Cerian releases her wonderful debut EP 'Caught In The Dark'

‘Caught in the Dark’ is the highly anticipated debut EP by London-based singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer Cerian. Described as “the purest voice on radio” and tipped by Music Republic Magazine as one of their “ones to watch” in 2019, Cerian now releases her debut EP ‘Caught in the Dark’ - a series of songs written in the middle of the night. A lifelong insomniac, Cerian is almost completely nocturnal, and these profoundly personal songs have grown out of her struggle with both the literal and internal darkness felt in the isolation of the early hours of the morning, when she would stay awake writing until dawn. The intensity of these emotions can be heard in the powerful songs that grew out of this struggle.

Written just as she was trying to gain the confidence to share her own music with the world for the first time, the first track on the EP -’Wasteland’ - explores the feelings of loneliness and paralysing fear. Cerian explains: “In the dead of the night, terrifying existentialism takes over: seemingly frozen in time, you feel unable to traverse the space between where you are and where you want to be. The precipice of the unknown future is calling, but you don’t know if you’re going to fly or fall if you can find the courage to jump.” Building on the EP’s themes of time, light and dark, second track ‘Seasons’ is a haunting and ethereal ode to lost time and a first love, opening on five-part harmonies reminiscent of a vocoder, and a perpetual motion guitar part which underpins this uniquely dark piece of moving dream-pop.

The title track of the EP ‘Caught in the Dark’ is a darkly powerful song with a cinematic build showcasing Cerian's incredible range and vocal dexterity. Written at a time of personal darkness, this song explores the colours within that darkness and the search for light. Ending with a ray of hope in its last line “I felt the sunrise from a darkened cry”, fourth track ‘Our Love’ Is picks up from this point and represents the lightest moment on the EP, both thematically and sonically, as a celebration of love and light. ‘Our Love’ Is is a beautifully delicate, rousing and life-affirming acoustic pop song showcasing a duet of two perfectly matched voices singing of the triumph of their love. As with Wasteland, it was recorded with collaborator Robert Taira Wilson, and features Wilson’s intricate guitar playing intertwined with Cerian’s piano playing. The final track, ‘Carry Me Home’, is a beautifully poignant pop ballad, recorded live with just voice and piano. Inspired by the words “time hath overtaken me”, ‘Carry Me Home’ is an evocative reminder of the fleeting fragility of life.

This group of brooding songs are tinged by the mystery and beauty of the night, and this is echoed in Cerian’s innovative and atmospheric songwriting and production. Cerian brings together epic soundscapes of vocal harmonies, harp, piano, orchestral drums and electric guitar, featuring a cinematic palette which may be likened to London Grammar and Active Child. Lyrically, Cerian draws inspiration from literature and poetry to craft her own vivid and poetic lyrics which make every song a compelling story. Her combination of crystalline vocals and heartfelt delivery take the listener on a raw and honest journey which is a triumph of dark ethereal indie folk-pop.

Further to writing and producing all the songs on this EP, Cerian has also created all the art, paintings and visuals that accompany it. Each song is represented by a colour, and the EP journeys through the different colours sought and found in the search for light. The EP image is a photo with a projection of one of Cerian’s paintings encompassing every colour in that journey.

Cerian has sung with an impressive array of artists, including U2, Radiohead, Sam Smith, Thom Yorke, Imogen Heap, Neneh Cherry, Tom Chaplin, Nakhane, Charlotte Church, Laura Mvula and Amber Run. Once she began performing her own work as a solo artist, her vocal dexterity and range - combined with emotive and truthful songwriting - quickly resulted in comparisons to Joni Mitchell and Kate Bush. Her first four singles have garnered glowing reviews, BBC Introducing support and extensive radio play and Cerian has quickly gained a reputation as a captivating live performer from appearances at Glastonbury Festival, Bush Hall and two sold-out headline shows at The National Portrait Gallery.

Cerian is celebrating the EP launch with a live-stream from her Facebook page (www.facebook.com/cerianmusic) on Saturday 4th April at 7pm, in place of the gig which was originally planned. Everyone is welcome to watch for free!

You can listen or purchase a copy of Cerian’s new EP from the links below >>>

https://smarturl.it/caughtinthedarkep?fbclid=IwAR0UyZvTPdNl-5GNp9hzaa_l0c3w1WLPhanp9xd52VrJHMR67ZIZxxAwBfk

"Absolutely wonderful.” - BBC Introducing

“Gorgeous.. fantastic.. quite sensational.. the purest voice on radio." - Justine Greene (BBC Radio)

“Nothing short of stunning.” - Paul Sexton (Journalist, BBC)

“A range to her voice that angels dream of.” - BBC London

“Cerian has that rare type of compelling vocal that effortlessly captures its listener's attention with its extraordinary range and purity.” - When the Horn Blows

The AMA UK announces award nominees for 2020

On a wonderful night in Islington yesterday Mary Gauthier and Baylen Leonard announced the nominations for the AMA UK awards for 2020. The theme of the event for 2020 is ‘Collaborate and Cross-Pollinate’, reflecting how Americana artists work together across different genres and art forms.

With an excellent series of conferences and showcases planned in Hackney, the event culminates on January 30th with the AMA UK awards show at the art deco Troxy in Limehouse, East London.

The special awards for 2020 are:-

• Lifetime Achievement Award - Joan Armatrading

• Legend Award - Lonnie Donegan

• Trailblazer Award - Nick Lowe

• Grassroots Award: Mark Whitfield - Americana-UK.Com

• Emerging Artist Award: Ferris & Sylvester

UK Instrumentalist Of The Year

• Ben Smith

• Jim Maving

• Sian Monaghan

• Will Page

UK Song Of The Year

• Little Piece Of Heaven - Elles Bailey

• The Fire - Jamie Freeman

• Hear Your Voice - Danni Nicholls

• Amy - Roseanne Reid

UK Album Of The Year

• Here There’s No Sirens - Pete Gow

• Chasing Lights - Ida Mae

• Bleeding On The Soundtrack - William The Conqueror

• Walk Through Fire - Yola

UK Artist Of The Year

• Jade Bird

• Bear’s Den

• Frank Turner

• Yola

International Song Of The Year

• Turn Off The News (Build A Garden) - Lukas Nelson & The Promise Of The Real

• Letter To Madeline - Ian Noe

• Saying Goodbye - J S Ondara

• Me and The Ghost Of Charlemagne - Amy Spence

International Album Of The Year

• Undress - Felice Brothers

• Highwomen - Highwomen

• Songs Of Our Native Daughters - Our Native Daughters

• Mint Condition - Caroline Spence

International Artist Of The Year

• Brandi Carlile

• The Dead South

• Larkin Poe

• Marvis Staples

The 2020 AMA UK conference starts on January 28th at the Hackney Picture House. The keynote speaker this year is Joan Armatrading. On the evenings of January 28th and 29th, 75 artists from the UK, USA, Canada, Australia, and Europe will showcase across eight Hackey venues. This will include showcases hosted by Yep Rock (Canada), Canada House (Canada) and House Of Songs (USA). The line-up is excellent this year and reads like a ‘who’s who’ of the Americana world. Personal highlights include Blue Rose Code, Danni Nicholls, Ferris and Sylvester, Irish Mythen, Kyshona, Matin Harley, Rob Vincent, Roseanne Reid, Stephen Fearing, Worry Dolls and The Secret Sisters.

