Voices from the Cones is a glass act
From the huge Glassworks production line and cone-shaped furnaces of the past to the reflections on bespoke pieces created in more recent times, Dan Whitehouse's new work Voices from the Cones celebrates the largely untold stories of Stourbridge's master craftsmen/craftswomen and their communities.
For over 400 years, the glassmaking industry nourished the communities of Stourbridge in the West Midlands, UK, where - thanks to the skills of immigrant French Huguenots - it became the most important glassmaking area of the country. In recent years the industry has faded away with the last factory apprentice, Malcolm Andrews, now teaching artisan makers, who are the last link in this glassmaking chain.
In 2019 Dan Whitehouse was invited by Alan Ellsmore of the Ruskin Mills Trust in Stourbridge (a college built on the old Glassworks site) to research and write a narrated song cycle about the history and community of the Glassworks which closed down in the 1990s. The project was supported by National Heritage Lottery funding sourced by a Ruskin Mill Trust/Dudley MBC joint bid.
Voices From The Cones sprang from an archive of interviews with 100 former glass workers talking about their memories of working in the glass trade, alongside new interviews conducted by Dan accompanied by storyteller John Edgar. The result is an emotive journey into the history and future of the glass industry. The original live show, performed by Dan and augmented by John Edgar’s incredible storytelling and narration, was featured at the International Festival of Glass in 2019 and will be again on August 24th 2022 (coincidentally, the United Nations International Year of Glass) as well as at the Yorkshire Festival of Storytelling 2021.
Now, thanks to Arts Council England funding, each song and the ‘radio ballad’ style song cycle with narration will feature on this two disc album, out on 30th September 2022.
Working with a sparkling array of musical talent including John Elliot, Chris Cleverley, Kim Lowings, Gustaf Ljunggren, Nicole Justice and Lukas Drinkwater, the album glides between electronica, country, rock, hip-hop, folk and pop.
The live launch is at The Glass House Arts Centre in Stourbridge on Friday 21st October. dan-whitehouse.com/live
For over 400 years, the glassmaking industry nourished the communities of Stourbridge in the West Midlands, UK, where - thanks to the skills of immigrant French Huguenots - it became the most important glassmaking area of the country. In recent years the industry has faded away with the last factory apprentice, Malcolm Andrews, now teaching artisan makers, who are the last link in this glassmaking chain.
In 2019 Dan Whitehouse was invited by Alan Ellsmore of the Ruskin Mills Trust in Stourbridge (a college built on the old Glassworks site) to research and write a narrated song cycle about the history and community of the Glassworks which closed down in the 1990s. The project was supported by National Heritage Lottery funding sourced by a Ruskin Mill Trust/Dudley MBC joint bid.
Voices From The Cones sprang from an archive of interviews with 100 former glass workers talking about their memories of working in the glass trade, alongside new interviews conducted by Dan accompanied by storyteller John Edgar. The result is an emotive journey into the history and future of the glass industry. The original live show, performed by Dan and augmented by John Edgar’s incredible storytelling and narration, was featured at the International Festival of Glass in 2019 and will be again on August 24th 2022 (coincidentally, the United Nations International Year of Glass) as well as at the Yorkshire Festival of Storytelling 2021.
Now, thanks to Arts Council England funding, each song and the ‘radio ballad’ style song cycle with narration will feature on this two disc album, out on 30th September 2022.
Working with a sparkling array of musical talent including John Elliot, Chris Cleverley, Kim Lowings, Gustaf Ljunggren, Nicole Justice and Lukas Drinkwater, the album glides between electronica, country, rock, hip-hop, folk and pop.
The live launch is at The Glass House Arts Centre in Stourbridge on Friday 21st October. dan-whitehouse.com/live
Chris Dover's Difficult World
Chris Dover is a fierce songwriter in the vein of Texan troubadours Townes Van Zandt and Guy Clark while keeping his feet and his heart firmly planted in his Bradford home. Confidently weaving Delta Blues, British Folk and Country storytelling together to create a unique style that is a breath of fresh air in the UK scene.
Inspired by the likes of Foy Vance, Robert Johnson and his broad music tastes and influences, Chris began his solo career in 2019 to full express himself alongside his other projects.
“It’s a Difficult World” marks Dover’s third release since 2020, pushing his distinct voice and perspective to new levels. His first full length record, Chris explores the human condition and his own experiences in an intimate yet universal way.
