A seasonal gem to banish the approaching winter blues
Talking Elephant Records have announced a very special release with a seasonal flavour. Titled ‘’A Midwinter Miscellany’ the album is a collection of spoken word, poems, stories and songs that celebrate the many aspects of the festive season.
The album features Ashley Hutchings with special friends Becky Mills and Blair Dunlop and was recorded by Blair at Ashley’s home in the early autumn. The album will be released on Friday 20th November 2020.
Hutchings and Mills teamed up several years ago to tour ‘The Beginnings of Fairport’ a spoken word and song presentation to tell the story of Fairport Convention. ‘A Midwinter Miscellany’ follows that theme of combining words and song to create an album that is a patchwork of sights, sounds and flavours of short winter days, long dark evenings and the Christmas celebration itself.
Ashley has taken excerpts from a variety of literary sources including George Eliot, and Kenneth Grahame, to inspire songs with an ageless quality. Other writings and poems by Smart and Chesterton are given a completely new treatment with music composed by Blair and Becky. And Becky also contributes several brand new songs specifically commissioned by Hutchings for this album.
Ashley is highly complimentary about Becky – “When I have a new project nearly always the first person I go to is Becky. (She is) a wonderful singer, guitarist, songwriter, - it was a totally natural decision to invite her to contribute to this album. And working with my son Blair is a real pleasure. We have frequently performed together and toured Italy several times. Being part of this album gave him the opportunity of setting to music some of the words I chose as well as recording and producing the album. A particular highlight is the duo performance by him and his mother Judy Dunlop on the ‘Mahogany Tree’.”
Since the early 80s Ashley has gathered to him a small group of renowned folk musicians to tour each December as the Albion Christmas Band. Although the line-ups have changed each decade, the core concept of seasonal words and songs has remained... Sadly due to the Covid crisis audiences will not be able to enjoy what has become a traditional part of the live folk scene. The timely release of ‘AMidwinter Miscellany’ offers a welcome opportunity to enjoy the flavours of an Albion Christmas Band live show.
For more information, visit www.ashleyhutchings.co.uk
The album features Ashley Hutchings with special friends Becky Mills and Blair Dunlop and was recorded by Blair at Ashley’s home in the early autumn. The album will be released on Friday 20th November 2020.
Hutchings and Mills teamed up several years ago to tour ‘The Beginnings of Fairport’ a spoken word and song presentation to tell the story of Fairport Convention. ‘A Midwinter Miscellany’ follows that theme of combining words and song to create an album that is a patchwork of sights, sounds and flavours of short winter days, long dark evenings and the Christmas celebration itself.
Ashley has taken excerpts from a variety of literary sources including George Eliot, and Kenneth Grahame, to inspire songs with an ageless quality. Other writings and poems by Smart and Chesterton are given a completely new treatment with music composed by Blair and Becky. And Becky also contributes several brand new songs specifically commissioned by Hutchings for this album.
Ashley is highly complimentary about Becky – “When I have a new project nearly always the first person I go to is Becky. (She is) a wonderful singer, guitarist, songwriter, - it was a totally natural decision to invite her to contribute to this album. And working with my son Blair is a real pleasure. We have frequently performed together and toured Italy several times. Being part of this album gave him the opportunity of setting to music some of the words I chose as well as recording and producing the album. A particular highlight is the duo performance by him and his mother Judy Dunlop on the ‘Mahogany Tree’.”
Since the early 80s Ashley has gathered to him a small group of renowned folk musicians to tour each December as the Albion Christmas Band. Although the line-ups have changed each decade, the core concept of seasonal words and songs has remained... Sadly due to the Covid crisis audiences will not be able to enjoy what has become a traditional part of the live folk scene. The timely release of ‘AMidwinter Miscellany’ offers a welcome opportunity to enjoy the flavours of an Albion Christmas Band live show.
For more information, visit www.ashleyhutchings.co.uk
Cropredy Convention receives lifeline grant from Government’s £1.57bn Culture Recovery Fund
Fairport’s Cropredy Convention music festival has been awarded £200,000 as part of the Government’s £1.57 billion Culture Recovery Fund (CRF) to help face the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic and to ensure they have a sustainable future.
