> Folk Music > Records > The Elizabethan Session
The Elizabethan Session
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The Elizabethan Session Quercus Records QRCD001 (CD, UK, 8 September 2014) |
Music inspired by the Elizabethan age, commissioned by the English Folk Dance and Song Society and Folk by the Oak, the annual music festival based at Hatfield House in Hertfordshire, the childhood home of Queen Elizabeth I.
Created at Monnington House, Monnington-on-Wye, 14-20 March 2014;
Recorded at Kennedy Hall, Cecil Sharp House, and
The Old Palace, Hatfield House, on 22-23 March 2014;
Produced, recorded and mixed by Andy Bell;
Assistant engineer James Hodgeson;
Photography by Elly Lucas
Musicians
Martin Simpson: vocals, guitar, banjo;
Nancy Kerr: vocals, fiddle, viola;
Jim Moray: vocals, piano, harpsichord, organ;
Bella Hardy: vocals, fiddle;
John Smith: vocals, acoustic, tenor, electric and hi-strung guitars;
Emily Askew: recorders, violin, vielle, frame drum, bells, hurdy-gurdy;
Hannah James: vocals, piano accordion, clogs;
Rachel Newton: vocals, harps, viola
Tracks
- The Shores of Hispaniola (4.13)
- London (4.07)
- Christopher Marlowe (2.24)
- Love-in-Idleness (3.43)
- Eve’s Apology in Defence of Women / Gather the Owls (5.01)
- Broadside (2.57)
- Elizabeth Spells Death (3.05)
- Come Live with Me (4.39)
- The Straight Line and the Curve (4.12)
- True Lover’s Knot Untied / The Great Hall (3.36)
- The Monnington Pavane / Ortiz Ground (2.57)
- The Oak Casts His Shadow (3.36)
- Hatfield (3.52)
- Suspicious Mind (4.39)
Tracks 1, 12 Nancy Kerr;
Track 2 John Smith;
Track 3 Martin Simpson;
Tracks 4, 13 Bella Hardy;
Track 5 Rachel Newton, Emily Askew, Hannah James, words by Amelia Lanyer;
Track 6 Nancy Kerr, John Smith, Martin Simpson;
Track 7 Martin Simpson, John Smith;
Track 8 trad., Rachel Newton, Emily Askew;
Track 9 Jim Moray;
Track 10 Emily Askew, Hannah James;
Track 11a Emily Askew;
Track 11b Emily Askew, Diego Ortiz (1510-1570);
Track 14 John Smith, Nancy Kerr
Videos
The Elizabethan Session at Hatfield House, 20 March 2014:
The Elizabethan Session at Cecil Sharp House, March 2014:
> Folk Music > Records > Sweet Liberties
Sweet Liberties
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Quercus Records QRCD002 (CD, UK, 7 October 2016) |
Commissioned by the English Folk Dance and Song Society and Folk by the Oak as part of the “2015 Anniversaries: Parliament in the Making” programme.
Recorded at Village Farm, Allensmore;
Produced, recorded and mixed by Tom Wright;
Assistant engineer Matt Gordon;
Additional recording by Jamie Pryke and Chris Kreinczes;
Mastered by Tony Dixon, Masterpiece London;
Photography by Elly Lucas, Roswitha Chesher, Rosie Reed Gold and Hilary Smallwood
Musicians
Nancy Kerr: acoustic guitar, violin, vocals;
Martyn Joseph: acoustic guitar, vocals;
Maz O’Connor: acoustic guitar, electric guitar, vocals;
Sam Carter: acoustic guitar, electric guitar, vocals;
Patsy Reid: violin, vocals;
Nick Cooke: melodeon
with
Tom Wright: additional bass guitar and drums
Tracks
CD | Cecil Sharp House set list |
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Tracks 1, 5, 8, 12 Nancy Kerr; |
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Videos
Live recording of Sweet Liberties at Cecil Sharp House in November 2015:
> Folk Music > Records > Shake the Chains
Shake the Chains
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Shake the Chains Quercus Records QRCD003 (CD, UK, 15 September 2017) |
Commissioned by Folk by the Oak
Recorded by Tom A. Wright on the Shake the Chains tour on 23-27 February 2017;
Mixed and mastered by Stu Hanna;
Design by Katy Coope;
Photography by the band
Musicians
Nancy Kerr: acoustic guitar, violin, vocals;
Hannah Martin: violin, viola, 5-string banjo, tenor guitar, vocals;
Findlay Napier: acoustic guitar, vocals;
Greg Russell: acoustic guitar, bouzouki, vocals;
Tim Yates: double bass, vocals
Tracks
- Through the Trees (3.57)
- E.G.A. (3.11)
- Bulding Ships (2.52)
- Yarl’s Wood (3.42)
- If I Had a Hammer (2.52)
- Poison Apples (3.56)
- Glory of the Sun (3.59)
- Ding Dong Dollar (2.40)
- Bunch Nest Door (2.49)
- Musician from Chile / Victor Jara of Chile (6.58)
- Shake the Chains (3.44)
- Song of the Jay (4.38)
- Side by Side (3.01)
- Freedom Come All Ye (3.10)
- We Shall Overcome (4.32)
Tracks 1, 6 Nancy Kerr;
Tracks 2, 9 Greg Russell;
Tracks 3, 11 Findlay Napier;
Tracks 4, 7, 12 Hannah Martin;
Track 5 PeterSeeger, Lee Hays;
Track 8 Glasgow Song Guild;
Track 10a words Denis Kevans, music Kate Fagan;
Track 10b words Adrian Mitchell, music Arlo Guthrie;
Track 13 Tim Yates;
Track 14 Hamish Henderson;
Track 15 Charles Albert Tindley
Video
> Folk Music > Records > The Lost Words: Spell Songs
The Lost Words: Spell Songs
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Quercus Records QRCD004 (CD, UK, 12 July 2019) |
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The Lost Words: Spell Songs is a musical companion piece to
The Lost Words: A Spell Book
by Robert Macfarlane and Jackie Morris (Hamish Hamilton 2017, ISBN 978-0-241-25358-8).
