Jennymay Logan, violin and singing. Jason Steel, guitar, banjo and singing.
And me.
Influences
The North West Three, Kate & Anna McGarrigle, Shirley Collins, Anne Briggs, Guided by Voices, Gillian Welch, Fairport Convention, Lou Killen, Elvis Costello, Robin & Barry Dransfield, Alistair Anderson, JS Bach, The Watersons, The Albion Band, Aloha, Smog, Paul Metzers, Rachael Unthank, Kate Bush, The Beatles, Martin Carthy, Fleetwood Mac, Pentangle, The Kipper Family, Speed the Plough, The Afghan Whigs, Blowzabella, Laura Viers, The Band, Linda Thompson, East Suffolk Morris Men.
Nancy Wallace is a singer and musician hailing from Suffolk, but now firmly ensconced in east London.
She came to notice singing with the Memory Band, and features on the albums "The Memory Band" and "Apron Strings".
She now sits happily amongst the ranks of The Owl Service which she is enjoying very much indeed.
Her solo releases began with the critically acclaimed Young Hearts ep, songs from which have been included on both volumes of Tom Middleton's Crazy Covers albums, Paris Derniere and the Big Chill compilations.
In January of this year she released her debut full length album, Old Stories on the wonderful Midwich Records, who are more lovely than she can express.
Her tunes are enhanced no end by the amazing violin skills of Jennymay Logan of the Elysian Quartet , The Memory Band and the Basquiat Strings, and more recently Richard Lewis has added add his inimitable accordian, banjo and hurdy gurdy to a couple of tracks.
She is also embarking on joint musical endeavours with ..Jason Steel
Some nice things people have said:
“A star in the English Tradition” Dazed and Confused Magazine
“One of the finest folk vocalists of her generation" Music Week magazine
"Long respected as one of the purest voices on the folk circuit, this recording, like her live work, fashions an amazing intimacy with her listener. A substantial debut. **** " Mojo magazine
"Nancy Wallace is one of only a handful of young musicians capable of bridging the gap between contemporary folk music and folk conventionality with anything resembling aplomb."
Freshdeermeat.com
"Old Stories is one of the first highlights of 2009. She certainly has every right to be talked about in the same breath as some of the traditional music greats."
BBC.co.uk
"Nancy’s voice is accomplished, gentle and downright beautiful. There are some albums that are great starting points for anyone wanting to get into a certain type of music. Nancy Wallace is a great starting point. ‘Old Stories’ has intricate instrumentation, is lyrically effective and balances traditional and modern folk music brilliantly. And then there is her voice, which is one of the most warming and friendly singing voices you’ll hear for some time. This album should be bought without hesitance."
sonicdice.com
"Rest assured, this enchanting album will doubtless, in years to come, be recognised as a remarkable start to a distinguished career by one of our finest folksingers"
Rock n Reel magazine
“If ever an album proved that while good musicians can play complex stuff, it takes great ones to play simply, it’s this one.”
“Nancy Wallace makes some of the most wonderfully subtle modern folk around”
“A triumph for understatement”
The Word
Gave you the wrong address before! SoftlySoftly - Lovely new venue - Albert & Pearl, 181 Upper Street Islington - in December - first THURSDAY Featured sets, floor spots and a folky music session in the bar room!
Nancy, Thank you for adding me to your list of friends. I really appreciate it. My current project is a fiction novel with CD soundtrack due out soon. Wishing you continued success and a wonderful musical and happy weekend.
Peace and respect,
Joy Miller My author profile page at myspace coming soon. I hope you will join me there too.
A bit of advance notice - MondayMonday proudly presents Rún and Steven Finn and more at The Wilmington Arms, Clerkenwell on Monday 7th December
Rún collect and arrange old folk songs written in the ancient language of Erin. So far, thanks to Nora from Donegal, they have a nice wee collection of well-known ditties and are now adding to their repertoire with some unusual old forgotten songs from the province of Ulster. Rún are five fantastic lassies who perform four-part vocal arrangements of old Gaelic songs like ’An Cailín Rua’ (the red-haired girl), ’Casadh an tSúgain’ (twisting the hayrope) and ’Bo Na Leath Adhairce’ (the one-horned cow). Rún is the Gaelic word for ’secret, wish or love’ (cf. rune). See http://www.myspace.com/runceol ..
Steven Finn’s ears were filled with the music of Count Basie, Benny Goodman, Johnny Cash and old time country music. Aged 15 he began teaching himself the guitar, learning songs like Leadbelly’s ‘Bourgeois Blues’ and Charlie Daniels’ ‘The devil went down to Georgia’. On hearing Bob Dylan songs Finn started to write his own words and in doing so found a lifelong passion for Jazz and Folk Blues, a getaway car he could drive. See http://www.myspace.com/stevenfinn for more details
See http://event.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=events.detail&eventID=515763.72936 for more details.