January 27th also features an extra special charity kick-off event at OSLO celebrating the meeting of Texan roots rocker Joe Ely with London punks The Clash. ‘Americana Clash’. It will also celebrate 40 years since the release on the iconic Clash album ‘London Calling’. Guests include Frank Turner, Grace Petrie and Danny Champ.

Tickets to all events are available through the AMA UK website >>>

https://theamauk.org

Tedeschi Trucks Band to release new album 'Signs' on Feb 15th

On February 15, Tedeschi Trucks Band and Fantasy Records will release ‘SIGNS’, their 4th studio album and a new high-water mark in their recording career. With 11 originals penned by the band and a few dear friends, produced by Derek Trucks, Jim Scott and Bobby Tis and meticulously recorded to two-inch analogue tape for the first time, SIGNS reflects on the losses suffered by the band in the past few years while still finding cause for hope and celebration in the beauty of life and nature.

In celebration of SIGNS we’re also excited to announce a special album release concert at Brooklyn Academy of Music on February 20th.

The band will be headlining in London at The Palladium on April 26th and 27th.

SIGNS TRACK LIST

1. Signs (High Times)
2. I’m Gonna Be There
3. When Will I Begin
4. Walk Through This Life
5. Strengthen What Remains
6. Still Your Mind
7. Hard Case
8. Shame
9. All The World
10. They Don’t Shine
11. The Ending

Recorded at Swamp Raga Studios, Jacksonville, FL
Produced, engineered and mixed by Derek Trucks, Jim Scott and Bobby Tis
Strings written and arranged by Kofi Burbridge
Horns written and arranged by Kebbi Williams, Elizabeth Lea and Ephraim Ownes
Cover art by Alec Huxley
Dedicated to their friend and mentor Col. Bruce Hampton (Ret.)

Pre-order your copy below >>>

Fiona Bevan releases wonderful new EP 'Wild Angels Sweet Demons'

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After spending a couple of years writing for other artists, the excellent singer-songwriter Fiona Bevan releases her brand new EP ‘Wild Angels Sweet Demons’. It's an EP of four songs of love, life, death, sex, imperfection, obsession and lush widescreen cinematic joy!

It was produced by Fiona’s longtime friend and Grammy-winning engineer Robin Baynton who has worked with Isaac Gracie, Mumford And Sons, Laura Marling, Coldplay, Florence, Arcade Fire. He also produced Fiona’s first EP 'Us And The Darkness'.

The new EP is available digitally and on vinyl today, with the CD available soon. All photos are polaroids taken by Chris Almeida

TOUR DATES

21 Nov @ Bath - Komedia

22 Nov @ Brighton - Patterns

24 Nov @ Exeter - The Phoenix

26 Nov @ Norwich - Arts Centre

27 Nov @ Ramsgate - Music Hall

28 Nov @ London - Islington Assembly Hall

30 Nov @ Cardiff - The Globe

1 Dec @ Liverpool - Arts Club

3 Dec @ Newcastle - Riverside

4 Dec @ Edinburgh - The Caves

5 Dec @ Birmingham - Institute 2

The Southern Companion to release their excellent new album in January

We are delighted to announce that The Southern Companion will be releasing their new album “Shine A Little Light” on 25th January 2019 on their own label, Eleven33 Records. Pre order will be available from 21st November 2018 and when purchased digitally you will receive "Songbird" as an instant gratification download.

The band will be supporting the release with their first UK headline tour during February and March 2019. Dates to be announced shortly.

Fronted by singer/songwriter and guitarist Darren Hodson, The Southern Companion are made up of some of the UK’s finest session musicians , some of whom first met in the music room at school. Their CV’s include industry big hitters Tom Jones, Take That, Mel C, Lulu, Rumer, James Morrison, Pete Townsend, Dire Straits, Amy MacDonald, the list goes on and on.

After recording an “Under The Apple Tree” session for Bob Harris in 2016, an appearance at the C2C festival in London soon followed and a string of UK festivals that summer brought The Southern Companion firmly into the hearts of Country & Americana fans. 2 years of UK, European and USA tour dates came next supporting songstress Rumer and 60’s legend Lulu.

Multiple British CMA Awards, Live shows for The AMA-UK, National air play on BBC Radio 2 from Bob Harris, as well as a featured song in the upcoming smash hit movie “Wild Rose” feat. Jessie Buckley & Julie Walters, 2019 looks set to be a big year for the band.

“Americana blend that delivers a lot of impressive moments” – Maverick Magazine

“Wonderful band, I really enjoyed their set, We all love that song here” – Bob Harris – BBCR2

“A Mid-Atlantic Sonic Whirlpool where the US & UK currents meet” – AmericanaUK

“In a different place and time Darren’s voice would have made him a 90’s “modern rock” god and that’s a wonderful thing as far as I’m concerned” – Baylen Leonard / Bluegrass Situation

Jimmie Allen releases excellent debut album 'Mercury Lane'

NASHVILLE, TN / LONDON, UK — “One of the most inspiring tales to come out of Music Row in the last decade,” (CMT) Jimmie Allen has announced the hotly-anticipated details surrounding his debut album,‘Mercury Lane’, available everywhere October 12th 2018 via Stoney Creek Records / BBR Music Group, just in time for his forthcoming first UK tour dates. After teasing the track listing and behind-the-scenes photos on his socials earlier this week, the "Best Shot" singer just revealed the artwork, name, meaning and additional details for his first full-length album along with a brand-new song.

