Reviews :

In Celtic Beat issue Vol 15 January 2006  The versatile Tudur Huws Jones, of Gwerinos, covers a lot of genres here, from traditional Welsh to American, from the personal to the historical and political. He is never at a loss for words in Welsh, or for music. "Angor"(Anchor) is a deeply touching tribute to his wife. Even if you don't know any Welsh, you grasp the love and the strength derived from that union. "Perffaith" (Perfect) is about the wonder of his son's birth. "Magi Tudur" is a sweet instrumental for his daughter's birth. Tudur Huws Jones has the right grounding. The title track "Dal I Drio" in it's sing song frustrated powerful way, the thwarted existence of a one factory town. Tudur Huws Jones sings of Wales, but it could be here also. This is a universal theme. "Sbaen 1936" is about an immediately more fatal kind of frustration, of young ideologues caught up in a real shooting war, between the ugly murderous contenders and their clients. Here Jones captures the anger of those decent people caught in the totalitarian's vicious grasp. Banjo is an instrument Jones uses with great artistry, combined with vocals as in "Miliwn"(A Million) and powerfully in "Cau drws y ty" which American listeners will recognize, or by itself in "Banjoio." "Wrecsam i Fachynlleth" is a wonderful bubbly work, another take on the tune "Machynlleth" with Tudur on mandolin, and Paul Airey on guitar. Here the strings really sing. "Os daw 'Nghariad" is a touching love song which should be added to "Blackbird" and other Celtic works in that vein. The two final cuts reference an American context. "Mountain Jim" is a wild tale of days of yore(1800's I believe ) in the Rockies, it also remembers unfortunate history of Celts still setting on each other. It has that Hatfields /McCoys musical atmosphere-it could be the inspiration for a movie. The final cut was one which had particular relevance and an emotional connection to me: "Amser maith yn ol"(A Long Time Ago) about old men gathering to remember their combat experiences in the Civil War. Weaving into this "The Battle Hymn of The Republic" Tudur Huws Jones sings about the American Civil War in a way that speaks profoundly to this great grand nephew of those who fought that war. Sung in Welsh it speaks to Americans who know their lineage and history and will remember it. And all of our wars. For Tudur Huws Jones is an artist of universal truths. "Amser maith yn ol" particularly touched me. A fine CD by a great communicator. –AK

Tracks –

01 - Angor

02 - Dal i drio

03 - Magi Tudur

04 - Miliwn

05 - Perffaith

06 - Banjoio offerynnol

07 - Sbaen 1936

08 - Carped hud

09 - Isgoed offerynnol

10 - Cau drws y ty

11 - Wrecsam i Fachynlleth offerynnol

12 - Os daw ’nghariad

13 - Mountain Jim

14 - Amser maith yn ôl

Mae albym yr aml-dalentog Tudur Huws Jones yn llawn o ganeuon personol sy'n adlewyrchu diddordeb y cyfansoddwr mewn hanes ac yn y byd o'i gwmpas, ac yn arbennig felly brwydr y gweithiwr am ei hawliau. Mae'n canu i'r rhai a gollodd eu gwaith, ac i rai fel streidwyr Friction Dynamics Caernarfon a fu'n ymladd yn ofer am eu swyddi, a hynny gan mlynedd union wedi streic fawr y chwarelwyr. Canodd hefyd i'r rhai a fu'n ymladd yn Rhyfel Cartref Sbaen, ac i'r rhai a gollodd eu bywydau yn Rhyfel Cartref America, un o'i hoff feysydd hanes. Ond mae Tudur hefyd wedi gwreiddio yng Nghymru, ac efallai mai ei ganeuon mwyaf hudolus yw'r rhai i'w gariad, yn arbennig felly y clasur "Angor". Mae'r cyfan wedi ei gyflwyno mewn arddull a ddylanwadwyd gan gerddoriaeth werin Cymru a'r America, gyda dogn o ddylanwad Gwyddelig hefyd yn amlwg, ac amlygir doniau Tudur ei hun ar y banjo, ar y gitar, ac ar y pibau i greu cyfanwaith hynod o gyfoethog a chofiadwy.

Traciau -

01 - Angor

02 - Dal i drio

03 - Magi Tudur

04 - Miliwn

05 - Perffaith

06 - Banjoio offerynnol

07 - Sbaen 1936

08 - Carped hud

09 - Isgoed offerynnol

10 - Cau drws y ty

11 - Wrecsam i Fachynlleth offerynnol

12 - Os daw ’nghariad

13 - Mountain Jim

14 - Amser maith yn ôl.