Heidi Talbot appeared on The Quays Sessions last week to perform songs from her latest album, Here We Go 1, 2, 3. Talbot performed alongside her husband and musical partner John McCusker as well as members of her band and friends.
We were delighted to see the Songs of Separation collective take home the BBC Radio 2 Folk Award for Best Album last night, winning against some stiff competition including Jarlath Henderson (Hearts Broken, Heads Turned), Jim Moray (Upcetera), Martin Green (Flit) and Shirley Collins (Lodestar). The group were also nominated in the Best Traditional Track category which was won Daoiri Farrell for his version of Van Diemen’s Land which he also performed on the night.
The Songs of Separation project, which reflects through song, the issue of ‘separation’ in its many forms, features ten of England and Scotland’s most celebrated female contemporary folk artists, Eliza Carthy, Karine Polwart, Rowan Rheingans, Mary Macmaster, Hannah Read, Kate Young, Jenn Butterworth, Hazel Askew, Hannah James and Jenny Hill (who conceived the project).
Recorded in the fairy-tale setting of the Isle of Eigg (in the Scottish Inner Hebrides) and set in the context of a post-referendum world, ‘Songs of Separation’ is not simply a beautiful collection of traditional and self-penned songs, but also aims to prompt new thinking about the issue of separation as it occurs in all our lives. The process of developing the music was documented and shared with audiences each day, through a range of videos.
Congratulations to Songs of Separation, who it’s just been announced, have been nominated for two BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards, Best Album and Best Traditional Track for Echo Mocks The Corncrake. In the best album category, they’re up againt Jarlath Henderson for Hearts Broken, Heads Turned, Jim Moray for Upcetera, Martin Green for Flit and Shirley Collins for Lodestar whilst the best tradional track category sees them facing off against Jarlath Henderson for Courting Is a Pleasure, Daoirí Farrell for Van Diemen’s Land and Julie Murphy for Willie Taylor. Read more...
Jon Boden has announced the Painted Lady tour, Part Two, which’ll see him play 14 dates across the UK in May 2017.
Best known as the lead singer of the progressive folk big band Bellowhead, who split in May 2016, Jon launched his solo career in Autumn 2016, touring the UK solo for the first time. Largely presenting the self-penned songs of his debut album, Painted Lady (2006), (recently re-issued by Navigator Records), as well as material from his remarkable dystopian follow-up, Songs From The Floodplain (2009, Navigator Records), Jon’s solo show also includes material from Bellowhead, his duo partnership, Spiers & Boden and his ambitious A Folk Song A Day project, in which he recorded 365 folk songs in one year. Read more...
It’s been announced today that Jon Boden will be Guest Curator at next years Cambridge Folk Festival which takes place from the 27th – 30th July. This is a first for the festival with Jon set to programme up to five artists appearing across the festival’s four stages and festival weekend. Jon will personally introduce each of his selected artists live onstage and will be on-site all weekend presenting additional unique happenings and the odd surprise event in his Guest Curator role.
In addition, Jon Boden & The Remnant Kings will perform their first live show in several years with a one-off preview performance on the festival’s main stage of material from the brand-new Jon Boden album to be released in autumn 2017, giving festival goers the first chance to hear the new material before it is released. The performance will also dip into material from Bellowhead, the Folk Song A Day project and more.
Heidi Talbot appeared on The Quays Sessions last week to perform songs from her latest album, Here We Go 1, 2, 3. Talbot performed alongside her husband and musical partner John McCusker as well as members of her band and friends.