As an homage to the origin of his story and how far he’s come, the soul-baring album takes its name from the street Allen grew up on and pays tribute to the influence home and family has had on his incredible journey. Fans will instantly receive six songs with a pre-order of ‘Mercury Lane’, including “Best Shot,” “Underdogs,” “21,” “Warrior,” “Back of Your Mind” and “Make Me Want To,” a brand-new track that highlights the singer’s hopeless romantic side.

“Mercury Lane is where my journey began. All of the fundamental life lessons that shaped my values and make me who I am today, I was taught on that street—it’s where I learned about love, family, life, how to believe in myself, the concept of never giving up, following your dreams and being a good person,” said Jimmie Allen. “This album touches on all of those ideals and truly feels like I’m sharing a piece of my heart with the world. I’ve been working toward this moment for so long; I can’t wait to share it with everyone.”

‘Mercury Lane’ comes nearly one year to the day after Allen quietly dropped his self-titled EP which earned him recognition on a slew of “Artist to Watch” titles. Now with his debut single, “Best Shot” rocketing up the charts (currently Top 20), with more than 38 million streams to date, Jimmie has become one of the most buzzed about Country newcomers and is slated to make his national US TV debut next month on NBC’s TODAY. Fans have gone rabid for Allen’s undeniable talent and incredible story of perseverance and positivity, as depicted in his docu-series “Jimmie Allen All In.”

For months Jimmie Allen fans had been teased with the promise of a full-length album; hoping to satiate the craving for new music, the critically-acclaimed rising star had been sharing one brand-new track each month as a collection of songs he calls the “Slower Lower Sessions.” The series, inspired by the ‘Slower Lower’ region of the state, held fans off temporarily but it is clear that after teasing ‘Mercury Lane’ details on his Instagram story earlier this week, people are excited for more Jimmie Allen.

TRACK LIST:
“American Heartbreaker” — (Jimmie Allen, Lance Miller, Chris Stevens, Ash Bowers)
“Make Me Want To” — (Jimmie Allen, Paul Sikes, Jennifer Denmark)
“Deserve to Be” — (Jimmie Allen, Danielle Blakey, Tripp Howell)
“How to Be Single” — (Natalie Hemby, Shane McAnally, Jimmy Robbins)
“Wait for It” — (Ash Bowers, Thom McHugh, Steve Williams)
“High Life” — (Lance Miller, Brett Warren, Brad Warren, Chris Stevens)
“21” — (Brandon Hood, Josh Jenkins, Ash Bowers)
“Underdogs” — (Ash Bowers, Brandon Lay, Jonathan Singleton)
“Like You Do” — (Jimmie Allen, JP Williams, Josh London, Jason Mizell)
“Back of Your Mind” — (Jimmie Allen, Matthew McVaney, Devin Tolentino)
“Boy Gets a Truck” — (Ash Bowers, Aaron Scherz)
“County Lines” — (Brett Tyler, Ben Burgess, Matt Dragstrem)
“Best Shot” — (Jimmie Allen, Josh London, JP Williams)
“Warrior” — (Jimmie Allen, Casey Beathard, Ash Bowers)
“All Tractors Ain’t Green” — (Jimmie Allen, Brandon Hood, Tim Nichols)

'Mercury Lane', produced by Ash Bowers and Eric Torres is available for pre-order here: https://jimmieallen.lnk.to/mercurylane.

Hot off of a busy summer on the road, gaining new fans at festivals across the country, Jimmie will hit the road again in support of Scotty McCreery and Kane Brown’s tours as well as take his live show to the UK alongside labelmate, Chase Rice. For tour details and more information, visit www.JimmieAllenMusic.com.


TOUR DATES:

October 23 —London, UK—Chase Rice Lambs & Lions UK Tour
October 24 — Manchester, UK— Chase Rice Lambs & Lions UK Tour
October 25 — Glasgow, UK— Chase Rice Lambs & Lions UK Tour
October 27 — Birmingham, UK— Chase Rice Lambs & Lions UK Tour
October 28 — London, UK— Chase Rice Lambs & Lions UK Tour

JIMMIE ALLEN - BEST SHOT

ABOUT JIMMIE ALLEN:
The epitome of the phrase “persistence pays off,” Jimmie Allen laid it all on the line to make his dreams a reality. Now signed to BBR Music Group’s Stoney Creek Records, with his debut single “Best Shot” in the Top 20 and climbing, Jimmie Allen is set to make his full-length album debut with Mercury Lane, featuring a cutting-edge mix of country, rock, R&B, and pop produced by Ash Bowers and Eric Torres.

The Southern Delaware native’s talent for songwriting is undeniable, having written a song that was featured in a Super Bowl commercial and appeared in a Diet Coke ad with megastar Taylor Swift. “Blue Jean Baby,” off his debut self-titled EP, immediately caught the attention of country music fans and critics alike with its soulful groove— rocketing it to the top of digital playlists, across all genres. Allen is currently introducing his music at festivals across the country before sharing the stage with Chase Rice, Kane Brown, and Scotty McCreery this fall. The hot newcomer has already been heralded as one of the top “artists to watch in 2018” by Rolling Stone, Billboard, Pandora, Sounds Like Nashville; and has earned spots in CMT’s “18 for 2018” Listen Up program, and Bobby Bones’ Class of 2018.

Twitter: @JimmieAllen
www.facebook.com/jimmieallenmusic
www.instagram.com/jimmieallen

The award winning Lucas and King to release self titled debut album

Crowned ‘Fender Undiscovered Artist Of The Year 2018’ Southampton based duo Bo Lucas & Hayleigh King are set to release their highly anticipated self titled debut album on 23rd November. ‘Lucas & King’ promises to be a great fusion of Blues, Country, Sixties Pop and Roots. Their album launch will be at the prestigious Green Note in Camden on 26th November

With influences including Peggy Lee, Eddie Cochran, Buddy Holly, The Kinks and Dolly Parton, the album features beautifully complex lyrics, sung by the sultry stand-out vocals of lead singer Bo Lucas, made all the brighter by Hayleigh King’s sympathetic and tasteful guitar accompaniment which in turn creates the cinematic backdrop of their sound. The album features elements of sixties pop, surf, garage and blues that take you from the empty and confined opener of ‘Brunswick Place’, through to the realities of love and life in ‘Maybe I Do’, to an existential crisis in ‘Shop Girl’, finishing on the dark noir obsessive ‘Nothing On You’. The duo have managed to create a timeless, but also fresh sound that is entirely their own. Upon meeting in Brighton at university, Bo Lucas (lead vocals and acoustic guitar) and Hayleigh King (electric guitar and backing-vocals) quickly cemented a musical connection, writing their first song ‘Crazy Heart’ within 15 minutes of first playing together.

