Perfectly timed for Valentines Day, we have the pleasure in sharing with you the title track of the new album from Ruth Notman & Sam Kelly which will be released on March, 15th via Pure Records, it’s also our Song of the Day. When I received the unexpected news that Ruth and Sam were joining forces I knew to expect something a bit special, especially considering the response to their previous solo offerings and their stunning voices. This is sure to be one of the most exciting releases of 2019.
It transpires that Kelly had long admired Notman’s musical talent. He says: “In my mind it was depriving the folk scene with her not performing.” He decided to contact her out of the blue. Ruth was completing her medical studies; the pair met and got on and the stage was set for them to work together.
In the producer’s seat is the innovative Damien O’Kane, known for his brilliant refashioning of traditional songs. Damien also guests on acoustic and electric tenor guitar, baritone guitar and tenor banjo, alongside Josh Clark on percussion, synth and electric bass, Anthony Davis on keyboards and strings and Ross Ainslie on whistles.
From the start, it was clear this was a dream team – the proverbial match made in heaven – their voices blending effortlessly and seamlessly. The carefully chosen album material displays this to fine effect as you can hear on the lead track below.
Back in 2007, having been a finalist in the BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Award (in her duo with Bryony Bainbridge), Nottingham 18-year-old Notman released a solo debut album Threads which, as BBC Radio 3’s Verity Sharp declared, “caused quite a stir”.
The folk scene sat up and took notice of this young performer with her incredible voice, adept and assured beyond her years. Rarely has an artist’s first album had such a huge impact on the folk scene – it went on to receive plaudits in The Independent, The Guardian and Mojo among many others while Bob Harris invited her onto his Radio 2 show to play live and folk luminaries Nic Jones and John Tams were among those quick to sing her praises.
Just two years later she released The Life of Lilly to further acclaim before disappearing from the scene. So where has she been in intervening years? Ruth, currently living in Derbyshire, went on to study for a degree in medical sciences, embarked on postgraduate studies and is now at the University of Sheffield medical school as a Physician Associate – a new role in the health sector.
Kelly has made equally strong waves to become something of a golden boy on the Brit-folk scene, scooping the coveted 2016 BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards “Horizon” title, which recognises the best emerging talent.
The Bristol-based performer says he owes much of his musical inspiration to his late Irish grandfather. He is known as a former Britain’s Got Talent finalist (“a massive whirlwind experience”) when he was just 19. It is part of his colourful story but that story has moved on in leaps and bounds.
He undoubtedly has multi-instrumental prowess but it’s the effortless soft-edged, stand-out voice that has fast-tracked him to the top tier of the scene whether in his trio with Jamie Francis and Evan Carson, in Cornish band The Changing Room band or spearheading his own exuberant Lost Boys (nominated for Best Group at last year’s Folk Awards) who wow festival audiences everywhere with their high-octane, rock-tinged reworkings of traditional folk music.
But Changeable Heart brings the focus back to what first caught people’s attention about Kelly – that stunning voice.
Recorded at Kate Rusby’s legendary Pure Records studio the album features six new takes on traditional songs and covers of Ewan MacColl and Paul Brady classics. We’ll be bringing you more on this exciting new release very soon. In the meantime, make sure you get their tour dates in your diary.
NOTMAN & KELLY TOUR DATES
1st April: Colchester Arts Centre
2nd April: Sheffield Greystones
3rd April: Birmingham Kitchen Garden Cafe
4th April: Cambridge Junction 2
5th April: Biddulph Town Hall
7th April: York Crescent Theatre
8th April: London Rich Mix
9th April: Nottingham Bodega
http://www.notmanandkelly.com/
Photo Credit: Redwood Photography