The Folk Forecast: November 2023
Featuring Heidi Talbot & Boo Hewerdine, Ninebarrow, John Kirkpatrick, The Wilson Family, Maddie Morris, Lucy Farrell, festive gigs and a round-up of new music.
Hello everyone, and welcome back to The Folk Forecast! Things are starting to get really busy with tours, online gigs and new releases through the winter, so hopefully whatever your taste is, you’ll find something here that’s up your street. Meanwhile, I’ve taken up residence in a blanket with a cup of tea to hand, so I suggest you do the same while you pop on this month’s playlist…
This month’s playlist
This month’s playlist includes a variety of the artists mentioned in this issue, including some brilliant new releases! If you like what you hear, do support the artists if you can, to help them make more amazing music in the future.
If you enjoy this issue and fancy saying thanks, you can make a small donation on Ko-Fi to help support my freelance work on the folk scene. Thank you!
TOP PICKS: ONLINE
The Official Folk Albums Chart Show* — Tuesday 7 November, 7pm BST
Folk on Foot website, YouTube and podcast feed. Commissioned by English Folk Expo and compiled by the Official Charts Company.
See which albums have made the Official Folk Albums Chart this month, with Folk on Foot. Packed with stories, music and exclusive content, this is always a joy to watch. I’ll also be on the show to talk about the latest folk news. You can also watch it again on YouTube later, or listen to the podcast.
Free to access, but you can support the podcast by becoming a patron.
Sam Baxter — Thursday 9 November, 7.30pm GMT
Rosslyn Court
Sam Baxter is a rising name on the English folk scene, noted for his captivating arrangements of traditional songs, his sensitive and minimalistic guitar accompaniments and his distinctive voice and singing style. Sam forges his own path in traditional music, creating contemporary-sounding arrangements that resonate with modern audiences, whilst still remaining true to the traditions he knows and loves.
Hybrid gig, so you can also go along in person. The first hour will be livestreamed (donations encouraged). The second half will be exclusively for the in-person audience.
Heidi Talbot & Boo Hewerdine* — Friday 10 November, 8pm GMT
Live to Your Living Room
Heidi Talbot was nominated for folk singer of the year at both the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards and the Irish Music Awards, and her career has spanned over 20 years. She’ll be joined at this gig by Ivor Novello award nominated singer-songwriter Boo Hewerdine. Heidi and Boo have recorded and toured together extensively since Heidi’s very first solo tour of the UK. This is sure to be something special!
Tickets £10 / £16.50 / £25 - one ticket per household; choose the price that suits you best.
Maddie Morris — Thursday 16 November, 7.30pm GMT
Rosslyn Court
Maddie Morris is an artist who strives to make a difference in the world. Bold, insightful and refreshingly unique, she takes traditional song in new directions to shine a light on contemporary issues, offering new perspectives about the world we live in today. Passionately political, yet gently understated, this is music that deftly treads the path between art and activism.
Hybrid gig, so you can also go along in person. The first hour will be livestreamed (donations encouraged). The second half will be exclusively for the in-person audience.
John Kirkpatrick: Tunes from the Trenches* — Friday 17 November, 8pm GMT
Live to Your Living Room
John Kirkpatrick presents Tunes from the Trenches, featuring songs from the First and Second World Wars. Expect popular hits from the day, as well as poignant moments, in this heartwarming show from one of the folk scene's finest.
Tickets £10 / £16.50 / £25 - one ticket per household; choose the price that suits you best.
Ninebarrow — Saturday 18 November, 7pm GMT
Ninebarrow
Join Jon and Jay for a live online concert counting down the top 15 Ninebarrow songs, as voted for by fans. This is a throwback to their lockdown gig in July 2020, when they last let fans choose their setlist. Tune in to see if they play your favourite this time!