Their DIY approach to music saw them playing at open mic's and local shows, resulting with the opportunity to tour with and open for Ray Davies - 50th anniversary tour, back in 2014. At short notice they burnt CDs on laptops, with handmade brown paper & cardboard sleeves stuck together, hand stamped with “Lucas & King” and handwritten track listings ready for the tour. In just a few years Lucas & King have stacked up many accolades and awards; the duo were finalists in Glastonbury Emerging Talent 2017 which saw them perform on Rabbit Hole, Avalon and Acoustic stage. Then in July of this year they were crowned winners of the prestigious ‘Fender Undiscovered Artist award’, hand picked by a panel of judges from over 2000 contestants; prize including a trip to LA, with gigs at the Fender factory in Corona California.

Lucas & King have also supported many respected overseas artists, such as Blind Boy Paxton, John Murry, The Americans and Colter Wall, all of whom have become avid fans of this very special duo.

You can pre-order the new album in the link below from Bandcamp

https://lucasandking.bandcamp.com/album/lucas-king

https://www.lucasandking.com/

Sarah Darling to release exciting new album in January

LCM favourite US singer-songwriter Sarah Darling is scheduled to release her fifth studio album in January 2019. You can pre-order the album along with her next single on October 26th.

Having been very busy laying the groundwork for her new album with Mark Bright ((Rascal Flatts, Carrie Underwood, Keith Urban) in her hometown of Nashville, Sarah has relocated to London, where she has spent the summer working with acclaimed writer/producers Ash Howes (Kylie, Gabriella Aplin) and Pete Hammerton (The Shires, Wandering Hearts, Shane Filan) and with songwriters including Shelly Poole (Paloma Faith, Mel C, Sam Bailey) and Jessica Sharman (The Shires, Ward Thomas).

On her affinity with the UK and her latest stay, Sarah comments: “Over the past couple of years, I have spent an ever greater amount of time in the UK. While Nashville will always remain my musical base, the UK has become a second home to me, both musically and in spirit. I feel so fortunate to be working with such talented musicians and artists in the UK, and I am excited to share the new direction of my music with fans everywhere.”

Sarah’s music in 2018 has been growing and evolving, building on the success of her breakout album 'Dream Country' released in 2017. We can't wait to hear the new album

Emily Mae Winters to release brand new second album 'High Romance'

The multi-award wining Cambridge based singer-songwriter Emily Mae Winters is releasing her brand new second album ‘High Romance’ through Pledge Music…and she needs your help and support.

For the release Emily has also been supported by the PRS Emerging Artist Fund in association with Pledge Music as well as through EFDSS (English Folk Song and Dance Society) Creative Seed Funding.

The new album will be recorded this December at London’s Urchin Studios with award winning producer Matt Ingram (Florence and the Machine, Laura Marling, Rae Morris, Lianne La Havas, Lewis & Leigh, Benjamin Francis Leftwich).

The album pre-sales and other exclusives can be found at Emily’s Pledge page at the link below.

Emily will also be on a UK album pre-release tour. Catch her if you can.

https://www.pledgemusic.com/projects/high-romance

Photo credit: Elly Lucas

Saskia GM to make new album with an undiscovered collective of Scottish musicians

Saskia Griffith Moore has just announced a Kickstarter campaign and pre-order for her new Scottish themed album. Ssakia will be working in Scotland with an undiscovered collective of Scottish musicians. It's one everyone here at LCM HQ is very interested in hearing when it is completed.

All the details and introduction video are in the links below for you

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/musicsongsoul/saskias-scottish-album

O&O to release debut EP ‘Truth Comes Out' on September 21st

Following a packed summer of festivals including Cambridge Folk, Buckle & Boots, and Black Deer; tour dates and radio airplay across the UK including multiple BBC radio appearances, London-based Americana duo O&O have announced the Sept 21st release of their long-awaited debut EP ‘Truth Comes Out’, and revealed the lead single of the same name, available to stream now (listen here) and to download immediately for fans who pre-order the EP. Along with the title track, this new release features a total of four brand new songs including previous single ‘Tears In The Rain’, the video for which premiered last month on The Bluegrass Situation.

Orian Peled & Obadiah Jones comment “This summer has been momentous for us in getting to share our music with new audiences across the UK and we cannot wait to share our debut EP with everyone. This collection of songs came together over five busy months and several trips to Liverpool in the midst of our summer tour. Writing and recording the tracks one by one allowed us to try new writing styles and sounds as each new song was influenced by the ones that came before.”

Describing the single: “‘Truth Comes Out’ was inspired by the gritty sound we got from plugging Obadiah’s guitar into an old reel-to-reel tape machine that our producer, Alec Brits, has in his studio. That distorted sound led us into the most rocky territory we’ve explored so far and influenced the darker themes of betrayal in the lyrics.”

O&O will be showcasing songs from the new release at Apples & Pears in Shoreditch, London on Sept 14th. The EP is available to pre-order now on all platforms (Amazon / iTunes) and the single will be available to stream on Spotify soon.

The excellent The London Roots Festival grows bigger and better for 2018

The London Roots Festival 24th October - 18th November (formerly The London Folk & Roots Festival) is now in it’s fifth year. It’s grown from doing 6 shows in the first year to 32 in 2017 year across various size venues such as The Palladium, Bush Hall, Union Chapel, Shepherds Bush Empire, Oslo and many more.  Growing from strength to strength each year, 2018 promises to be bigger and better than ever.

This year's great line-up includes:-

• Tom Baxter
• Blind Boys Of Alabama
• Joshua Burnside
• Callaghan
• Bruce Cockburn
• Fisherman's Friends
• Finbar Furey
• Jake Morrell
• Lindisfarne
• Over The Rhine
• Sam Kelly & The Lost Boys
• John Smith
• Sound Of The Sirens
• Trampled By Turtles
• Robert Vincent

In 2014 David Messer having promoted roots music for a number of years through DMP UK, decided to start a festival to give a platform for new and up and coming artists to play with known and established artists and to bring the best in roots music to London under one banner. So he teamed up with his friends at National Promotion company Kilimanjaro Live and created the The London Folk & Roots Festival, a multi venue event over two weeks in Oct/Nov.

It’s grown from doing 6 shows in the first year to 32 last year across various size venues such as The Palladium, Bush Hall, Union Chapel, Shepherds Bush Empire, Oslo and many more.

They have changed the name this year as they feel that folk comes under roots and they have an eclectic mix of folk, country, Americana, blues, singer songwriters and world music. We are very pleased here at LCM that this festival, is becoming a great part of London’s musical calendar.

