Seth Lakeman:

Biography

Seth Lakeman hates labels. And those who label the music he makes ‘folk music’ may find themselves having to redefine the widely perceived meaning of the term. Maybe he’s the new face of folk for the 21st century; more likely he’s just a great new singer songwriter. Though his music is inspired by, and sometimes infused with, the folk scene he grew up in, one listen to his new album, “Freedom Fields”, and you realise it does not sit easily in any generic straight jacket. And Seth Lakeman likes it that way:

“I suppose the music I make is folk-influenced – because that’s what I grew up with. However, I like to think that my music crosses barriers and genres - that’s the whole point of what I do"

Lakeman’s looks and style are as far away from any woolly jumper folk stereotype as you can get. And while there are elements of the traditional in his music (in the sense that he uses acoustic instruments) he also delivers a rhythmic, contemporary sound and vivid lyrical imagery, fusing the energetic performance ethic of punk or rock with the heartfelt emotion of blues and soul.


What Seth Lakeman loves best of all is performing live. On stage he’s intense and compelling, attacking his four-string tenor guitar with the ferocity of Joe Strummer, and singing with the passion of Jeff Buckley. Never was such a furious sound kicked up by an ‘unplugged’ quartet of fiddle, acoustic guitar, bodhran and cojon (the percussive box used in flamenco) and double bass.

‘Freedom Fields’, marries a dark and evocative lyrical content with a musical frenzy that at points echoes Led Zeppelin’s landmark third album – the sound of a heavy rock band with blues inclinations tapping into their folk roots. Of course when that album was conceived Seth wasn’t even born.

Seth Lakeman was born in 1977, the year of punk rock and the Queen’s silver jubilee, on a quiet corner of Devon’s gloriously wild Dartmoor. It’s still the place that he calls home, from which he refuses to be parted for long, and the place whose peculiarly English tales of dark deeds and doomed romances provide inspiration for much of his music – just as it did for previous generations of writers, including Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (‘The Hound Of The Baskervilles’) and Daphne du Maurier (Jamaica Inn).


Music has always been part of Seth’s life: his parents were part of a touring band which included Seth and his older brothers Sean and Sam, who all played from an early age and subsequently performed as The Lakeman Brothers. Seth grew up rubbing shoulders with British folk legends like Martin Carthy and recent Mojo Award winner Bert Jansch. But at the same time he was playing air guitar in his bedroom to AC/DC’s ‘Back In Black’. Twenty years later you can hear both influences.


The three brothers went on to become part of the highly feted but short lived folk band, Equation, along with Kathryn Roberts, Kate Rusby and, later, Cara Dillon. Eventually, having toured the world, Seth struck out on his own, setting up his own label, I-Scream Records, from a room in his cottage on Dartmoor. ‘Kitty Jay’ – made in his brother’s kitchen, “with the fridge unplugged to stop interference with recording” – was put together for just £300 and was somewhat audaciously launched with a gig inside Dartmoor’s top security Prison.

Not long afterwards, Seth was sitting by the side of a road in the West Country wondering what to do with his broken down car when he got a call informing him that ‘Kitty Jay’ had been short-listed for the Mercury Music Prize, widely regarded as the most prestigious in British music. That phone call represented a career changing moment and the nomination helped ‘Kitty Jay’ generate sales of more than 20,000 and instantly brought Seth to a much wider audience - which continues to expand apace.

Now comes ‘Freedom Fields’, another collection of soaring self-penned tales of love, conflict and mysteries that see his song writing skills honed further still. Inspired by ancient tales but somehow totally modern, Seth manages to refract personal experiences and emotions through these stories, and in doing so he has found a unique lyrical voice – one that encompasses universal themes of love and loss. Indeed the sense of time and place in his work is as raw and vital as the urban reportage of The Streets or the Arctic Monkeys’ chronicles of Sheffield in 2006.