Fairport’s Cropredy Convention is one of 1,385 cultural and creative organisations across the country receiving urgently needed support. £257 million of investment has been announced today as part of the very first round of the Culture Recovery Fund grants programme being administered by Arts Council England. Further rounds of funding in the cultural and heritage sector are due to be announced over the coming weeks.
Fairport’s Cropredy Convention has been held annually in the village of Cropredy in North Oxfordshire since 1979 and over the years has grown from a few hundred fans of folk-rock pioneers, Fairport Convention, to a 20,000-capacity event. Local businesses, associations and charities benefit each year from the income these festival-goers provide. The postponement of the 2020 festival on 17 April came as a blow to all concerned.
Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said: “This funding is a vital boost for the theatres, music venues, museums and cultural organisations that form the soul of our nation. It will protect these special places, save jobs and help the culture sector’s recovery.”
“These places and projects are cultural beacons the length and breadth of the country. This unprecedented investment in the arts is proof this government is here for culture, with further support to come in the days and weeks ahead so that the culture sector can bounce back strongly.”
Cropredy's festival organiser Graham Williams said: “We have all seen how hard this Covid pandemic has hit the festival industry; 2020 has basically been a write-off. This most welcome grant from the CRF secures the future of our festival for 2021 and will help us cover any additional costs of providing extra safety measures we will need to put in place next summer. We can now plan ahead for 2021 with fresh confidence.”
Already confirmed for the 2021 festival (which takes place 12-14 August) are Clannad, Steve Hackett's Genesis, Emily Barker, Turin Brakes, Sharon Shannon, Martyn Joseph, Richard Thompson, Matthews Southern Comfort and - of course - Fairport Convention.
For further information visit www.fairportconvention.com
Fairport’s Cropredy Convention is one of 1,385 cultural and creative organisations across the country receiving urgently needed support. £257 million of investment has been announced today as part of the very first round of the Culture Recovery Fund grants programme being administered by Arts Council England. Further rounds of funding in the cultural and heritage sector are due to be announced over the coming weeks.
Fairport’s Cropredy Convention has been held annually in the village of Cropredy in North Oxfordshire since 1979 and over the years has grown from a few hundred fans of folk-rock pioneers, Fairport Convention, to a 20,000-capacity event. Local businesses, associations and charities benefit each year from the income these festival-goers provide. The postponement of the 2020 festival on 17 April came as a blow to all concerned.
Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said: “This funding is a vital boost for the theatres, music venues, museums and cultural organisations that form the soul of our nation. It will protect these special places, save jobs and help the culture sector’s recovery.”
“These places and projects are cultural beacons the length and breadth of the country. This unprecedented investment in the arts is proof this government is here for culture, with further support to come in the days and weeks ahead so that the culture sector can bounce back strongly.”
Cropredy's festival organiser Graham Williams said: “We have all seen how hard this Covid pandemic has hit the festival industry; 2020 has basically been a write-off. This most welcome grant from the CRF secures the future of our festival for 2021 and will help us cover any additional costs of providing extra safety measures we will need to put in place next summer. We can now plan ahead for 2021 with fresh confidence.”
Already confirmed for the 2021 festival (which takes place 12-14 August) are Clannad, Steve Hackett's Genesis, Emily Barker, Turin Brakes, Sharon Shannon, Martyn Joseph, Richard Thompson, Matthews Southern Comfort and - of course - Fairport Convention.
For further information visit www.fairportconvention.com
Kate Rusby confirmed for Folk By The Oak 2021
The thirteenth annual Folk by the Oak Festival has been postponed until Sunday 18th July 2021, with American Bluesman Seasick Steve and Folk favourite Kate Rusby already confirmed.
Since 2008 Hatfield House has welcomed a gathering of some of the world’s finest folk, roots and acoustic performers for a day of sublime music and family fun in the leafy surrounds of the Queen Elizabeth Oak Field. Over the years Folk by the Oak has gathered momentum and grown into the UK’s largest one-day folk festival, with a loyal following of music lovers and families seeking a fabulous festival day out.
Event Director Adam Slough says “Whilst it is with very heavy hearts that we bring you this news, we know that it is the right thing to do. We take our responsibility for our festival-goers, artists, crew, and wider community very seriously.
