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LA – Katheryn Locke with Chodompa Music
Kathryn Locke describes herself as a “composer and wayward cellist.” How she evolved to fit this description is a story in itself. She is a self-taught musician who allows her style and techniques to be informed by what she observes of the way other musicians move hands and bodies whilst playing. Kathryn has worked with many established...
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Iswat – Dag Tenere.
What do you play on a trip up the M6 for a week’s holiday in Galloway? Why obviously the desert blues. Having been a sucker for the snaking and twisting guitar lines of Tinariwen when their work first appeared on these shores, there was no doubt when the latest box of...
Life & The Land – Ben Walker & Kirsty Merryn.
There seems to be a whole cart full of releases celebrating the bucolic life around just now. This delightful EP was first mooted back in 2019 when Walker and Merryn shared a beer and philosophy about songs of toil. Simple, straightforward it’s chiefly her voice and...
A Lancashire Grace – The Oldham Tinkers
Well, it's taken a while, but The Oldham Tinkers have come up with a follow up to their last record, 'That Lancashire Band' released in 1979. Of course, there’s been re-release and compilation albums in between but this is the first set of new recordings to appear....
NEWS
The Remarkable Jazz Journey of Katriona Taylor : BLIND PASSION
BLIND PASSION is the journey of an artist who loves to sing and share her positive passion for music. 'Sunny Days', 'Fly Me To The Stars' and 'Things Have Changed' on BLIND PASSION exude a whole lot of jazz soul. But Katriona does not stop here. BLIND PASSION also features songs penned or performed by international stars who have all followed...
Plain Dealer.
British guitar hero Michael Chapman very sadly passed away on September 10th. His influence and impact on the wider and specialist music scene was immense and mostly unheralded. His music and his appeal crossed generations. To say he will be missed is nowhere near...
Long Awaited Album Launch for Pete Josef
The long awaited album launch for Pete Josef's 2020 LP, 'I Rise With The Birds' is finally going to happen on Wednesday 22nd September at The Jam Jar in Bristol This homecoming gig will be the first performance by the full Pete Josef band for 3 years. Featuring a...
Hannah James and Toby Kuhn 2021 Album Launch and UK Tour
Hannah James first met Toby Kuhn in Summer 2018 at the Floating Castle festival in Slovenia and it was clear that these two musicians shared a common approach to music making and a real artistic chemistry. Award-winning folk musician, dancer and composer Hannah James...
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Gaelic showcase at The Royal National Mòd 2021 in Inverness
An exciting and inspirational celebration of Gaelic language and music is promised at The Royal National Mòd 2021 in the city of Inverness this autumn. The eight-day event will hint at a return to normality as organisers of the prestigious celebration unveil a...
Iona Fyfe The Cauld – Video Release Today
The Cauld is the new single from Scottish folk singer Iona Fyfe. A slight departure from previous releases, the song which follows a folk-pop structure is written by Iona in the Scots Language; one of Scotlands three national languages with over 1.5 million speakers...
Jacob and Drinkwater Announce New Album with Single Release ‘The Nameless’
ACCLAIMED SONGWRITING DUO TO TOUR MATERIAL THROUGHOUT SEPTEMBER & OCTOBER Songwriting duo Jacob & Drinkwater have announced their new album ‘More Notes From The Field’ will be released on the 29th October through Polyphonic Life Records and shared the...
FEATURES
The Show Will Go On.
As the folk world slowly opens to a musical landscape constantly shifting and coming to terms with the limitations of a continuing pandemic, amidst festival cancellations galore, Simon Jones ventures to one of the few, brave survivors, Shrewsbury. “The weather’s been great so far, shame it’s a bit cloudy today, the thing is it’s dry though,” says...
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Greg Hancock – His Sure Fingers
Comparisons with Al Stewart, John Martyn and a whole host of other acoustic troubadours along with a rave review for his latest recording, something's brewing in the far corners of Devon. Phil Thomas was dispatched to locate and question Greg Hancock. I recently had...
Earworms For The Thinking Generation
With current circumstances you’d think that we’d be awash with decent social commentary and bands who’d want us all to think before we act. Merry Hell do great work but they could do with a hand. Enter Headsticks with C.O.W. the first album of 2021 to delve deeper in...
From Wandering Troubador to Scottish Laird
Born in Massechusetts in 1945, Marc Ellington lived an unusual life; to say he was a colourful character would not be an exaggeration. The early 1960s saw him as a fully paid up member of the American folk boom, singing with The Highwaymen in Oregon. By the middle of...
What do the four steps to lockdown lifting mean for gigs and festivals?
On the 22nd February the government announced its roadmap to lifting lockdown, with a potential complete lifting of restrictions for theatres, venues and large outside events by late June - so we seem to be on course to be enjoying gigs and festivals across the summer...
THIS WEEKS CHARTS
FOLK
Back again Bellowhead at No1 with Reassembled
Americana
The assured debut from Katherine Priddy at number 5 with The Eternal Rocks Beneath
Jazz & Blues
Nina Simone - The Montreaux Years Celebrates her long relationship with the legendary Jazz Festival
FESTIVALS
Triumphant Return for Reimagined FolkEast 2021
Back on track after a two-year wait, England’s most easterly folk festival, FOLKEAST, pulled off a spectacular and emotional reunion last weekend (August 20-22). The delayed ninth FolkEast returned to Suffolk’s glorious Constable-esque grounds of Elizabethan Glemham Hall in a ‘reimagined’ streamlined, slimmer, spacious and COVID-secure way – with...
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Merry Hell and Lady Nade to join the FolkEast Party!
LAST CHANCE FOR WEEKEND & DAY TICKETS -Free admission for children aged 11 and under- Hugely popular North-West folk rockers Merry Hell have been announced as Sunday headliners at England’s most easterly folk festival, FOLKEAST (August 20-22). The 8-piece...
Full Programme for Piping Live! Unveiled
The full suite of programmed activity for Glasgow’s Piping Live! festival has been unveiled, with a number of exciting in-person shows confirmed to go ahead as part of the nine-day event. The world’s biggest piping festival will take a hybrid approach for 2021,...
An Audience with Dawn French at Underneath the Stars
Underneath the Stars festival is delighted to reveal actor, author and comedian, Dawn French, will be taking part in the family-friendly music and arts festival at Cinderhill Farm, Barnsley (30 July – 1st August). Filling the popular afternoon slot previously held by...
Chris Wood Headlines the first Brighton and Hove Folk Festival
Six time BBC Folk Award winner Chris Wood has been announced as the headliner for Brighton and Hove’s first folk festival. Established local promoters Folkroom have announced their full line-up for the festival, which takes place at The Brunswick in Hove on September...
Extra Tickets Released for Evening Concerts at A Celebration of Sidmouth Folk Festival
First announcements made for 2021 online festival More tickets have just been released for top name concerts at A Celebration of Sidmouth Folk Festival – a whole week of music and merriment that will swing into action from July 30 to August 6 in the East Devon seaside...
Award-Winning Festival Moves Outdoors for the Ultimate Underneath the Stars Experience
After a year out, award-winning family festival, Underneath the Stars, is set to return for its seventh year on Friday 30th July to Sunday 1st August bringing live music, performance arts and delicious dishes to the stunning rural setting of Cinderhill Farm, Barnsley....
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