Judy Dyble

Judy Dyble

Judy Dyble, Oxfordshire 2009
Background information
Birth name Judy Aileen Dyble
Born 13 February 1949
London
Instruments Autoharp/piano/recorder
Years active 1960s - present
Associated acts Fairport Convention
Giles, Giles and Fripp
Trader Horne
Website judydyble.com

Judith Aileen Dyble, better known as Judy Dyble (pronounced Die-bull[1]), (born 13 February 1949 at the Middlesex Hospital, Central London) is an award-winning British singer-songwriter most notable for being one of the vocalists with, and founder members of, Fairport Convention and Trader Horne; in between these she, along with Ian McDonald joined and recorded several tracks with Giles, Giles and Fripp, which, after her departure, evolved into King Crimson. These tracks surfaced on the Brondesbury Tapes CD and Metaphormosis vinyl LP.

Early years

Dyble's first band was Judy and The Folkmen (which existed between 1964 and 1966) and made homemade demo recordings, none of which were released, but some of which are vaunted for inclusion on a mooted anthology of Dyble's career (Universal/Sanctuary set a release date in 2007 for this, but the release was cancelled when Sanctuary was taken over by Universal). She then became the original vocalist with Fairport Convention [2] from 1967 to 1968. Ashley 'Tyger' Hutchings asked her to sing and play with him, Richard Thompson and Simon Nicol in November 1966 in some of the various band incarnations that they were all part of, including jug-bands and anything that needed a female vocal, mainly because of their reluctance to sing themselves and this became the nucleus of Fairport Convention, firstly with Shaun Frater as drummer and later Martin Lamble. The group recorded their first album with her, their repertoire at the time consisting of both American singer-songwriter works plus originals. The first single was a cover of a 1930s American song, "If I Had a Ribbon Bow". The band covered and re-worked numerous American recordings, with the band members choosing some tracks to work with from manager Joe Boyd's record collection. The band also picked up on the works of Joni Mitchell before she was known in the UK, and covered two of her songs on the first Fairport album, which was self-titled.

Fairport's early live shows in London in the late 1960s saw Judy share stages with names like Jimi Hendrix, and Syd Barrett era Pink Floyd. Famously, she sat on the front of the stage at the Speakeasy club knitting, while Hendrix and Richard Thompson jammed. Dyble also guested on The Incredible String Band's 1968 album The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter (on "The Minotaur's Song")[3] and on G. F. Fitz-Gerald's 1970 album Mouseproof.

After her stint with Fairport Convention, Dyble (along with her then-boyfriend Ian McDonald) joined the English pop band Giles, Giles and Fripp[4] by famously advertising in Melody Maker.[5] Dyble contributed to demo recordings for the group, but left after her relationship with McDonald ended. Giles, Giles and Fripp - retaining McDonald - would later evolve into the foundation progressive rock band King Crimson.

Dyble would go on to become one half of the duo Trader Horne, with ex-Them member Jackie McAuley.[6] Pete Sears was originally the third member of the band, but flew to the United States before recording began. The group took its name from John Peel's nanny Florence, called "Trader", Horne (as a reference to explorer Trader Horn). The duo signed to Dawn (a subsidiary of Pye Records) releasing one album,[7] Morning Way in 1969, and two highly prized collectible vinyl singles. Dyble wrote the title track,"Morning Way" and co-wrote "Velvet to Atone" with Martin Quittenton for the album. The pairing shared stages with acts such as Humble Pie, Yes, and Genesis. The duo split a few days before they should have headlined the now legendary Hollywood festival in Newcastle Under Lyme that saw Mungo Jerry first come to public attention. In 2008, Trader Horne was featured in Kingsley Abbott's book, '500 Lost Gems Of The 60's': to coincide with this, Stuart Maconie did a one hour biopic radio special on Judy's career on BBC6 programme the Freak Zone, as well as a significant piece in Record Collector.[8]

In 1973, Judy left the music business to work with her husband, DJ and scenester Simon Stable (who had played bongos on albums by Bridget St John and Ten Years After under his real name, Count Simon de la Bedoyere). Later on, Dyble (by now a mother) worked as a librarian.

