The Quiet Joys of Brotherhood (The Cropredy Festivals 1986 & 1987)

Highlighting two years of the annual Cropredy Festival, The Quiet Joys of Brotherhood collects 25 bright spots from the beloved celebration of all things Fairport Convention. Disc one concentrates on the Ian Matthews-led 1986 lineup, with searing renditions of "Sloth," "Mr. Lacy," and "Meet on the Ledge," while disc two concentrates on 1987's 20th anniversary concert with standout performances of "Lark in the Morning," a medley that includes "Matty Groves," and a gorgeous version of "Who Knows Where the Time Goes" to close out the night. With a rotating lineup that includes Richard Thompson, Dave Swarbrick, Simon Nicol, Ashley Hutchings, Ralph McTell, June Tabor, Ian Anderson, and more, The Quiet Joys of Brotherhood is like a British folk dream camp for lucky listeners around the globe. And the third disc in the package makes it even better, an all-region DVD (mastered in NTSC for the U.S.-distributed release) containing Jet Martin's extensive interview with Fairport Convention co-founder Simon Nicol and longtime member Dave Pegg, who good-naturedly discuss their own and the band's history in nonlinear but informative fashion. Nicol is a bit more verbose and outspoken, but they're both a pleasure to hear, and Pegg's narrative takes you all the way back to his days with the Ian Campbell Folk Group. They range widely and in great detail across numerous aspects and permutations of the group's history and sound, Nicol even recalling the horrendous 1969 car crash that nearly destroyed the band (and took the life of their original drummer, Martin Lamble).