The Scarlet Jacks - The Scarlet Jacks EP

The Scarlet Jacks are Greg McDonald (various instruments) and Gemma Gaynor (fiddle and vocals). Greg is a skilled story-telling songwriter, with an impressive musical CV.

The CD opens in dramatic style Run Jack Run, a good old-fashioned tale of derring-do. This is followed by the mellower Fiddler’s Copse in which the haunting fiddle melody illustrates the subject matter. The close vocal harmonies, with the melody doubled by fiddle are particularly effective. The song has a very free rhythm, almost as if spoken. The third track is The Dashing White Sergeant, played at an undanceable speed, but it does calm down, albeit briefly, part way through.

The CD ends dreamily with Teardrop, a beautiful song with a simple accompaniment.

A promising debut CD.