Chris on the new Album - Rosella red
Rosella Red is Chris's first solo album in ten years. Produced by her friend and fellow Albion Band member, Joe Broughton.
"I
have been thinking of making a solo album for several years now, but Julie
Matthews and I have been so busy building the duo's reputation, here and abroad
that the time just hasn't been available. Two years ago I started to write
for this album and now it's finished. It's been an interesting time for me
and frustrating too. I am the most reluctant songwriter on earth. I will put
it aside for the most insignificant reason like doing the washing and ironing.
The songs are, as usual, about me and my life, the people I meet and the town
that I come from, Barrow-in-Furness. I had not realised how integral to me
Barrow is. There is a song about the shipyard's demise in the 1970s and the
town's recovery entitled 'Falling Ashes'. My dad was a shop fitter in the
shipyard and my brother was a crane painter. My Nanna used to help her mother
clean the offices when she was a young girl at the turn of the last century,
and then she worked in ammunitions during the first world war where she would
stand on a table and sing for the lasses. When I was a kid we used to get
the day off school to watch the grand liners get launched.
I didn't want to write all of the songs myself. There's a world of music out
there and you don't have to write it all. I think that there's a lot of pressure
on writers to keep coming up with material but there are so many great songwriters
and I love to interpret other people's songs and just be a singer.
'Safe in your arms' was inspired by a trip to Australia and leaving my sweetheart
for two months. I love Australia, it's like a second home now. Julie and I
have been touring there most years since we left The Albion Band in 1997.
Of course
Joe also plays on the album. Two years ago we recorded a song for the Mike
Harding Show on Radio 2 celebrating the 40th anniversary of The Beatles'
Rubber Soul album. I asked Joe if he would play the fiddle on my chosen
track Nowhere Man. He said "I think we can do better than that".
He ended up writing a string quartet arrangement for the song. It went so
well that he suggested we do a whole album together, tying in the theme of
string arrangements and I couldn't refuse. He cares about it as much as I
do and it's been a labour of love for us both. The result is Rosella Red
and I'm thrilled with it."
www.joebroughton.com
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Joe has
tied together Chris While's folk roots with talented classical musicians who
have all graduated from Birmingham's Conservatoire where Joe studied and now
teaches.
Paloma Trigas (Violin) she had already played all over the world with Spain's
Carlos Nuñez and his band. Helen Lancaster (Viola), Helen played on
Chris's recording of Nowhere man and Emma Capp on Cello, all wonderful musicians.
On drums
and percussion is the legendary Gerry Conway (Fairport Convention
& Pentangle) He's also played with Richard Thompson, The McGarrigle sisters
& John Martyn amongst many others.
Chris says, "I've always loved Gerry's playing. He listens to the song
and gets immersed in it. It's fantastic to watch him record. It's like he's
escaped into the song for a while and he's totally committed to it. I wanted
Gerry to play on my album having worked fleetingly with him at Fairport Conventions
Cropredy Festival where I occasionally sing with the band. I also worked with
him when I sang on David Hughes's album. He's a wonderful artist and a lovely
man."
Neil Fairclough plays bass. Neil worked with Chris's daughter Kellie While in the band E2K.
"Working with Neil is such fun, not only is he a natural musician but he's a born comic too! I've had the pleasure of playing with Neil on too few occasions and so it was great to finally work on this project with him."
Tom
Chapman plays Cajon. He plays in Conservatoire Folk Ensemble with
Joe Broughton.
Tom's my space
"Joe introduced me to him last year and he impressed me so much that I asked him to join my band and play on my album. I was very happy when he agreed."
The painting on the cover is the work of artist Jill Swarbrick- Banks.
"When
I was at the Folk Awards this year I met Jill. She is an amazing artist and
she offered to do a painting for the cover (above). It's amazing how these
things come about. You sit and chat with people and before you know it you
have a new friend. Jill is a special person and she did this painting with
a lot of love and care."
jillswarbrick-banks.co.uk