Just a reminder that Clerkenwell's best Monday Night Folk Night will next be taking place on Monday 2nd November, featuring: Chris Sarjeant and Emma Scarr,plus floor spots and more
Emma Scarr has been active on London’s live scene for approaching two decades. A proficient performer on guitar, fiddle and banjo, in recent years she has concentrated on song craft.
Chris Sarjeant has been recently described as,".a very major addition to the British Folk Scene.." by BBC Folk-musician of the year Tom McConville who added that his guitar work is "...impeccable.."
See www.folkonmonday.co.uk for details
Come along and start your week in full blooded folky mode.
TWILIGHT FOLK PRESENTS…. SHARRON KRAUS With support from Peter Delaney and C Joynes Live at Orange Street Music Club, Canterbury Weds October the 21st 8.00pm £5 in advance/£6 on door
“Sharron Kraus is a dark-folk gem. Listening to her high, clear voice cut through melodies woven from acoustic guitar, banjo and hurdy-gurdy, you may struggle to remember which late-'60s traditionalists beat her to the material.Here's one folklore expert whose originals feel both authentic and alive….Exquisite second album by this wonderful singer. She conjures up visions of Karen Dalton, Shirley Collins, Judy Dyble and even early Joni. Live she was fantastic too. ..this moves from traditional folk (in a Shirley Collins, Anne Briggs style) to her own songs and enchants all the way. An immaculate album from a major new singer.”
Peter Delaney lives in Limerick, Ireland. He comes from a folk music background and plays his own unique style, drawing on early Hawaiian folk songs and Alan Lomax field recordings as well as more contemporary musicians such as Joanna Newsom and Josephine Foster. Peter released his debut EP/Mini Album "Duck Egg Blue" in April 2007 to much acclaim.
Peter has played throughout the UK, Ireland and Norway and has shared the bill with A Hawk and a Hacksaw, Alasdair Roberts, Jozef van Wissem, Juana Molina and The Swell Season. www.myspace.com/peterdelaney
"English acoustic guitarist C Joynes uses traditional country-blues and early ragtime to explore alternative melodic traditions: the English folk-tune; North and West African music; elements of classical Indian music; proto-minimalist and impressionist musics from the European classical tradition. His approach contains a subtle and unassuming experimentation, with a penchant for reworking over-familiar pieces and stripping them of their kitsch and cliché, presenting them afresh. Joynes' music is instinctive, placid, and evokes a certain simplicity and naiveté
TWILIGHT FOLK CLUB PRESENTS as part of THE CANTERBURY FESTIVAL- the IVOR NOVELLO AWARD NOMINEES......... THE LEISURE SOCIETY LIVE AT ORANGE STREET MUSIC CLUB, SUNDAY OCTOBER 25TH STARTS 1.00 PM TICKETS £12/£10 in advance.
Nick Hemmings band THE LEISURE SOCIETY, famously nominated for an Ivor Novello award this year for their song "THE LAST OF THE MELTING SNOW",will be playing live in Canterbury as part of the CANTERBURY FESTIVAL. The band are also on the same label as, and share members with THE SONS OF NOEL AND ADRIAN who were so well recieved at the club earlier this year-this will be a rare oppurtunity to catch this rapidly upcoming band in a small venue.....
In the words of the critics....
"Beautifully pastoral debut." MOJO **** "Wonderful" Observer Music Monthly **** "An autumnal mist of British Bank Holiday ennui surrounds Nick Hemming's literate meditations." The Times **** "Music to cuddle up to, music to clutch yourself to, music that is, as Jimmy Webb might say, necessary. This is a band that could well be the sound of 2009." Maverick Magazine **** "A lovingly crafted, tender folk record that will secure them as a named brand on the shelves of pop. The love affair begins." Ragged Words "Magical... shimmers with loveliness" Word Magazine "This is a record of extraordinary depth that stays with you long after the final notes have faded." Notion "Fragile, beautifully orchestrated and restrained." The Guardian "Unflinching clarity and a sense of longing...a uniquely British take on Americana; almost as if Scott Walker or Nick Drake had 'gone country', making music for coalminers rather than cowboys." The Independent On Sunday 9/10 "As moving as Elbow, as stirring as The Delgados, it's wholly magical." Teletext 8/10 "Genuinely beautiful... timeless." Fact Magazine "Albu
After you've finished here, you may like to hear this poem sung on myspace...
Poem 2 of 230, WalkaboutsVerse (please see my blog): 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.
Just to let you know I've invested in some new printing presses so we can now print much larger quantities of full colour flyers, leaflets, posters etc. If you've got a big gig coming up, check out my website for some amazing launch deals: www.StressFreePrint.co.uk. Hope I can help you out sometime.