At the 1981 Fairport Convention Annual Reunion (held that year at Broughton Castle), Dyble appeared on stage as a surprise guest: backed by Fairport's Full House lineup, she sang Joni Mitchell's Both Sides Now and the Everly Brothers' When Will I Be Loved.[9] She also appeared as a guest in 1982 (A Week-End in The Country), 1997(30th Anniversary),2002 (35th Anniversary) and 2007(40th Anniversary)

Recent work

Following Stable's death in 1994, 2003 saw Dyble begin writing and performing again. For a long time, the only Judy Dyble recordings available in the retail trade was the first Fairport Convention album, but Morning Way was reissued on CD in November 2000, and she released the first of several new works - Enchanted Garden - in 2004, followed by Spindle and The Whorl in 2006. These last two albums only received limited releases with little if any distribution. Occasional live appearances saw her appear at Cropredy (alongside what was virtually the original Fairport line up) in 2007.

Dyble released a single on 3 March 2008 with northern indie/folk band The Conspirators[10] through independent label Transcend Media Group. The single was a double A-side featuring Judy's vocals on a remake of Fairport Convention's song "One Sure Thing" and The Conspirators song "Take Me To Your Leader". It reached No.7 in the official uk indie singles chart, spending 3 weeks in the top 10.

The promotion for this single saw Dyble make a couple of very rare live appearances, at the Harrogate International Conference Centre, and at an in-store live gig at HMV's superstore in Leeds city centre on 3 March 2008.[11]

Dyble's next album Talking with Strangers was recorded throughout 2008 with Tim Bowness (No-Man) and Alistair Murphy co-writing and producing. Collaborators include Robert Fripp, Simon Nicol, Pat Mastelotto, Ian McDonald, Julianne Regan, Celia Humphris, Jacqui McShee, Laurie A'Court and Mark Fletcher. During work on the album, she played a rare outdoor show at the Llama festival in North Devon, in June 2008.[12]

Dyble took her place at the head of Fairport Convention's initial line up, at Witchseason's 40th anniversary celebration show at the Barbican Theatre on 18 July 2009, for the first time in nearly 40 years, excluding very brief occasional outings at Cropredy.[13]

Cover of the 2009 album Talking With Strangers

Talking With Strangers was released in August 2009 becoming the recommended choice on the www.bbc.co.uk homepage, and receiving favourable reviews from amongst others, the Mail on Sunday, Record Collector, Shindig!, R2 (Rock'n'Reel) and described as a 'sophisticated triumph' on the BBC music website. A number of radio stations aired the near 20 minute track 'Harpsong' in full, and Dyble undertook a run of BBC local radio interviews, including BBC Radio Oxford, Solent, Suffolk, Devon, Cornwall, Lancashire, and Manchester.[14] In May 2009 early review copies for the new album with Robert Fripp were sent out. Dyble's Myspace showed samplers of some of the album tracks, and directly from her, and from Tim Bowness's Burning Shed, signed numbered early release copies sold out very quickly.

27 August 2009 saw an intimate gig by Dyble at the 100 Club in London, supported by Tim Bowness, Alistair Murphy, and Simon Nicol, her first solo gig in London in over 40 years.

2010 saw Dutch label Tonefloat release a vinyl version of the album, and Dyble added additional vocals to the 2 November 2009 single release 'Every Sentimental Moment' by UK rock band Kings Cross.

Termo records in Norway announced a Scandinavian release in February 2010, with revised artwork by noted artist and children's illustrator Jackie Morris and a bonus track from the album sessions 'Fragile' This release was supported by promotional television appearances in Norway, notably on the breakfast show God morgen, Norge! 2 tracks were performed live, Jazzbirds, and Grey October Day. Dyble, Bowness and Murphy also recorded an as yet unseen clip for the programme Lydverket.

Harpsong won the award for 'Best original song' voted for by the online community 'Talkawhile' in January 2010,[15] and the album featured in the 'best of 2009' lists in Classic Rock magazine by noted writers Jo Kendall, and Sid Smith. The album was also promoted by UK music store HMV as one of its best specialist sector albums.

In September 2009, Dyble announced on her Facebook page that work has begun on a new full length, as yet untitled album, to be recorded in 2010.

In December 2009 producer/arranger Lee Fletcher announced via online networks that he and touch guitarist Markus Reuter would be collaborating (along with a number of other musicians including Robert Fripp) with Dyble on new work. The project was subsequently revealed by Judy to be titled Newborn Creatures and as of 11 February 2011 the album was said to be complete. Mastering duties were undertaken by Simon Heyworth, who produced, mixed and mastered Tubular Bells as well as mastering work by Nick Drake, Simple Minds and others.