"The safety of our incredible Folk by the Oak family has been put in doubt by the uncertainty surrounding the Covid-19 outbreak, and we have therefore taken the decision not to stage the festival in 2020.”What 2020 ticket holders need to know: The 13th annual Folk by the Oak will now take place on Sunday 18 July 2021. “We were very excited about our 2020 line-up” says Adam, “and we are working hard to ensure that the programme will be replicated as far as possible in 2021. We are over the moon that headliner Seasick Steve and Folk by the Oak favourite Kate Rusby are already confirmed. Further details of the line-up will be announced as soon as we are able.”
If you have booked tickets for this year's festival the organisers will contact you via email. Your tickets will automatically be carried over to Folk by the Oak on Sunday 18th July 2021. If you wish to carry your booking over to next year do not need to take any action now; you will automatically be sent new tickets in the autumn, and to show their gratitude the organisers will enter you into a VIP prize draw which includes a backstage tour, catering vouchers, a bottle of bubbly and a Folk by the Oak goody bag.
As well as asking customers to ensure Folk by the Oak is around for many more years to come by rolling their tickets over to next year, they are encouraging people to consider their long-term charity partner Willow, the only national charity working with seriously ill young adults aged 16 to 40 to fulfil uplifting and unforgettable Special Days. To date Folk by the Oak has raised £81,000 for their charity partner through ticket contributions and the generosity of the audience on the day of the festival. The festival team are asking those who would have attended the festival and donated to Willow to consider helping them to ride out the current crisis by making a donation at https://www.willowfoundation.org.uk/folk-oak-donate
In a final word to the audience Adam adds “We have such loyal and enthusiastic followers, and we know that you will all be as saddened by this announcement as we are. The summer really will be a lot less colourful without you, but we are already busy planning for 2021 and looking forward to welcoming you back for a much needed day of sublime music and festival fun.”
For further details, please visit www.folkbytheoak.com
Since 2008 Hatfield House has welcomed a gathering of some of the world’s finest folk, roots and acoustic performers for a day of sublime music and family fun in the leafy surrounds of the Queen Elizabeth Oak Field. Over the years Folk by the Oak has gathered momentum and grown into the UK’s largest one-day folk festival, with a loyal following of music lovers and families seeking a fabulous festival day out.
Event Director Adam Slough says “Whilst it is with very heavy hearts that we bring you this news, we know that it is the right thing to do. We take our responsibility for our festival-goers, artists, crew, and wider community very seriously.
"The safety of our incredible Folk by the Oak family has been put in doubt by the uncertainty surrounding the Covid-19 outbreak, and we have therefore taken the decision not to stage the festival in 2020.”What 2020 ticket holders need to know: The 13th annual Folk by the Oak will now take place on Sunday 18 July 2021. “We were very excited about our 2020 line-up” says Adam, “and we are working hard to ensure that the programme will be replicated as far as possible in 2021. We are over the moon that headliner Seasick Steve and Folk by the Oak favourite Kate Rusby are already confirmed. Further details of the line-up will be announced as soon as we are able.”
If you have booked tickets for this year's festival the organisers will contact you via email. Your tickets will automatically be carried over to Folk by the Oak on Sunday 18th July 2021. If you wish to carry your booking over to next year do not need to take any action now; you will automatically be sent new tickets in the autumn, and to show their gratitude the organisers will enter you into a VIP prize draw which includes a backstage tour, catering vouchers, a bottle of bubbly and a Folk by the Oak goody bag.
As well as asking customers to ensure Folk by the Oak is around for many more years to come by rolling their tickets over to next year, they are encouraging people to consider their long-term charity partner Willow, the only national charity working with seriously ill young adults aged 16 to 40 to fulfil uplifting and unforgettable Special Days. To date Folk by the Oak has raised £81,000 for their charity partner through ticket contributions and the generosity of the audience on the day of the festival. The festival team are asking those who would have attended the festival and donated to Willow to consider helping them to ride out the current crisis by making a donation at https://www.willowfoundation.org.uk/folk-oak-donate
In a final word to the audience Adam adds “We have such loyal and enthusiastic followers, and we know that you will all be as saddened by this announcement as we are. The summer really will be a lot less colourful without you, but we are already busy planning for 2021 and looking forward to welcoming you back for a much needed day of sublime music and festival fun.”
