Jennifer's new love song for grown ups
Jennifer Crook is a singer, songwriter and musician from Bath, UK. Musically rooted in the world of Folk, Roots and Americana, her classic songwriting - with its vivid storytelling, beautiful imagery and poignant mix of hope and experience, is both timeless and right on time.
Jennifer's new song Battle Scars is the first single from her forthcoming new album ‘The Broken Road Back Home’ due out later in the year.The last few years, with lockdowns and losses of many kinds, have put a strain on many close relationships. Some made it through intact, others not so much. Jennifer’s new single is a love song for grown-ups - one of compassion and understanding. It’s about recognising our shared vulnerability and how love can help us heal. “We’ve all got battle scars”.
“I wrote Battle Scars following a very difficult period in my personal life, yet what begins as an intimate conversation between two people becomes something more universal. We all need empathy and acceptance. Every one of us is carrying something that once felt too hard to bear. It wasn’t until the song was recorded that I realised the pertinence of the third verse in the light of the pandemic - and now the war in Ukraine - something I could never have foreseen when I wrote “I’ve seen you on the front-line, on your knees and on the breadline’... Songs have a way of taking on new meanings as time passes”.
The new album was co-produced with multi-platinum award-winning recording engineer Stuart Bruce (Band Aid, Yes, Van Morrison, Stevie Wonder, Art Garfunkel, to name a few) who also plays acoustic and electric bass on the record. The stellar new line up includes Joe Coombs on electric guitars who has toured with the likes of Yola, Alice Wallace and Jamie Wyatt. Dan Moore on Hammond and Wurlitzer, who has worked with a wide range of artists including Percy Sledge, Anna Calvi and Beth Orton. Dan Temmink, a film and TV composer also plays keys on the album and Grammy award- winning musician Robert Brian (Goldfrapp, Loreena McKennitt, Siouxie Sioux) plays drums.
Jennifer wrote Battle Scars on her beloved Gibson LG1 (made the year she was born).“I remember messing around with a lovely 9th chord pattern which evolved along with the song. I became quite obsessive about trying to work in another line into the picked part, and it took a lot of practice to be able to play it the way I heard it in my head!”
The addition of Stuart’s harmony vocal with its husky fragility gives further emphasis to the meaning of the song. When it comes to the bass sound the ‘Hejira’ reference is not lost on either of them. “Listening to Joni is one of our shared passions, so it was bound to creep in at some point.”
Battle Scars fits into the heart of the new album with its themes of perseverance, overcoming and holding onto hope through the darker times. There is beauty to be found in broken places, and love is always showing us the way home. For further information, visit jennifercrook.com
Jennifer's new song Battle Scars is the first single from her forthcoming new album ‘The Broken Road Back Home’ due out later in the year.The last few years, with lockdowns and losses of many kinds, have put a strain on many close relationships. Some made it through intact, others not so much. Jennifer’s new single is a love song for grown-ups - one of compassion and understanding. It’s about recognising our shared vulnerability and how love can help us heal. “We’ve all got battle scars”.
“I wrote Battle Scars following a very difficult period in my personal life, yet what begins as an intimate conversation between two people becomes something more universal. We all need empathy and acceptance. Every one of us is carrying something that once felt too hard to bear. It wasn’t until the song was recorded that I realised the pertinence of the third verse in the light of the pandemic - and now the war in Ukraine - something I could never have foreseen when I wrote “I’ve seen you on the front-line, on your knees and on the breadline’... Songs have a way of taking on new meanings as time passes”.
The new album was co-produced with multi-platinum award-winning recording engineer Stuart Bruce (Band Aid, Yes, Van Morrison, Stevie Wonder, Art Garfunkel, to name a few) who also plays acoustic and electric bass on the record. The stellar new line up includes Joe Coombs on electric guitars who has toured with the likes of Yola, Alice Wallace and Jamie Wyatt. Dan Moore on Hammond and Wurlitzer, who has worked with a wide range of artists including Percy Sledge, Anna Calvi and Beth Orton. Dan Temmink, a film and TV composer also plays keys on the album and Grammy award- winning musician Robert Brian (Goldfrapp, Loreena McKennitt, Siouxie Sioux) plays drums.