Subsequent to this announcement, Dyble announced via her own website that the project had run into difficulties and would not be released in the form she had intended, and that she had been removed from the project altogether.[16] As she stated: "I am very sorry to have to say seemingly my album, 'Newborn Creatures' will now not be released in its current incarnation. Lee Fletcher and Markus Reuter have decided to remove my songwords and my vocals and artwork and anything to do with me from the recording. I do not know what they intend to do with what is left, but they have stated that they intend to release my album without me in some form and at some point in the future." As indicated in a further part of her announcement, Dyble revealed that her collaborators had felt she had undervalued their contribution to the project, and that the removal of her contribution had "seriously damaged my delight in the music that I have made for this album." She went on to state that perhaps she could salvage the words and "find a new and sympathetic home for them."

She has recently completed a new album with Alistair Murphy,titled Flow and Change, which was released by Gonzo Multimedia on 1 July 2013. Mostly co-written with Alistair Murphy who also engineered and produced the album, others are co-written with Julianne Regan, Simon House and Dean Frances-Hawksley/Andy Suttie. Guest collaborators are Matt Malley (ex Counting Crows) Mike Mooney (Spiritualized), Julianne Regan (All About Eve) and Pat Mastelotto (King Crimson)

During 2013 Dyble collaborated with Oliver Kersbergen of Sleepyard in co-writing three songs, one of which 'Blue Barracuda' was released on the Fuxa album 'Dirty D'in August 2013 and two more, 'Rainy Day Vibration' and 'Satellite Calling' will be released on Sleepyard's forthcoming album 'Black Sails' on USA label Global Recording Artists in January 2014. She also sings on '1000 Year Vacation (reprise)' on the same album. Now completing a 3CD anthology of the, in most cases, lesser known music she has been involved with over the last 50 years. Titled 'Gathering the Threads (Fifty Years of Stuff)'it will be released in March 2015

Discography

Singles
A-side B-side Artist Label Catalogue no. Released Region Chart/Notes
If I Had a Ribbon Bow If (Stomp) Fairport Convention Track 604 020 February 1968 UK
Sheena Morning Way Trader Horne Pye 7N17846 November 1969 UK
Here Comes the Rain Goodbye Mercy Kelly Trader Horne Dawn DNS1003 February 1970 UK
One Sure Thing
Take Me To Your Leader 		Connected
Robots (cd only)		 Judy Dyble with the Conspirators Transcend TR178CD
TR178V		 March 2008 UK No.7 Official Indie chart, 1000 vinyl, First 50 numbered + signed
Every Sentimental Moment Lone Kings Cross with Judy Dyble Brilliant/FiXiT FXTR V111 November 2009 UK 500 numbered clear Vinyl / Download only
Fragile EP Sparkling/Waiting Judy Dyble Brilliant BMV1011 December 2010 UK 500 numbered picture discs / download
Albums
Title Artist Label Catalogue no. Released Region Notes
Fairport Convention Fairport Convention Polydor 583 035 June 1968 UK
Morning Way Trader Horne Dawn DNLS 3004 March 1970 UK
Janus JLS3012 USA
Enchanted Garden Judy Dyble Talking Elephant TECD 068 September 2004 UK
Spindle Judy Dyble Talking Elephant TECD 084 February 2006 UK
The Whorl Judy Dyble Talking Elephant TECD 094 July 2006 UK
Talking with Strangers Judy Dyble FiXiT/Brilliant FXTRCD 113 August 2009 UK First 1000 numbered, first 500 of these signed
Talking With Strangers - Limited vinyl Judy Dyble Tonefloat TF70 September 2009 Europe 500 only, with signed postcard
Talking With Strangers Judy Dyble Termo CD006 March 2010 Scandinavia Exclusive bonus track 'Fragile'
Talking With Strangers - Reissue vinyl Judy Dyble Tonefloat TF70 November 2012 Europe 500 only, with Jackie Morris a/w
Talking With Strangers Judy Dyble Gonzo HST123CD February 2013 USA/Can Exclusive bonus tracks 'Waiting' 'Sparkling'
Flow and Change Judy Dyble Gonzo HST 150CD July 2013 World
Flow and Change - Limited Vinyl Judy Dyble Plane Groovy PLG025 March 2014 World
Live at WMJazz Judy Dyble Cromerzone CZ00019 July 2014 World
Gathering The Threads-Fifty Years of Stuff - Limited 3CD set Judy Dyble Starcrazy SC001-SC002-SC003 March 2015 World 250 numbered and signed
Compilations and Guest Appearances
Title Artist Tracks Label Catalogue no. Released Region
BackTrack Two (various artists) If I Had a Ribbon Bow Track 2407 002 May 1970 UK
A Young Person's Guide to King Crimson King Crimson I Talk to the Wind Island ISLP7 1976 UK
Moat on the Ledge Fairport Convention Both Sides Now Woodworm WR 001 1982 UK
The Guv'nor Vol.4 Ashley Hutchings Both Sides Now No label HTD CD 66 1996 UK
The Guv'nor presentation 4 (cd wallet) Ashley Hutchings Both Sides Now No label HTD BOX1 1996 UK
Ashley Hutchings 5 Ashley Hutchings If I Had A Ribbon Bow No label TECD 037 2002 UK
Burning Bright Ashley Hutchings One Sure Thing Free Reed FRQCD 50 2005 UK
The Fairport Companion (various artists) Morning Way (Trader Horne)
Velvet to Atone (Trader Horne)		 Castle Music CMDDD 1337 10 April 2006 UK
Live at the BBC Fairport Convention (Disc 4, tracks 1-8, see below) Island 984 5385 April 2007 UK
Dirty D Fuxa Blue Barracuda Rocketgirl Records rgirl97 August 2013 UK
Thee Faction Songs To Remind The Class Of The Glorious Victory To Come And The Work That Must Be Done To Get There Relentless Soviet Beret EP-CD SOV05 December 2013 World
Black Sails Sleepyard Rainy Day Vibration/Satellite Calling/1000 Year Vacation(Reprise) Global Recording Artists GRA 13442 March 2014 US

