Tag: Ratcliffe Cross

London-based multi-instrumentalist Charlie Wheatley is about to release his debut album, Ratcliffe Cross, a set of seven tunes derived from old dance tunes. It seems that Charlie can and does get a tune out of anything with strings and then adds harmonium to his repertoire. His most unusual instrument is the cello da spalla, a five-string beast somewhat larger than a viola which is played across the chest and shoulder. From the pictures I’ve seen, and I have only seen pictures, it looks very awkward and unwieldy to play. It seems that it can double as an octave violin – but that’s enough of technicalities.

The packaging of Ratcliffe Cross is minimal in the extreme: just a list of titles plus a producer and artwork credit. Charlie doesn’t even say which pieces are traditional and which are his own compositions suggesting that it doesn’t actually matter. I’m not an expert on obscure dance tunes and Google is no help so…

The first track, ‘Blue Sheep’, is a pretty little guitar tune with a light drone behind it – I reckon that’s the cello da spalla – and I’ve no idea whether it’s traditional or one of Charlie’s own. ‘Petticoat’ is probably derived from ‘The Petticoat Jig’. Again, it’s an acoustic guitar piece. ‘Sheila’s’ is a modern sounding piece, initially very slow, with a deep drone behind the guitar but then it speeds up and feels more like a dance tune. There is a song called ‘When I Was A Lady’ and the lyrics fit this tune although Charlie begins it with something that sounds like him tuning all his instruments as once.

I’m pretty sure that it is the cello da spalla that opens ‘Jack Warrel’s’, originally a hornpipe but Charlie slows it down and adds his own original touches. All references to ‘Veni Spiritus’ describe it as a hymn tune and a setting for various sacred texts. This is the longest track on the album and Charlie has paired it with ‘Rowland’s’, possibly an English triple hornpipe and the clever bit is coupling it with a hymn tune to give the listener a surprise even though the two pieces fit together well.

Finally, I’m sure that ‘Tune For Eadie’ is a Wheatley original although I could be wrong. And that’s enough thinking for me. The first time I played Ratcliffe Cross it flashed by and I enjoyed that feeling of being carried along by the music so now I need to stop analysing and just listen for the pleasure of listening. You will too.

Dai Jeffries

Artist’s website: www.charliewheatley.com

Sadly, there is no video or audio tracks that we can pinch.