Jennifer wrote Battle Scars on her beloved Gibson LG1 (made the year she was born).“I remember messing around with a lovely 9th chord pattern which evolved along with the song. I became quite obsessive about trying to work in another line into the picked part, and it took a lot of practice to be able to play it the way I heard it in my head!”
The addition of Stuart’s harmony vocal with its husky fragility gives further emphasis to the meaning of the song. When it comes to the bass sound the ‘Hejira’ reference is not lost on either of them. “Listening to Joni is one of our shared passions, so it was bound to creep in at some point.”
Battle Scars fits into the heart of the new album with its themes of perseverance, overcoming and holding onto hope through the darker times. There is beauty to be found in broken places, and love is always showing us the way home. For further information, visit jennifercrook.com
New album and Spring tour for Chris Cleverley
Award winning alt-folk songwriter and fingerstyle guitarist Chris Cleverley unveils glimpses of his first new material in three years with an eight date tour this Spring.
"I had lost my way with song writing for a long time; unable to connectd eeply with what I was doing and had done in the past, during the arid emotional landscape of the pandemic. This body of new work feels exhilarating, indescribable;s omething like a personal renaissance," said Chris.
Magazine’s‘ Male Artist of the Year’ Cleverley is currently working on his third studio album with critically acclaimed producer John Elliott (The Little Unsaid). The ground-breaking new material–scheduled for releasee in November 2022- promises to be a radical leap forward from his more acoustic-based folk roots. Drawing on inspiration from the great American songwriters, Cleverley harnessed the influence of heroes like Elliott Smith, Sufjan Stevens and Anais Mitchell throughout the writing process. The album’s eleven original songs tackle diverse, resonant themes, telling stories of climate emergency, artificial intelligence and displaced people.
Despite the album’s experimental approach to instrumentation, the Spring tour offers audiences the chance to see Cleverley perform in one of his most renowned roles, as solo acoustic guitarist.
As a student of Nic Jones and Joni Mitchell records, Cleverley’s guitar playing is infused with the hazy, dreamlike essence of the 60s Folk Revival.
Rich with lightning fast melody and dexterous percussive slap, his blistering yet delicate technique places him firmly amongst the standout musicians on the New British Folk Scene.As such Cleverley will be performing some of the new songs for the first time ever,in their purest form–just guitar and voice–the way they were originallywritten.As a performerwhose presence occupies the room effortlessly, Cleverley promises to take his audiences on a journey deep into the self, unpicking how we as individuals relate to the increasingly mind-blowing world around us,whilst bringing them firmly down to earth with healthy doses of warmth and good humour.
For more information and full tour dates, please visit chriscleverley.com
"I had lost my way with song writing for a long time; unable to connectd eeply with what I was doing and had done in the past, during the arid emotional landscape of the pandemic. This body of new work feels exhilarating, indescribable;s omething like a personal renaissance," said Chris.
Magazine’s‘ Male Artist of the Year’ Cleverley is currently working on his third studio album with critically acclaimed producer John Elliott (The Little Unsaid). The ground-breaking new material–scheduled for releasee in November 2022- promises to be a radical leap forward from his more acoustic-based folk roots. Drawing on inspiration from the great American songwriters, Cleverley harnessed the influence of heroes like Elliott Smith, Sufjan Stevens and Anais Mitchell throughout the writing process. The album’s eleven original songs tackle diverse, resonant themes, telling stories of climate emergency, artificial intelligence and displaced people.
Despite the album’s experimental approach to instrumentation, the Spring tour offers audiences the chance to see Cleverley perform in one of his most renowned roles, as solo acoustic guitarist.
As a student of Nic Jones and Joni Mitchell records, Cleverley’s guitar playing is infused with the hazy, dreamlike essence of the 60s Folk Revival.
Rich with lightning fast melody and dexterous percussive slap, his blistering yet delicate technique places him firmly amongst the standout musicians on the New British Folk Scene.As such Cleverley will be performing some of the new songs for the first time ever,in their purest form–just guitar and voice–the way they were originallywritten.As a performerwhose presence occupies the room effortlessly, Cleverley promises to take his audiences on a journey deep into the self, unpicking how we as individuals relate to the increasingly mind-blowing world around us,whilst bringing them firmly down to earth with healthy doses of warmth and good humour.
For more information and full tour dates, please visit chriscleverley.com
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 – this time for a six-week tour of Ireland and the UK.
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.”
