Bordering on the fantastic; jazz, blues and roots/the locals ALAN NICHOL takes a look at what's happening on the North East roots scene.Byline: ALAN NICHOL IN FOLK music folk music: see folk song. folk music Music held to be typical of a nation or ethnic group, known to all segments of its society, and preserved usually by oral tradition. Knowledge of the history and development of folk music is largely conjectural. terms, few areas of the UK can claim a richer heritage than that of the Anglo-Scottish border region. The area on both sides of the border - Reiver country - was a lawless terrain between the 13th and 16th centuries in particular and spawned traditional music's famous Border Ballads. The subject matter was frequently dark, with tales of murder, theft and more. That history still provides the inspiration for writers today and one such Lowlands resident, Karine Polwart, brings her band to the Journal Tyne Theatre on Thursday, April 10. It is a return to the theatre where she opened for fellow Scot, Eddi Reader Eddi Reader MBE (born Sadenia Reader, 28 August 1959) is a Scottish singer, known both for her work with Fairground Attraction and for an enduring solo career, which in 2003 saw her showcase the works of Scotland's national poet, Robert Burns. , some four years ago. Karine Polwart is the recipient of numerous awards for her songwriting and recorded work, but her talent was built on a solid foundation. Originally from Stirling, she gained a first-class honours degree Noun 1. first-class honours degree - an honours degree of the highest class first honours, honours degree - a university degree with honors double first - a first-class honours degree in two subjects Britain, Great Britain, U.K. in Philosophy from Dundee University and decamped to Glasgow to study for her masters degree. Post-study, she worked for Scottish Women's Aid Women's Aid is a group of feminist charities across the United Kingdom. There are four main Women's Aid Federations, one for each country. Its aim is to end domestic violence against women and children. , gaining a perfect insight into a broad spectrum of life and subject matter for countless potential songs. Polwart spent her musical apprenticeship with the Battlefield Band (one album) and then Malinky (two albums) then recorded her first solo offering, Faultlines, which was to win her three prizes in the 2003 BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards The BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards celebrate outstanding achievement during the previous year within the field of folk music. The awards have been given annually since 2000 by British radio station BBC Radio 2. . She won subsequent awards from the same source for her later work in 2005 and last year. I spoke to Karine this week and asked her about her academic background and its impact on her work. "It's definitely influenced how I go about writing songs," she said. "You know, quite a few of them are questioning songs. They are designed to make you think." The new album, This Earthly Spell (Hegri Music), does indeed contain questioning songs but there are others which have been inspired by the recent arrival of her son, Arlo (Karine's husband Mattie is a member of the band, as is her brother, Stephen). "The album is a bit more pared-back than (debut solo album) Faultlines or Scribbled In Chalk (2006) and that's maybe because I was working on (the traditional album) Fairest Floo'er at the same time." Her home in the Borders, too, proved to be a song-generator. "The last two tracks on This Earthly Spell are influenced by the area. Sorrowless Field is a real place (near Earlston) and was said to date back to the Battle of Flodden Field. I just loved the name! Tongue That Cannot Lie, from the same geographic source, is about the 13th Century poet-prophet, Thomas The Rhymer, also known as True Thomas." The full line-up sees Karine out front on vocals/guitars with husband, Mattie Foulds, on percussion, her brother Stephen on acoustic/electric guitars, banjo banjo, stringed musical instrument, with a body resembling a tambourine. The banjo consists of a hoop over which a skin membrane is stretched; it has a long, often fretted neck and four to nine strings, which are plucked with a pick or the fingers. and vocals, Inge Thomson (accordion, melodica, vox) and Kevin McGuire on bass/vox. Box office number is 0844 493 9999. CLOSER to hand, next Tuesday brings another family connection when Philadelphia's Bielanko brothers, Dave and Serge, arrive at the Cluny with their band Marah. Regularly likened to Springsteen for their energy, the band has released nine albums over the past decade or so, three in 2005 alone. A few days later, next Friday, the Cluny has the former Drive By Truckers front man, Jason Isbell and his new band, the 400 Unit. Isbell, 28, left the Truckers last year but he has not severed the link entirely. His new CD, Sirens Of The Ditch (New West Records), has contributions from several DBT DBT Department of Biotechnology (India) DBT Dibenzothiophene DBT Drive-By Truckers (band) DBT Design Basis Threat DBT Deutscher Bundestag (German Parliament) members and co-production by Trucker, Patterson Hood. There is also a companion six-track EP of Isbell and the new band called Live At The Twist & Shout. Tickets from (0191) 230 4474. FINALLY, next week sees the arrival in the area of the unfeasibly talented duo, Simon Mayor and Hilary James. The duo take in several locations around the region, with stops at New Hartley Community Association on Thursday plus trips to Berwick, Wooler, Consett and Durham in quick succession. CAPTION(S): TYNE THEATRE GIG - Karine Polwart returns to the North East after four years |
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