The tracks currently playing are from my new Cd 'Female Smuggler'. Am I a female who smugglers or do I smuggle females.... you may well ask! It's taken a fair old time for me to decide to do a solo Cd but I'm so glad I've done it. The CD as a whole reflects the many different styles and projects I have been involved in over the years. I wanted something that would bring all these things together under one umbrella. So there are instrumental tracks reminiscent of my work with Blowzabella, Token Women and The Old Swan Band as well as some newly writen songs. The songs may be a surprise to those of you who didn't know I wrote lyrics at all. Well I do and, to coin an old phrase 'most of them go in the bin'. But these needed to see the light of day and here they are. I have worked with singer songwriters in the past e.g. Pete Morton and of course, Lal Waterson, and as part of the duo with Pete and my work with my sister Fi Fraser ( The Fraser Sisters), I have usually put a song here or there on a Cd. But never so many in one place. In addition there is a fair amount of traditional material here too, as there lies my roots.
So, I'll tell you a little about the tracks: Female Smuggler - the melody is mine and the words are traditional, for the most part, although adapted by me where I wanted to make the story slightly strongerand because I had a strange wish to sing 'iddidly i diddly'. I also added the little section in the middle because I found the whole song so evocative that I had a whole film playing in my head and a very strong image of her striding down the road, skirts swinging, fire arms at her waist and quoffing from a keg of brandy. Perhaps I'd been watching to much of 'Nancy' for the on stage Oliver Twist thing. Great fun to do and includes my guest musicians Helen Brunnet, Harry Hammer, Jude Abbott, Neil Ferguson and a shrooty box.
'Different Shades of Meaning', were actual words spoken by Jude in a Chumbawamba concert as part of a throw away sentance introducing a song. They inspired me to reflect on the 1980's and my political past on anti pornography campaigns, reclaim the night etc. In those days I felt so clear. Now I have become more of a fence sitter because I see things from many perspectives. In many ways I wish I still had that clarity of thought. I'm sure I do in some areas. I hope!!!.
Lyndoch place and Pardon Kolloreg. The first is a new tune writen by me in celbration of my part time home in Glasgow. The second tune came out of a British Breton collaborative project featuring myself, Mary Macmaster (also of the Lal Waterson project), Briggitte Kloereg, Yann Fanch Peroche and Helen Brunnet. It was a fabulous idea but like many of these things was never recorded in any way. This was one of the tunes we played as part of that project and I also taught it to the adult mixed instrument group at FolkWorks last year. It's a Breton Gavotte. That piece of history was the reason I invited Helene to guest on my Cd and she features on all the first three tracks here.
Finally, last but definitely not least is 'Roses'. This is probably the best thing I have ever writen and yes I lived in an abusive releationship for 3 years. I think you have to experience these things to write words like that. It was all a very very long time ago but then I asked my brother-in-law Barry Coope if he would set it to music. he sent this tune through and I burst into tears...maybe you will too. More soon. JO
Above and below are video clips from Cheltenham Folk Festival. These are of the Lal Waterson Project. My thanks go to Likal for doing the video and to the wonderful Oliver Knight who was doing the live sound for us that day. As you can tell if you have a listen the acoustics are truely awful in the town hall which is why what Oly has achieved is masterful. Above is 'Party games' and below is 'Long Vacation' both written by Lal Waterson. In Long Vacation I had an extra long ending.... just because I could!!!!
Influences
Whilst starting off very much in the folk and world music arena my influences include contemporary composers such as Steve Reich, Michael Nyman and Juduth Weir. The singers I have loved and still do are Eddi Reader, Annie Lennoz, Edith Piaf, Patsy Cline, Ella Fitzgerald, Sandy Denny and Janis Joplin. I am also inspired by other 'folk' musicians who compose wonderful beautiful music and yet seem to be relegated to a second class music world, just because of being associated with that word 'folk'. In this category I would include Chris Wood, Luke Daniels and Swop amongst others.
As I write lyrics from time to time my influences range from Kate Bush, Annie Lenox to John Tams and Pete Morton and I currently admire Karine Polwart and Declan O'Rourke.
Sounds Like
I am a saxophone playing vocalist and have been told I sound like me which is a good thing.
Latest releases; Female Smuggler out Aug 2008. See notes above.
'Lal' - Jo Freya's Lal Waterson project.(Oct 2007) I am very proud of this although I feel an imense responsibility interpreting the works of someone else, especially someone that I admire to this degree. To those of you who don't know Lal Waterson, from the wonderful Waterson family, she sadly died 9 years ago but she leaves a legacy of songs that set her amongst the best of British poets in my opinion. If you're new to these songs I hope you'll hear their quality. This Cd is said to be 'A' for Art...a masterpiece of reinterpretation' (Ken Hunt) I'm ver proud of it.
'Voices at the Door' Coope, Boyes and Simpson, Fraser, Freya, Boyes - Christmas 2006. Acapella carols and deamed to be "my favourite, favourite, carol singers" by Natalie Wheen of classic F.M.
'Octomento' by Blowzabella(2007). Our first release for many years. Below is a video of Blowzabella live last Saturday, near Paris. Blowzabella released a new Cd last year: Octomento all releases have been great summed up by the phrase 'Welcome back Blowzabella'.
Well below you have me playing 'Roses' live. Not something I do very often. Usually I am accompanied by Neil Ferguson when we do our trio or more recently Belinda O'Hooley. I don't really class mysel as a piano player, more as someone who get's by. So this is me getting by:
Spring is definitely in the air and that is a marvelous thing. This is a busy time for me. We have just finished a mini trio tour. The 'Jo Freya Trio' is myself Jude Abbott and Neil Fergueson from Chumbawamba. We had a great time and everyone loved it. Comments about great harmonies, fantastic dueting brass and astonishment about how only three people could produce such a great and wide variety of sound. We are doing some more later including Sidmouth and Whitby festivals so watch out for that.
I am getting close to completion of a 10 week schools project where I have been songwriting with a lovely troup of primamry school children>This will be put together in one show with other youngsters who have been doing dance and drama and will be ably assisted again by Jude and Neil and also Harry Hammer also from the old Chumba's big band and now the Sex Patels. We will do a small concert after the school bit as a quartet. This doesn't feature on the gigs page as it's really only for the children and their families.
The other main focus of this year is my new collaboration with Maalstroom, a wonderful dutch band. Early days but we have lots of rehearsals plans with festivals and gigs, here, Belgium and Holland so keep an eye out for that one.
Life goes on brillinatly and in party mode with The Old Swan Band and Token Women. Still brilliant and definitely not stale as people keep telling us...why would we be? There are the odd solo gigs dotted around so come and see me in whatever wherever.
Blowzabella are touring at the end of September and we are going to record all the shows with a view to releasing some tracks on a Cd. Come to them all and be on the recordings it will be one party after another.
I would greatly appreciate it, if You stopped by my page to listen to my brand new rock 'n' roll song entitled 'Someday'. Comments are always welcome and appreciated...
Hello Jo, I hope you are having a great Sunday and relaxing weekend. It is not that nice here - dull and cold, well I am cold at least. Not doing a lot today just chilling on the computer and watching a bit of telly. I hope you are ok. Take care and hope to hear from you soon. Sara XXX
Hi Jo, We had a great time at Folkwoods - thanks for passing on the nice comments. I was really sad not to be there the same day as you - we had to rush off 'cos the keyboard player had a gig in London on Sunday night! - but I asked several people to say hi to you from me. Are you doing a lot of work in Holland? Anyway, definitely hope to coincide sometime soon. Pippa x
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