The tour kicks off with ten concerts in Ireland, both north and south of the border, including a performance at the prestigious Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival in Belfast. She’ll then get the ferry from Belfast to Cairnryan for six Scotland shows followed by another dozen gigs spanning the length and breadth of England, from North Yorkshire down to Cornwall, where the tour concludes.
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.”
The tour kicks off with ten concerts in Ireland, both north and south of the border, including a performance at the prestigious Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival in Belfast. She’ll then get the ferry from Belfast to Cairnryan for six Scotland shows followed by another dozen gigs spanning the length and breadth of England, from North Yorkshire down to Cornwall, where the tour concludes.
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
Global sounds for Summer Family Festival
International folk, roots and acoustic artists from the USA, Canada, Europe and Australia will grace the stages of this summer’s 15th Gate To Southwell Festival in Nottinghamshire (from Thursday July 14 to Sunday July 17).
While last September’s event was a great success – named “the best live event of 2021” by the prestigious RnR music magazine - everyone felt the absence of global acts due to pandemic travel restrictions. But now leading French Canadian band, Le Vent Du Nord (who were a big hit at the festival in both 2012 and 2017) will return to perform again while celebrating 20 years on the road. Oregon’s finest contemporary folk duo Fellow Pynins will also be appearing, and Southwell warmly welcomes back the much-loved American banjo and doghouse bass marital combo of Truckstop Honeymoon.
Katherine Priddy, one of the rising stars of the thriving British folk music scene, is among the latest names added to this year’s line-up in July, alongside two of the best bands currently on the live circuit – eight-strong folk rockers Merry Hell and Celtic punkers Black Water County. They’ll join headliners including the celebrated West Coast Scots trio, Peat & Diesel, Irish legends Dervish, top bluesman Ian Siegal and Australian vocal tour-de-force The Spooky Men’s Chorale.
Kicking off the festival on July 14th, Thursday will definitely be Blues Night, headlined by “national treasure” singer, songwriter and star guitarist Ian Siegel. He’s a nine-times British Blues Awards winner, a three-times European Blues Awards winner, and he’s twice won Mojo’s blues album of the year - the magazine branded Siegal "the cleverest writer and most magnetic performer of Blues in the UK”. Alongside Siegel, Southwell welcomes the Daniel Smith Blues Band led by one of the UK’s best boogie woogie and blues pianists.
Leading the list of Celtic stars at GTSF are the much-celebrated, riotously-entertaining, Stornaway band Peat & Diesel (pictured), often branded the “Hebridean Pogues” with their comedic stories of island life as showcased on two acclaimed albums ‘Uptown Fank’ and ‘Light My Byre’. They recently sold out the 10000-seater Glasgow Barrowlands and won Live Act of the Year at the Scottish Trad Music Awards.
The July event will also welcome Dervish, BBC Lifetime Achievement Award 2019 winners and one of the best-loved Irish traditional bands over the last 30 years. Fronted by Cathy Jordan, among Ireland’s most famous singers, Dervish have played everywhere from Glastonbury to Rio De Janeiro (in front of 250,000 people) and become international cultural ambassadors along the way. The Guardian described them as “simply brilliant…they carry Irish history with them” and many regard them as the natural heirs to The Bothy Band and The Chieftains.
Bringing an extremely vocal international flavour to GTSF 2022, The Spooky Men’s Chorale are cult figures from New South Wales and Western Australia thanks to albums such as ‘Tooled Up’, ‘Urban Sea Shanties’ and ‘Welcome To The Second Half’. A charismatic, funny and powerful male voice choir they’re famous for renditions of pop classics such as ‘Dancing Queen’, ‘In My Room’ and ‘Ghost Riders In The Sky’.
With more acts still to be announced, from closer to home there’ll be the footstompin’ fiddle-driven rhythms of Noble Jacks, with top singer songwriters such as folk roots veteran Pete Morton and Humberside star Katie Spencer (promoting her poetic new album ‘The Edge Of The Land’). Plus there’s the folk Americana of Fritillaries (formerly Rainy Day Woman) who made such an impact at GTSF last September, Helian (the new five piece from the Leeds Conservatoire) and also Huson-Whyte, Southwell’s own talented duo, who’ll be among the class acts performing on four live music stages over four days.
