Magna Carta ( Updated at 05/1/2011 )

[gryphon]

A Beginners Guide To Magna Carta ( Updated )


Their roots go back even further than 1969 but, that is beyond the scope of this introduction. Magna are responsible for forming the label “progressive folk rock” but, have evolved much beyond that over the last forty years. To understand Magna Carta one needs to know something about the place they originate from: The Yorkshire Dales:


[ A Hawthorn tree on a limestone pavement in Yorkshire ]

Their music is a celebration of the beautiful countryside, the people and their philosophies. This is the land of the Brontes, Wuthering Heights , James Herriot and England’s largest National Park. It is a rugged northern land that has been tamed by few.


The essence of the band is Chris Simpson, song writer, poet, and acoustic guitar master.

Magna Carta run their own website and this is a good starting place to find out a bit more about the band:

http://www.magnac.com/


[FONT=&quot]The introductory album(s) I would recommend are[/FONT]

• · Lord Of The Ages
  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LF9j4ITherQ

• · Seasons
  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1O5AtBelQk

Track : Seasons which appears here in two parts ( The rack is 22 mins long so it it not possible to post it in one part!)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DdJngJgljSk


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Cwn0JwDB...re=related





Seasons shows where the true heart of the band lies and where their roots are. In the heart of the Yorkshire dales watching the affects of the seasons on the landscape:


[ Nidderdale in the Yorkshire Dales ]

Videos


Magna have tended to build a reputation both as a live band and a studio band therefore, no video selection would be complete without both:
The first is chosen not so much for the graphics but, to show the unique acoustic guitar sound used by Magna listen in the opening and the, acoustic guitar work throughout the song .
[URL="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9gkkHLQmWmk"]
[/URL]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9gkkHLQmWmk


Magna have never really had much chart success with singles but this is the nearest they came:
[URL="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RH4BVeQtB9E&feature=fvw"]
[/URL]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RH4BVeQtB9E&feature=fvw


Further Listening:

• · Martin’s Café
  

• · Songs From Wastie’s Orchard
  

• · Where To Now ?
  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a5RXn9DUtZ4 ( For The Gypsy)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=saClkW1nX...re=related ( Old Man )

• · In Tomorrow
  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kcy8pUtD5Tc ( Backroads)



[ Malham Tree with moody sky showing the quickly changing conditions in the higher parts of Yorkshire]

Further Reading
·

The Complete Works Of Magna Carta……………………..Chris Simpson

Chris Simpson .....The Poet Fields Of Eden

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6neDngSZ_...re=related





Films/DVDs
·

Ticket To The Moon ( This shows Magna Carta in concert in 2002 on the Isle of Texel In The Netherlands ………..the style is different and Magna Carta now consists of Chris Simpson and his then wife Linda.)
There is one last strange fact, Magna Cart have enjoyed most of their success in lands away from their native England. They are legendary in South Africa and The Netherlands and yet, nearly forgotten within the UK. In 2009 Magna Carta celebrated 40 years in the business with a special concert at The Royal Carre Theatre in Amsterdam :



[ Magna Carta Live In The Royal Carre Theatre Amsterdam May 2009 ( Photo from personal collection)]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jA2eJKR1S...re=related ( Paradise Row)
Since 2009 Lind Simpson has been working on her own , she has been traveling on a narrow boat araound England and has been working on her project Mama Don't.

Recently she has published some of her solo work onto Yourtube:

Shine :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXi2dBYuM84

Blues For A Long Road Home

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lXSmuHI_T...re=related

Terminal Case Of You

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M3A0GDPyP...re=related

Would You Do It Again

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w4HxMjXS3...re=related

Last Man Standing

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2tH-gyaF2...re=related


Chris Simpson goes on from Strength To Strength............The latest incarnation of Magna Carta has just finished a sell out tour of South Africa. He is partnered by the excellent Nic Hall and the rumours are he will play again in Europe in 2011 with a few friends...........Good On you Chris !

As from 1.11.2010 The Album Midnight Blue has been re-issused by Angel Air records in an enhanced for which includes an bonus live album Live and Let Live .

It is not that easy to find Magna on You tube but I have been able to add a few more tracks

1) The excellent " Highway To Spain"
[video=youtube;ETaWqSGF_qo]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ETaWqSGF_qo&feature=related[/video]

2) Four clips from a live concert in The Hague

The Banjo man:
[video=youtube;SqTa_YaTSTg]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SqTa_YaTSTg&feature=related[/video]

" Mouth Music Song "
[video=youtube;odq8r-PgqGU]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=odq8r-PgqGU&feature=related[/video]

For The Gypsy
[video=youtube;h7TNx34JiJg]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h7TNx34JiJg&feature=related[/video]

Terminal Case Of You
[video=youtube;v7D_qjWxFGo]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7D_qjWxFGo&feature=related[/video]


I have recently come across a possible download link of Magna's first album...Times Of Change

http://rapidshare.com/#!download|107cg2|147127975|Magna_Carta_-_Magna_Carta__1969_.rar|65177


A Bit More

CANTERBURY FOLK FESTIVAL--JULY--2009--INGERSOLL--ONTARIO--MAGNA CARTA--


1) Track which may well be called "South Africa" / "Love Light"

[video]CANTERBURY FOLK FESTIVAL--JULY--2009--INGERSOLL--ONTARIO--MAGNA CARTA--[/video]

2)Paradise Row

[video=youtube;pxiBjjS9IaA]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pxiBjjS9IaA&feature=related[/video]

[gryphon]

CANTERBURY FOLK FESTIVAL--JULY--2009--INGERSOLL--ONTARIO--MAGNA CARTA--



3) Greenhow Hill ( Unreleased )

[video=youtube;qlO0JMSUtg4]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qlO0JMSUtg4&feature=related[/video]

4) Backroads

[video=youtube;qlO0JMSUtg4]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qlO0JMSUtg4&feature=related[/video]

5) "Same Rain"
[video=youtube;apmxprNQWYY]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=apmxprNQWYY&feature=related[/video]

6) Only Love Knows How
[video=youtube;x8au_cbyTv4]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x8au_cbyTv4&feature=related[/video]

7) The Bridghe At Knaresborough Town
[video=youtube;pqM_CRIOEa8]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqM_CRIOEa8&feature=related[/video]

8) Greenfields Of Summer
[video=youtube;uX3UbbT97TY]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uX3UbbT97TY&feature=related[/video]

[Tiggi]

I live about 15 miles from Canterbury, but have just checked, and presume the above are Canterbury, NZ ?!

This is looking good, Griff. I like the illustrations of the Yorks countryside. Reminds me of a very wet camping holiday at Malham a few years back...

Edit: AAAH, it's Ontario. I Thought Ingersoll & Ontario were names of bands playing the festival. Silly me...