For further details, please visit www.folkbytheoak.com
Postcards & Pocketbooks: a unique record of Bella
With unflinching courage, Bella Hardy has explored and blurred musical boundaries in her search for meaning, releasing her first nine records in the space of just ten years.
Postcards & Pocketbooks (October 2019) is a double CD of Bella Hardy's most highly treasured works, with re-recordings of classic material, and some never heard before songs.
There is also a beautifully produced casebound book, available either with the CD or separately, which features lyrics to every song written or adapted from traditional music and recorded by Bella from 2007 - 2019.
BBC Folk Singer of the Year Bella Hardy found her first home in folk music through a childhood love for ballad books. A self-taught ‘fiddle singer’, she began performing at Cambridge and Sidmouth festivals from the age of thirteen.
Her debut album Night Visiting established her reputation as a talented songwriter when her first original composition Three Black Feathers earned a BBC Folk Award nomination. Since then, Bella has sung unaccompanied ballads at a sold-out Royal Albert Hall, taken a band of drums, brass and electronics to the National Concert Hall of Budapest, and learnt the songs of Chinese farmers during her time as British Council Musician in Residence in Yunnan Province.
She’s sat on the moors of her beloved Peak District with only her fiddle for company. She spent a year in Tennessee as a ranch hand, looking after horses, fiddle-singing in the diners, and immersing herself in the music culture of Nashville. With her mesmerising voice and ability to conjure and twist stories that call straight to the heart, Bella has beguiled audiences from Canada to Japan, from Spanish bars, to Castles, to Concert Halls.
From Bella's mastery of traditional music and the stripped back strings and concertina of her early days more than a decade ago, to the electric guitar and drums in the self-penned humanist hymns and feminist battle cries of Hey Sammy (2017), via the Derbyshire ballads of The Dark Peak & The White and ancient Chinese poetry of Eternal Spring, (an album of songs and poetry recorded in China), it's been a spellbinding journey. Her themes of displacement and home, lost and found love, heartache and joy, are delivered with her unique, disarming honesty, and, of course, the acclaimed crystalline voice that won her BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards Singer of the Year.
Postcards & Pockebooks reflects and records each moment of Bella's career, and is a must for all who appreciate skillful interpretations of traditional music, as well as the relevance of contemporary folk in the modern world. For more information, visit www.bellahardy.com
Postcards & Pocketbooks (October 2019) is a double CD of Bella Hardy's most highly treasured works, with re-recordings of classic material, and some never heard before songs.
There is also a beautifully produced casebound book, available either with the CD or separately, which features lyrics to every song written or adapted from traditional music and recorded by Bella from 2007 - 2019.
BBC Folk Singer of the Year Bella Hardy found her first home in folk music through a childhood love for ballad books. A self-taught ‘fiddle singer’, she began performing at Cambridge and Sidmouth festivals from the age of thirteen.
Her debut album Night Visiting established her reputation as a talented songwriter when her first original composition Three Black Feathers earned a BBC Folk Award nomination. Since then, Bella has sung unaccompanied ballads at a sold-out Royal Albert Hall, taken a band of drums, brass and electronics to the National Concert Hall of Budapest, and learnt the songs of Chinese farmers during her time as British Council Musician in Residence in Yunnan Province.
She’s sat on the moors of her beloved Peak District with only her fiddle for company. She spent a year in Tennessee as a ranch hand, looking after horses, fiddle-singing in the diners, and immersing herself in the music culture of Nashville. With her mesmerising voice and ability to conjure and twist stories that call straight to the heart, Bella has beguiled audiences from Canada to Japan, from Spanish bars, to Castles, to Concert Halls.
From Bella's mastery of traditional music and the stripped back strings and concertina of her early days more than a decade ago, to the electric guitar and drums in the self-penned humanist hymns and feminist battle cries of Hey Sammy (2017), via the Derbyshire ballads of The Dark Peak & The White and ancient Chinese poetry of Eternal Spring, (an album of songs and poetry recorded in China), it's been a spellbinding journey. Her themes of displacement and home, lost and found love, heartache and joy, are delivered with her unique, disarming honesty, and, of course, the acclaimed crystalline voice that won her BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards Singer of the Year.
