Remastered with two extra tracks, Steve Ashley’s Family Album (originally released and produced by Dave Pegg on the Woodworm label in 1982) makes a long-overdue return to the limelight. It also features a fascinating line-up of Fairport Convention members past and present, namely, Dave Pegg, Simon Nicol, Chris Leslie and the late, Bruce Rowland.

 

The 12 page booklet includes recollections from Steve Ashley, Dave Pegg and Chris Leslie with an overview by Simon Jones. With one track reinstated from the original sessions and Steve’s poignant memorial to his friend Bruce Rowland, we now have Steve Ashley’s Family Album – Revisited. 

Twelve wonderful tracks on OX15 fully demonstrate Maart’s influences across a range of styles and moods and his technical ability across a plethora of instruments. Only four  feature vocals – with Maart on ‘Whenever We See The Dark’ and ‘Simple’ and Najma Akhtar on ‘Chimes at Midnight’ and ‘A Dream’. The remaining eight feature past and present members of both Fairport Convention and Jethro Tull including Chris Leslie and Ian Anderson and Dave Pegg.in full instrumental flow.The track ‘Crash Polka’ also highlights Maart’s quirky sense of humour.