Roots and Branches
Folk and Roots Music
Roots and Branches
BEARDY FOLK FESTIVAL SPECIAL
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IT’S FESTIVAL TIME
This special festival episode of ROOTS AND BRANCHES WITH JIM FOX features some of the great artists who will be appearing at this year’s BEARDY FOLK FESTIVAL. artists include ROVING CROWS * MADDIE MORRIS * PONS ALEUS * ISABEL INKCAP * NOBLE JACKS * EDWINA HAYES * SHE SHANTIES * HEBBLE * LAUREN SOUTH * GEORGE BOOMSMA *FINN COLLINSON * TRUE FOXES and PEATBOG FAIRIES.
Listening to Roots and Branches with Jim Fox, playing all things folk and roots, including the branches.
SPEAKER_01Well, festival season is now upon us, and in this episode, I'm going to be playing music for you from some of the acts who are appearing at this year's Beardy Folk Festival. Beardy Festival is situated at Hopton Court in Shropshire, and Beardy's a relatively small festival with two music stages hidden inside a secret walled garden and boasting a brilliant lineup of both contemporary and traditional folk music. So starting the show tonight, we have Roving Crows, an Irish folk rock band now based in Herefordshire and Worcestershire. They've been wowing crowds at festivals and venues across the UK, Australia, France, and the Netherlands. And here they are with a track called Evil. Maddie Morris is an artist who strives to make a difference in the world, bold, insightful, and refreshingly unique. They take traditional song in new directions to shine a light on contemporary issues, offering new perspectives on the world we live in today. Winner of the BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Award, Maddie has been described as leading the next generation of socially conscious songwriters. Enjoy listening to Maddie Morris singing Easily Bruise.
SPEAKER_03The seventy old case. We thought we'd changed the world. Is you are to me what I am to you now I can't pretend that I don't miss the seventeen year old girls, sweaty hands as we kiss, head spinning towards colours as if choosing to exist. We thought we'd changed the world. So much unknown and so much unsaid I wonder the scripture playing out while you lay in our bed, so much to say, and I'm still continued, and maybe I would be if I hadn't been so easily.
SPEAKER_01Maddie Morris there with easily bruised. Next up we have a trap from Ponzalius, which is the Roman name for the city of Newcastle upon Tyne. After crossing paths in the northeast of England, six young musicians immediately began to share tunes, eventually forming the powerhouse of a progressive instrumental folk that is Ponzalius. Driven by a dynamic front line of bagpipes and whistles, flute, tenor, banjo, and mandolin, the band are a force to be reckoned with. This is Ponzalius with lost keys. Nominated Live Act of the Year in the 2023 UK Americana Awards and hailed as the finest purveyors of contemporary folk rock. Here they are with the Blacksmith Stomp.
SPEAKER_06Radio and work. Picking up the beast, did he have to draw the line? And he won't stop striking till the end of time. Picking up the beast is the one don't die. And he makes his way with a black switch stomp. Underneath the skies. We'll just cover with this leather coat and eyes. Straveling in the snow, just to beast. There's no way we won't head. And it's just rain. Oh one hand, just cover the thing on the house, back round his thing. Legend strong Picking of the feast is we have to draw the line. And he won't stop striking till the end of time. And he makes his way with a blacksmith stomp.
SPEAKER_01Noble Jack's there. Now I've played this artist a number of times on roots and branches in the past, and I'm looking forward to seeing her again at Beardy Folk Festival in a couple of weeks' time. This is Edwina Hayes with Irish Waltz.
SPEAKER_08The night is over. The night is over. Hearts will be breaking by the harbour today. Children will be crying, and mothers will pray, sweet hearts and fathers and sons away. Oh hearts will be breaking today when you're safe on the ocean, send back news to me from the place you'll be working across the great sea for it patiently waiting here for you I'll be when you're safe there. Send back news to me. Drink will be flowing, and the church bells will ring, there'll be morning a plenty, and the children will sing on that fine day you come home in spring. So wake up my darling, the night is old, dawn is falling on the valley below. Today you must leave for a far distant shore Oak and Edwina Hayes and Irish Waltz.
SPEAKER_01She Shanties are a female shanty group from Whitby. And here they are with the track from their album, Shank Painters. And this one is called William Taylor.
SPEAKER_02William Taylor was a brisk on sail for the heart and fourth play. Taylor's mighty to uncover to a youthful lady gay. Four and twenty British sailors met him on the King's Highway. As he went for to be married, Rusty was in the center way. On the ship was she must find the window of the silver buttons. She was early on the day.
SPEAKER_12On a ready ride, on a buddy, come on a table, on a buddy, the paper button, on a ready, come on, Captain Michael, come and tell me what you've done.
SPEAKER_02I shot on the wheel of the tailor and the double done. And the captain was well pleased with what she's done.
