Headfirst Editor's Pick
"Nick Hart is the real deal. Coaxing past tradition brilliantly into the present day with warm, robust and deep-rooted folksong."
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A gig held at The Jam Jar on Wednesday 25th May. The event starts at 20:00.
Nick Hart is an award-winning singer and multi-instrumentalist whose work with English folk song is rapidly gaining him a reputation as one of the most acclaimed performers of his generation. His considered approach to accompaniment is informed by a deep respect for the nuances of traditional song and his captivating live performances are a testament to the importance he places on story-telling.
Nick has released two solo albums, Nick Hart Sings Eight English Folk Songs (2017) and Nick Hart Sings Nine English Folk Songs (2019), both to critical acclaim. His predictably titled third album is due for release in April 2022. Recorded during the first lockdown of 2020, Nick Hart Sings Ten English Folk Songs is in many ways a departure from the stripped back, live approach of Nick's first two albums. Deprived of a sound engineer and locked away in a house full of strange instruments, he was afforded the time and space to explore different approaches to the accompaniment of traditional song. Nick's distinctive guitar playing is augmented here by harmonium, lyre, viols and a host of percussion and woodwinds, and while some tracks were recorded completely live, others such as May Song and Dives and Lazarus have been given a more multi-layered treatment. At the heart of it though, Nick has approached the songs on this album with the care and sensitivity for which he has become known, allowing the them the space they need, while bringing to the fore the nuances in mode and meter that make these songs so special.
Claire Vine
Emerging alt-folk artist Claire Vine is fast gaining a reputation for writing songs that sound like
they've always existed. She has a knack for condensing urgent political and social commentary
into concise, uncompromising moments of raw beauty. Her debut EP Tunnel was released in
December 2020, comprising six original songs, between them all a thread of honest observations
about the state of the world. Performing alongside collaborator Bethany M. Roberts, Claire's
voice, vibrant and raw, cuts skilfully between moments of intimate solitude and carefully arranged
harmonies, with rich layers of harmonium and strings.
Unashamedly political and poignantly personal, her songs are inspired by protest movements, the
refugee crisis and her longing for justice in a more sustainable world. Her lyrics are at once a call
to action and a space for contemplation, blending passion and pragmatism in each memorable
song. https://eartrumpetmusic.co.uk
Entry requirements:
Nick has released two solo albums, Nick Hart Sings Eight English Folk Songs (2017) and Nick Hart Sings Nine English Folk Songs (2019), both to critical acclaim. His predictably titled third album is due for release in April 2022. Recorded during the first lockdown of 2020, Nick Hart Sings Ten English Folk Songs is in many ways a departure from the stripped back, live approach of Nick's first two albums. Deprived of a sound engineer and locked away in a house full of strange instruments, he was afforded the time and space to explore different approaches to the accompaniment of traditional song. Nick's distinctive guitar playing is augmented here by harmonium, lyre, viols and a host of percussion and woodwinds, and while some tracks were recorded completely live, others such as May Song and Dives and Lazarus have been given a more multi-layered treatment. At the heart of it though, Nick has approached the songs on this album with the care and sensitivity for which he has become known, allowing the them the space they need, while bringing to the fore the nuances in mode and meter that make these songs so special.
Claire Vine
Emerging alt-folk artist Claire Vine is fast gaining a reputation for writing songs that sound like
they've always existed. She has a knack for condensing urgent political and social commentary
into concise, uncompromising moments of raw beauty. Her debut EP Tunnel was released in
December 2020, comprising six original songs, between them all a thread of honest observations
about the state of the world. Performing alongside collaborator Bethany M. Roberts, Claire's
voice, vibrant and raw, cuts skilfully between moments of intimate solitude and carefully arranged
harmonies, with rich layers of harmonium and strings.
Unashamedly political and poignantly personal, her songs are inspired by protest movements, the
refugee crisis and her longing for justice in a more sustainable world. Her lyrics are at once a call
to action and a space for contemplation, blending passion and pragmatism in each memorable
song. https://eartrumpetmusic.co.uk
Entry requirements:
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