“I do think it’s a shame that so much emphasis is put on original songwriting—apart from anything else, there are an awful lot of songs out there that should never have made it out of someone’s bedroom. I get ideas about songs that I would like to happen, but I’m not the one to write them—and I know this because I tried writing one once, and it was awful. I also think that the role of the interpreter is often undervalued these days. Having people come at things from the outside, rather than starting off with that intense personal investment in something you’ve written, is a really important part of songs being tested and judged.” (“The Art of the Interpreter,” from The Herald).
Song interpretation is something of a lost art in our time, but it wasn’t always so. The great singers of yesteryear (Frank Sinatra, Billie Holiday, Bing Crosby and Tony Bennett, to name a few) earned their fame by recording fresh interpretations of classic songs. June Tabor belongs on any list of great interpreters and is somewhat unique in that she covered songs in many genres: traditional folk, contemporary folk, jazz, and pop standards.
In addition to her interpretive gifts, June was blessed with a voice that immediately commands attention. “Besides the expressive eloquence of Tabor’s phrasing and articulation, her fame rests on the singularly stirring timbre of her voice. Deep, velvety, resonantly shadowed, somehow lush and austere at once, it’s an instrument she seems to have been born with.” (ibid) Few singers have the ability to evoke emotion as effectively as June Tabor, in both live performances and on record.
Given my extensive collection of her recorded work and my deep admiration for her diverse offerings, you can expect this page to fill up pretty quickly. Reviewing June Tabor is always a deeply satisfying experience.
Solo Albums
Collaborations
Silly Sisters (with Maddy Prior)
Song Series
Anti-War Songs: “No Man’s Land/Flowers of the Forest”