Strongly independent and free thinking, “It’s a Difficult World”, captures the next chapter of Chris’s music and personal life as he grapples with the questions that keep people up at night and the answers that not many would be brave enough to share with the world like he does.
Establishing himself at the forefront of the new wave of UK Country and Americana artists through his personable and gripping live shows where the songs peak for themselves with dates across the country including a 2021 tour with Willie Tea Taylor, Chris is growing from strength to strength and building a following with every gig he plays.
“It’s a Difficult World” is a record for the people who have been searching for those new songwriters to pick up the torch of honesty and pain that haunt the song they are hearing in an earnest way, capturing their thoughts and feelings, their hometown tribulations and having them spun into songs that will stay with them for years to come.
Find out more by visiting https://chrisdovermusician.bandcamp.com/
Inspired by the likes of Foy Vance, Robert Johnson and his broad music tastes and influences, Chris began his solo career in 2019 to full express himself alongside his other projects.
“It’s a Difficult World” marks Dover’s third release since 2020, pushing his distinct voice and perspective to new levels. His first full length record, Chris explores the human condition and his own experiences in an intimate yet universal way.
Strongly independent and free thinking, “It’s a Difficult World”, captures the next chapter of Chris’s music and personal life as he grapples with the questions that keep people up at night and the answers that not many would be brave enough to share with the world like he does.
Establishing himself at the forefront of the new wave of UK Country and Americana artists through his personable and gripping live shows where the songs peak for themselves with dates across the country including a 2021 tour with Willie Tea Taylor, Chris is growing from strength to strength and building a following with every gig he plays.
“It’s a Difficult World” is a record for the people who have been searching for those new songwriters to pick up the torch of honesty and pain that haunt the song they are hearing in an earnest way, capturing their thoughts and feelings, their hometown tribulations and having them spun into songs that will stay with them for years to come.
Find out more by visiting https://chrisdovermusician.bandcamp.com/
Naval adventures inspire Celtic harp album
Chloe Matharu is a singer-songwriter and Celtic Harpist in Wemyss Bay, Inverclyde, who is set to release her debut album 'Small Voyages' this September.
"Many of Chloe's songs draw on her experience as a Navigational Officer in the Merchant Navy, sailing around the world on oil tankers. As a result, her thoughtful and sensitive songwriting offers an insight into the modern seafarer's life. Chloe's voice, coupled with her harp playing, form a haunting combination perfectly suited to the reflective nature of her material.
When speaking about the inspiration behind the single, Chloe explains, "The River Clyde is a backdrop to our lives in Inverclyde. During lockdown it was really special living so close to the water and being fortunate enough to walk along the coastal routes for daily exercise. I teamed up with Brian from the MacDonald Brothers in Ayr, who added additional instrumentation on this track and also produced the album. I used to visit the Isles of Cumbrae, Arran and Bute on holidays as a child living in Edinburgh, and now living on the West Coast of Scotland, I can see those beautiful islands from my window. There were also sediment islands that used to be used by fishing vessels in the Clyde that have long since washed away. Reading about these, the phrase "forgotten islands" stuck in my head, and a song was born”.
Chloe's talent affords a refreshing outlook on this new tradition of maritime Folk music. Her lyrics and melodies will resonate with you long after her performance. Of Scottish, Welsh and Punjabi heritage, Chloe sings in English and Welsh. With sell-out shows at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2021, Chloe has enjoyed playing venues such as Glad Cafe Glasgow, Green Note in London, Beacon Arts Centre Inverclyde, McIntosh Club, Helensburgh and Cwtch Cafe in Pembrokeshire, to name a few. She also frequently performs corporate events and recently played a series of gigs for COP26 to high-profile clientele. Chloe has a busy year ahead with live dates including Edinburgh Fringe, Unearthed Festival, Fishguard Folk Festival, Fringe by the Sea, as well as UK tour dates. Chloe has been shortlisted for the 2022 English Folk Expo and enjoyed performing at this year’s Celtic Connections 2022.
Chloe’s debut album 'Small Voyages' is due for release in September 2022, featuring impressive harp arrangements and field recordings of the natural environment. For more information visit https://girlandaharp.bandcamp.com/releases
"Many of Chloe's songs draw on her experience as a Navigational Officer in the Merchant Navy, sailing around the world on oil tankers. As a result, her thoughtful and sensitive songwriting offers an insight into the modern seafarer's life. Chloe's voice, coupled with her harp playing, form a haunting combination perfectly suited to the reflective nature of her material.
