So I’ve been a little distracted lately, mostly by the final year of my degree (among other things), and have somewhat neglected the blog. Well there’s been a lot going on, not least the recording of an album ***out early in the Summer***.

It’s going to be called ‘Upon a Stranger Shore’ and it features some brilliant musicians: my brother Joe on melodeon, Matt Jones on guitar, Jim Molyneux on percussion and backing vocals, Nicola Lyons on fiddle and Sam Sweeney on cello…what great company! It’s being recorded and mixed by Andy Bell, who’s worked on loads of folk albums in the past few years, and recorded Jon Boden’s ‘A Folk Song a Day’ project. Here’s me in our make-shift vocal booth:

So look out for it in a couple of months!

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Then last month I was asked to provide the support for Gerry Diver’s Speech Project. It’s a fantastic, and very moving, evening of music. Diver has gathered footage of interviews with seminal Irish musicians and composed music based on the rhythmic patterns and the greater themes of their speech. One of the gigs was at London’s South Bank Centre, which I was very excited about. This is me and my friend Hope outside the Queen Elizabeth Hall straight after the gig:

(I’m the one on the right…) I could get used to playing that kind of venue!

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The next bit of exciting news was a full page article in Froots magazine. I was interviewed by the lovely Sophie Parkes before Christmas, and you can read it in the April issue that’s just come out. I’m chuffed to bits with the article, and it features a photo taken by my friend Donald Futers, too. You can buy a copy of the magazine here: http://www.frootsmag.com/content/issue/     I think I might frame it.

That’s all for now,

over and out.

Website is up and running! Still figuring out how it all works, but I’m hoping to keep it updated with latest photos, videos and news!

This photo has nothing to do with anything, I just like it.