Tickets £14 single viewers & concessions / £28 for a household
George Sansome and Sophie Crawford — Saturday 25 November, 7.30pm GMT - CANCELLED
Rosslyn Court
George Sansome and Sophie Crawford are the creators of Queer Folk – an organisation that researches queer music and champions LGBTQIA+ musicians. Using the material they have found in the archives, they now perform as a duo. George’s solo album was one of Songlines magazine’s “Essential 10 Folk Albums of 2020” and he also plays with BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Award nominees Granny’s Attic*. Sophie’s 2018 album Silver Pin was Mainly Norfolk’s 2018 album of the year. Together, they’re spreading queer folk music far and wide!
Hybrid gig, so you can also go along in person. The first hour will be livestreamed (donations encouraged). The second half will be exclusively for the in-person audience.
The Wilson Family* — Saturday 25 November, 8pm GMT
Live to Your Living Room
Join The Wilson Family on 25th November, as they share songs from their new album, Sibling Revivalry, live from Simpson Street Studios where it was recorded! Hailing from Teesside, this much-loved group has set the benchmark for powerhouse unaccompanied singing.
Tickets £10 / £16.50 / £25 - one ticket per household; choose the price that suits you best.
Lucy Farrell* — Thursday 30 November, 8pm GMT
Live to Your Living Room
Lucy Farrell has carved out a unique niche as an artist at the forefront of contemporary English folk music. Her poetic, sophisticated song-writing and spellbinding vocals are accompanied on tenor guitar, and occasionally viola. Lucy’s debut solo album, We Are Only Sound, was released in April to critical acclaim.
Tickets £10 / £16.50 / £25 - one ticket per household; choose the price that suits you best.
Alistair Anderson* — Saturday 2 December, 8pm GMT
Live to Your Living Room
Alistair Anderson is internationally acknowledged as a master of the English Concertina and a fine exponent of the Northumbrian pipes. He delights audiences with the lyrical slow airs and lively dance tunes of Northumberland and with his own compositions, which have grown out of his love of traditional music.
Tickets £10 / £16.50 / £25 - one ticket per household; choose the price that suits you best.
Also online
Genevieve Tudor’s much-loved show on BBC Radio Shropshire sadly came to an end, but she has launched a new show on Mixcloud, available to listen to here.
Frankie Archer recently featured on Later… with Jools Holland, showcasing her unique brand of electro-folk. If you missed it, you can catch up here.
The Shackleton Trio made an appearance on Countryfile. Watch it here.
Eliza Carthy was a guest on Loose Ends on BBC Radio 4. Listen here.
Rachel Sermanni has released a ‘Making Of’ documentary for her latest album, Dreamer Awake. You can watch it here.
Rowan Rheingans has made her incredible solo show, Dispatches on the Red Dress, available to watch on YouTube here.
The latest episode of Folk on Foot* sees Matthew exploring Birmingham with Jon Wilks. Listen here.
Phoenix Folk are still running online sessions. Find out more about what they’re up to here.
Callers Chat is an opportunity for dance callers to meet on Zoom, and chat about all things calling. Each meet-up includes a talk by a guest speaker, a Q&A and time to chat in breakout rooms. The next event is on Monday 20th November. For more details, follow Lisa Heywood on Facebook here.
TOP PICKS: IN PERSON
Festive tours
As December draws nearer, look out for festive gigs from…
A Winter Union (Gilmore & Roberts, Hannah Sanders & Ben Savage and Jade Rhiannon of The Willows) touring their new album, Sooner After Solstice.
Bella Hardy in Wavendon, Buxton, Bamford and online.
Bryony Griffith & Alice Jones touring their new winter album, Wesselbobs.
Demon Barbers: The Lock In Christmas Carol in Batley, Gateshead, Norwich, Bury St Edmunds, Basingstoke, Congleton, Birmingham and online.
Janice Burns & Jon Doran* doing their first festive tour in person, after lots of lockdown Christmas gigs. Dates include Glasgow, Newcastle, Sheffield, Bretforton, Haverfordwest, Oxfordshire, Lowestoft, Chichester, Guildford and online.
