The double bass player Danny Thompson was a key member of the house band on Transatlantic Sessions , which was shown on BBC TV for several years from 1995, and toured widely in the UK. He was always a joy to watch, as he manifestly loved...
His music was ignored for decades. Now, at 81, he is collaborating with pop stars. He and his wife talk about his extraordinary life – and facing severe illness When Beverly Glenn-Copeland was diagnosed with a form of dementia called...
Geordie singer-songwriter’s album reached No 1 on the UK album chart and led to a series of stadium-sized concerts this summer Alexis Petridis: Sam Fender didn’t need his Mercury prize win – but he earned it with his incisive social...
(tak:til/Glitterbeat) The Slovenian trio conjure strange beauty from a vast arsenal of global instruments on an album that hums, drones and dances with intense power Some bands use a variety of traditional instruments to make music – and...
(Fire Talk) Wayward tempos and snapping drums break fresh ground in this unruly release from the Vermont musician Hannah Frances’s exhilarating sixth album is an unruly ecosystem: nature sprawls, resurfaced family trauma unearths...
Desert blues, transcendental electronica and a concept album about a mill powered by music – this year’s shortlisted albums were stunningly diverse, none more so than the crate-digging on the triumphant Tyrchu Sain What if I told you...
Bass player and founder member of Pentangle who worked with John Martyn, Nick Drake and Kate Bush Afounder member of the British folk-rock band Pentangle, the double bass player Danny Thompson also added depth and resonance to recordings...
The bassist, who has died aged 86, was an extraordinary and wildly versatile presence in British music, bringing his personality into everything he played Who was Danny Thompson? Was he the man who brought jazz to British folk as a...
(tak:til/Glitterbeat) On their third release in 18 months, this exceptional musician draws from folk story, Breton influences and nature to explore the sublime potential of its title Welsh musician Cerys Hafana’s first release on the...
Her Bob Dylan covers earned her acclaim, with fans including Elvis Costello and Bernie Taupin – then she disappeared. Five years later the Australian singer is back with her first original album Get our weekend culture and lifestyle...
Confronting the historic trauma of forced assimilation, a wave of artists are rejuvenating hyper-diverse Indigenous cultures in the kinds of festivals that were once forbidden On a sunny, breezy August afternoon in Mani-Utenam, a...
‘I wanted something more interesting than a key change. So when someone walked by the studio with a husky, I said, “Do you want to howl with your dog?”’ I wrote I Feel Just Like a Child when I was 18, but it wasn’t until I was 23 or 24...
Minack theatre, Porthcurno Celebrating the 20th anniversary of his album Wind in the Wires in the Cornish landscape that inspired it, Wolf claims his status as a goth-folk pioneer Patrick Wolf walks on stage at the Minack theatre,...
(4AD) Classic melodies, spring water acoustics and pared-back poeticism about living in the moment fill Adrianne Lenker and co’s latest with life Is love enough? It can feel twee to suggest as much in the face of so many monumental...
Larmer Tree Gardens, Wiltshire Full of warmth despite the rain, highs include Mexico City experimentalists Titanic and Vermont songwriter Lily Seabird’s gorgeously open-hearted voice Near End of the Road’s second stage is a billboard...
Royal Albert Hall, London Pekka Kuusisto and his world-class NCO brought a programme blending classical, folk and pop with Sámi vocalist Katarina Barruk, in this thoughtful Prom A BBC Proms appearance featuring Finnish violinist,...
When my mother, Jenny Cox, who has died aged 86 of cancer, was admitted to hospice care, she told staff of her passions: her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, plants and the great outdoors – and her concertinas. She also brought up...
Joiking comes to the Proms this weekend in a collaboration between Katarina Barruk and violinist Pekka Kuusisto. The two tell us how they have enriched each other’s musical worlds ‘When I was growing up, I couldn’t listen to any bands or...
The folk-pop star would try Fleetwood Mac at karaoke and is scarred by her parents’ sex music. But which musical theatre ballad does she secretly like? The song that changed my life My mom was Kate McGarrigle, who formed folk duo Kate...
(Hubro) Rhythmic repetitions and rustling textures evoke the traditional music and ecological harmony of Maurseth’s native Norway A hardanger fiddle player from the fjord-and-mountain-filled region of Norway, where the instrument comes...
Australian guitar whizz D.C Cross has shared a video for 'A Harebrained Adventure of An Amateur Shaman', directed by Steve Hanft. The results speak for themselves, an experimental and adventurous collaboration...a total gem. Source
We met Jenny Sturgeon and Boo Hewerdine to talk about their new Outliers album, a beautiful celebration of spontaneity and space, blending strong songwriting with acoustic arrangements and subtle electronics. Source
Martin Simpson announces his new album Skydancers (Topic Records) and shares a stunning video for the title track, made in collaboration with Ballet Folk and Studio Bokego. Source
Natascha Rogers' 'Onaida' is a laid-back and immensely satisfying album. She has created a personalised aural space reflecting motifs such as her Native American ancestry, spirituality, compassion, humanity, the natural world, and...
Jo Bartlett shares her new music video for 'Drawing A Line' - a Kodachrome dream of analogue moments - taken from her new album ‘Ghost Tapes 1 to 9’, out on 26 April 2024. Source
Filmed in CoisCéim, Dublin and directed by Myles O'Reilly, watch Niamh Bury performing 'Budapest', from her debut album on Claddagh Records 'Yellow Roses', which was produced by Brian Brían Mac Gloinn of Ye Vagabonds. Source
Sive talks us through her album 'In Cloak & Womb'. Taking inspiration from the legacy of Brigid in her goddess and saint forms, she explores how her echo might resonate in the world today, particularly concerning themes of climate...
