Jack and Charlie study together at the Birmingham Conservatoire and are in their third year on the Bmus course. They started playing together as a duo just before easter in 07 and meet regularly in the bathroom of their house in Birmingham for late night practice sessions! They are also both members of the Birmingham Conservatoire Folk Ensemble run by Joe Broughton, and will be playing with the band when they tour in May and June.
Influences
Paul Simon, Josh Ritter, Damien Rice, Leonard Cohen, Kirsty McGee and Matt Martin, Martin Newnham, Rosy Doonan and Ben Murray, Seth Lakeman, LAU, Martha Tilston, Nancy Kerr and James Fagin, Kris Drever, Boo Hewerdine.
Sounds Like
Fingerpick guitar and fiddle, songs and tunes about the places we go and the people we meet on the way.
TO BOOK JACK AND CHARLIE CONTACT CHARLES DEVLIN at www.cromulentmusic.co.uk or email cromulent.music@tiscali.co.uk
Jack and Charlie met at college and began playing as a duo in the easter of 07. Charlie has played in several folk bands including Sonas and Rubber Chicken, and plays fiddle in her dad's band back in Hampshire. Jack who is from Cumbria has supported artists such as Kirsty McGee and Matt Martin, Po' Girl and The Wailin' Jennies, played the emerging music slot on the main stage at Brampton Live summer 06. As a duo they played Ireby folk festival 07, three seperate gigs at this years Warwick Folk Festival and supported Dave Swarbrick and Martin Carthy at the Red Lion folk club in Birmingham this September. Jack and Charlie were also finalists in the BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Awards 2007.
"Emotionally-charged, intelligent lyrics, a deftly melodic guitar style and empathic fiddle accompaniment characterised Jack McNeill & Charlie Heys’ set. Two self-composed songs, 'The Train' and 'Here For The Winter', showcased their innovative approach as Jack’s characterful voice and contemporary guitar stylings blended beautifully with Charlie’s fiddle in a display of well-controlled aural dynamics." Review from BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Awards Final.
Jack Recorded his first album 'Before I'm Home' last summer and the duo plan to record a new album in the easter 2008
"Jack McNeill had only been playing guitar for a mere four years when he recorded his debut collection, Before I’m Home. Inspired by the dazzling guitar genius that is Tommy Emmanuel, McNeill picked up his first guitar and his debut album is the result. His own compositions are occasionally reminiscent of Ralph McTell and even James Taylor, although even at this early part of his recording career you can’t imagine his material sounding out of place amongst either writer’s repertoire. The brisk yet note perfect tale of love lost, ‘Butterfly Lost’, the deftness of touch he brings to the material, the melodic immediacy of ‘Swallows (Singing Through A Wall)’ and the urgency of ‘The Train’ suggests a young writer and performer destined for bigger things.” Review from Rock ‘n’ Reel magazine, July/August 2007
TO BOOK JACK AND CHARLIE CONTACT CHARLES DEVLIN at www.cromulentmusic.co.uk or email cromulent.music@tiscali.co.uk
Over the Easter weekend, The Source Arts Cafe venue bar will be hosting a fantastic festival of live music in support of Carlisle Against Racism and the nationally recognised Love Music Hate Racism. Talented Cumbrian artists will take to the stage in a bid to raise awareness of the fascist British National Party and their campaign against people of ethnic origin whom reside in the UK. Carlisle Rocks Against Racism Easter Weekender will be raising funds to help facilitate Carlisle Against Racism's counter campaign on the BNP and to aid Love Music Hate Racism's carnivals of awareness, being staged within major cities of the UK. The event is free entry with donation pots ready to accept offerings to this just cause. David Niven and Andy Auld of Carlisle against Racsim will be attending the event and will be happy to offer more informaion.
The Source Arts Cafe opens 10:00am on saturday serving organic snacks, Fair Trade teas and coffee along with alcohol at the bar and 5pm Sunday.
