Following a move from Austin to the tiny but vibrant town of Hillsborough, North Carolina, Jess joined forces with Producer Mark Simonsen (The Old Ceremony, Weems/Gerrard Band, film scores: Elephant Sighs, Radiation Veterans and Rareified) and Engineer Thom Canova (Amy Ray, 4 Non-Blondes, Oranj Symphonette) at Studio M in Durham, North Carolina to record a new album entitled "Back to My Green".
On this striking collection of ten new originals, Klein's incisive lyrics address living in uncertain times and the resilience that carries us through. Songs like "New Thanksgiving Feast", "Tougher than I Seem", and "Kid" look through the lens of a world-traveler and granddaughter of Russian Jewish immigrants, to celebrate the human capacity for healing and redemption during dark times. Guest vocalists include Gaelynn Lea and Jonathan Byrd. Simonsen and Canova's deft production calls on influences including Motown, Classic Rock, Tropicalia and 70's folk and creates a stirring backdrop to Klein's passionate mezzo soprano on this timely and powerful album. Back to My Green will be released everywhere in early 2019.
Nashville based Australian Multi-Award winning Singer/Songwriter Tamara Stewart is returning to the UK on the release of her 5th album "The Truth, The Music & Me".
With multiple Number one's to her name with her own albums, Tamara is also a co-writer on many of Australia's Country Music royalty chart topping successes. An ultimate storyteller on stage in both banter and song, audiences can, at times, laugh along, cry along and sing along to the raw truth she shares from her own story. Tamara uses her powerful vocals and emotional writing style on her newest album project The Truth The Music and Me to share the deepest most personal body of work to date.
Tamara's new album tells a story – song by song, part by part and listeners who go on this journey with her can rest assured, this story ends well and we all realise it's at times hard to know where Tamara's story stops and ours begins.
Don't miss your chance to see Tamara on the UK leg of her tour.
Avocet are a Glasgow based trio comprising of Sam Grassie (Guitar, Violin), Iona Zajac (Vocals, Clarsach) and Herbie Loening (Double Bass, Guitar). Taking their name from Bert Jansch's eponymous 1979 album, their music explores the boundaries btween trad folk and world blues. Following their win at the DK Celtic Connections Festival they signed to Mink Records in 2017, travelling to the Abbey Road Institute Amsterdam to record their debut EP 'Borrowed Seed'. They have been busy since, with festival performances and gigs across the country including support for Ralph McTell. With backing from the Bert Jansch Foundation they have released a new single, 'Cheating Monday', from their forthcoming album.
The Lost Sound – Dartmoor Folk Choir, have had a busy year of concerts and, with the release of their first single, have had airplay with Folk stations around the UK. They have also been featured on the Fatea showcase album for Spring 2019, and are busy recording their first EP, due for release in May.
This seasons programme, 'Loving Folk,' draws on a wider range of a cappella singing traditions from simple shaker songs to gutsy blues, from male voice choir to the sweet music from the Appalachian Mountains. With ensembles, trios and the full throated power of 35 singers, the choir brings you a varied and beautiful song collection.
The Lost Sound is perhaps better known as the backing choir with Show Of Hands, recently joining them at The Theatre Royal, in Plymouth. They will be working together again, at St Ives September Festival.
As a stand alone choir, with many sell out gigs under their belt, they have gained a reputation on the South West Folk scene for their inimitable style and quality of performance. With fantastic singing, beautiful song collections and an informal style, this acclaimed Dartmoor choir will leave a marked impression on both new and faithful audience members.
Will Kaufman is a-comin' and he's got his eye on you.
The Henhouse Prowlers are Bluegrass Ambassadors.
Founded over 13 years ago with the simple desire to play original and powerful bluegrass, this quartet now finds themselves at the intersection of performance, diplomacy and education. The Prowlers have now been to more than 25 countries across the globe, working with the U.S. State Department and under their own nonprofit, Bluegrass Ambassadors – incorporating music from Africa, Asia, the Middle East and more into their already robust repertoire of unique traditional American music.
'Motion' is a new collaborative album from established sound artists, Toby Marks and Andrew Heath. Four immersive soundscapes were created and compiled featuring field recordings from recent trips to the North, South, East and West of Britain. Each trip took as it's theme a particular form of transport which, in addition to other environmental sounds from those areas, were processed and transformed, blending piano, guitars and electronics to produce a deeply meditative, endlessly unfolding collection. Sometimes evoking images of machinery, sometimes of nature, the pieces flow and twist, at all times maintaining a humanity and sense of personal experience at their core.
Best known for his 'ode to Tibetan independence' Last Train to Lhasa, Toby has more recently been expanding his interest in ambient and electroacoustic music, moving from the dance floor to the sofa to explore his long-held love of the beautiful, the exotic and the sublime. On stage he mixes computer-based electronics with real world recordings and occasional guitar, producing an engrossing and uplifting journey through his ambient work.
The Nearly Free Tour – For any Otway/Barrett virgins out there who don't know what to expect, be prepared for everything from bare-chested theremin playing to wah wah wheelie bin as the duo jump from one hit and 40 near misses to another: An amazing and irreverent performance by two master entertainers.
Willy's interest in making instruments began when he commandeered two guitars made by his dad in 1965. One from an old guitar neck and a scaffold plank which became affectionally known as the Les Dawson, and the other branded the Mk1 Schitstik electric slide of similar pedigree. These instruments were used on many of the early tracks, including Really Free and Racing Cars.
Sara Grey is a fine American singer, banjo player and song collector. She's immersed in the song traditions of both sides of the Atlantic. She has performed throughout the UK, Europe, North America, and Australia for the past 50 years.
Kieron Means is a singer and guitar player of great merit. He was born in the United States and grew up in Britain with the music of both traditions. He is a fine performer of traditional and contemporary songs. He has toured in the States, UK, and often performed with his mother, Sara Grey.
Sara Says:"We perform from a wide range of American traditions including old-time songs and ballads from the Appalachians, Ozarks, New England and the West, blues and gospel music as well as a few of our favourite written songs. The passage of songs from Great Britain and Ireland to America is of particular interest to us. A good deal of our material is the American versions that have travelled, though a song or two from Britain will no doubt be sung. It is our aim during the evening to encourage our audience to join us in singing the chorus of many of our songs.