In July 2022 a show was born from the manuscripts of old songs collected from the South-West of England by Cecil Sharp and Sabine Baring-Gould. The Gigspanner Big Band took those songs and breathed new verve and energy into them, and Raynor Winn, author of the global best-selling memoir, The Salt Path, wrote prose in response to those songs.
Raynor Winn says:
Raynor Winn says:
“The coastline of the south west holds a rich past, a vibrant present and has changed my life in ways without measure, so to find inspiration for Saltlines wasn’t hard. The Gigspanner Big Band brought together a beautiful collection of songs from the area to form the basis of the project and my words have come in response to the history, texture and sense of place those songs evoke”
What grew out of their time working together is SALTLINES, a seamless, mesmerising flow of words and music celebrating one the most beautiful walking trails in the world, the South-West Coast Path…its landcsapes, its history and its traditions. In the process, the artful weaving of Raynor’s words around the traditional, has carved out a place within the oral tradition for Saltlines.
“On the opening night at the Brewhouse Theatre in Taunton, nerves were tight as we had no idea how audiences would respond to this unique representation of a specific geographical area. No one knew what to expect, neither the Saltlines Band of artists, nor the audience. But as the final notes sounded, the audience collectively stood and cheered and cheered, and we all knew then that we could breathe a sigh of relief and look forward with excitement to the rest of the tour”
A year later, SALTLINES is back on the road for a short run of summer dates, starting at King’s Lynn at the Corn Exchange Theatre, on the 21st of July, as part of the King’s Lynn Festival, and ends aptly enough on the South West Coast Path at Sidmouth Folk Week.
This summer, there is a change of lineup as the Band warmly welcomes singer and fiddle player Jackie Oates to the ensemble, who briefly steps in for Hannah Martin who will be taking maternity leave.
This summer, there is a change of lineup as the Band warmly welcomes singer and fiddle player Jackie Oates to the ensemble, who briefly steps in for Hannah Martin who will be taking maternity leave.
The lineup remains otherwise the same “a mouthwatering collaboration” of Peter Knight, John Spiers, Phillip Henry, Roger Flack, Sacha Trochet and of course, Raynor Winn, whose delivery gets ever bolder.
It has been commented on frequently by audience members that Raynor’s delivery has an incredible musicality and sense of rhythm, and John Spiers concurs that there is a pace to the spoken words that lend themselves to walking pace rhythms, and Peter states simply that working on stage with Ray, watching her delivery and movements, is like working with another musician.
“Incredible. I’m still reeling from the show this morning”
The show’s unusual format means that during the first set there is very little space for applause or physical reaction, but the artists have observed how this builds an excitement and tension amongst the audience, and in John’s words, at the end they “uncoil like a spring” in a display of emotional energy.
That emotional energy has been very apparent in the messages that have been received from audience members, here’s what they had to say…
“Quite simply one of the most exquisite, breath-taking, hauntingly beautiful and life-affirming performances I’ve ever seen. Thank you all so much”
“Powerful, thought provoking, seamless and blessed with the flow of brilliance. Libretto perfect, musicianship perfect. Quite astonishing”
Saltlines- Gigspanner Big Band & Raynor Winn Tour Dates as Follows:
July 21st: King’s Lynn Festival/Corn Exchange Theatre
July 22nd: Tringe Festival/Court Theatre,Tring
July 23rd: Kenton Theatre/Henley-on-Thames
July 25th: Bacon Theatre/Cheltenham
July 26th: Petworth Festival/Midhurst Rother College
July 27th: Christ Church/Bath
August 8th: Sidmouth Folk Week/The Ham Marquee
For further details please visit: www.gigspanner.com/saltlines
