The new issue of English Dance & Song magazine is available today, published by the English Folk Dance and Song Society.

To celebrate Liverpool European Capital of Culture, the magazine has several features about music in the city. After an introduction, entitled ‘In My Liverpool Home’, the feature Songs of a Seaport looks at Liverpool’s maritime heritage, with a ‘new’ version of the well-known song The Leaving of Liverpool.

Jack Coutts writes about the International Shanty Festival, Shanties 08, which will accompany the start of the Tall Ships Race in July. The importance of Irish music in the city is explained by Chris Boland, chairman of the local branch of Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann (the Irish traditional music association) and Clive Pownceby looks at the long-running Radio Merseyside Folkscene programme. There are also features on eighty years of morris dancing in Liverpool, and Mersey Morris Men’s Morris Ring meeting in July, and on the folk scene in Liverpool.

The cover feature is the Young Coppers, representing a new generation of singers from this famous family of Sussex folk singers. To coincide with the release of their debut CD, Passing Out, the ‘Singer, Song and Source’ feature looks at the Young Coppers (written by Vic Smith), the song Come All Bold Britons, and editor Derek Schofield looks back at singing amongst previous generations of the Copper family.

Gavin Atkin investigates a new tune book from East Anglia, Before the Night was Out, and accompanying the article, there are two versions of the tune Oh, Joe, the Boat is Going Over, from Oscar Woods and George Craske.

Caller Cat Kelly is interviewed by Joan Crump and contributes a new dance. There is a feature on Fay Hield’s project about singing communities.

In Sam Bennett – the Film Star, Elaine Bradtke describes an amazing film of the traditional Warwickshire fiddle player – a ‘talkie’ that pre-dates The Jazz Singer. The EFDSS is appealing for funds to help restore this unique film.

Ron Smedley draws on his experience as a dance teacher with the Royal Ballet School in the article Teaching Billy Elliot, to explain the use of folk, morris and rapper sword dance in the training of the young ballet dancers.

The EFDSS has a new Chief Executive, Katy Spicer, and this issue has a feature article about her.

There are eight pages of reviews, including CDs by Chris Wood, Ruth Notman, the songs of Lal Waterson and the amazingly titled ‘Sensational Jimi Shandrix Experience’, a DVD review of Tony Palmer’s new documentary about Ralph Vaughan Williams, and a book review of the Ben Harker’s new Ewan MacColl biography.

English Dance & Song magazine also includes regular features such as Festive Round Up; Lives Remembered, News; The Spring Dancing Season (list of dance events); and EFDSS Matters.

The magazine’s website http://eds.efdss.org gives access to sound files of the Coppers’ Come All Bold Britons, as well as to illustrations of the front cover and details of back issues.

The list of folk festivals in 2008 published in the Winter issue has now been updated and is available on the EFDSS website, www.efdss.org Over 130 events throughout England and Wales.

English Dance & Song magazine has been published regularly since 1936, making it one of the world’s longest-established folk magazines. Published quarterly, in full colour, it is available to members of the EFDSS, or on separate subscription. Individual copies can be purchased at festivals and other events and also from the EFDSS. Since 2005, the editor has been Derek Schofield.

Notes for Editors:

2. The English Folk Dance and Song Society (EFDSS) has, for over a hundred years, worked to record, develop and promote the folk music, dance, song traditions of this country. With over 3,000 members and affiliated clubs and organisations, it is regarded as one of the premiere folk development and advocacy organisations in the UK.

3. The EFDSS’s Mission is to develop its resources, especially the Vaughan Williams Memorial Library, to maintain itself as a centre of excellence for the study, practice and dissemination of traditional English song, dance and music; to provide national and local outreach services that enable and increase access; and to celebrate diversity and promote equality.

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