Jon Boden & Eliza Carthy: The Wassail in Warwick, Oxford, Worcester, Bristol, Basingstoke, Ashford, Milton Keynes, Bury St Edmunds, Kendal, Manchester, Liverpool, Whitby, London, Halifax and Sunderland.
Kate Rusby - it wouldn’t be Christmas without Kate Rusby, particularly as her new festive album, Light Years, is out on 1st December. She’ll be heading to York, Bradford, Cambridge, London, Brighton, Sheffield, Birmingham, Bristol, Nottingham, Gateshead and Manchester.
Phil Cunningham’s Christmas Songbook will be touring Dumfries, Stirling, Aberdeen, Inverness, Glasgow, Perth and Edinburgh.
The Albion Christmas Band is heading to Liverpool, Settle, Bury, Earls Barton, Maidenhead, Newcastle-under-Lyme, London, Sevenoaks, Canterbury, Hitchin, Cambridge, Milton Keynes, Stamford, Tewkesbury and Basingstoke.
The Wilderness Yet* will be touring their festive album, Turn the Year Round, with dates including Reeth (North Yorkshire), Sheffield, Newbury, New Mills, Lincoln, Colchester, Preston, Bristol, Calstock (Cornwall) and Surbiton.
Tim Edey’s Celtic Christmas will be touring Northampton, Southampton, Blandford Forum, Crieff, Newcastle upon Tyne, Penistone, St Neots, St Albans, Chelmsford, Needham Market, Faversham, Broadstairs, Leamington Spa, Chester, Bromborough, Settle, Fife, Fortrose and London.
Martin Carthy & Jon Wilks: Remember Me to One Who Lives There
Various dates in November and December
A chance to hear Martin Carthy perform and reminisce on his illustrious career in folk music to date, as he shares songs and conversation with his friend, Jon Wilks. Upcoming dates include Liverpool, Stamford, London, Sheffield, Abergavenny and more, and the Sheffield date is also being livestreamed by Live to Your Living Room on 12th December.
Soundings from the Planet – Kings Place, London
Thursday 23rd November, 8pm
You might recognise kora player Suntou Susso in the line-up for this event, which explores the sounds of our planet, as well as questioning our connection with nature and our role in restoring the world around us. Crossing the boundaries between genres, the programme will include music by Bach and Bartok, as well as free improvisation, new compositions, and music from West Africa and South Korea.
Queer Folk Ceilidh Party – Cecil Sharp House, London
Saturday 2nd December, 8pm GMT
Queer Folk present their fifth Queer Ceilidh Dance Party at Cecil Sharp House. Swing your partner and get down to tunes from the queerest ceilidh band in town. No dance experience necessary, just open arms! Everyone is welcome regardless of gender identity or sexuality. There will also be a break from dancing for a drag performance by Ella the Great.
Awake Arise Winter Feast – Coexist Community Kitchen, Bristol
Friday 8th December
If you’re lucky enough to live near Bristol, you can catch Jimmy Aldridge, Sid Goldsmith and Rowan Rheingans for music and a three-course winter feast at Coexist Community Kitchen. As some of you might know, Jimmy, Sid and Rowan are usually joined by Hannah James and Hazel Askew for Awake Arise at this time of year, which is on pause while Hannah is on maternity leave. This is a great chance to get your Awake Arise fix, and proceeds will help to support the community kitchen where the event is being held.
Also on tour…
Blazin’ Fiddles, Granny’s Attic, James Delarre & Saul Rose, Jez Lowe, Martin Stephenson & The Daintees, Salt House, Saltlines with Gigspanner Big Band and Raynor Winn, Sam Sweeney Band, Show of Hands, Steeleye Span, The Young’uns, This Is The Kit and undoubtedly many more!
OTHER NEWS
Doc Rowe crowdfunder
Doc Rowe has played a key role in documenting folk traditions, gathering a huge amount of material over the last 60 years. Now, a crowdfunder is being run to create a digital archive of this material, as well as making a film about his work. This is well worth supporting, and you’ve got until 17th November if you’d like to help make it happen.