It’s an exciting time for folk’s legacy to popular music. A new generation of folk-inspired singer songwriters is making waves on both sides of the Atlantic – here we have Beth Orton, KT Tunstall and Damien Rice; the US boasts Conor ‘Bright Eyes’ Oberst, Davendra Banhart and Sufjan Stevens. Seth Lakeman is in good company then, and in “Freedom Fields” continues deliver vital, self assured, brilliantly evocative music to a new generation.

Seth picked up two awards at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards 2007: Folk Singer of The Year and Best Album for Freedom Fields.

www.sethlakeman.co.uk

Cara Dillon - featuring John Smith:

Biography

Cara Dillon has a rare talent that you only come across a handful times in your whole life. Her staggeringly beautiful voice has the ability to reach inside the soul of a song and imbue material with not only profound sweetness but also poignancy and depth.

Born in Dungiven in 1975 she was brought up in a close musical family immersed in the rich cultural heritage of her native Co. Derry. Having won the All Ireland Traditional Singing Trophy aged only 14 she went on to sing with Oige, De Dannan and then Equation. It was in this band that she met her husband and musical collaborator Sam Lakeman. The combination of Cara's expressive vocals and Lakeman's rippling piano and fresh production squeezed new life into ancient material. Their original songs sit happily alongside the traditional, reinforcing the debt they owe, whilst pointing to a distinct and distinguished musical identity all of their own. It was Cara's unrivalled vocal talent and Sam's musical and arranging skills that have seen them signed to major record labels since they were 19. First, Blanco Y Negro (Warners) and then the enviably hip Rough Trade Records who released her 3 solo albums to date which have earned astonishing critical success and showered her with countless awards and accolades.

During the course of their careers they've performed to appreciative audiences the world over and have featured in some of the most exciting projects and events around. 2008 will see the release of Cara's first live DVD called " The Redcastle Sessions" in May, and a single to promote the release featuring a duet with singer songwriter John Smith called " If I Prove False". All being well, the release of her 4th album will follow in the Autumn. Despite their roles as new parents to baby twins, Cara and Sam are also set to tour extensively on both sides of the Atlantic... sometimes with babies in tow.

Whether she's singing her native traditional songs of lost love and emigration, or their original compositions, you will be hard pressed to find a more emotive and captivating performer. Cara Dillon is at the very top of her field and one has the feeling she'll be there for a very long time.

www.caradillon.com
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cara_Dillon

Julie Fowlis:

Biography

Mark Radcliffe hailed her voice and songs as “enchanting, beguiling and as fascinating as songs by Kate Bush and Björk” and KT Tunstall described her voice as "formidable and amazingly rhythmic". The elfin figure they are describing is Julie Fowlis, a talented singer and instrumentalist from Scotland. She is the BBC Radio 2 Folk Singer of the Year 2008 and in a few short years has taken the music scene by storm, gathering a small army of fans around the world including an impressive list of celebrities including the afore mentioned Mark Radcliffe, KT Tunstall plus Ricky Gervais and Phil Selway from Radiohead. In 2007 she was invited to appear on "Later...with Jools Holland" and was a special guest on the critically acclaimed "Transatlantic Sessions" series and has entertained millions of radio listeners around the world with her engaging live sessions and live performances. 

However she is somewhat of an enigma as she sings in a language only understood by around 60,000 people - which acocunts for only approximately 1% of the population of Scotland. She sings in Scottish Gaelic and spends her time touring around the world bringing ancient songs form the Hebridean Islands to new audiences. She is an accomplished musician as well - playing Highland bagpipes, smallpipes, whistles, oboe & cor anglais and three waltzes on the one row melodeon. 

Recently Julie has delved a little into broadcasting, and has had the opportunity to present two flagship music programmes on BBC Scotland - the traditional music programme "Travelling Folk" and the world music show "Global Gathering". A one hour documentary on Julie and her musical travels, entitled "Bliadhna Julie/Julie's Year" was also broadcast by the BBC in 2007. She was publicly voted Gaelic Singer of the Year 2007 at the Scots Trad Music Awards and her album "cuilidh", produced with husband Eamon Doorley, was voted "Album of the Year" at the same awards. She has a clutch of other awards, including BBC Radio 2 Horizon Award 2006 for Best Emerging Artist (the first ever Gaelic Artist to be nominated for such an award) and was also voted Gaelic Singer of the Year 2005 at the Scots Trad Music Awards. She remains the only singer to have won this prestigious award twice. She is very chuffed about this and her Mam and Dad have the awards up in the living room. 