When speaking about the inspiration behind the single, Chloe explains, "The River Clyde is a backdrop to our lives in Inverclyde. During lockdown it was really special living so close to the water and being fortunate enough to walk along the coastal routes for daily exercise. I teamed up with Brian from the MacDonald Brothers in Ayr, who added additional instrumentation on this track and also produced the album. I used to visit the Isles of Cumbrae, Arran and Bute on holidays as a child living in Edinburgh, and now living on the West Coast of Scotland, I can see those beautiful islands from my window. There were also sediment islands that used to be used by fishing vessels in the Clyde that have long since washed away. Reading about these, the phrase "forgotten islands" stuck in my head, and a song was born”.
Chloe's talent affords a refreshing outlook on this new tradition of maritime Folk music. Her lyrics and melodies will resonate with you long after her performance. Of Scottish, Welsh and Punjabi heritage, Chloe sings in English and Welsh. With sell-out shows at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2021, Chloe has enjoyed playing venues such as Glad Cafe Glasgow, Green Note in London, Beacon Arts Centre Inverclyde, McIntosh Club, Helensburgh and Cwtch Cafe in Pembrokeshire, to name a few. She also frequently performs corporate events and recently played a series of gigs for COP26 to high-profile clientele. Chloe has a busy year ahead with live dates including Edinburgh Fringe, Unearthed Festival, Fishguard Folk Festival, Fringe by the Sea, as well as UK tour dates. Chloe has been shortlisted for the 2022 English Folk Expo and enjoyed performing at this year’s Celtic Connections 2022.
Chloe’s debut album 'Small Voyages' is due for release in September 2022, featuring impressive harp arrangements and field recordings of the natural environment. For more information visit https://girlandaharp.bandcamp.com/releases
Sarah McQuaid back on the road with her 'Live In Lockdown album tour'
With her new live-in-lockdown album The St Buryan Sessions drawing critical raves and appearing on best-of-2021 lists on three continents, Sarah McQuaid is once again hitting the road.
The tour coincides with the release of a new video filmed earlier this month at the behest of The Bert Jansch Foundation, as part of their “Around The World In 80 Plays” project.
In what would have been the legendary guitarist and singer-songwriter’s 75th year, the Foundation set three Yamaha LL TransAcoustic guitars travelling around the globe from guitarist to guitarist, each playing a song or tune inspired by Bert.
“I was tremendously honoured to be invited to take part,” says Sarah. “It was incredible just to handle an instrument that’s been played by so many guitarists I’ve worshipped from afar for so long, and to see their signatures on it and sign my own name under theirs. It was almost surreal.”
To make the video, Sarah returned to the beautiful medieval church of St Buryan, not far from her home in rural West Cornwall, where The St Buryan Sessions was also recorded and filmed.
Sarah’s own custom-made Andy Manson acoustic guitar will be accompanying her on tour, along with her Korg SV-2 stage piano, vintage Premier Olympic floor tom drum, and the Ibanez Artist electric guitar originally loaned to her by another guitar legend, the late Michael Chapman, when he produced her 2018 album If We Dig Any Deeper It Could Get Dangerous.
“It’s always funny when people see all the instruments onstage and say, ‘Oh, we didn’t realise you were bringing a band with you!’” Sarah laughs. “But precisely because I’m a solo performer, it’s important for me to be able to add variety by playing material in a bunch of different styles on a bunch of different instruments.”
Released on CD and limited-edition double vinyl LP on 15 October 2021, The St Buryan Sessions made it onto “Best of 2021” lists published by such far-flung media outlets as 2ser 107.3fm in Sydney, Australia; the “Ear To The Ground” radio show on Nashville’s WXNA FM; the Netherlands’ “Slim Chance” music blog; and the UK’s “Strummers & Dreamers” show on Cambridge 105 and Blues & Roots Radio.
For further information and full tour dates, please visit sarahmcquaid.com
The tour coincides with the release of a new video filmed earlier this month at the behest of The Bert Jansch Foundation, as part of their “Around The World In 80 Plays” project.
In what would have been the legendary guitarist and singer-songwriter’s 75th year, the Foundation set three Yamaha LL TransAcoustic guitars travelling around the globe from guitarist to guitarist, each playing a song or tune inspired by Bert.