Note: the eight tracks included on Live at the BBC were recorded for John Peel's Top Gear programme. Four — Let's Get Together, One Sure Thing, Lay Down Your Weary Tune and Chelsea Morning — date from the period prior to Ian Matthews joining Fairport, and were broadcast 10 December 1967; the other four — Violets of Dawn, If (Stomp), Time Will Show the Wiser and If I Had a Ribbon Bow — were broadcast 3 March 1968, a week after the release of the debut single. All eight come from "off air" recordings, not original BBC tapes.[17]

References

  1. ↑ per Simon Nicol's introduction to "Both Sides Now" on Fairport Convention's album Moat on the Ledge
  2. ↑ Fairport Convention "Time will show the wiser (1967)" on YouTube
  3. ↑ Judy Dyble discography
  4. ↑ "Giles,Giles & Fripp feat Judy Dyble I Talk To The Wind". YouTube. 26 February 2009. Retrieved 17 August 2009.
  5. ↑ Barroso, Koldo (March 2007). "Interview with Judy Dyble of Fairport Convention". The Marquee Club. Retrieved 17 August 2009. I put an advertisement in the Melody Maker looking for musicians to join my (virtually non existent) band and Peter Giles answered it
  6. ↑ "Judy Dyble". Burning Shed. 2009. Retrieved 17 August 2009.
  7. ↑ Humphries, Patrick (1982). Meet on the Ledge - a history of Fairport Convention. London: Eel Pie. p. 17. ISBN 0-906008-46-8.
  8. ↑ Google.com at the Wayback Machine (archived 23 July 2008)
  9. ↑ Humphries, Patrick (1982). Meet on the Ledge: A History of Fairport Convention. London: Eel Pie Publishing. p. 103. ISBN 0-906008-46-8.
  10. ↑ The Conspirators homeage
  11. ↑ Google.com
  12. ↑ Google.com
  13. ↑ Barbican Witchseason Weekender Press Release
  14. ↑ Google.com
  15. ↑ Nick (9 January 2010). "Best Original Song". TalkAwhile - The Folk Corporation Forum. Retrieved 13 February 2010.
  16. ↑ Dyble, J. "News: Newborn Creatures". Retrieved 29 October 2011.
  17. ↑ Abbott, Kingsley (2007). Live at the BBC (Media notes). Fairport Convention. Universal-Island Records. pp. 3,10,12,22–23,43.

Further reading

External links