While and Matthews news..
June.....................
We just wanted to say thank you to Chester
and Folk on the Coast festivals.
With so many 'Big' Folk festival around now, its so nice to go back to the
independently run affairs.
It's the first time Julie and I had played Chester folk Festival
as a duo and the last time either of us had been there must have been ten
or more years ago. Both of us had played it with the Albion Band (separately
and in two different incarnations) and I had played it in 1981 with my ex
duo partner and husband Joe While.
Since then we've played the festivals of the world where there are so many
spectators and performers that you get lost in a sea of marquee's and people
rushing about from one stage to another. I was pleased to see that the festival
was still held at the Morris Dancer which used to be a proper old fashioned
pub with a barn out back but has now conformed to the 'modern' style of the
'theme pub'. It's a shame but it didn't spoil the ambiance of the festival
at all. Everyone was smiling, the feel of the day was relaxed and happy and
the weather was lovely. One medium sized marquee instead of six great big
ones and a couple of smaller stages in the nearby legion club.
Folk on the Coast festival is only two years old and has the same feel about it as Chester. Small and friendly. We were welcomed warmly when we arrived and were promptly given some lunch and a cup of tea by one of the hosts. We sat in the sun and watched various dance troupes until it was time for us to perform. The audience were enthusiastic and the sound crew Graham and Lawrence were on the ball as always. Again just one main stage, everyone attended and it was hopping. So, here's to the revival of the independent festival where attendance and loyalty from the ticket buyers is essential!
May.....................
We're
now in the closing stages of making our new album 'Together Alone'. We've
had the best time ever in the studio, the band have been amazing with Tom
Chapman on Cajon, Neil Fairclough on Bass, Danny While on double bass, Howard
Lees on Guitars and Mandola, Steve Brookfield on Keyboards and guest appearances
from Helen Watson and Joe Broughton.
We really feel we've come up trumps with the combination of musicians, songs
and sounds on 'Together Alone' and with only the final mixing to go we have
the finishing line in site.
Tom Chapman on Cajon and Howard Lees on Guitar
Rejoice the Voice
The Workshops were a huge success and joy
to us and we will be back next year for another round of joining the voices
of women from all over the country.
We recorded every workshop and we even recorded a chorus of a new song for
our new album Together Alone. Julie has written a song inspired ny
one woman's testimony of her cruel experience as a 'Comfort
Woman' in Japan during the second world war. The song is called Take
These Bones and 250 'Rejoice the Voice' singers are included. It sounds
amazing and gave us all a great feeling of solidarity for one woman's suffering
and in her coming to terms with it.
Our thanks go to all those women for choosing to sing with us and supporting
these workshops.
The Shop
Just arrived...................the
long awaited repressing of the classic While and Matthews album 'Quest'
with the original track listing which includes 'Brucciani's Cafe'. Kept at
the nice price of £10.
Also just in........................New stock of the definitive While and
Matthews live double CD 'Stages'
Party
on the Lawn 2008
The tickets for Party on the Lawn are all sold
out now. This year promises to be a memorable
one, especially as we'll be having a rare and long awaited Blue Tapestry reunion.
This years guest are;
Blue Tapestry, Show of Hands, The Chris While Band, Julie Matthews with the
BBC Radio 2 Radio Ballads,
The Folk Ensemble, Keith Donnelly & Elbow Jane. More
info here
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Latest release
'Stage 2 - Live at the Firehouse, Germany'
Julie writes;
"As
the title suggests, it was recorded live on our tour of Germany last year
by WDR radio. We're calling it 'Stage 2' because it picks up really where
'Stages', our first live album, left off. The songs on the new album cover
from Quest, right up to date. There's also a brand new song as a bonus track
that we've recorded in the studio - 'Minstrels Lullaby'.
AVAILABLE NOW HERE
Finally
after a ten year gap since her last studio album, the new Chris While solo
Album has arrived. Those of you lucky enough to buy a pre-release copy at
Cropredy (It arrived 2 days before Chris went down to Banbury!) will join
us, we're sure in congratulating Chris on her stunning achievement.
Here at Fat Cat Records, we'd also like to thank and say well done to Joe
Broughton for his excellent and sympathetic treatment as Producer and of course
to the fine musicians who contributed throughout.
The album is available to buy on line now
At the beginning of August, Chris performed the whole of the award
winning Album 'Leige and Lief' with the 1969 line-up of Fairport Convention
(Richard Thompson, Simon Nicol, Dave Swarbrick, Dave Mattacks and Ashley Hutchings)
at Fairport's Cropredy Convention There had been an enormous buzz about it
all before the gig and reading all the reviews since, the show didn't let
the hype down. To read what Chris had to say about it all, go to her brand
new solo website here.
Julie has also been busy creating her own website where you can also find
any lyrics to her back-catalogue of songs including the
co-writes with Chris. To visit Julie's website, click here.
Hear some of Chris and Julie's music on http://www.myspace.com/chriswhileandjuliematthews