If you are interesting in playing at the festival please send your info to david@dmpuk.com.

https://www.seetickets.com/tour/the-london-roots-festival

Nashville Star Claire Bowen To Release Debut Album on August 31st

Australian-born, US-based singer-songwriter-actress Clare Bowen, is releasing her debut album in the UK just in time for her first ever headline UK tour. Released on Aug 31st 2018 via BMG, the eponymous album will be preceded by the beautifully crafted single ‘Let It Rain’, which showcases Clare’s striking vocal abilities perfectly and is the album opener. ‘Let It Rain’ was debuted on the legendary Bob Harris’ Radio 2 show recently to incredible reactions.

Best known for her leading role as Scarlett O’Connor on the hit TV series NASHVILLE, Clare is a gifted performer, both on screen and in a live arena setting. She returns to the UK just months after selling out the O2 London with her NASHVILLE cast mates, who also sold-out three nights at the Royal Albert Hall last year. Bowen will be releasing her debut album, produced by Brooklyn, NY’s Josh Kaufman, just before her tour kicks off at Symphony Hall, Birmingham on September 2, and tickets are on-sale now. 

Years before launching her career as a singer-song writer, a young Clare was growing up in rural Australia, miles from the nearest city, writing down everything she felt, heard, saw and dreamed. “Music was my connection to the rest of the world,” she says. “I was brought up on my parents’ vinyl collection - everything from Vivaldi, to Elvis, to Dolly, to Springsteen, Edith Piaf and Etta James.”

Along the way, she established herself as an in-demand actress on both sides of the Atlantic, earning critical praise in the highly controversial Australian film, The Combination, directed by David Field, and as the leading role of Wendla in the Sydney Theatre Company’s musical production of Spring Awakening. Fresh off the set of NASHVILLE after six years of filming, she is happy to take a moment this Autumn to focus on music and promoting her new album which she has been writing and recording for years.
 

CLARE BOWEN |  2018 UK TOUR DATES

Sep 2 | Birmingham, UK | Symphony Hall

Sep 4 | Gateshead, UK | Sage Gateshead

Sep 5 | York, UK | York Barbican

Sep 6 | Manchester, UK | Bridgewater Hall

Sep 8 | Glasgow, UK | Glasgow Royal Concert Hall

Sep 9 | Cambridge, UK | Cambridge Corn Exchange

Sep 10 | Guildford, UK | G Live

Sep 12 | London, UK | Royal Festival Hall

Sep 13 | Brighton, UK | Brighton Dome

The excellent Music Makers Festival in London on October 6th and 7th announces artist line-up

The excellent Music Makers weekend festival set for the 6th & 7th October in the wonderful Half Moon in Putney, has just announced it's artist line up and stage times. This is a super London festival, if you haven't already discovered it before. It's organised and curated by Albert Mann and Manoja Ullmann. The full review of last years event is included for you on our LCM website.

This years line-up includes long term LCM favourites Danni Nicholls, Two Ways Home, Michele Stodart and Albert Mann and his band. As well as Hope, Jack O'Rouke, Jacko Hooper, Treetop Flyers, Aka George, Lucy May Walker, Declan Greene, Mide, Howard Rose and Kim Hayden.

Limited 'Early bird' full weekend passes are very reasonably priced at £20. All available tickets options including day tickets are included in the link below for you.

http://www.musicmakersfestival.com/tickets/

Creedence Clearwater Revival - Celebrating 50 Years

CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF AMERICA’S GREATEST ROCK BAND - CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL

To celebrate this major anniversary, a brand new official video of the classic and iconic song “Fortunate Son” has just been released. Exciting times ahead as more announcement to follow, including a special release this autumn.

Craft Recordings proudly announces the 50th anniversary of America’s greatest rock band, Creedence Clearwater Revival. It was in the summertime half a century ago that CCR, a group that would reach sky-high success while retaining a resolutely rootsy, earthbound sound, released their debut album. This marked the beginning of an incredible legacy that was formed over just four years of unbridled creative output (1968-1972).

CCR's canon has become a staple in the Great American Songbook. Songs like "Bad Moon Rising," "Down on the Corner," "Have You Ever Seen the Rain," "Proud Mary," and "Up Around the Bend" have been ingrained into the pop-cultural consciousness—not just as classic rock staples, but as American standards.

As the United States speeds towards another anniversary of its own on 4th July, Craft is kicking off the CCR50 campaign by releasing an official music video (the first ever) for one of the band’s most enduring classics, “Fortunate Son,” a song as vital now as ever.

Beyond its anti-war sentiment, "Fortunate Son" is an anthem for the 99%ers, condensing a critique of elitism and class privilege into three simple, but powerfully defiant words: It Ain’t Me. Craft partnered with director Ben Fee (Band of Horses, The War on Drugs, The Lumineers, Aesop Rock) to give a whole new generation a visual entry point into the world of Creedence.

The song already has an undeniable place in history as one of the most visceral, attention-grabbing protest tunes of the Vietnam era. With the new video, Fee extends the reach of "Fortunate Son" even further. "For me, protest right now is just showing pure positivity in the face of division and anger." Says Fee, “I wanted to highlight the community and positivity that everybody shares…I wanted to show what America feels like when you actually hit the road and drive throughout the states."

Though the Vietnam war is decades away in the rearview mirror, the people CCR were speaking for in the song are still the heart and soul of America, and they're still the underdog, facing a whole new set of challenges. So, Fee turned the video into a celebration of their indomitable spirit, giving viewers a glimpse of the broad array of characters comprising the patchwork that is our country at its core.

In spotlighting the diversity and unconquerable spirit of America's so-called 99%, Fee created a concept as relevant to today's world as it is to the original 1969 setting of "Fortunate Son." "I met so many beautiful people," says Fee of the folks he shot for the video. "I went to the Taos Pueblo people, into their land, and met with the war chief, and they were very big fans of CCR. They were so welcoming because they knew the song and the band, and they really loved the idea of protest through positivity."

Fee’s video road trip took him across the country, from Los Angeles to Miami and all points in between. The footage captures people across America of diverse ages, cultures, ethnic backgrounds and locations (including Florida, Louisiana, Texas, New Mexico, California, Washington and Hawaii) to document the true spirit that makes up the fabric of the United States, for which CCR have been the soundtrack for 50 years.