Also signed up for the Midlands premier international roots music festival there’s the much loved singer-songwriter partnership of Chris While and Julie Mathews, the new line-up of highly danceable folk rockers Blackbeard’s Tea Party, Birmingham’s youthful folk supergroup Filkin’s Drift Ensemble featuring Ellie Gowers and the Field & Dyke project with BBC Folk Award winners Greg Russell and Danny Pedlar.
Building on last year’s success, there’ll be four live music stages presenting acts from diverse genres such as folk, blues, world, Americana, country, ska, punk, jazz… Plus on-site camping, glamping, street theatre, poetry, comedy, artisan food, great traders, cask ales, campfire sessions, morris dancing and ceilidhs.
As always, the Gate To Southwell Festival promises to be a fantastic event for the whole family with advanced plans for a fun-packed Kids Area featuring Storytelling, White Post Farm, Forest School, Kids Crafts, Toddle Bops, Baby Bops, Out of the Chicken Shed, Circus Skills, Face Painting, Soul Sensory, Giant Bubbles and much more!
Set in beautiful rural countryside at Kirklington near Southwell (NG22 8NX) - just off the A617 linking the A1 and M1 from Newark to Mansfield.
For the latest news and tickets visit www.gtsf.uk
While last September’s event was a great success – named “the best live event of 2021” by the prestigious RnR music magazine - everyone felt the absence of global acts due to pandemic travel restrictions. But now leading French Canadian band, Le Vent Du Nord (who were a big hit at the festival in both 2012 and 2017) will return to perform again while celebrating 20 years on the road. Oregon’s finest contemporary folk duo Fellow Pynins will also be appearing, and Southwell warmly welcomes back the much-loved American banjo and doghouse bass marital combo of Truckstop Honeymoon.
Katherine Priddy, one of the rising stars of the thriving British folk music scene, is among the latest names added to this year’s line-up in July, alongside two of the best bands currently on the live circuit – eight-strong folk rockers Merry Hell and Celtic punkers Black Water County. They’ll join headliners including the celebrated West Coast Scots trio, Peat & Diesel, Irish legends Dervish, top bluesman Ian Siegal and Australian vocal tour-de-force The Spooky Men’s Chorale.
Kicking off the festival on July 14th, Thursday will definitely be Blues Night, headlined by “national treasure” singer, songwriter and star guitarist Ian Siegel. He’s a nine-times British Blues Awards winner, a three-times European Blues Awards winner, and he’s twice won Mojo’s blues album of the year - the magazine branded Siegal "the cleverest writer and most magnetic performer of Blues in the UK”. Alongside Siegel, Southwell welcomes the Daniel Smith Blues Band led by one of the UK’s best boogie woogie and blues pianists.
Leading the list of Celtic stars at GTSF are the much-celebrated, riotously-entertaining, Stornaway band Peat & Diesel (pictured), often branded the “Hebridean Pogues” with their comedic stories of island life as showcased on two acclaimed albums ‘Uptown Fank’ and ‘Light My Byre’. They recently sold out the 10000-seater Glasgow Barrowlands and won Live Act of the Year at the Scottish Trad Music Awards.
The July event will also welcome Dervish, BBC Lifetime Achievement Award 2019 winners and one of the best-loved Irish traditional bands over the last 30 years. Fronted by Cathy Jordan, among Ireland’s most famous singers, Dervish have played everywhere from Glastonbury to Rio De Janeiro (in front of 250,000 people) and become international cultural ambassadors along the way. The Guardian described them as “simply brilliant…they carry Irish history with them” and many regard them as the natural heirs to The Bothy Band and The Chieftains.
Bringing an extremely vocal international flavour to GTSF 2022, The Spooky Men’s Chorale are cult figures from New South Wales and Western Australia thanks to albums such as ‘Tooled Up’, ‘Urban Sea Shanties’ and ‘Welcome To The Second Half’. A charismatic, funny and powerful male voice choir they’re famous for renditions of pop classics such as ‘Dancing Queen’, ‘In My Room’ and ‘Ghost Riders In The Sky’.
With more acts still to be announced, from closer to home there’ll be the footstompin’ fiddle-driven rhythms of Noble Jacks, with top singer songwriters such as folk roots veteran Pete Morton and Humberside star Katie Spencer (promoting her poetic new album ‘The Edge Of The Land’). Plus there’s the folk Americana of Fritillaries (formerly Rainy Day Woman) who made such an impact at GTSF last September, Helian (the new five piece from the Leeds Conservatoire) and also Huson-Whyte, Southwell’s own talented duo, who’ll be among the class acts performing on four live music stages over four days.