“I was tremendously honoured to be invited to take part,” says Sarah. “It was incredible just to handle an instrument that’s been played by so many guitarists I’ve worshipped from afar for so long, and to see their signatures on it and sign my own name under theirs. It was almost surreal.”
To make the video, Sarah returned to the beautiful medieval church of St Buryan, not far from her home in rural West Cornwall, where The St Buryan Sessions was also recorded and filmed.
Sarah’s own custom-made Andy Manson acoustic guitar will be accompanying her on tour, along with her Korg SV-2 stage piano, vintage Premier Olympic floor tom drum, and the Ibanez Artist electric guitar originally loaned to her by another guitar legend, the late Michael Chapman, when he produced her 2018 album If We Dig Any Deeper It Could Get Dangerous.
“It’s always funny when people see all the instruments onstage and say, ‘Oh, we didn’t realise you were bringing a band with you!’” Sarah laughs. “But precisely because I’m a solo performer, it’s important for me to be able to add variety by playing material in a bunch of different styles on a bunch of different instruments.”
Released on CD and limited-edition double vinyl LP on 15 October 2021, The St Buryan Sessions made it onto “Best of 2021” lists published by such far-flung media outlets as 2ser 107.3fm in Sydney, Australia; the “Ear To The Ground” radio show on Nashville’s WXNA FM; the Netherlands’ “Slim Chance” music blog; and the UK’s “Strummers & Dreamers” show on Cambridge 105 and Blues & Roots Radio.
For further information and full tour dates, please visit sarahmcquaid.com
Debut album from rising Oxfordshire folk singer
Katie Grace Harris is a rising folk star based in Oxfordshire, who's style has been described as 'earthy, honest, folk.' A talented vocalist, pianist and accordion player, Katie puts her own twist on traditional material, as well as composing and performing her own well-crafter material in the folk tradition.
Katie’s Debut album ‘The Toledo Sessions’ will be released in late summer 2022. It includes two songs developed in collaboration with Reg Meuross and features musical contributions from Phil Beer, Odette Michell and Lukas Drinkwater
Katie’s first “instrument” is her distinctive pure voice - she uses it to draw her audiences into the story she is telling with ‘spine-tingling’ results. Her engaging live performances usually feature her playing a range of instruments including Piano, Piano Accordion and Shruti and she can often be seen toting a home-made chess board stomp box and a pair of sturdy boots for a full one-woman-band experience!
The last three years have proved a turning point in Katie’s career. As live gigs moved online, Katie took the opportunity to bring her music to audiences around the UK and has built on this as live performances have re-emerged supporting artists such as Katherine Priddy, Hannah James and Toby Kuhn and Jim Causley as well as headlining at various Folk Clubs and festivals. Her talent for writing original material attracted the attention Reg Meuross, festival favourite and one of the UK’s Folk singer/songwriter lynchpins. This resulted in a collaborative song-writing and recording project which features as part of Katie’s debut album ‘The Toledo Sessions’.
For more information, tour dates and news of the album release, visit https://www.katiegraceharris.com/
Katie’s Debut album ‘The Toledo Sessions’ will be released in late summer 2022. It includes two songs developed in collaboration with Reg Meuross and features musical contributions from Phil Beer, Odette Michell and Lukas Drinkwater
Katie’s first “instrument” is her distinctive pure voice - she uses it to draw her audiences into the story she is telling with ‘spine-tingling’ results. Her engaging live performances usually feature her playing a range of instruments including Piano, Piano Accordion and Shruti and she can often be seen toting a home-made chess board stomp box and a pair of sturdy boots for a full one-woman-band experience!
The last three years have proved a turning point in Katie’s career. As live gigs moved online, Katie took the opportunity to bring her music to audiences around the UK and has built on this as live performances have re-emerged supporting artists such as Katherine Priddy, Hannah James and Toby Kuhn and Jim Causley as well as headlining at various Folk Clubs and festivals. Her talent for writing original material attracted the attention Reg Meuross, festival favourite and one of the UK’s Folk singer/songwriter lynchpins. This resulted in a collaborative song-writing and recording project which features as part of Katie’s debut album ‘The Toledo Sessions’.
For more information, tour dates and news of the album release, visit https://www.katiegraceharris.com/
