As a trio it's me (vocals, guitar, tenor guitar and shruti box), Steven Polwart (guitars, vocals) and Inge Thomson (accordion, vocals, percussion). Sometimes I also bring along Kevin McGuire (double bass, vocals), Mattie Foulds (drums, percussion), Kim Edgar (piano, vocals) and/or Jenny Hanson (violin, viola, vocals).
Scots songwriter Karine Polwart combines the economy and universality of the folk storytelling tradition with a probing intellect and compassionate lyricism. Twice winner of “Best Original Song” at the UK-wide BBC Folk Awards, she’s collaborated with alt folk balladeer King Creosote, the intellectual maverick of English folk song Chris Wood, Idlewild front man Roddy Woomble, bluegrass ace Tim O’Brien, not to mention unexpected guest appearances with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra and dub-reggae legends Sly and Robbie. None of which you'd expect from a lass who grew up in the Stirlingshire village of Banknock.
Following the breakthrough success of her debut album “Faultlines”, and its lush 2006 successor ”Scribbled in Chalk”, Karine released two albums on her own micro label, hegri music, the stark and intimate trad balladry of 2007's "Fairest Floo'er" and her 2008 bittersweet collection of original songs “This Earthly Spell”.
Karine is one third of the sparky female vocal harmony trio Grace, Hewat, Polwart and one eighth of the joyous Scots-Canadian, multi-headed musical creature The Burns Unit (in which you might even find her playing drums ...)
Off the road, Karine is likely to be found tramping the roads and fields near the home in Southern Scotland, which she shares with bandmate, producer and partner Mattie Foulds, singing to herself and her wee son Arlo and looking for bullfinches and herons.
Welcome to My(wee)space
Welcome, welcome to my wee musical corner of Scotland. There are more myspace users out there than there are people in Britain, so it's a small miracle that you've landed here. Thanks for following your nose. I look after this space myself as a touring musician and mum to a small and beautiful boy, so please try to bear with me if you send me a friend request or message and I don't reply instantly (or even if a week or two goes by, or indeed by some quirk you never hear from me). I try my best but there is no hidden web-team and it takes more than just a minute or so ... and sometimes a word or two slips through ... But hey walking slow in this world is no crime, eh? Anyway, hope you enjoy the view from wherever you are.
THE BURNS UNIT
“a canny ability to blend disparate styles: from tender odes to serendipity...to jacked-up carnival rock; from MIA-esque melodica-backed protest song to a sinister, bloody ballad - the band fuse their contrasting talents and leave no signs of suture or ego” (The Skinny)
“a passionate, perceptive songwriter” (Uncut 2008)
“exceptionally subtle and melodic” (Q 2008)
"takes the heart to places few singers even know exist" (WORD 2008)
"righteous and beautiful" (MOJO 2006)
"grippingly understated storytelling" (THE TIMES 2006)
Thaniks for all your support! If you weren't able to make it to the Medicine Show at the Laugh Factory last week, I have uploaded seven ten minute clips from the show to my profile. Give it a look...It'll make you feel better!
I hope you heard the long-time fans applaud when you ended your Big Session set with "The Sun's Comin' Over The Hill". So glad we made it over from the North America for the festival (you were one of the deciding factors).Brilliant set!
Hi There! Thanks for the online friendship & support.
We are proud to announce that we are HEADLINING the Cream Insturment Cable Stage at the Lesser Muni as part of the 2009 Great British R&B Festival in Colne, Lancashire, UK on Monday August 31st. The Charlie White Project and Sheffield’s blues poet Mr Billy Martin Jnr are also appearing. Expect great music and utterly immaculate sound quality using cutting edge PA cables and power amps. Ticket details are available at www.bluesfestival.co.uk. Doors open at 7.30pm and we will be onstage at 10.15pm.
Our new album “A Time and Place” is available directly from www.robinhoare.com via Pay Pal and from good record stores.
Karine, I'm much enjoying 'Mother of Mysteries' and 'Clock of the World'. I'm so sorry I didn't make Shrewsbury in March and August isn't looking likely. Now, did I imagine it, or are you going to get together and record these songs? Please say yes! x
Why's there something instead of nothing at all? That's the BIG question that's kept me awake at night.
There's a new video of Karine duetting with Mark Erelli on YouTube. It's 'Mother of Mysteries', a song they co-wrote at the recent Darwin retreat...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4lfg06Xb3bc
Also Karine features on another Darwin youtube song....she takes a verse and sings harmony on Krista Detor's 'Clock of The World' (as do Rachel McShane and Emily Smith)
Hi Karine. We will be releasing a 10 track pastoral psych folk CD entitled 'midsummers' on 24th June 2009. midsummers is currently available to buy from our website www.millersounds.co.uk . You can hear some tracks from midsummers on our myspace player. Best wishes, The Rowan Amber Mill.
Karine Polwart track 'I'm Gonna Do It All' to be aired on Merlin's Magical Music Moments; Wednesday 10th June 2009. Live on air on Soundart Radio 102.5 fm 20.30 - 22.00 pm BST. The full play list is now up on my blog.
To listen live via the net follow the link @ www.soundartradio.org.uk
Hey hows you? x just wanted to mention iam touring all over the UK from september for a year, traveling all over got the first 4 months up and adding more and more to it, the first 3 months is for Busking For Cancer :) in Aid for cancer research, all the shows are free so would be awesome to see you at a show supporting wat im touring for, check out our dates and if we arnt playing in your area then please do let us know cause it is for a FULL year so we wanna get everywhere and anywhere :) also recording new stuff this weekend so new songs will be up :) anyways hoping ur having a good start to the summer.
well, it has been a long and winding road, and an even longer time coming, but my debut CD, I Remember, is FINALLY HERE!!! YAY!!!!!
to celebrate, American HeartBeat Records(tm) has arranged a FREE DOWNLOAD of Now Is The Time in exchange for a valid email address. Now Is The Time is a brand new, upbeat song I wrote: we are living in turbulent times. suddenly it is okay to be greedy and heartless? no way! a song of hope for our future, a new vision of America and the world.
we have a bunch of exciting things planned to kick this whole thing off, and we need to get a better picture of who our friends are, so the FREE DOWNLOAD form will ask you a few questions, like, what is your country and nearest major city. it all takes maybe 15 seconds.
anyhoo, the FREE DOWNLOAD, and the FUN, begins at www.JAETCHISON.com
I look forward to getting to know you a little better, and I thank you SO VERY MUCH for your friendship and support!
please tell your friends about JAETCHISON.com, and ask them to sign up for the email list, too! FUN things are coming up!!
Rhythm Festival 2009
21-23 August
Twinwood Arena, Clapham, Beds, MK41 6AB
The Proclaimers, Alabama 3, Gandalf Murphy & The Slambovian Circus of Dreams, The Beat, Terry Reid, Glenn Tilbrook & The Fluffers, James Hunter, Alvin Youngblood Hart, The Blow Monkeys, Pentangle, The Strawbs, Martin Turner’s Wishbone Ash and LOADS more...
http://www.rhythmfestival.net
I dreamed that you telephoned me in the middle of the night here to sing me a song you were writing. It was lovely, the song. I hope that you remember it...
Online Now!
