Ooblek

An Appalachian song from the singing of Jean Ritchie, I first heard Swing and Turn (Jubilee) from Laura Cortese at Orkney Folk Festival in 2017. The song can be found in Jean’s own book “Folk Songs of the Southern Appalachians as Sung by Jean Ritchie” reissued by the University of Kentucky Press in 2016. The song features on Mudcat Café, an online discussion group and song and tune database. Jean stated on the forum: “Jubilee is a Ritchie family gamesong, but I never did a copyright on it because it was collected from another source in the community – everyone around knew it. A lady named Marian Skein wrote it down at Ary, Kentucky and it was published by Lynn Rohrbough, Cooperative Recreation Service, Delaware, Ohio in 1939.” Lorraine Lee Hammond states that the tune for Swing and Turn (Jubilee) is a common tune of choice for the ballad, Gypsy Davy. In Jeannie Robertson’s “distinctly Scottish version of The Gypsy Laddies, the opening line of the verse is again the familiar musical phrase used by Jean Ritchie and Woody Guthrie.

It's all out on the old railroad,
All out on the sea,
All out on the old railroad,
As far as I can see. 

Swing and turn, Jubilee
Live and learn, Jubilee 

The hardest work I ever done, 
Workin' on a farm, 
Easiest work I ever done,
Swingin' my true love's arm

Swing and turn, Jubilee
Live and learn, Jubilee 

If I had a needle and thread, 
As fine as I could sew, 
I'd sew my true love to my side 
And down the creek I'd go.

Swing and turn, Jubilee
Live and learn, Jubilee 

Coffee grows on a white oak tree,
And sugar runs in Brandy,
Girls are sweet as a lump of gold,
Boys as sweet as candy

Swing and turn, Jubilee
Live and learn, Jubilee 
Swing and turn, Jubilee
Live and learn, Jubilee 

Some will come on Saturday night
And some will come on Sunday 
If you give ‘em half a chance,
They’ll be back on Monday 

Swing and turn, Jubilee
Live and learn, Jubilee 

If I had no horse to ride,
I’d be found a-calling
Up and down this rocky road,
Lookin’ for my darlin

Swing and turn, Jubilee
Live and learn, Jubilee 

It's all out on the old railroad,
All out on the sea,
All out on the old railroad,
As far as I can see. 

Swing and turn, Jubilee
Live and learn, Jubilee 
Swing and turn, Jubilee
Live and learn, Jubilee 
Swing and turn, Jubilee
Live and learn, Jubilee 
Swing and turn
Live and learn

Dark Turn of Mind

Swing and Turn

Sarod maestro Soumik Datta returns with the release of his dynamic new single, Tiger Tiger.

Combining Indian classical melodies with colourful electronica, Soumik is able to create an eclectic mix of sounds that is both transcendent and innovative. Playing the nineteen stringed, fretless sarod, Soumik’s impassioned energy simmers endlessly. His tremendous range provides enough complex rhythms and glissando notes to augment music in any genre. 

As a response to deforestation and the climate change crisis, Tiger Tiger is a continuation of Datta's earlier release - 'Jangal'. His music uses the sarod woven in with instruments and musical styles from forests that are being cleared the world over. Drums from the Amazon region blend with tribal woodwinds from North East India and tuned metal percussion from Indonesia to create an frenzied, uproar of sound. 

Soumik Datta is a composer, television presenter and sarod player. He has collaborated with Beyonce, Jay- Z, Bill Bailey, Talvin Singh, Akram Khan, London Philharmonic Orchestra and City of London Sinfonia to name a few. Soumik has received praise from the likes of Vogue, The Guardian, The Independent and GQ Magazine. He has also performed at numerous esteemed live events such as BBC Proms, Glastonbury and Womad. Unruly and cinematic in scope, this is Soumik's most powerful release to date.

Tiger Tiger is out 22nd April 2020 via Soumik Datta Arts

Tiger Tiger

Soumik Datta is a British Indian composer and virtuoso Sarod player – 19 stringed fretless instrument. Dubbed ‘British Sarod Maestro’ (Time Out), Soumik has composed and released six albums through his own label. He first made his mark with his debut record ‘Fretless’ which showcased him as ‘a magnificent Indian classical Sarod player with a rare melodic awareness’, The Times of India. While Soumik continued to present classical concerts, he began expanding and collaborating on new forms. His latest creation is ‘cinematic and explores a fertile area somewhere between Radiohead, Pink Floyd and Indian classical music’, Songlines.

Soumik was trained by the Sarod legend, Pandit Buddhadev Das Gupta while completing his Masters in Composition at Trinity College of Music. His charity Soumik Datta Arts is chaired by Sir David Green, KCMG, and is a platform to showcase new talent and innovative collaborations. 2014 sees Soumik both as a soloist as he braves the world’s first contemporary Sarod concerto (commissioned by the BCMG) and equally as a composer as he rescores oscar award-winning director Satyajit Ray’s 1960′s epic Goopy Gayne Bagha Gyne for the Scottish Chamber Orchestra. Supported by the British Council, Soumik (pronounced Sho-mik) has toured internationally, presented his music at TED Global, performed with Beyonce, Jay-Z, Bill Bailey, Nitin Sawhney, Anoushka Shankar, Talvin Singh, Joss Stone and Shankar Mahadevan bringing the ancient Sarod into a global arena. Connecting his roots in Indian music with a bold, progressive attitude, he is considered ‘one of biggest new music talents in Britain’, Vogue. Download Soumik Datta’s latest album Anti Hero, which he is giving away for free on the website: soumikdatta.com


Tiger Tiger

Soumik Datta

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