Postcards & Pockebooks reflects and records each moment of Bella's career, and is a must for all who appreciate skillful interpretations of traditional music, as well as the relevance of contemporary folk in the modern world. For more information, visit www.bellahardy.com
Imaging Sunsets debut for The Marriage
Fresh, new UK Americana / Country duo, The Marriage (Kirsten Adamson and Dave Burn) is excited to announce the release of their debut album IMAGINING SUNSETS, due for release on 2nd October 2020.
The duo’s intimate and eloquent lyrics weave stories of love, loss and life complexity and their powerful and flawless vocals compliment each other in beautifully intertwined harmonies that mesmerise the listener.
Brought together by a shared passion for songwriting and a constantly overlapping and intertwined musical career (they were both members of the acclaimed band AHAB), The Marriage embodies the beauty that can be achieved through the collaboration two brilliant musical minds.
Imagining Sunsets was recorded remotely during lockdown between Edinburgh and London at the bands home studios, and is beautifully self-produced. The first official single to be released from the album is DREAMERS, and is about drawing a line under love by getting together one last time. The track has an authentic country feel to it, showcasing impressive harmonies and featuring Joe Harvey-Whyte on pedal steel. Other musicians who play on the album include Fred Abbott on piano on Worse or Better and Rob Heath on the drums on Box & Burn It.
Kirsten and Dave have been surrounded by music their entire lives, with Dave first picking up a guitar at the age of 7 and being signed by a major label at 15 and Kirsten spending her summers in Nashville with her father Stuart Adamson, founder of Skids and Big Country. Both have been playing in touring bands since their teens.
The name, The Marriage, for both Kirsten and Dave, whilst having many connotations, is more symbolic of their respective relationships with music. For each, music has come close to obsession as they have soldiered on despite the disappointment rife within the industry. Music represents their lives true loves, and this is clearly evident in the compilations and deliveries of their songs.
As in love, most of us trudge our way through a series of not-quite-right relationships, all of which help us grow and adapt until we (hopefully), meet our perfect match. The Marriage is the perfect union of two incredible musical souls at the end of this journey.
www.wethemarriage.com
The duo’s intimate and eloquent lyrics weave stories of love, loss and life complexity and their powerful and flawless vocals compliment each other in beautifully intertwined harmonies that mesmerise the listener.
Brought together by a shared passion for songwriting and a constantly overlapping and intertwined musical career (they were both members of the acclaimed band AHAB), The Marriage embodies the beauty that can be achieved through the collaboration two brilliant musical minds.
Imagining Sunsets was recorded remotely during lockdown between Edinburgh and London at the bands home studios, and is beautifully self-produced. The first official single to be released from the album is DREAMERS, and is about drawing a line under love by getting together one last time. The track has an authentic country feel to it, showcasing impressive harmonies and featuring Joe Harvey-Whyte on pedal steel. Other musicians who play on the album include Fred Abbott on piano on Worse or Better and Rob Heath on the drums on Box & Burn It.
Kirsten and Dave have been surrounded by music their entire lives, with Dave first picking up a guitar at the age of 7 and being signed by a major label at 15 and Kirsten spending her summers in Nashville with her father Stuart Adamson, founder of Skids and Big Country. Both have been playing in touring bands since their teens.
The name, The Marriage, for both Kirsten and Dave, whilst having many connotations, is more symbolic of their respective relationships with music. For each, music has come close to obsession as they have soldiered on despite the disappointment rife within the industry. Music represents their lives true loves, and this is clearly evident in the compilations and deliveries of their songs.
As in love, most of us trudge our way through a series of not-quite-right relationships, all of which help us grow and adapt until we (hopefully), meet our perfect match. The Marriage is the perfect union of two incredible musical souls at the end of this journey.
www.wethemarriage.com
Live Stream Concerts until the real thing returns
Bristol's magnificent Downend Folk Club is running a series of streamed concerts from its Frenchay base, until it it possible to safely stage live events once more.
The first concert featured Nick Hart (left) who was due to perform at the club this Autumn after an extremely well-received support set early last year. A club spokesperson said "Nick has been making quite a name for himself in the intervening time, so we’re very pleased to welcome him as our first headliner in our series of online concerts. The concert was streamed on YouTube on Friday 18th September 2020."