Bringing centuries old songs from the windswept islands of the Hebrides to a modern audience, Julie remains steadfastly true to her roots in North Uist. If you haven’t heard her before, be prepared to be surprised by her music and her “breathtaking vocal power” (Folking.com).

This is true Gaelic music.  Come have a listen.
"traditional music at its most seductive." DAILY TELEGRAPH
 “sings with mesmerising beauty and passion." WORD MAGAZINE
 “Sings the songs of the Outer Hebrides with coolest grace” SONGLINES
“Fowlis could be the first Scottish Gaelic crossover star in the making"

www.juliefowlis.com

Martin Simpson with Danny Thompson:

Biography

BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards 2008 winner of Best Album for ‘Prodigal Son’ and Best Original Song for ‘Never Any Good’

“One of the finest acoustic finger-style and slide guitar players in the world”

Twice-winner Musician  Of The Year BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards and Album of the Year in 2002

2007 has seen Martin Simpson releasing a new recording for the Topic Label, “Prodigal Son”. A mix of original and traditional songs and tunes, the album features Alistair Anderson, Andy Cutting, Barry Phillips and Danny Thompson, as well as some stellar guest vocalists.

There is no doubt that after 35 years as a professional musician Martin is, right now, better than ever. Widely acknowledged as one of the finest acoustic and slide guitar players in the world, his interpretations of traditional songs are masterpieces of storytelling. His solo shows are intense, eclectic, spellbinding and deeply moving.

There is no-one who has more successfully combined the diverse elements of British, Afro-American and old-timey music than Simpson. His 15 years living in the US were well spent. In addition his own songwriting has produced some real gems, from the truck-stop epic, “Love Never Dies” to the profoundly moving “Never Any Good”.

His career includes collaborations on stage and record with June Tabor, Kelly Joe Phelps, Jackson Browne, Danú, Martin Carthy, Cara Dillon, David Lindley, Roy Bailey, Martin Taylor, David Hidalgo, Steve Miller, Dick Gaughan and many more.

Simpson is a very regular nominee in the BBC Folk Awards and received Musician of the Year in 2002 and 2005 and album of the year for Bramble Briar in 2002. This year saw an incredible 5 nominations and 2 wins. Whether playing American old-time music, blues, a Dylan song or his own material, Martin Simpson is unpredictable, individual and a guitarist of immense subtlety.

 “Although it’s his guitar virtuosity that’s frequently lauded, it’s as an interpreter of song that Martin Simpson really scores. Simpson delivers narratives with colour and conviction. Fittingly be-gonged several times at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards, Martin Simpson is taking his place, not just as a hero for guitar-besotted acolytes but as one of the national treasures of English traditional music."
BBC Radio 2 Folk & Acoustic Reviews

"His performances elicit powerful emotions and subtle, understated beauty' Guitar Player

 "Distinctive coiled-spring beauty and power. A revelation...Exquisitely at one with the All-English repertoire..A master " Mojo

For a full biography and more on Martin see www.martinsimpson.com www.alanbearmanmusic.co.uk

Ruth Notman:

Biography


Ruth Notman is an 19 year old singer and songwriter from Nottingham. In 2006 she reached the finals of the BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Awards and since then she hasn’t looked back. Ruth has toured extensively across the UK, and her glittering performance at Towersey Village Festival (Oxfordshire) bought her to the attention of many new fans and fellow artists alike. Ruth has also been hard at work in the studio recording her stunning debut album – Threads. 2008 will see Ruth perform at Cambridge Folk Festival, Fylde Festival, The Larmer Tree festival, Wath Festival, Saul Canal Festival and many others.

