Saith VII

In 1976 Ar Log came together to represent Wales at a festival of Celtic music in Brittany. There they met The Dubliners, who encouraged them to keep going afterwards. And they have, ever since. True to their name, which translates as ‘For Hire’, they have performed all over Britain, Europe and North and South America.

Ar Log tend to title their albums chronologically and Saith is Welsh for ‘Seven.’ But there are also seven of them: two fiddle players, two harpists, two guitarists and a keyboard player. Five of them sing, so they create a big, rich sound. They have a learned, though not scholarly, approach to the tradition and Saith is an interesting selection of old and new songs and tunes. One song is a fond farewell to Liverpool Docks, while ‘Cân John Henry Jones’ is from the Welsh colony in Patagonia. ‘Bwlch Llanberis’ is a famous tune with some beautiful harp playing, and there is a powerful protest song, ‘Daw Dydd’, incorporating a couplet by the pacifist Waldo Williams (who is considered one of the greatest Welsh-language poets ever).

In January 1917 the young harpist Dafydd Jones was killed in World War I. He was the great uncle of Ar Log founding members Gwyndaf Roberts and Dafydd M Roberts, both harpists themselves. Jones was taught by the great triple harp player, Nansi Richards, who, two generations later, taught the Roberts boys. Gwyndaf composed the song ‘Telynor Ifanc Llangwm’ in Dafydd Jones's honour. Nansi remembered that Jones would never learn anything in a minor key so Gwyndaf's dedication is a fittingly lively, cheerful piece.

Of course, an understanding of Welsh will certainly enrich the enjoyment of Ar Log's Saith, but, as with much world music, complete ignorance is no bar to it.