Multi award-winning contemporary folk artists Jackie Oates* and John Spiers** meld together their shared love of English traditional folk tunes and songs with their fine voices and expertly played acoustic instruments.
Although followers of British folk music will be familiar with Jackie and John from their other high-calibre bands, this collaboration began quite innocently and spontaneously when the pair first started playing together for fun during guest spots at Nettlebed Folk Club in Henley-on-Thames. Recognising the potential, they began working together on material from their native county of Oxfordshire. Since their first performances in 2016, they have gone on to tour the UK extensively, releasing their first full length studio album, ‘Needle Pin, Needle Pin’ in 2020.
Their second album, a festive release entitled, ‘A Midwinter’s Night’ is a beautiful and heart-warming antidote to the materiality that can be a feature of the Christmas season. A joyous celebration of midwinter and all its shades. The 13-track album features captivating traditional Christmas carols and tunes from England and beyond.
Jackie and John began working on Christmas material during the lockdown Christmas of 2020, when realising that everyone was to remain firmly housebound during the festive season – they realised that it would be the perfect opportunity to raise a little festive cheer, by creating a homemade TV programme style concert, filmed in Jackie’s living room and in rural locations around Wallingford, Wootton and Headington Quarry. Hence the first ‘Christmas At Home’ online concert was born, and was such a success, that a second concert was produced the following year, featuring new material. Once lockdown restrictions were lifted, the duo took their new Christmas show to Arts Centres and Folk Clubs across the country. This Christmas concert has become an annual tradition.
‘A Midwinter’s Night’ was recorded at Wormwood Studios in North Oxfordshire, by Stuart Jones, during June and July 2024. All material on the album is played by John and Jackie, and features multi-instrumental arrangements played on an array of melodeons, recorders and percussion.
Songs include some lesser known Breton carols such as ‘Bergers, Écoutez La Musique, and a new song setting, written by Jackie; ‘As I Lay On Yoolis Night’. The haunting and evocative ‘O Come O Come Emmanuel’ and ‘Seafarers Hymn’, sit beside buoyant wassailing songs.
Jackie and John hope to reflect their shared love of Christmas time and the traditions and rituals that have been such a poignant feature of their individual family traditions for many years, such as the annual Headington Quarry Boxing Day Mummers Play, and an instrumental version of the ‘Sussex Carol’, which features at Ditchling Mummers Boxing Day tradition.
The duo are touring the new album as part of their annual Christmas Tour during December 2024.
TOUR DETAILS
Friday 6 December
Reeth Memorial Hall, Richmond, North Yorkshire
Saturday 7 December
Wychwood Folk Club, Ascott -u- Wychwood, Oxon
Sunday 8 December
Folk At The Froize, Chillesford, Woodbridge, Suffolk
Monday 9 December
Colchester Arts Centre, Essex
Tuesday 10 December
Walton Riverhouse Barn, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey
Wednesday 11 December
Chapel Arts, Bath
Friday 13 December
The Ropewalk, Barton upon Humber
Saturday 14 December
Flowergate Hall, Whitby
Friday 20 December
Nailsea Folk Club, Bristol
Saturday 21 December
The Globe, Hay-on-Wye
Sunday 22 December
Halsway Manor, near Crowcombe Somerset
*JACKIE OATES
Jackie is a folk singer, song-writer and musician. A central figure in English traditional music, Jackie is regarded as one of the country’s best loved folk performers. Her 8th solo studio album, Gracious Wings, took flight in September 2022, receiving acclaim from the music press both within and beyond the folk genre. In the 14 years since her iconic coming of age album Hyperboreans Jackie has continued to build her large and varied following, write her own material, include surprising covers into her albums and breathe new life into the traditional gems she unearths. Jackie collaborates with a diverse array of artists and commissions, seeking new and surprising artistic corners to illuminate with her voice, research and musicianship.
More at www.jackieoates.co.uk
**JOHN SPIERS
John Spiers, better known in folk circles as Squeezy, is one of the leading melodeon players of his generation. Well known for his partnership with Jon Boden as well as being a member of Bellowhead, the most successful folk band in recent history. John was also a member of Eliza Carthy’s band, featuring on her 2002 Mercury nominated album, Anglicana. He now plays with Peter Knight, fiddle player from Steeleye Span and is also a member of the Gigspanner Big Band. Mixing infectious dance tunes with incredibly sensitive and moving slow airs on a mind-boggling range of different squeezeboxes, John’s solo shows are a mixture of traditional material and his own more intricate compositions.
More at www.johnspiers.co.uk