Also signed up for the Midlands premier international roots music festival there’s the much loved singer-songwriter partnership of Chris While and Julie Mathews, the new line-up of highly danceable folk rockers Blackbeard’s Tea Party, Birmingham’s youthful folk supergroup Filkin’s Drift Ensemble featuring Ellie Gowers and the Field & Dyke project with BBC Folk Award winners Greg Russell and Danny Pedlar.
Building on last year’s success, there’ll be four live music stages presenting acts from diverse genres such as folk, blues, world, Americana, country, ska, punk, jazz… Plus on-site camping, glamping, street theatre, poetry, comedy, artisan food, great traders, cask ales, campfire sessions, morris dancing and ceilidhs.
As always, the Gate To Southwell Festival promises to be a fantastic event for the whole family with advanced plans for a fun-packed Kids Area featuring Storytelling, White Post Farm, Forest School, Kids Crafts, Toddle Bops, Baby Bops, Out of the Chicken Shed, Circus Skills, Face Painting, Soul Sensory, Giant Bubbles and much more!
Set in beautiful rural countryside at Kirklington near Southwell (NG22 8NX) - just off the A617 linking the A1 and M1 from Newark to Mansfield.
For the latest news and tickets visit www.gtsf.uk
Ian Roland
Brighton-based songwriter Ian Roland is working on a new album with violinist and arranger-composer, Simon Yapp, due for release around April 2022.
Two singles have been released ahead of the full album, Nothing Could Grow There and Beyond Words, which have both garnered good reviews.
Songwriter, Ian Roland, and arranger-composer, Simon Yapp, produce unique Roots, Contemporary Folk music, full of heart-strung orchestration and up-close, life-drenched lyrics. They work from Subtown Studios, in Brighton, UK, with other local musicians joining them for sessions and gigs. Their first album - Double Rainbow - was well received.
“Beautifully sung and beautifully played…Intimate. Quality musicianship and song-writing…” Andrew Frolish, Americana UK (Jan – March 2020) ”
‘Double Rainbow’ is steeped in folk and warming orchestration. At times traditional roots and at others, it spreads its wings to a more pop friendly realm…this is an album of charm to replenish the soul with.” - Travellers Tunes (17th March 2020) “…a great album full of charming folk style melodies, which when combined with the haunting vocal style create beautiful tracks that stick with you long after the album ends.” - Wall Of Sound Magazine (09th March 2020) “It’s an old myth that there’s a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, but seek out this one and you’ll be well-rewarded.” Mike Davies, Folk Radio (26th Feb 2020)
Since 2015, when Ian and Simon started performing live as a duo, the group have supported acts such as Martin Simpson, The Black Feathers, Stick In The Wheel, TV Smith, Boo Hewerdine and Robb Johnson. For an update on their new release, visit ianroland.com
Two singles have been released ahead of the full album, Nothing Could Grow There and Beyond Words, which have both garnered good reviews.
Songwriter, Ian Roland, and arranger-composer, Simon Yapp, produce unique Roots, Contemporary Folk music, full of heart-strung orchestration and up-close, life-drenched lyrics. They work from Subtown Studios, in Brighton, UK, with other local musicians joining them for sessions and gigs. Their first album - Double Rainbow - was well received.
“Beautifully sung and beautifully played…Intimate. Quality musicianship and song-writing…” Andrew Frolish, Americana UK (Jan – March 2020) ”
‘Double Rainbow’ is steeped in folk and warming orchestration. At times traditional roots and at others, it spreads its wings to a more pop friendly realm…this is an album of charm to replenish the soul with.” - Travellers Tunes (17th March 2020) “…a great album full of charming folk style melodies, which when combined with the haunting vocal style create beautiful tracks that stick with you long after the album ends.” - Wall Of Sound Magazine (09th March 2020) “It’s an old myth that there’s a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, but seek out this one and you’ll be well-rewarded.” Mike Davies, Folk Radio (26th Feb 2020)
Since 2015, when Ian and Simon started performing live as a duo, the group have supported acts such as Martin Simpson, The Black Feathers, Stick In The Wheel, TV Smith, Boo Hewerdine and Robb Johnson. For an update on their new release, visit ianroland.com