Johnny Campbell kickstarter*
Johnny Campbell is preparing to release his next album, True North, and he’s currently running a kickstarter to get the funds he needs to cover production. There are numerous rewards available, and you’ve got until 23rd November to help him along the way.
Katie Spencer & Iona Lane Singing Retreat
Celebrated songwriters and musicians Iona Lane and Katie Spencer have just announced their first songwriting retreat in Ardnamurchan in the Scottish Highlands. Spend four nights staying at the beautiful Kinlochmoidart House, developing and exploring your songwriting and musicality, with a range of workshops and creative sessions. There will also be an opportunity to head out for walks in the local area, to immerse yourself in nature with likeminded people. The retreat will take place from 30th September to 4th October 2024.
NEW RELEASES
27 Oct - Louis de Bernières, Delicate Lies
Like me, you might recognise the name Louis de Bernières as the author of bestselling book, Captain Corelli's Mandolin. As it turns out, his storytelling also translates to songwriting, and this latest release features 11 brand-new songs.
3 Nov - Jenny Sturgeon, Wintergreen
A collaborative collection of songs written by Jenny Sturgeon along with Alice Allen, Grant Anderson and Lynn MacFarland. This includes an adaptation of a poem by Isobel Wylie Hutchinson, and a reworking of Frost and Snow from Jenny Sturgeon's 2020 album, The Living Mountain. This new release was recorded in Shetland, and has field recordings from Shetland subtly woven in along the way.
3 Nov - Honey and the Bear, Away Beyond the Fret
13 new original tracks from Honey and the Bear, taking inspiration from their home county of Suffolk, with themes of family, pioneering women and true heroes.
6 Nov - Show of Hands, Roots 2
The much-anticipated sequel to Roots 1 is a musical journey through the last 30 years, with some of Show of Hands’ best-loved songs. A must for all fans, and a celebration of a remarkable career.
10 Nov - Johnny Flynn & Robert Macfarlane, The Moon Also Rises
The Moon Also Rises gathers together songs that Johnny and Robert have written together since finishing their first joint album, Lost In The Cedar Wood. It’s an album that explores themes of death and darkness, as well as love and light. They describe it as “an album that’s been walked into being”, with many of the songs taking shape as they walked together across the South Downs and along the banks of the River Lea.
10 Nov - A Winter Union, Sooner After Solstice
Five leading lights of the UK folk roots scene combine to make a seasonal record for the ages, featuring members of Gilmore & Roberts, Hannah Sanders & Ben Savage and The Willows. The album captures the magic and joy of five friends singing seasonal songs together, and what could be more festive than that?
10 Nov - Ceitidh Mac, Seabird (EP)
This 6-track EP from alt-folk cellist and singer Ceitidh Mac further explores the possibilities of combining live cello and vocals, together with analogue synth, vibraphone, drums and tenor guitar. Folk melodies are mixed with jazz influences to create a unique sound.
10 Nov - John Francis Flynn, Look Over the Wall, See the Sky
John Francis Flynn delicately unpicks traditional songs, exploring the emotions behind them and reimagining them for a contemporary audience.
15 Nov - Holly and the Reivers, Three Galleys
Holly and the Reivers is a trio made up of Holly Clarke (voice/guitar), Merle Harbron (voice/fiddle) and Bertie Armstrong (voice/banjo). Three Galleys is their debut album. Taking inspiration from their varied musical roots, they’ve delved into the darker side of folk song, unearthing stories with an enduring relevance through the ages.
22 Nov - Nick Hart & Tom Moore, The Colour of Amber
This collection of traditional songs and tunes was performed and recorded live in Norfolk. The album gives a real sense of the connection, dynamism and joy of live performance.
23 Nov - Hevelwood, Of Greatness Receding
Mixing traditional and original material, this album tells age-old stories of power and resistance, reworked with contemporary stylings.