Threads combines traditional material and unique covers with Ruth’s own beautifully crafted songs. Ruth’s pure and powerful voice, quirky piano melodies and delicate guitar riffs are accompanied on the album by driving rhythms on melodeon from Saul Rose (Whapweasel, Waterson:Carthy), cello from Hannah Edmonds, fiddle from Roger Wilson and harmonies from Bella Hardy.

“ Threads is a stunning piece of work. My favourite cd of the moment. I have been playing it over and over again”.
Mike Harding BBC Radio 2

If you see one new act this year Ruth will be the one to see!

www.ruth-notman.com

Breabach:

Biography

Patsy Reid - Fiddle, vocals
Ewan Robertson - Guitar, vocals
Donal Brown - Highland bagpipe, whistles
Calum MacCrimmon - Highland bagpipe, whistles, vocals

Breabach’s innovative Celtic style, blending double bagpipes, whistle, fiddle, song and Scottish step dance, brings to the stage flare, excitement and diversity rarely seen from such a young group.

Shortly after forming, Breabach won a Danny Kyle Award at Celtic Connections 2005. This proved to be the spring board from which they launched into 2006, signing to Vertical Records, being nominated for ‘Best Up and Coming Act’ at the Scots Trad Music Awards and signing to live agents Active.

Breabach have generated great momentum in their short history, and with 2007 seeing the launch of their debut album ‘The Big Spree’ and first UK tour. That same year band member, Calum MacCrimmon was a 2007 finalist in the BBC Young Traditional Musician of the Year and was commissioned to compose and arrange a performance as part of the New Voices series at Celtic Connections 2007. In summer 2007 they made their England debut with a performance at the foremost folk festival in the country, Cambridge Folk Festival. This was followed by an extensive tour of Scotland funed by the Scottish Arts Council’s Tune Up fund. At the end of 2007 they were nominated again for a Scots Trad Award but this time as Best Traditional Band, a huge achievement just a year after their arrival on the scene.

2008 has brought even further accolades for the band. There has been a further commission – this time for band member Patsy Reid - for the New Voices series at Celtic Connections. Then in January 2008 Ewan Robertson walked away with the BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician Of The Year Award. Touring planed for 2008 includes a tour of Austria and a series of UK dates. Festival appearances lined up for this summer include Shepley Spring Festival, Gosport & Fareham Easter Festival, Orkney Festival, Trowbridge Festival and Warwick Folk Festival.

www.breabach.com
www.myspace.com/breabach

Matthew Ord:

Biography

Matthew Ord is a twenty-seven year old guitarist from the south of England. He first picked up a guitar aged about twelve after listening to ‘Led Zeppelin Re-mastered’ several thousand times. He taught himself the basics, played electric guitar in various bands throughout his teens and still managed to get some GCSEs.

After a while, he decided to go to Belfast to study Philosophy. Unable to find any musicians willing to play the kind of music he liked he began to concentrate on exploring the possibilities of the acoustic guitar as a solo instrument, inspired by writers from the 20s and 30s like Robert Johnson, Blind Willie McTell and Skip James. It was during his stay in Belfast that Matthew developed a passionate interest in Irish traditional music and he attended his first couple of ‘sessions’ in the city playing with some fantastic local fiddlers and whistle players and doing his best not to annoy them too much.

On completing his degree in summer 2005, he decided he wanted to try to make a living playing music and started playing some well received blues and ragtime guitar gigs at clubs, pubs and festivals, such as the Tenby and Castlebar blues festivals, playing support for legendary guitarists such as Albert Lee and Pierre Bensusan.

While the blues is a fundamental part of his style, Matthew has tried to develop as a player and to broaden his repertoire over the last couple of years, including songs and tunes from the Appalachian, Irish and Scottish folk traditions. His live set features traditional blues and ragtime songs alongside jigs, hornpipes and arrangements of tunes by composers such as O’ Carolan and William Byrd.

In 2007 of this year Matthew joined the new line up of London based Americana band Hey Negrita as lead guitarist, just in time to contribute to their new album, which is currently in the final stages of production. The band, who have toured with Alabama 3 and Tony Joe White will be appeared at a number of festivals including the Lovebox Weekender and Secret Garden Party.

www.myspace/mattheword