To conclude this Folky month I've criss-crossed the whole country, been to Australia and back again, reliving memories and stories of past times while discovering connections I didn't know before.

As a consequence I was undecided on this week's track. That is until earlier this week when something weird occurred to make my mind up. 

Receiving a text from my fellow Hayloft Folk Club compadre Steve which contained a link from his friend Malcolm to a video of the Arizona Smoke Revue. Now this band's name had featured in all our publicity material about Paul Downes (who played an excellent first show at The Cove in Fairlight last Sunday, by the way). Not really knowing the band (I thought) I was interested to listen to the link. 

Turned out the video was of a performance in August 1983 at the Goodwood Racecourse Folk Jamboree. On reading this I realised: "I was there" ! 

This festival had featured a lot of artists and clearly lost in the sands of time were the Arizona Smoke Revue. This English folk / American bluegrass group formed in 1980 by Bill Zorn from Connecticut USA, along with Phil Beer and Paul Downes from Devon, England and joining them a year later Bill's brother Pete Zorn. 

I went on to discovered another video that saw Jim Couza on hammered dulcimer join them on stage for a rendition of 'Mohammed's Radio', a song written by Warren Zevon, from his debut LP (an album I have in my collection). Quite a number of unexpected connections. 

Anyway here's the track with each band member taking turns on vocals (Paul, Phil, Pete & Bill in order) with some tasty guitar playing from a very young looking Phil Beer.

Stepping back in time... don't it make you wanna rock 'n' roll