24 Nov - Jim Moray, Beflean
With this new release, Jim Moray marks 21 years of recording with new acoustic versions of songs he’s played over the last two decades, including some he’s never recorded until now. To make it even more special, he headed to Abbey Road to record it, and invited some of his favourite musicians to contribute, including Angeline Morrison, Jon Boden, Cohen Braithwaite-Kilcoyne, Tom Moore, Archie Churchill-Moss, Cormac Byrne, Jude Rees, Jamie Francis and more.
27 Nov - The Furrow Collective, We Know by the Moon
A collection of moonlit stories from award-winning band The Furrow Collective (made up of Lucy Farrell, Rachel Newton, Emily Portman and Alasdair Roberts), with twists on tradition and beautiful harmonies. There are also illustrations by May Farrell (Lucy’s mum) to accompany each song.
27 Nov - James Delarre & Saul Rose, Kith and Kin
A new release from two of the finest instrumentalists in the business, whose musical connection is second to none. Jam packed with gorgeous tunes aplenty!
28 Nov - Eliza Carthy & Jon Boden, Glad Christmas Comes
Glad Christmas Comes was recorded in Sheffield earlier this year. It features traditional Sheffield carols from Jon’s local pub in Dungworth, as well as Winter Grace (suggested for the duo by Eliza’s mum, Norma), a folky version of the Pogues’ Fairytale of New York featuring Morris dancing, a Yorkshire brass band, and even a Christmas Hippopotamus. Basically, all of our Christmasses have come at once with this one.
30 Nov - Georgia Shackleton, Harry’s Seagull
Georgia’s debut solo album is a celebration of East Anglian traditional singers, and the music and musicians that inspire her own work. Harry’s Seagull is a collection of songs and tunes that paint a picture of the landscape of the region and the communities that are a part of its history. The title is a dedication to Harry Cox, one of the most influential folk singers of the twentieth century.
1 Dec - Kate Rusby, Light Years
Kate Rusby's love of Christmas music and local carols is no secret to her many fans. Light Years is full of Rusby-fied versions of carols and well-known songs which depict in her own words, "Joyful memories of music, family, community, warmth and happiness - and a little wine!"
1 Dec - Spell Songs, Gifts of Light
Gifts of Light features live recordings from the band’s performances at Birmingham Symphony Hall and the Natural History Museum. The album captures some of the magic of the Spell Songs live performances, and I’m sure I won’t be the only one who wants to relive that magic again and again.
RECORD OF THE MONTH
Record of the Month is Wesselbobs by Bryony Griffith & Alice Jones, which was released on 1st November. The album features winter folk songs and tunes sourced from the duo’s beloved native Yorkshire, including local versions of classic seasonal songs. The album's title, Wesselbobs, refers to a local pastime whereby decorated, evergreen boughs were carried door to door by Wassailers or carol singers.
This carefully curated collection of songs is testament to Bryony and Alice’s love of traditional song, with extensive sleeve notes documenting the journey and history behind each song choice. With fiddle, harmonium, tenor guitar and body percussion combined with stunning harmonies, this is an album full of festive joy, but with a bittersweet edge that acknowledges its humanity.
Top track: I Traced Her Little Footmarks in the Snow
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The Folk Forecast is created for artists, for audiences and for the UK folk scene. All information is correct to the best of our knowledge. If you have queries about the events listed, please contact the artists or promoters. If you have any suggestions for inclusion in future newsletters, please email TheFolkForecast@gmail.com. We may not be able to include absolutely everything, but we’re interested in UK folk events with a broad appeal, and would particularly welcome suggestions from Scotland, Wales and Ireland. The Folk Forecast is compiled by one person, so please bear with me if I can’t get back to you right away.
* Alongside The Folk Forecast, I work with other organisations including Live to Your Living Room, Folk on Foot, Fancourt Music (Granny’s Attic, Janice Burns & Jon Doran and The Wilderness Yet), Stage4Beverley and individual artists, currently including Johnny Campbell. Events where I have some involvement with the promoter, agency or artist are marked with a star for transparency. Although I have various affiliations, I strive to be inclusive and tell you about anything I find which I think you’ll enjoy!