SPEAKER_01That was She Shantiz with William Taylor. You're listening to Roots and Branches with me, Jim Fox, in this special edition where we are playing music from artists appearing at this year's Beardy Folk Festival. Next up we have Hebel made up of Sam Hodgson on guitar, bazookie and vocals, Aidan Kilroy on Balron and vocals, and Helena Drum on cello and vocals. Hera Hebel with the banshee reel and the old and white hair.
SPEAKER_04Father did the right for the day. They went upon the field where the white-headed light beagles a uncle and they began to try. The greyhounds they came to and they beat the bush around. But they never was a white hair in that field to be found with me, right? Father D low right father day Said Joe the hearty huntsman to build a whip her in. Go checking on your firm side to see if she lies in. With that she made her jump boys and out away she ran. She ran away to under just as fast as she can. Put it jumped under the bush, boys, and out away she ran. She ran away to yonder just as fast as she can with me, right? Father diddle-do, right for the day. Father did, right father, right for the diddle, right for the right father diddle, right father, right for the diddle, right for the right father diddle-do, right father, right for the didle-do, right for the right father, diddle-do, right father day.
SPEAKER_01That was Hebble. Coming up next we have Lauren South. Lauren is an accomplished singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, renowned for her original compositions and traditional melodies. With the accompaniment of tenor guitar, fiddle, and fruity box. Her songs exude heartfelt emotion and vivid imagery, drawing inspiration from her passion for the nocturnal heavens and her natural world and her journey through motherhood. Lauren's debut solo album, Tiny Boat, was released in November 2023 to critical acclaim. And this is the title track from that album. Lauren's self with Tiny Boat.
SPEAKER_07A tiny boat that sails on the region sea. Under that boat, that tiny boat holds all that's dear to me. Under that boat, that tiny boat, while she sails on the rage and sea her must is strong and her sails are fair, and she's all that's dear to me. Oh sail on, take care as you go, but will ye be sailing with me? Oh sail on, take care as you go. You deserve to be free. I met a girl, I pratic pulled me far away from thee, and when our talk thee was born on the boat on the region sea I left you there Oh so far across the sea. Oh sail on, take care as you go Oh be sailing with me Oh sail on, take care as you go, you deserve to be free. There is a boat, a tiny boat, and she sailed on the rage and sea, and oh that boat, that tiny boat, also that's dear to me. Oh she's all that's dear to me.
SPEAKER_01I really like that track. Lauren South with a tiny boat. Now George Boomsman is a British musician, and he has been making music ever since first joining the local church choir when he was seven. A couple of orchestras here, a teenage rock band there, and a music degree somewhere in the back. Today he says that he is happy to find himself making music as a full-time career. His latest album, The Bracken and Ted, was written about his travel experiences through the hall. His sound has been likened in general. Radiohead Rufus Wainwright, Ronald Smith, and then just a few.
SPEAKER_05Sail through the ocean storm. I could feel a light at the end of the road Isn't it sweet with nothing to eat? I should go and venture, I should see the sights of the town. What then could bring me down to my bended knee? What could I hope to achieve? To seek for a fortune on streets that are paved with gold. I shouldn't feel so old. Now I'm here in here in hell. I came here on a call.
SPEAKER_01That was George Boomsman with streets made of gold. Now we probably all learned to play, or at least tried to learn to play the recorder when we were at school. But not many of us went on to be professional recorder players. But Finn Collinson did just that. I'm gonna play two tracks for him now. The first is called Big Knoller Hill, and the second is from the Finn Collinson band, and it's called Big Smoke. Finn Collinson there making the recorder sound nothing like it did when I was at school. And I have to say, I'm really looking forward to seeing him live at Beardy Folk Festival in a couple of weeks' time. Now True Foxes are an acclaimed folk Americana cousin duo, and they are quickly gaining popularity, particularly after working with Steve Knightley as part of his Winter Yards tour last autumn. And here they are now with How Are You Now?
SPEAKER_09Floating around in the air. Under what it looks like down there with their feet on the ground. I have roots to be found. I don't know where I can call anywhere home. I believe in things I don't know. Friends say, Oh, go home. I have one of my own.
SPEAKER_10I don't know where you have sleep.
SPEAKER_09Seasons give changes a code. The chapters will close repeated all when the lessons end up folding again to I don't know where.
SPEAKER_01Thanks again for listening, and I hope you've enjoyed this particular episode. All of the artists that you've heard on this show will be performing at the Beardy Folk Festival this year. So get out there and experience one of the many folk festivals around this summer. And be sure to look out for some of the lesser-known acts, not just the famous names. You never know what you might discover. Keep supporting live folk music and the wonderful artists who make it. And keep listening to Roots and Branches, where we aim to bring you the best in folk and roots and everything else that hangs on the branches of the tree. Don't forget you can send in your requests and suggestions to rootsmail.com or follow us on Facebook at Roots and Branches at the podcast. Until next time, this is Jim Fox, leaving you with the wonderful pink bog fairies and a track called spiders. Roots and Branches has been a Celtic crossroads production.