Owen Spafford & Louis Campbell celebrate the end of their incredible debut album cycle with a short run of tour dates and a new EP, 102 Metres East, to be released on Real World X, an imprint label of Peter Gabriel’s Real World...
We've put together a light-hearted Anti-Valentine playlist featuring 16 Horsepower, Jonathan Richman, Rosali, Cate Le Bon, Laura Veirs, Nina Simone, Herman Düne, Tom Waits, Sibylle Baier and more. Source
French-Moroccan power quartet Bab L' Bluz share their new single/video 'Imazighen', taken from their second album 'Swaken', out on 10 May 2024 on Real World Records. Source
Jess Silber invites audiences to embrace the celebration of self-love on Valentine's Day with her award-winning music video for It Hurts to Love a Woman, which follows the queer story of two almost-lovers on a quest for self-love,...
Abigail Lapell turns to the romantic ideal of growing old together on her forthcoming album Anniversary. Watch the video for her lead single Anniversary Song, recorded live with her band in a 200-year-old church. Source
Serious Sam Barrett drops his new album, A Drop of The Morning Dew on March 1st which was recorded live at Bacca Pipes folk club. Watch his new video for the beautiful title track...ancient advice on how to stay looking young. Source
In a tale that unfolds with almost Murakmi dream-like absurdity, Jake Sheppard's 'Bird Clock' manages to balance sorrow and comedy perfectly, a highwire act that leaves you wanting more. Source
Album release date: Friday 29th November 2019 on Pure Records. National tour – 1-21st December 2019, including Royal Festival Hall, London (10 December). There’s nothing [...] The post Kate Rusby announces new Christmas album...
Broomdasher begin their busiest ever Festival Season with a performance at the country’s biggest free Folk Festival at Leigh on Sea in June – followed [...] The post Crop of Festivals for Broomdasher appeared first on Folk...
A celebration of music without borders Whitby Pavilion, West Cliff, Whitby Y21 3EN October 18th-20th https://www.musicportfestival.comhttps://www.facebook.com/musicportevents/ Marking its 20th anniversary Musicport...
Tenterden Folk Festival is pleased to announce that, thanks to grant funding from Kent Community Foundation and The Overstone Trust, Tenterden Folk Festival will be organising and [...] The post Folk song, music and dance workshops for...
Gwanwyn is the first CD from Tŷhai, an exciting collaboration between three musicians from Wales, Dylan Fowler (guitar), Pete Stacey (saxophone/ flute) and Rajesh David [...] The post Tŷhai – Debut album “Gwanwyn”...
by Linda Fahey New releases featured this week on Folk Alley include music from Kelly Willis, The Fretless, Moira Smiley, Anna & Elizabeth, Birds of Chicago, Caitlin Canty, Cahalen Morrison's new project - Western Centuries; Kim Richey's...
by Linda Fahey This week on Folk Alley, Elena See features new releases with music from Phoebe Hunt & The Gatherers, Courtney Marie Andrews, The Mammals, the supergroup of Cory Chisel, Robert Ellis, and Jonny Fritz AKA Traveller, Rosanne...
by Linda Fahey, Folk Alley You're feeling tired, maybe a little defeated and heavy. Seriously, who doesn't want a "reset button" in those situations. For The Dustbowl Revival's Zach Lupetin, a spontaneous swim in the Pacific Ocean was...
by Linda Fahey This week on Folk Alley, in hour one, an exclusive Folk Alley Session from the 2018 30A Songwriters Festival featuring Kim Richey performing songs from her new album, 'Edgeland'; new music from Birds of Chicago, The...
by Kim Ruehl, Folk Alley An artist like Mary Chapin Carpenter will perform their best songs probably hundreds of times in their life, but most fans will remember those songs for the one time they were recorded on an album. This is a...
by Linda Fahey This week on Folk Alley, in hour one, an exclusive in-studio performance with Paul Thorn, recorded at this year's 30A Songwriters Festival; new music from Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, Altan, Kim Richey, Vivian...
by Linda Fahey This week on Folk Alley, Elena See spotlights new music by folk icon, Joan Baez, from her latest release, 'Whistle Down the Wind;' and more new tunes from the Massachusetts-based indie-folk quintet Parsonsfield, Tommy...
Using the Folk Alley Skill for Amazon Echo Smart Speakers is easy and allows you quick access to Folk Alley content. To use the Folk Alley Skill for Echo, follow these simple steps: 1. Open your Alexa app and go to the menu. 2. Scroll...
by Linda Fahey This week on Folk Alley, we'll celebrate to coming of St. Patrick's Day with music by The Chieftains featuring Bonnie Raitt, We Banjo 3, and Doolin'; new music from John Prine, Chris Smither, Parsonsfield, Darlingside,...
Folk Alley presents two screenings of the documentary THE KING at the 42nd Cleveland International Film Festival. Director Eugene Jarecki travels America in Elvis' 1963 Rolls Royce talking to people along the way about the...
by Elena See, Folk Alley I read something on Twitter the other day - and I can't remember who wrote it, so apologies if it was you. It went something like this: "Sometimes it's ok to acknowledge that you're tired. Sometimes it's ok to...