Little Sister have been playing together since June 2006. They play original arrangements of world folk music (from Irish to Ladino to American Old-time Country), as well as writing and performing their own songs and tunes. Armed with an arsenal of musical weaponry including harp, guitar, fiddle, accordion, flute, viola, cello, djembe, mandolin, an assortment of things to hit, shake or scrape and, of course, their four voices, these ladies refuse to be ignored.
Sam, Laura, Hannah & Katy met at university but did not form Little Sister until after they had finished their studies. From their individual origins (Wales, The Midlands, The North & The South, respectively), the girls combine their diverse tastes and styles to create a unique musical hybrid that is greater than the sum of its parts.
It’s hard to define the sound of Little Sister since no sooner have they dazzled you with a fiery klezmer tune, they’ll lull you back down by way of a lilting Welsh song, only to jolt you awake with a rousing gospel number in rip-roaring four-part harmony. This is no surprise when you look at their collective influences: Gillian Welch, Harem Scarem, Bjork, Bartok, Alison Krauss, The Carthys, Moira Smiley, Flook and Kathryn Roberts, to name but a few.
In the last 12 months, Little Sister have emerged as one of Birmingham’s brightest folk bands, playing to sell-out audiences at the MAC, the Tower of Song and the Kitchen Garden Café. They have appeared at many UK festivals including Truck, Solfest, Oxford Arts, Music Live (at The NEC), Moseley & Burslem, and at venues across Wales, the South and London. They have supported artists such as Garth Hudson (of The Band), Sofia (half of Po’Girl), ex-Albion band singer Gillie Nicholls, JT & The Clouds, 3 daft monkeys and Danny & the Champions of the World. They have recorded radio sessions live for the BBC and for DJ Bob Harris’s WBBC productions.
As well as arranging a rich variety of traditional music in a fresh and innovative way, Little Sister also write their own material, inspired by such things as love, life, unemployment, falling over in the street and frogs. Their new 4-track EP, aptly titled 'The Little Sister EP' (recorded with Richard Smith in a far-flung corner of Wales) showcases their various individual and collective talents.
“My new favourite band!” Danny Wilson of Grand Drive
“The homegrown answer to the Be Good Tanyas!” Birmingham101 Magazine
Visit www.littlesistermusic.co.uk for more info
Visit www.myspace.com/littlesistermusic for mp3 samples and tour dates.
For bookings, contact
Laura Mattison on littlesistermusic@googlemail.com
Hey there Check out my VERY OLD songs which I have just uploaded onto my myspace - from OVER TWENTY YEARS ago!!!! How about that! Just having a bit of an artist's block so thought I'd put something different on in the meantime and worked out how to convert cassettes to mp3 which was no mean feat. Love Penny
Hi again Little Sisters,thanks for the add and everything your music quite simply gets better and better. It would be great to work with you some time. Best wishes.......MAYDAZE....
After you've finished here, you may like to hear this poem sung on myspace -
2 of 230, walkaboutsverse.741.com: WALKABOUT WITH MY PEN
Once drove an old sedan, up north, From a place in Sydney to Cairns; Then to Kuranda I went forth, By train, to look without set plans.
I browsed through the trendy market, With fresh fruits of tropical kind; Walked to the creek through lush thicket - Nature’s hand giving peace of mind.
I dined in a scenic cafe; Then, outside, as I wrote for yen, Some passing Kooris called-out: “Hey, You go walkabout with your pen.”
Request or question, I don’t know - Assured voices, elderly men. That’s now several years ago, And I’ve seen the world - with my pen.
I decided to take up your offer placed on the bulletin board and pay you a visit at the Red Lion pub. I was the one in disguise, not planned, hidding at the back, however due to the mature audience, I most likly did not merge so easly this time into the crowds as I would have liked.
I really enjoyed the evening and found your set very interesting. so many instruments and microphones for four ladies. Glad I am not your roady, the Harp looks as much work as a rock groups ampeg rig.
I'm sure the audience knew what love was all about (sam), just perhaps took a while to sink in, for some it has most likly been a while..... there may be snow on the roof but theres fire below, so they say I'll have to wait and see, I felt like only a pup when compaired to the fans of Magna Carta.
Hope (katy)you find a place for those sticky plec's would be a shame for the guitar to have to front them, can they not be attached to the guitar strap. I have seen plecs placed on the vocal mic stands or slid under the scratch plate on electric guitars. The guitar is too nice for the plastic upgrade.
What harmonies! so powerful that even a car alarm triggered in the carpark could not escape them.
Thank you for the invite, I wish you well with your future gigs, and perhaps may see you later in the year at gigbeth?
