Skiffle: From Britain To Broadway (4-CD)

by Various Artists

One of the most improbable musical movements ever, Skiffle was a sincere but muddled amalgam of American genres like Blues, Country and Bluegrass, Skiffle's energy and freshness came as a revelation to the austere Britain of the 1950s. Its mixture of origins had one advantage - anything was fair game. Thus rocked-up Folk, Old-Timey, Comedy numbers and even Music Hall songs were cheerfully co-opted into the Skiffle arena. A few of its stars - Lonnie Donegan, Chas McDevitt, Johnny Duncan - would briefly become household names, only to retreat into the world of sessions, low-level touring and occasional 'comebacks'. It informed and inspired the next wave of British musicians, many of whom cut their musical teeth in Skiffle groups (look no further than the Quarrymen) - who went on to storm the world.