Commissioned by Folk by the Oak
Spells by Robert Macfarlane;
Illustrations by Jackie Morris;
Photography by Elly Lucas;
Designed by Alison O’Toole
Folk Radio UK review
by David Weir
Upon photographing “The Lost Words - Spell Songs”
by Elly Lucas
Musicians
Karine Polwart: vocals [1, 8-9], shruti box;
Julie Fowlis: vocals [2, 8, 10];
Seckou Keita: vocals [1, 4, 10, 12], kora;
Kris Drever: vocals [3, 11], guitar;
Kerry Andrew: vocals [7];
Rachel Newton: vocals [6, 12], harp;
Beth Porter: vocals [3, 11], cello;
Jim Molyneux: vocals [5], accordion, keyboards, percussion
Tracks
- Heartwood (3.29)
- Selkie-boy (5.05)
- Kingfisher (4.37)
- Heron (3.62)
- Little Astronaut (3.21)
- Acorn (3.36)
- Ghost Owl (4.05)
- The Snow Hare (2.13)
- Conker (Magic Casket) (1.31)
- Papa Keba (3.25)
- Charm On, Goldfinch (4.29)
- Willow (4.03)
- Scatterseed (3.37)
- The Lost Words Blessing (4.06)
Videos
The Lost Words Spell Songs ensemble at the Hudson Records Listening Club on 19 April 2020:
> Folk Music > Records > Spell Songs II: Let the Light In
Spell Songs II: Let the Light In
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Spell Songs II: Let the Light In Quercus Records QRCD005 (CD, UK, 10 December 2021) |
Commissioned by Folk by the Oak
Produced, recorded and mixed by Andy Bell;
Recorded at Real World Studios, Box, in May-June 2021,
Gorbals Sound, Glasgow, in July 2021,
Pre-Production Greta Hall, Keswick, in April 2021;
Mixed at Hudson Studios, Sheffield, Summer 2021;
Wildlife sound recordings:
Urban fox: Chris Watson Sound Recordings Ltd;
curlew, blackbird and swift: Magnus Robb and the Sound Approach;
moth: Leonie Thomas;
St Kilda wren: Jenny Sturgeon;
Edinburgh schools climate strike 2019: Karine Polwart;
Songs inspired by Jackie Morris and Robert Macfarlane;
Photography by Elly Lucas
Folk Radio UK review by Billy Rough
Musicians
Karine Polwart: vocals [1, 9, 13],
tenor guitar, Indian harmonium;
Julie Fowlis: vocals [2, 8, 15],
whistle, oboe;
Kris Drever: vocals [3, 11],
acoustic guitar, electric guitar, bass guitar;
Rachel Newton: vocals [4, 14],
electroharp, acoustic harp, viola;
Seckou Keita: vocals [5, 12],
kora;
Beth Porter: vocals [6, 10],
cello, ukulele, recorders;
Jim Molyneux: vocals [7],
piano, rhodes, synthesisers, drums, percussion
Tracks
- Bramble (3.44)
- St Kilda Wren (2.12)
- Oak (4.49)
- Swifts (3.26)
- Jay (4.04)
- Daisy (1.44)
- Swallow (4.35)
- Bird of the Blizzard (4.34)
- Thrift (Dig In, Dig In) (4.24)
- Gorse (3.27)
- Red Is Your Art (3.38)
- Barn Owl (3.37)
- Moth (4.09)
- Curlew (4.20)
- Silver Birch (4.15)
Videos
Oak: