The British
folk-rock trio Jade made one obscure album in 1970, Fly on Strangewings,
that might have sounded closer to 1968-1969-era Fairport Convention
than any other record not by Fairport themselves. Jade's lead singer,
Marian Segal (who also played acoustic guitar), had a very similar voice
and style to that of Fairport's woman singer of the late '60s, Sandy
Denny. Too, Jade blended parts of modern folk-rock and traditional
British folk in their songs, vocal harmonies, and arrangements. Jade
were not as big on traditional British folk as Fairport were by late
1969, however, recalling the Fairport albums What We Did on Our Holidays
and Unhalfbricking far more than the later 1969 Fairport record that
took a more traditional direction in repertoire, Liege & Lief. Jade
were also a wee bit more pop in their songwriting and arrangements
(which occasionally used orchestration) than Fairport, their inevitable
point of comparison. While Fly on Strangewings isn't as strong or
original as Fairport Convention's early albums, it can be heartily
recommended to anyone who loves the sound of early Fairport with Sandy
Denny on vocals, and wants something in a very similar style.Jade's
Marian Segal had been in a school band with future Fleetwood Mac
guitarist Danny Kirwan, and began singing in London folk clubs around
1966. In 1967 she formed a duo with singer, fellow acoustic guitarist,
and banjo player Dave Waite; he'd formerly been in the folk group the
Countrymen, who had a minor British hit single in 1962 with "I Know
Where I'm Going." By the end of the 1960s they'd moved away from
traditional folk to contemporary material and original songs, and were
managed by Jon Miller, who was in partnership with famous British music
publisher Dick James. They got a deal with James' DJM label and Miller,
who'd produce Jade's album, introduced them to singer and keyboardist
Rod Edwards, who became the third member of the band. Moving to a more
rock-oriented sound, the album benefited from session work by several
noted musicians of the time, including Michael Rosen (who'd been in the
underrated British folk-rock group Eclection), Pete York (of the Spencer
Davis Group and Hardin & York), Terry Cox (of the Pentangle), Pete
Sears (later of Jefferson Starship), top U.K. session drummer Clem
Cattini, and Mick Waller (who played with Jeff Beck and Rod Stewart
during that period).While their debut album had come out in the U.K. in
mid-1970 under the name Jade, there was another group of that name in
the U.S., so the album was billed to Marian Segal With Silver Jade when
it was issued by Bell in America in mid-1971. The group toured the
States in the summer of 1971, but split up that autumn, by which time
Segal was working on an unfinished solo album. Segal and Waite continued
playing as the Marian Segal Band with other musicians for a few years,
but didn't get a recording deal before they split up in the mid-'70s.
Fly on Strangewings was reissued on CD in 2003, with both sides of an
unreleased 1971 single (on which John Wetton plays bass) added as bonus
tracks. Line-up / Musicians Marianne Segal/vocals,guitar,percussion Dave Waite/guitar, bass,vocals Rod Edwards/keyboards,bass,vocals Discography Fly on Strangewings 1970
1.Amongst Anenomies 2.Raven 3.Fly on Strangewings 4.Mayfly 5.Alan's Song 6.Bad Magic 7.Clippership 8.Five of Us 9.Reflections on a Harbour Wall 10.Mrs. Adams 11.Fly Me to the North 12.Away from the Family
