JIM

MORAY

Never satisfied with staying still, the artist is still moving after shaking the folk world to its foundations twenty years ago. And in a genre where musicians reach their peak the older they get, there’s a sense that he has only just begun. 

Should you care to look back over the past two decades of British folk music, one musician in particular stands out for having a singular, idiosyncratic vision that has rarely wavered in style and substance. Jim Moray may have garnered initial attention for his digitally-driven approach to traditional music, but reflecting on his seven albums and numerous production credits it’s clear that imagination and invention are the real cornerstones of his work.

The cinematic vision of albums such as Skulk (2012), Upcetera (2016), and his game-changing debut Sweet England (2003) show just how far the old songs can be taken. His arrangements of traditional songs such as ‘Gilderoy’, ‘Horkstow Grange’ and ‘Fair Margaret and Sweet William’ are regarded as amongst the classics of the folk genre, while his treatment of the ballad ‘Lord Douglas’ has become a must-learn for fingerstyle guitarists. 

As Moray embarks on his third decade as a professional musician, he can count career-defining performances at Glastonbury, The Royal Albert Hall, and WOMAD, and has caught the attention of those in the know along the way. “I love this singer of old ballads”, enthused none other than Iggy Pop, no stranger to songs of love, life and loss. When asked in 2010 who his favourite artists were, legendary folk singer Nic Jones replied Bob Marley, Radiohead and Jim Moray.

20 years in the business also means that his influence is being felt among a younger generation of folk musicians, especially those who explore the wider canon and ways in which traditional music can be stretched. Frankie Archer recently spoke about how Moray’s work on Low Culture (2008) blew her mind. “It showed me for the first time what UK folk music could be”. 

FRANKIE

ARCHER

Fresh from her appearance on Later with Jools and her mini tour catch Frankie in Chester supporting Jim Moray

Have you ever been there at the start of something new? Something exciting? Something that crackles with possibilities?” Gavin McNamara (Bristol 24/7) witnessed the power of Frankie Archer’s music. She is fresh on the scene and shaking up genres and traditions, sharing the lesser told sides of stories, championing women, challenging perspectives and calling for a fairer future, all to a unique mix of synths, manipulated samples, drum tracks and earthy fiddle and voice.

Frankie Archer’s imaginative and bold mash of electro alt-trad shows her Northumbrian fiddle roots, her deep love of electronic music and her immersion in soulful folk songs from the North East of England and around the world. Mark Radcliffe (BBC Radio 2) described her music as “fascinating and intoxicating”.

Over the Border, Frankie's debut single, was accompanied by "a kind of awe", Jon Wilks of Tradfolk wrote. The song gained plays on local and national radio including the prestigious BBC Radio 2 Folk Show.

This was followed up by a powerful and original version of Alex Glasgow's Close the Coalhouse Door, bare, stark and demanding attention. Frankie's second single gained a lot of praise and airplay, described as "stunning", thanks to its "darker, more ominous feel" - Rick Stuart (Roots and Fusion). It was chosen for the BBC Introducing mixtape and hailed as “extraordinary” by Tom Robinson.

Frankie’s third and latest single, Lucy Wan, is a re-telling of a tragic traditional ballad, where Lucy is given a voice and power to tell the story from her perspective. Folk legend Mike Harding after hearing it said “I love this song… I can’t wait for her to make an album.”

Frankie's unique, fresh sound has pricked up the ears of fans and press, earning wonderful reviews from Tradfolk and Fresh on the Net, and being chosen by Fatea for their Showcase Session.

As well as her exciting solo venture, Frankie also plays with Kenyan musician Rapasa Otieno and with folk-infused prog bandleader Joshua Burnell.