Description

Martin Jenkins ‘Still Carrying Your Smile’ Volume One 

1947-2011 Martin Jenkins “Still Carrying Your Smile” Jenk’s… teenage survivor of the early 60’s Berlin Rock School of Kunst. Writer of seminal folk music songs. Multi instrumentalist. One of the finest mandolin players of the English tradition. Founder member of Dando Shaft, Hedgehog Pie, Bert Jansch Conundrum, Whippersnapper and more. Famously after-hours ‘how late will you play till?’ His love of Bulgarian music via J. Boyd, J.Wildfinger Martyn and others, led to many adventures. He outvented the trans-EU Patois Bulglish!, forever pragmatic.  He married the famous and gorgeous ‘Le Mystere des Voix Bulgares’ soloist Kalika Vulcheva. What a wedding, a three day party. He went on to spend his later years, near Vana:•) A respected musical performer interpreter and musical director.

I learned many things from the years with and without him. I recall his almost absolute focus on the task. One of his stories from Berlin mid 60’s. The band bribed him with an offer of a steak dinner if he learned Hava Nagila, tricky,  by the weekend. Driven by the thrill of a recently acquired Watkins Copycat reverb, usually skint but with the promise, he duly fulfilled the request. You can check his Promo for a taste of what must be described as a legendary wit. We are fortunate to have shared some time. So delighted to be able to still share the wonderful bounty of the gifts he left. To know him was to love him. May we always “Carry Your Smile” #Coopz March 2023

Martin Jenkins compilation volume one. Volume Two Click Here

A compilation of the music of Martin Jenkins. The collection includes a download re-release of the 1984 album “Carry Your Smile”

This is a collaboration between Mart’s son Ray and Dando Shaft founder/member Dave Cooper. It is an ongoing project. We hope you enjoy Volume One. Five tracks from ‘Carry Your Smile’ and a further eight selected from his rich musical history. These include preparatory tracks for the album Carry Your Smile, we almost prefer some, to the finished work. Made with a home 4 track. These were engineered by Pete Rigg 1981-83 @Pigsear Music. Coventry. All have been remastered and are rendered at 48 kHz DVD audio resolution MP3. A single self expanding Zip archive is our preferred delivery method. Contact us if you require other file formats.

All income from downloads is shared equitably with writers, musicians and publisher. We donate 50% of publishing net downloads income to WaterAid.

Martin Jenkins Carry Your Smile

A unique solo album made at Coventry Cabin Studios in 1983. Essential Jenks; Great original songs and sensitive arragements of traditional and classic compositions. Joined here by friends and local Jazzers. Special contribution from the talented drummer Paul Brook. Alas another star too young gone. Top tunes from Mr Jenkins, the master of Folk-Swing!

Plus a number of historic recordings and bonus tracks.

Bass [Fretless] – Nigel Portman-Smith
Drums – Paul Brook
Electric Guitar – Kev Dempsey*
Mandocello, Flute, Acoustic Guitar, Vocals – Martin*
Written-By – M. Jenkins*

“This is a treasure of an album of which I’ve only ever seen 4 copies and I bought them all, the first for me and the rest for 3 of my friends who also fell in love with it. Highly eclectic jazzy-folk-soul with ringing mandocello, gritty baritone vocals, exceptional guitar playing and a record that will always make the sun shine on any day at all. It improves every time I listen to it and no matter how much I was offered I would never part with it.”

Scroll down to preview tracks.

Martin Jenkins ‘Still Carrying Your Smile’ Volume One – 13 MP3 track previews.  

“Mart’s Promo” Snippet from a typical Jenks humour. It speeds up…

“Carry You’re Smile” CD (M. Jenkins.) Beautiful song of longing loss and hope.

“Magical Hills” 1968 From the very first recording of the band. Zella acetate almost worn away. Written by ‘Frankie’…… of Leicester Causeway, first summer of love.