"These concerts will be different to most of the live streams you’ll have seen during lockdown. We’re aiming to recreate as much of the real gig energy as we can; it will look and sound like Downend Folk Club. We’ll be setting up the stage and the lights, and we’re bringing in a team of professional film-makers to make sure it looks and sounds as good as it possibly can. We’ll be using multiple camera angles and top quality sound equipment to ensure a really great experience. This is not “live from the lounge”!
"As such, streams will cost a minimum of £10 each, and we’d also like to encourage you to pay extra if there is more than one face looking at it… consider what you would normally pay for a concert like this. Our suggestion is £10 per person but it is entirely up to you. Clearly, we’re taking a risk and we really, really need you to support us if you can. Tickets are on-sale now HERE, and we’d really appreciate it if you bought in advance. The link to the YouTube stream will be emailed to all ticket holders on the morning of the concert, and you’ll be able to watch it as many times as you like in the month following the event, so even if you can’t make the actual evening, you can still “come along”, virtually.
October's event saw the first ever full-length solo concert by Jackie Oates, in front of a limited socially distanced audience at Frenchay Village Hall. Maz O'Connor kicked off the second lockdown series in November.
For more information about Downend Folk Club, please visit www.downendfolkclub.co.uk
The first concert featured Nick Hart (left) who was due to perform at the club this Autumn after an extremely well-received support set early last year. A club spokesperson said "Nick has been making quite a name for himself in the intervening time, so we’re very pleased to welcome him as our first headliner in our series of online concerts. The concert was streamed on YouTube on Friday 18th September 2020."
"These concerts will be different to most of the live streams you’ll have seen during lockdown. We’re aiming to recreate as much of the real gig energy as we can; it will look and sound like Downend Folk Club. We’ll be setting up the stage and the lights, and we’re bringing in a team of professional film-makers to make sure it looks and sounds as good as it possibly can. We’ll be using multiple camera angles and top quality sound equipment to ensure a really great experience. This is not “live from the lounge”!
"As such, streams will cost a minimum of £10 each, and we’d also like to encourage you to pay extra if there is more than one face looking at it… consider what you would normally pay for a concert like this. Our suggestion is £10 per person but it is entirely up to you. Clearly, we’re taking a risk and we really, really need you to support us if you can. Tickets are on-sale now HERE, and we’d really appreciate it if you bought in advance. The link to the YouTube stream will be emailed to all ticket holders on the morning of the concert, and you’ll be able to watch it as many times as you like in the month following the event, so even if you can’t make the actual evening, you can still “come along”, virtually.
October's event saw the first ever full-length solo concert by Jackie Oates, in front of a limited socially distanced audience at Frenchay Village Hall. Maz O'Connor kicked off the second lockdown series in November.
For more information about Downend Folk Club, please visit www.downendfolkclub.co.uk
First studio album for Worcestershire singer-songwriter Mike Weaver
Worcestershire singer-songwriter Mike Weaver released his first studio album this September. After a break of over twenty years, Cheltenham-born Mike return to songwriting and performing live in 2013. Since his 'come back' he has opened for several leading performers on the contemporary folk scene, as well as appearances at clubs, events and festivals throughout the English Midlands and South West.
Too Soon It's Time To Fly is a six track mini album, produced, recorded and mastered by Lukas Drinkwater, who also plays double bass, guitar and piano on four of the songs.
"The world changed dramatically and without warning in 2020, and many of us were left reflecting upon what had gone before - tempered with the realisation that life might never be the same again," said Mike.
"Somewhat improbably, I found myself immersed in a state of unexpected calm, underlined with a feeling that time really does move more quickly as we take one more step towards the great unknown. Too soon, it's time to fly. Initially I'd planned to record six tracks from my back catalogue to mark by sixtieth birthday, but the events of 2020 made me look at the album from a fresh perspective.
"I'd already written two new songs: firstly, Balcarras Road - which is a journey back to my childhood and nature walks we took from Charlton Kings' infants and junior schools, getting on for fifty years ago. Heart of Reunion - the second new composition - is a shimmering tune inspired by becoming re-acquainted with valued and near forgotten pals from those days, and the joy that shared memories can bring. Ties never broken, just loosened.
"The time seemed right to blend these musical bedfellows with some previously unreleased material, and songs re-worked to reflect upon the shifting patterns of my life.