In addition to the video, the half-century celebration will continue in the coming months to fill out the CCR story even further. Craft will be honouring the band’s musical legacy via a diverse array of media, products and events; including a special release coming this autumn. The fête will also provide fans with new ways to engage with CCR online–sharing their memories, streaming new content, and diving deeper into the band’s legendary history. Stay tuned to CCR50.com for more details, coming soon.

In the meantime, you can dig in to more from the Creedence Clearwater Revival catalogue (and build your 4th July playlists) via Apple Music (click here for the Essentials) or Spotify (click here for This Is).

Creedence Clearwater Revival’s 1968 self-titled debut album introduced the world to guitar-playing brothers John and Tom Fogerty, drummer Doug Clifford, and bassist Stu Cook, four young men out of El Cerrito in the San Francisco Bay Area. Though they emerged in a place and time where trippy psychedelic visions were the order of the day, CCR bucked the trends and instead tapped into a rich, traditional seam of American music that connected to blues, country, rockabilly, gospel, folk and R&B.

While their contemporaries were unfurling mind-bending musical excursions with elaborate productions, Creedence crashed into the upper rungs of the album and singles charts with songs that wasted nary a note or word, overflowing with raw soul and unbridled energy. Although the band members were only together for four years under the Creedence Clearwater Revival appellation, they managed to accomplish more than many artists do in their entire career – they released 14 Top 10 hits, six Platinum albums, and one Gold in just four intensely prolific years, all powered by John Fogerty's gut-level growl, with Tom Fogerty, Stu Cook and Doug Clifford providing just the right kind of gritty, in-the-pocket punch to propel CCR's vision.

The band's West Coast origins notwithstanding, Fogerty's voice contained echoes of everything from the Chicago blues bite of Howlin' Wolf to the Alabama twang of Hank Williams and the Memphis swagger of Elvis Presley, creating an archetypal example of Americana decades before anybody ever thought of using that term to define a musical genre.

For all the indelible guitar hooks and commanding vocals the CCR catalogue contains, their songs are more than catchy tunes. CCR was a people's band in more ways than one; hand in hand with the accessibility that made their music relatable to just about everybody, there was a strong sense of identification with America's common folks, the ones whose stories were told in the songs.

On tunes like "Born on the Bayou" and "Green River," Creedence harnessed the sonic hoodoo of almost dangerously deep, “swamp rock” grooves to propel vivid New Orleans imagery. "Long As I Can See the Light" floats luminously with the kind of sanctified soul feel that we've come to expect only from the South. And the spry country two-step of "Lookin' Out My Back Door" finds its feet in Nashville, at least in a spiritual sense. While CCR's signature song, "Proud Mary," is a Southern-soaked riverboat travelogue, with stops in Memphis and the Crescent City.

Even some of the covers of Creedence's tunes have become part of history—Ike & Tina Turner's sped-up, R&B-slathered 1971 recording of "Proud Mary" almost rivaled the original in popularity. And an astonishing array of artists, from Johnny Cash and Willie Nelson to R.E.M. and the Ramones, have recorded "Have You Ever Seen the Rain," to home in on the reach of just one of their profusely covered songs.

The group also performed a historic headlining set at Woodstock, and toured the world before disbanding in 1972. CCR's music endures today – still in popular rotation on the radio, and heard regularly in films and TV shows. Having sold over 30 million albums in the U.S. alone, Creedence received a rare Diamond certification from the RIAA in 2016, marking 10 million units in sales for their 1976 compilation album, Chronicle: The 20 Greatest Hits.

The appeal of Creedence Clearwater Revival isn't tied to any one era or milieu; whether it's 50 years ago or 100 years from now, all you need is a pair of ears to pick up on their sound. As John Fogerty once sang on a certain 1969 hit single, "Over on the corner there's a happy noise/People come from all around to watch the magic boys."

New Release: The Undercover EP - Maz O'Connor

One of our favourite London based singer-songwriter Maz O'Connor is set to release a collection of cover songs in a very special limited edition EP entitled 'The Undercover'.  This seven track extended EP will be available exclusively from Maz on her upcoming UK tour days.

Tickets are available from this link and all the dates are below for you

http://showsnear.by/mazjacktour

‘Sights & Sounds Of Tennessee’ Experiance To Debut At Waterloo Station: June 4th - 17th

Tennessee Invites UK Travellers to Experience the Soundtrack of America: performers include Gill Landry, Yola Carter, Kasheena Sampson & Robert Vincent

The beckon call of live music, complimentary Jack Daniel’s and an immersive multi-sensory experience will entice Waterloo Station travellers to delay their evening commutes and take a brief holiday in Tennessee at a special exhibit entitled “The Sights & Sounds of Tennessee” from 4th-17th June 2018.

The exhibit is part of a month-long campaign featuring the Tennessee destinations of Nashville, Memphis and Knoxville that follows British Airways’ introduction of its five-days-per-week nonstop service from London Heathrow to Nashville, the capital city and centre to the state. The Sounds of Tennessee exhibit at Waterloo and digital boards throughout London are to feature custom Spotify playlists that will serve as a formal invitation to British holidaymakers to visit Tennessee, one of the world’s top travel destinations for music lovers.

A special kick-off event, featuring Nashville recording artist Gill Landry, formerly of Old Crow Medicine Show, and AMA UK Artist of the Year Yola Carter, will take place at the exhibit on Monday, 4 June from 2 p.m. and include remarks by a Tennessee Department of Tourist Development representative.

Tennessee, located in the Southeastern United States, is the birthplace of seven different forms of popular music—blues, bluegrass, country, gospel, soul, rockabilly, and rock ‘n’ roll—and has more musicians per capita than any other place in the world. Tennessee is also home to world-renowned music attractions including Beale Street, Bijou Theatre, Bluebird Cafe, Blues Hall of Fame, Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, Graceland, Grand Ole Opry, Sun Studio, Ryman Auditorium and Tennessee Theatre.

‘Sights & Sounds of Tennessee’ visitors will stand atop a map of Tennessee and use headphones to listen to music recordings and other sounds one can only experience in Tennessee. Corresponding websites, accessible via mobile devices, enable visitors to virtually transport themselves to Tennessee destinations with 360-degree videos including a scenic vista overlooking the Great Smoky Mountains or one of the many blues clubs lining Memphis’ famous Beale Street.

