, he was the singer and on drums they had the magical drummer, Paul Daniels – a super group was formed!

Voices from Wales - Week 10 of 52 - isea surfwear

In March 2012 I cycled with my brother in law from Chicago to New York as The Two Fat Cyclists and played in bars as we went. A supportive business woman sponsored us by making us some promotional hoodies and tee shirts in support of a Children’s Ward in Glangwili Hospital, Carmarthen.

Anna Strzelecki has set up her buisness i sea surfwear in the coastal village of Amroth. In the video Anna discusses how she started and developed her business from virtually nothing, whilst bringing up her daughter. It’s a story of a young woman having a dream of a lifestyle and having a work ethic that drives her towards the vision.

This week Anna posted on her Facebook page:

"Very proud of our little business to be awarded PLASTIC FREE APPROVED STATUS by Surfers Against Sewage."

"We've always made an effort to be as environmentally friendly as possible and we have made lots of small changes over time and there's still more to do but every little bit helps!"

"If you'd like to know more about becoming a Plastic Free Approved business go to www.plasticfree.org.uk or feel free to get in touch with me or your plastic free communities leader in your area."

Congratulations Anna

Week 9 of 52 - yr Ysgwrn

This week, from Mother Bear Productions, we have a visit to the poet Hedd Wyn's home, Yr Ysgwrn, in Snowdonia National Park in Wales.

After a breakfast stop in Aberystwyth and the sharing of a black coffee thermos, we arrived at Trawsfynydd early morning. The sun had risen early on a daffodil March morning.

Turning right we followed the signs for Yr Ysgwrn, a fascinating magical place especially in the blush of a strong spring breeze. The farmhouse welcomes all visitors with an open door and an ethereal warmth that not only comes from the kitchen hearth but from the natural beauty of the landscape.

The peacefulness is absorbed and as clouds float in from the Irish Sea, across the lake and over the Moelwynion Mountains, a tranquillity settles and we breathe in.

Why did men leave this place to fight in the mud of Passchendaele?

"Hedd Wyn," blessed peace, is the bardic name given to Welsh language poet Ellis Humphrey Evans. Yr Ysgwrn was his family's farm and is now a museum. A Christian pacifist, he was conscripted and went to war in his younger brother's place. He was killed approximately a month after submitting his poem, "Yr Awr" (The Hero), to the 1917 National Eisteddfod, on the first day of the WWI Battle of Passchendaele, on 31 July 1917. He won the 1917 National Eisteddfod bardic chair in September 1917, under the pseudonym "Fleur de Lys" and on the news that the winner had been killed in the war, the chair was draped in black and given to his family.

Week 8 of 52 - Operation Bolero

From the archives: this week we have a change in subject matter and style and introduce a commemorative piece in honour of the friendly invasion of 1943 by American troops.

With the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings on the horizon Operation Bolero was to see the American troops arrive in Britain and to spend over six months training for the invasion of Europe.

Back in early 2002, Seimon Pugh Jones decided to record the experiences of local Welsh people and their memories of the occupation. The sound and picture quality isn’t great but it’s been ripped from video and has a slightly lower quality

Week 7 of 52 - Emlyn Schiavone

This week we introduce you to a face of Carmarthen, Emlyn Schiavone, Mayor 2018-19. The Mayor also has the title of Admiral of the Port of Carmarthen, granted by a Charter of Henry VIII in 1546. Henry granted a 'Charter of Admiral to the Mayor and Burgesses and Commonalty to the town of Carmarthen and to their successors forever upon the River Towy from the bridge of Carmarthen to the bar of the said river’. Emlyn is a charismatic figure around the town who works hard to serve as best he can.

Trenchfoot provides the music on the video, a track called Lead Hurts. Some of the supplementary photos have also been donated by T.S. Thomas photography, Carmarthen.

Last week we viewed the Open Day at Island Farm. Richard is such an enthusiast and is just one of a large group of volunteers that work so hard to offer these days throughout the year – great stuff, long may it last.