7:30pm ROB HERON (Gifted young singer songwriter) http://www. myspace. com/robheronmusic 8:15pm THE GONG WONG COMMUNITY DISCO BAND (live drumming band formed by Ben Gates of Drum Roots) 8:30: Andy Paul (A superb solo singer songwri
Jack! How's tricks? I'm really liking the stuff you've got up on here, sounds deadly. What've you been upto? Everything peachy your side of the sea? xx
evenin fella hows your fine self sumhow just stumbled across you n i freakin love that track twenty dude tis bloody marvlus n e hoo hope all is fine n dandy n shall see you in a few weeks i spose cheers scott
i'm doing well thanks! i've been in my youth work job for nearly a couple of months now and things are going well. there are two voices in pete?- either this is a cleverly constructed question that i'm not getting the jist of or...well, i don't know what else it could be. there's a shakey egg in it but thats about as far from the straight and narrow as i swayed..?
just had to drop you a line to once again commend your 'before i'm home' debut- i listened to it in it's entirity whilst sweeping the driveway on saturday. it quite literally gives me the shizzles eveytime.
i want you to know that i genuinely find this to be one of the finest collection of expertly crafted songs i have ever heard. ever.
musically its astounding. lyrically, i find it to be as close to perfection as i could imagine and both the melody lines and lyrics compliment each other inseperably. don't get me started on the guitar work- an inspired breath of fresh air.
this is not to inflate your ego- though i don't imagine it would- its to tell you that unless you really go for it with your music, aware of its rare quality and get it out there into the world, then it'll be verging on tragic.
uber credit where uber credit's due, my friend.
for goodness sake, keep writing.
(and don't be suprised at feed back on these new tunes i've just noticed!)
yeeey back to skool of folk. have missed you guys and your smiley (smelly?) ways. : ) btw sounded great at the open mike thingy. tho i think i could probably do better. probably. and im holding you to tea jack. but not literally.
i thought you guys would be at mosely? it was very good, old dance school rocked, i learned to knit (its really addictive) (also i stabbed myself in the leg with a needle and bled) and it was a lovely weekend. can't wait to hear some more of your new stuff together (the internet wont let me. perhaps it is mute) see you both soon at folk symphony orchestra. : )
hey matey, yeh thats the one i used for the exhibition, I was gutted you didn't do it too. loving the tunes, as ever. sure i'll let u know when im gigging, let me know too. will be cool to see you in brum again.
Hi Jack, how are you? Nooo i haven't been anywhere at all, i've been in london aaall summer. I'm doing work experience with a fashion designer, working up to London fashion week which is pretty exciting for me!I'm going to Norfolk this week, which is at least somewhere away , not quite Morocco or Rome, or Australia, where i dream i am, but I've heard Norfolk is beautiful! How's your summer? X
How are you? I hope you..re doing very well, dear friends on the island! I admit, a long time has passed since I let you know something from my life, but now I can tell you: I..m allright! The baby is growing and bumping and kicking, and in these days we get more and more nervous as soon it should start its journey out of my vomp to this earth and life.
I..ve heart that you have a rainy summer in the UK, it..s similar to Germany, although we have these strange, very fast changes from grey sky and 17 degrees to 35 degrees and very clear and sunny days when everyone is sweating and moving very slowly. Stay well! Yours, Josephine
Hey jack, good to hear from you. As ever ive been really busy so havnt really had a chance to catch up. When we're both back in brum tho, we can finally have a proper chat and see how each other's lifes are. I'll note to bring with me summer stories of camping, Romania (i go in august) work experience (i go in sept) and general frolicing. xxx
Yo hombre. You'll be glad to know I'm going to keep the mini after all. It'll be off the road until october but it should be a beast by then. The performance kit for the engine is being fitted as we speak and then the body work will begin in september. Glad you're happy with the Taylor. Sounds like a good'n! Off to Winchester on thrusday and then Germany on the 27th. (Going in my Mum's car.) Hope you're having fun.
