An 8 artist co-commission in 2011 between Shrewsbury Folk Festival and EFDSS, inspired by the digitisation Cecil Sharp's Appalachian diaries.

Steve Knightley
Kathryn Roberts
Andy Cutting
Jim Moray
Leonard Podolak
Caroline Herring
Patsy Reid
Jackie Oates

The artists we're given full access to the diaries and resources from the archives at EFDSS, and used this material to create a new concert performance based on Sharp's collecting in the US.

 

The artists spent a week in a residential in early March 2011 in Acton Scott, Shropshire, immediately followed with shows at
Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury
Cecil Sharp House, London (2 nights)

The material from these shows was recorded, and the Shrewsbury show filmed, resulting in an 18 track CD and DVD double pack released in August 2011 (catalogue SFFCD02).

 

The artists reconvened at Shrewsbury Folk Festival for a performance in August 2011, and then in January 2012 for a UK tour that performed at
 

St Georges, Bristol

Opera House, Buxton
Derby Theatre, Derby
Celtic Connection, Glasgow
Mechanics, Burnley
Cecil Sharp House, London

 

Selected coverage

Guardian full page feature link

Guardian concert review link
Songlines 50 greatest albums of the last 5 years link

Gua

 

".....an intriguing, impressive album that results from a brave and unlikely collaboration."  The Guardian


"...it’s the quality of the musicianship and their obvious enjoyment in working and playing together that is striking..." Songlines