Tempest
"Hey, did somebody lose a nose ring?"
"There is a nose ring. Where is it?"
"Right there."
The above conversation follow's the band's derailed first attempt at "The Karfluki Set". The derailed attempt's musical shortcomings contrast with the second attempt's musical perfection. The conversation offers a comical interlude before the band lays down the notes to one of their most masterful recorded instrumental jams. "The Karfluki Set" is just one of the fine songs on their 1997 CD release The Gravel Walk.
Tempest formed back in 1988 with Lief Sorbye (lead vocals, electric & acoustic mandolins, tin whistle, flute), Rob Wullenjohn (electric guitar, vocals), Mark Showalter (bass), and Adolfo Lazo (drums). In 1990 Ian Butler replaced Mark Showalter on bass. In 1992 Michael Mullen joined Tempest to play fiddle. In 1993 Michael Mullen left the band and was replaced by Jon Berger. In 1995 Michael Mullen returned to replace Jon Berger. Before the return of Mullen though, Ian Butler was replaced by John "Jay" Nania. More recently, after the recording of the Gravel Walk CD, John Land replaced Nania on bass and Dave Parnall replaced Rob Wullenjohn on electric guitar.
Lief Sorbye and Michael Mullen also play in a band called Caliban. Caliban is a two man group for small settings and features stylings similar to Tempest. Sorbye plays octave mandola and Mullen plays fiddle.
In short, Tempest plays Celtic rock. Short descriptions are rarely accurate. In more descriptive terms, Tempest plays an electrified, sometimes fast, many times graceful folk rock. Often it is all those things at once. Their folk themes trace from many places such as Scotland, Ireland, and Norway. Both their recordings and live shows are outstanding.
Tempest CD information
Balance
Magna Carta
1. Captain Ward
2. Dancing Girl
3. Dance of the Sand Witches
4. Iron Lady
5. Two Sisters
6. Wicked Spring
7. Old Man Flint
8. Villemann
9. Battle Mountain Breakdown
10. Journeyman
11. Between Us
12. Royal Oak: The Cow That Ate the Piper/Ulcers Enough for Two/Royal Oak/Toddy's Wedding
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Bootleg
1.Heather on the Moor 2.Soldier Song 3.Handsome Molly 4.Wild Rover 5.Desert Eyes 6.Captain Morgan 7.Same Side of the Fence 8.Dance of the Third Leg 9.Heart of Mine 10.Man Without a Name
15th Anniversary Collection
Magna Carta
Disc: 1
1. Masters Of War
2. Dance Of The Third Leg
3. One Last Cold Kiss
4. The Creel
5. Same Side Of The Fence
6. Toss The Feathers
7. Queen Of Argyll
8. Milligan's Fancy
9. Handsome Molly
10. Between Us
11. Coalminers'
12. Cat In The Corner
13. The Barrow Man
14. Jenny Nettles
15. Three Ships
16. Black Jack Davy
17. Winding Road
Disc: 2
1. Dunmore Lassies
2. One For The Fiddler
3. You Jacobites By Name
4. For Three Of Us
5. John Barleycorn
6. Baladi
7. Whiskey In The Jar
8. Reels On Fire
9. Heather On The Moor
10. Buffalo Jump
11. Two Sisters
12. Old Man Flint
13. Dancing Girl
14. As I Roved Out
15. Byker Hill
16. Catalina Island
Disc: 3
1. Raggle Taggle Gypsy
2. The Ballydesmond Set
3. Captain Morgan
4. Cruel Brother
5. Stonehenge
6. Bonden Og Kråka
7. The House Carpenter
8. On The Road
9. The Soul Cages
10. A Kiss In The Morning Early
11. Tamosher
12. Green Grow The Rashes
13. Top Of The Hill
14. The Karfluki Set
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The Gravel Walk
Magna Carta, MA-9018-2
1. One For The Fiddle
2. Buffalo Jump
3. Bonnie Lass Of Anglesey
4. Green Grow The Rashes
5. Flowers Of Red Hill
6. Sinclair
7. Plains Of Kildare
8. Trip Across The Mountain
9. Broken Ring
10. The Karfluki Set
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Live at the Philadelphia Folk Festival 1999
1.Flowers of Red Hill 2.You Jacobites By Name 3.Green Grow the Rashes 4.Top of the Hill 5.Bonden Og Kraka (The Farmer and the Crow) 6.Buffalo Jump/ The Karfluki Set
Serrated Edge
Beacon, BCN-10100-2
1. Hal-an-Tow
2. Raggle Taggle Gypsy
3. A Kiss in the Morning Early
4. Reels on Fire
5. The House Carpenter
6. Whiskey in the Jar
7. Dark Lover
8. Tam Lin
9. Mad Tom of Bedlam
10. The Ballydesmond Set
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Shapeshifter
Magna Carta
1. Tomosher
2. Catalina
3. Old Man At The Mill
4. Natural Law
5. Byker Hill
6. Carnival
7. Coalminers
8. Winter Night
9. Fjellmannjenta
10. Curel Brother
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Sunken Treasures
Firebird, FAM10103-2
1. Queen Of Argyll
2. Nottamun Town
3. Milligan's Fancy
4. When Tenskwatawa Sings
5. Black Jack Davy
6. The Creel
7. And Shall Trelawny Die?
8. Cat In The Corner
9. Heavy Nettles
10. One Last Cold Kiss
11. Baladi
12. The Barrow Man
13. Winding Road
14. Parting Glass
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Surfing To Mecca
Firebird, FAM-10105-2
1. Top Of The Hill
2. You Jacobites By Name
3. On The Road
4. Spring Carol
5. Manifest Destiny
6. Surfing To Mecca
7. Green-Eyed Irish Girl
8. The Sleeping Highlander
9. Early Winter
10. Take You To The Well
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10th Anniversary Compilation
Magna Carta
1. You Jacobites By Name
2. Queen Of Argyll
3. Milligan's Fancy
4. Montara Bay
5. Hal-An-Tow
6. Top Of The Hill
7. Captain Morgan
8. Kiss In The Morning Early
9. Heather On The Moore
10. Jenny Nettles
11. House Carpenter
12. Sleeping Highlander
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Turn Of The Wheel
Magna Carta, MA-9007-2
1. The Barrow Man
2. Dunmore Lassies
3. The Soul Cages
4. Bogey's Bonnie Belle
5. The Midnight Sun
6. Winding Road
7. Bonden Og Kraka (The Farmer And The Crow)
8. For Three Of Us
9. Nine Points Of Roguery
10. Cat In The Corner
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Other CDs Featuring Tempest Musicians
Blue On Green, Rob Wullenjohn
1. Blue On Green
2. I Hear U Knockin
3. Blues For No-one
4. Jigsaw Puzzle Blues
5. Three Way Jam
6. Shand's Blues
7. Full Load
8. I'm Down
9. Leaving Town Blues
10. The Water Is Wide
11. Copper and Brass
12. Long Blue
13. Grass Attack
14. Old Stone
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Caliban, Caliban
Magna Carta, MA-9030-2
1. The Open Door
2. Beeswing
3. The Journeyman
4. Tipsy Sailor
5. Oh No
6. Jeg Lagde Meg Sa Silde
7. The Pony Set
8. Bold John Barleycorn
9. Major Malley
10. What Put The Blood
11. Company Of Wolves
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Other Tempest Related Sites
The Official Tempest Web Site
The Official Blue On Green Web Site
© Copyright 1999, 2000, 2003, 2004 by Torrey Nelson