Live music concerts will be held at the exhibit weekdays from 2 - 4pm, featuring music curated by the UK Americana Music Association (AMA UK) performed by some of the genre’s top artists, followed by a Jack Daniel’s Happy Hour from 4 - 6pm. Scheduled artists include:

Kashena Sampson, 5 June
Robert Vincent, 6 June
Danni Nicholls, 7 June
The Luck, 8 June
Bennett Wilson Poole, 11 June
Jake Morrell, 12 June
Worry Dolls, 13 June
Rob Heron, 14 June
Martin Harley, 15 June

“The UK is home to the world’s greatest travellers, many of whom have been coming to Tennessee for years to experience The Soundtrack of America and enjoy our southern hospitality, great cities, rich history and beautiful outdoors,” said Kevin Triplett, Commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development. “The new nonstop service aboard British Airways makes reaching Tennessee easier than ever, and we look forward to welcoming even more of our friends from across the Atlantic in the years to come.”

On 4th May, the first new LHR - BNA flight (British Airways Flight 223; a Boeing 787-7 Dreamliner carrying 200 passengers) left London’s Heathrow Airport (LHR) at 1545 local time and touched down at Nashville International Airport (BNA) eight-and-a-half hours later, initiating a five-days-a-week nonstop service from the United Kingdom to Tennessee’s capital city.

‘The Sights & Sounds of Tennessee’ exhibit is a joint effort led by the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development, working in partnership with BrandUSA, the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp., Memphis Convention & Visitors Bureau and Knoxville Convention & Visitors Bureau, to formerly introduce Tennessee to Londoners through an interactive sight and sound experience in London’s Waterloo Station.

Photo credit: EPE

For more information please visit: www.tnvacation.com.

Future Juke: A Festival Of 21st Century Blues - London May 29th – June 5th

A excellent London blues festival is taking place in London from May 29th to June in various location around town. Organised by DMP UK and our friend Joe Cushley from Balling The Jack this is a celebration of live blues music not to be missed.

John Lennon once said “The blues is a chair, not the design for a chair, or a better chair… It is the first chair.” Hip-hop guru Chuck D agreed – “Rap is the furniture, blues is the damn house…” Elvis once commented – “If you haven’t got a partner, use a wooden chair…

Future Juke Festival intends to present some of the finest chairs.

June 1st, Dingwalls – Tickets: https://bit.ly/2qMcv5U

Fantastic Negrito won the 2017 Grammy for Best Contemporary Blues Album. He is one of the most electrifying performers you will ever encounter. He is Bernie Sanders’ favourite bluesman. Chris Cornell personally asked him to be opening act on his final tours. The Daily Mirror wrote of ‘The Last Days Of Oakland’ – “The first great album of the post-Ali, post-Prince world.” The forthcoming, ‘Please Don’t Be Dead is even better. He will be supported by Miraculous Mule, a power trio who have revitalised British alt.blues-rock. Check out their recent 'Two Tonne Testimony' album. “Lashing voodoo grooves to a Delta moan, sounds like it was concocted by a post-modern chain gang” (Classic Rock)

June 5th, Bush Hall – Tickets: https://bit.ly/2HJoYPC

Jerron Paxton is still only in 20s, but delves into the deep history of African-American musical traditions and breathes new life into them. He's a multi-instrumentalist: guitar, banjo, piano, violin, harmonica and percussion, who has thrilled audiences globally. An evening with Jerron is a profound education and a joyous entertainment. He was a highlight of the BBC’s recent American Epic series and is a legend in the making. Nia Wyn is a young woman with an extraordinary talent – blessed with a keening country/blues voice and mean guitar-picking skills, she developed her love of roots and soul music sifting through second-hand shops in her native Llandudno. She describes herself as a hip-hop soul in a blues body. Her star is on the rise.

May 29th, Paper Dress Vintage – Tickets: https://bit.ly/2H9NQmF

Legendary actor/director Steve Buscemi says of Jake La Botz – “He is a true American classic, and a musical resource that is a joy to be discovered time and time again.” Need we say more? The Chicago-born bluesman is a deeply compelling performer who learned at the feet of blues pioneers David ‘Honeyboy’ Edwards and ‘Homesick’ James. His latest album, 'Sunnyside' is a masterclass in rootsy, grooving songcraft. Sister Cookie is an in demand DJ and an amazing soul-blues voice with the stage presence to fill a stadium. She's performed at festivals all over the world, belting out a mixture of originals and covers from the classic eras of swing and R&B with ebullience, class and pizzazz. Chanteuse extraordinaire, Annie Bea helps head up The Rotten Hill Gang and Fjokra (whose fleet-fingered accompaniment also graces Annie's solo performances). Annie is equally at home with punk, funk, prog and jazz – but blues is the natural home for her enthralling, evocative, smokey tones.

June 4th, 100 Club – Tickets: https://bit.ly/2qMdseu

Young, Eli Paperboy Reed is latter-day soul-blues don. He honed his skills in Mississippi jukes and Chicago gospel choirs. He has the voice of a classic 1960s R&B belter and superb guitar and harmonica skills to boot. He is joined on this occasion by the wonderful, 10-piece High & Mighty Brass Band to make a frankly heavenly racket. Blues-rocker Marcus Bonfanti is one of Britain's very best – a young gun guitarist who will make for fine support.

May 31st, The Islington – Tickets: https://tinyurl.com/yd6eu2ek

Aidan Connell, Husky Tones and Mudlow represent different strands of the vibrant British alt.blues-rock scene. Connell’s guitar pyrotechnics and scintillating brand of garage-psych has graced stages with Gary Clark Jr and Iggy Pop. His debut album Grio, is a sonic stunner. The frenetic, enthralling Husky Tones are launching their sonic rollercoaster of an EP, I Don't Give A Damn Anymore at this gig. A stand-up drummer and a swaggering, swirling guitarist – boy/girl alchemical punk-rock-blues at its finest. Brighton-based Mudlow’s dusty, gritty Americana is evocative and enthralling. Their new retrospective, Waiting For The Tide To Rise is proof that they are stars in a parallel universe.

Future Juke intends to present the most vital aspects of the genre. Our line-up will celebrate cross-pollinations between the blues and other musical forms, we'll champion variety and diversity, and honour the past while shimmying towards the future. “When I get the blues, I get me a rocking chair…” Big Joe Turner

Jimmy Aldridge & Sid Goldsmith to release 3rd studio album

We are delight to announce that our friends Sid & Jimmy are set to produce and release a new help. But they need your help. After 7 years of developing and playing their own brand of folk music Jimmy Aldridge & Sid Goldsmith are set to produce their 3rd studio album  ‘Many a Thousand‘.

They have have been busy writing, collecting, arranging and recording for a while now and recently enlisted the help of some incredible musicians to play on the album. This was such a success that they are planning to take the whole band on tour with them when they launch the album through September and October.