"In March I lost Daisy, my constant canine companion of thirteen years. Chasing Squirrels remembers the simple shared pleasures of a symbiotic relationship that will never be forgotten, but frequently lamented. Century Caught is a song I wrote back in 2014, which imagines how a house might view the generations of lives lived within its walls, and its eventual return to nature. Ashes to ashes, and all that.
"The Richness In You was written in 1996, when I discovered I was to become a father. I didn't realise then that I was to share the pleasurable parenting of twins - nor did I imagine what fine, caring and compassionate young ladies they would grow up to be. They first flew the nest in 2015 - to study at universities in Lancashire and Gloucestershire. It was for Megan and Alice that I then wrote Pembrokeshire Fair. Five years later, equipped with impressive respective degrees in Korean and English Literature, they boldly moved to Asia to take up teaching positions at a Primary School in Korea. A re-worked version of their parting song brings the album to a fitting close.
"Finally, I would like to thank Lukas Drinkwater for helping me to bring these songs to life at his Polyphonic Recording studio. I'm indebted to his skill as a producer, musician and engineer - but also to his musical intuition. I wanted to retain the live feel of my previous recordings, with more polish and depth through the addition of additional instruments. Lukas helped me to reach this goal - and then some. Check out Lukas's own music by visiting his website www.lukasdrinkwater.com"
Too Soon It's Time To Fly can be downloaded and streamed from the usual digital platforms and Bandcamp (£5.00)- where you can also order a physical CD (£7.00 inc P&P in the UK): mikeweaver.bandcamp.com. For more information about Mike and his music, visit www.mikeweavermusic.com
Too Soon It's Time To Fly is a six track mini album, produced, recorded and mastered by Lukas Drinkwater, who also plays double bass, guitar and piano on four of the songs.
"The world changed dramatically and without warning in 2020, and many of us were left reflecting upon what had gone before - tempered with the realisation that life might never be the same again," said Mike.
"Somewhat improbably, I found myself immersed in a state of unexpected calm, underlined with a feeling that time really does move more quickly as we take one more step towards the great unknown. Too soon, it's time to fly. Initially I'd planned to record six tracks from my back catalogue to mark by sixtieth birthday, but the events of 2020 made me look at the album from a fresh perspective.
"I'd already written two new songs: firstly, Balcarras Road - which is a journey back to my childhood and nature walks we took from Charlton Kings' infants and junior schools, getting on for fifty years ago. Heart of Reunion - the second new composition - is a shimmering tune inspired by becoming re-acquainted with valued and near forgotten pals from those days, and the joy that shared memories can bring. Ties never broken, just loosened.
"The time seemed right to blend these musical bedfellows with some previously unreleased material, and songs re-worked to reflect upon the shifting patterns of my life.
"In March I lost Daisy, my constant canine companion of thirteen years. Chasing Squirrels remembers the simple shared pleasures of a symbiotic relationship that will never be forgotten, but frequently lamented. Century Caught is a song I wrote back in 2014, which imagines how a house might view the generations of lives lived within its walls, and its eventual return to nature. Ashes to ashes, and all that.
"The Richness In You was written in 1996, when I discovered I was to become a father. I didn't realise then that I was to share the pleasurable parenting of twins - nor did I imagine what fine, caring and compassionate young ladies they would grow up to be. They first flew the nest in 2015 - to study at universities in Lancashire and Gloucestershire. It was for Megan and Alice that I then wrote Pembrokeshire Fair. Five years later, equipped with impressive respective degrees in Korean and English Literature, they boldly moved to Asia to take up teaching positions at a Primary School in Korea. A re-worked version of their parting song brings the album to a fitting close.
"Finally, I would like to thank Lukas Drinkwater for helping me to bring these songs to life at his Polyphonic Recording studio. I'm indebted to his skill as a producer, musician and engineer - but also to his musical intuition. I wanted to retain the live feel of my previous recordings, with more polish and depth through the addition of additional instruments. Lukas helped me to reach this goal - and then some. Check out Lukas's own music by visiting his website www.lukasdrinkwater.com"
Too Soon It's Time To Fly can be downloaded and streamed from the usual digital platforms and Bandcamp (£5.00)- where you can also order a physical CD (£7.00 inc P&P in the UK): mikeweaver.bandcamp.com. For more information about Mike and his music, visit www.mikeweavermusic.com
