Katherine Priddy
Katherine Priddy is a hypnotic singer-songwriter who encapsulates the rich and often solemn side of artists gone by such as Nick Drake and John Martyn, delivering each word with a genuine warmth and charm. A firm favourite with the Virtually FolkEast audience, we couldn’t wait to welcome her back to Suffolk for a Blaxhall Session.
Katherine’s debut EP ‘Wolf’, has been championed by the BBC 2 Folk Show, BBC 6 Music’s Gideon Coe and Tom Robinson, as well as receiving exceptional reviews. The great Richard Thompson himself named it as his ‘Best Thing I’ve Heard All Year’ in MOJO Magazine.
What more can we say ….
Martin Simpson
Martin Simpson returns to the Blaxhall Sessions after his sell out gig in Season 1.
Universally acclaimed as one of the finest ever acoustic and slide guitar players, and a fine banjo-picker to boot, his solo shows bear witness to an artist at the very top of his game. Whether interpreting material from tradition or singing his own potent self-penned songs, Simpson is a remarkable storyteller: captivating and profoundly moving.
During lockdown, he has kept us entertained online with his concerts and masterclasses and November 2020 saw the release of Home Recordings, a warm and generous album of solo acoustic songs and tunes played on various guitars, banjos and ukuleles from his spectacular reserve of instruments. The Blaxhall Sessions provides an intimate and simple space to really absorb and enjoy the music of this wonderful musician.
Sunday 13th June
Jez Lowe
A double nomination in the 2015 BBC Folk Awards – for best singer and best new song – was a timely reminder of Jez Lowe’s standing in the UK folk and acoustic music scene.
Not only is he one of the busiest live performers in the country, but his songs are amongst the most widely sung by other performers, whether by long established acts like Fairport Convention, The Dubliners and Bob Fox, or by the more recent breed of stars like The Unthanks and the Young’uns. During lockdown, Jez recorded and released his first solo album for six years Crazy Pagan with 12 new songs and a hopeful glimpse towards the future. We look forward to seeing him back on the road again at the Blaxhall Sessions.
Eliza Carthy Trio
If there is one musician who embodies the dynamism and vitality of English folk, it’s Eliza Carthy. Her music effortlessly crosses boundaries of genre and style. Whether performing a centuries-old ballad or a self-written song, her powerful voice, fiercely beautiful fiddle playing and mesmerizing live performances have not only influenced a whole generation of young musicians but has revitalised folk music, capturing the most hardened of dissenters along the way. She has stormed the main stage at FolkEast on several occasions with her Wayward Band and with the Imagined Village. It is a real joy to be able to bring the Eliza Carthy Trio to the more intimate setting of the Blaxhall Sessions where exceptional memories of the best of folk are made.
Joining Eliza to form the trio, all the way from the Wayward Band, is guitarist David Delarre and melodeon player Saul Rose.