Last weekend we got to Freshwater West nice and early Sunday morning. I got the time wrong. Four coffees later and a lot of landscape shots of the spectacular beach, the volunteers arrive. The Beach Clean organised by Surfers against Sewage: great event as part of a Beach Clean Week in Wales – looking forward to editing that one.

Next week we’ll take you to the home of poet Ellis Evans, known as Hedd Wynn. Yr Ysgwrn, just outside Trawsfynydd in Gwynedd, has become a memorial to the Welsh language poet who was killed July 31st 1917 on the first day of the Battle of Passchendaele during World War I. He was posthumously awarded the bard's chair at the 1917 National Eisteddfod. The video will also include some footage of the multi-media performance of the National Poet of Wales, Ifor Ap Glyn.

We are going to visit the town of Kidwelly very soon and hope to get some great video interviews from local characters and a special visit to the castle. At the moment, Seimon and myself think we got enough video footage and subject matter covered now for the next couple of months and need to start editing what we got. Big job but slowly, slowly!

Week 6 of 52 - Hut Number 9, Island Farm

This week, Hut Number 9, Island Farm in Bridgend takes centre stage. Enthusiastic volunteers curate the World War Two German prisoner of war camp, organising Open Days at regular intervals. On 10th March 1945, 70 German POW’s attempted to escape digging a tunnel out of their wartime imprisonment. It became known as The Great Escape in Wales.

The Tommy Jenkins video has had some great comments. He’s had to postpone a few gigs lately through ill health but is up and running again for his summer engagements and has a new album out soon. Here’s a link to a video about Tom Paine, an American patriot. He wrote the political pamphlet Common Sense . It is credited as playing a crucial role in convincing colonists to take up arms against Britain.

“Without the pen of the author of Common Sense , the sword of Washington would have been raised in vain.”
John Adams

Click here for the video: Tom Paine's Bones,

There’s another link below to a sea song, Codi Angor (Raising The Anchor), where Tommy mixes Codi Angor in Welsh with the English, Leave Her, Johnny, Leave Her.

Click her for the video: Codi Angor,

The sun has been shining all week we did a video shoot down Oxwich on Gower. What a beautiful place, first visit to the beach this season. We had a small road trip around Gower taking in the sights and smells of the wild horses of Cefn Bryn. What a wonderful day but we should have taken a few sandwiches! Man cannot survive on ice cream alone!

The mantra is as Warren Zevon said, Enjoy Every Sandwich! Oh there’s another one, I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead.

Week 5 of 52 - Tommy Jenkins

This week Tommy Jenkins allows us an insight into the musical life story of one of Wales’ most unique folk singers. His work in the folk scene in South Wales is unparalleled as a solo artist and in various bands including Cromlech. I have an album of theirs in my collection, Igam Ogam on the Sain record label.

A self-taught Welsh speaker, he gives us an in depth view into his career. I wanted to edit the video down to ten minutes so that more viewers in this digital age would watch. It’s well known that the short attention span of the You Tube generations want an experience that is quick and short. Tommy comes in at nearly thirty minutes, I urge you sit, relax and listen to Tommy’s story.

Tommy has released several albums over the years including Songs of Swansea and Gower. By the end of April he is hopefully releasing a new album

I’m off tonight to watch coracle fishing on the River Towy in Carmarthen, a 9.30 p.m. start. We will be filming them soon and putting together a documentary on the history and folklore of the unique fishing craft through the ages.

Next week Mother Bear are off to film in a recording studio in Gorslas, Carmarthenhshire and capture the unique sound of Ron Savory and Liz Crippin before they set out an extensive tour of post-Brexit Europe.

Here’s a link to a performance at the Laugharne Festival in 2017 -

Here’s a few we hope to bring to you soon:

• Kidwelly Castle
• Boss Brewing, Cardiff
• embrokeshire Beach Food
• Rhondda Heritage Centre
• Surfers against Sewage
• Tin Churches of Pembrokeshire

It’s a wonderful hobby travelling around Wales getting to know people from different walks of life and Americymru gives us the focus to continue.