Saturday 28th September
12.00 JACK HARRIS
13.00 JENNY LINDFORS
14.00 TOM MORLEY
15.00 DANNI NICHOLLS
16.00 THE CEDARS
17.00 THE RAMSHACKLE UNION BAND
Location: Tate Modern, Bankside, London SE1 9TG
JACK HARRIS
Saturday 28 September 12.00 - Riverside Stage
The literate, compassionate songs of Jack Harris have won him much acclaim in songwriting circles. A South by Southwest showcasing artist at 17, he was also the first international act to win the New Folk songwriting competition at The Kerrville Folk Festival, Texas. Previous winners include Steve Earle, Lyle Lovett, Gillian Welch and Devon Sproule, which tells you something about the musical company he keeps. A virtuosic guitar player and wonderfully authentic folk singer and songwriter, he has shared the stage with everyone from Martin Carthy and Dave Swarbrick to Anais Mitchell and Jeffrey Foucault.
“Jack is a priest of song who holds himself to a rigorous, ancient code of beauty most of us have forgotten exists.” – Anais Mitchell
"Praised by Q magazine for his 'unique lyrical mind', and hailed as 'a natural songwriting talent' in The Telegraph's top 5 Roots albums of 2012,
JENNY LINDFORS
Saturday 28 September 13.00 - Riverside Stage
Jenny Lindfors debut album was released in the UK on the much respected PIAS label in 2008 to rave reviews, with the Manchester Evening News describing it as: “completely and utterly brilliant” (Manchester Evening News) and the BBC describing Lindfors as being: “blessed with a great, bluesy voice”. In 2011, Lindfors played an intimate London gig and Brit nominee and platinum-selling artist Rumer happened to be in the audience: “I saw Jenny perform with her guitar one candle-lit evening at the Gladstone and was mesmerised by her performance” says Rumer, who invited Lindfors along on tour across the UK, Ireland and Germany. She is currently working on her second album, aided by members of Gomez and Bristol band Phantom Limb. Her's is a highly sophisticated folk style informed by a mid seventies FM sound , with shades of everything from Bill Withers to KT Tunstall in the mix via Neil Young and Joni Mitchell, all woven together by a unique and powerfully soulful voice.
TOM MORLEY
Saturday 28 September 14.00 - Riverside Stage
At 23 years of age, Tom Morley draws on contemporary alt folk and left field indie musical influences such as Grizzly Bear and The Dø to produce an atmospheric and hook laden anthemic sound, all the while maintaining the lyrical focus central to his music. Having just graduated from Goldsmiths Music College on a course that boasts of alumni including James Blake, Jamie N Commons and Katy B, Tom’s focus now turns to writing, recording and live performance. Supported by an excellent live band he's a very exciting new artist and promises great things for the future.
DANNI NICHOLLS
Saturday 28 September 15.00 - Riverside Stage
Danni Nicholls is a rapidly rising UK alt-country star pulling on musical references from Johnny Cash to Gillian Welch, Carole King to Chatham County Line. From a young age, Danni was soaking up American folk, country and rock n roll music from her Grandmother’s record collection. When she inherited her uncle Heathcliff's guitar aged 16, it all came pouring back out in the form of her own original material and has been flowing ever since. Q Magazine’s 4 star ‘the one to buy’ review of Danni’s debut album ‘A Little Redemption’ described it as being able to slip “effortlessly between smoky soul, folk-pop and heart-wrenching alt-country”. The album was produced by Chris Donohue (Emmylou Harris, The Civil Wars, Robert Plant) in Nashville, TN and is out now.
THE CEDARS
Saturday 28 September 16.00 - Riverside Stage
The Cedars combine raucous Folk-Americana with dark, foreboding blues and the occasional heart-stopping ballad to produce heady, intoxicating music. They have built both a formidable live set and an enthusiastic following and are highly respected amongst their peers on the alt.folk and Americana scenes. Since they formed, The Cedars have played a huge variety of shows and festivals including Glastonbury, Reading, Secret Garden Party, Wilderness, The Great Escape, Camp Bestival, Cropredy, Truck and many more. Their recently released debut album “Little Copper Still” was recorded in California with Grammy award-winning producer Ian Brennan (Ramblin’ Jack Elliot, Peter Case, Tinariwen) and has already earned critical acclaim from radio and music press.
"A very, very good album, I love their sound" - Bob Harris, BBC Radio 2
"The album is certainly going to be worth waiting for" - Mark Lamarr, BBC Radio 2
"An excellent album" - Country Music People magazine
"A thoroughly juicy selection serves as a splendid introduction to a band currently at the forefront of the UK’s alt. country scene" - R2 Magazine (Rock'n'Reel)
THE RAMSHACKLE UNION BAND
Saturday 28 September 17.00 – Riverside Stage
Ramshackle Union Band are a harmony driven alt-folk four piece, hailing from Hackney, East London. With soaring vocals combining with driving guitar, banjo, bass and drums, the outfit have become well known for their rousing live performances. The rich vocal harmonies and raucous tumbling rhythms in their alt-Americana sound calls to mind the country funk of The Band and Crazy Horse and the rock and roll attitude of the Violent Femmes. Their sound is in debt to classic roots music, while feeling vital, fresh and utterly contemporary.