Jimmy & Sid’s last album ‘Night Hours’ was widely acclaimed, particularly the duo’s ability to discuss topical subject matter. This third album develops this strength further while showing their respect for the traditional material that inspires their music

“To be a great folk singer, you have to be a great storyteller, as Jimmy Aldridge and Sid Goldsmith are clearly aware. The duo are both fine singers and multi-instrumentalists.” The Guardian

Jimmy & Sid are self releasing this album which means they need to pay for all the recording/production/administration costs upfront. To help recoup some of this money they are running a crowdfunding campaign where you can pre-order the new album and receive it weeks before the release date. There are a whole load of other rewards available for your support including your very own house concert. 

Jimmy and Sid will be on tour this summer and you can catch them at Bude Folk Festival, Chester Folk Festival, Fire in the Mountain, Ely Folk Festival, Warwick Folk Festival, and Fieldview Festival. They are then launching their album with a major UK tour, kicking off on 6 September at Kings Place, London. The album, Many a Thousand, is released 6 September.

Tour Dates

• 6 Sept  LONDON   King’s Place
• 7 Sept  BRIGHTON  TOY & MODEL MUSEUM
• 8 Sept  WINCHESTER HYDE TAVERN
• 9 Sept  BATH  CHAPEL ARTS CENTRE
• 13 September  STROUD Prince Albert
• 14 Sept  RUGBY  Sheep Dip House Concerts
• 15 Sept  WHITCHURCH  Talbot Theatre
• 16 Sept  LEEDS  Live at All Hallows
• 18 Sept  GLASGOW  The Glad Café
• 19 Sept  EDINBURGH House Concert
• 20 Sept  LANCASTER The Storey
• 22 Sept  CHARD  Chaffcombe Village Hall
• 23 Sept  BARNSTAPLE  St Anne’s Arts Centre
• 28 Sept WINGFIELD  Wingfield Barns
• 29 Sept  MILTON KEYNES  The Stables Theatre
• 30 Sept  BRISTOL  Bristol Folk House
• 02 Oct  BIRMINGHAM  Kitchen Garden Café
• 03 Oct  COTTINGHAM Cottingham Live
• 04 Oct  SHEFFIELD  Live at Sam’s
• 13 Oct  DERBY  Village Folk
• 17 OCT  PONTYCLUN  Llantrisant Folk Club
• 20 OCT  CHEPSTOW  Brockweir Events
• 26 Oct  NARBETH Span Ar
• 09 NOV  WOODBRIDGE Blaxhall Village Hall
• 14 NOV  ELY  Ely Folk Club
• 22 NOV LONDON Illuminate Rotherhithe
• 24 NOV COOKHAM, BERKS Holy Trinity Church

You can support their crowdfunding campaign here :

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/jimmy-aldridge-sid-goldsmith-new-album-band#/

For more details visit http://www.jimmyandsidduo.com/

LCM Recommended: Zialand - 'Unbridled & Ablaze'

Following her recent singles ‘Landslide’ and ‘Shelter’, the latter of which was played on BBC Scotland, BBC Ulster, Soho Radio, Resonance and Juice FM (Brighton), the Norwegian artist ZIALAND (aka Zia Meyer) will release her new album, ‘Unbridled & Ablaze’ on 8th June. 

A new single entitled ‘Running Cold’ is also scheduled for the early summer. Zialand describes 'Running Cold' as “a song about a friend of mine and the deeply painful relationship she experienced with her alcoholic dad. Her pain was a complicated tapestry woven over time, blended together by watching him distance himself from the people closest to him and her profound love for him and the need for a dad. But her needs were never met because he always chose the bottle. She was the one who found him, barely conscious as he was slipping into a coma. Blood on the floor, on the walls and in the bed. She was the one who cleaned it all up, stayed by his hospital bed and was there as he fought the inevitable. His death wasn’t pretty. "I wanted to honour her and pour some love onto all that pain by writing her this song, bringing a kind of witnessing and a reckoning to it.”

Other highlights on the album include ‘Fever’ (“about living in exile, the vulnerability & precariousness of life in that existence, not knowing what comes next”), the aching ballad ‘Don't Look Down’ (“about a good man losing his partner to illness and his way of loving her is by showing up and being there in all the ways he can”), the powerful ’Shelter’ ("a love letter to my daughter”) and the intense torch song ‘Cleaved’ (“longing for your soulmate, the one you know is out there but not the ‘where’ or ‘how’ or ‘when’ you will meet”).    

Zialand thinks of the album as being about "‘in-between' moments, when something is ending and something new beginning. That moment where you finally give way to the transmutation. For anything to move and transcend, something else needs to die or be let go of. To me, these moments are imbued with both the deepest of grief as well as a most delicate beatitude and rapture. I think I’ve always been on the hunt for these moments because they are so elusive."

ZIALAND is a Norwegian musician, singer-songwriter and producer. Her music is intimate and emotionally charged with a variety of influences such as Joni Mitchell, Peter Gabriel and Billie Holiday.  Making her way to LA in her early 20’s to pursue her passion for music, she sang and collaborated with jazz composer/musicians Marcus Miller, Chris Botti and John Beasley, plus bassist Kristian Dunn (of El Ten Eleven). Songs from her debut album gained airplay on key local station KCRW and were placed in indie movies as well as TV shows like ‘Felicity'.  

However, her burgeoning career as a singer-songwriter stalled in 2002 when she had to leave LA abruptly with her young child due to an abusive relationship, travelling halfway around the world before finally ending up in Australia. But, leaving the hotbed of LA and slipping into the shadows also provided unforeseen opportunities, such as spending more time in various studios, writing and composing as well as learning how to mix. Music became her anchor, “the only thing I could hold on to at times,” Zialand reflects.

Finally able to return to Norway a decade later, Zialand released her second album, ‘The Light Below’ in 2014. The majority of it was recorded in Australia while still living in hiding, with the Norwegian trumpeter Arve Henriksen and guitarist Erlend Saeverud helping to give the highly personal jazz tinged record an atmospheric, filmic backdrop. Meeting the British producer/musician John Fryer (Nine Inch Nails, This Mortal Coil, Cocteau Twins, Depeche Mode) resulted in her co-writing two songs for his recent Black Needle Noise project. She also worked with LA producer David Sardy (LCD Soundsystem, Oasis) singing on the score of the movie ‘Bright’ (starring Will Smith and Noomi Rapace), which was released in late 2017.

“With all these difficult years behind me, it is nice to finally have the freedom to create and share my music again,” says Zialand.