Writing about Jonathan Day’s last album A Spirit Library, which was one of our Albums of the Year for 2019, Thomas Blake said “Jonathan Day is a musician of movement and of place – an artist who, whether through the experience of travel or through deep contemplation of his surroundings, has come to terms with his place in the world – and it is utterly beautiful.”
A year and a half of lockdown couldn’t but represent a big change for this nomadic musician. Given that the year pre-Covid saw Jonathan and the band play festivals in Jamaica, Hong Kong, Italy, Austria, Thailand and the UK, and record performances for the BBC, Channel 4 and TRT in Turkey, how did it feel to see everything stop?
“I won’t go into the challenges and sadnesses of Covid. I think most of us lost friends and loved ones. I did. Now though I want to focus on the light. For me – living alone in the remote and often very stormy Berwyn Mountains – it meant lots of time for doing all the things that usually get pushed to the back of the ‘to-do’ list. One of those – most surprisingly – is writing. I can’t ever remember writing so much new music all in one concentrated outburst. Last summer – when things relaxed a little – we were able to hold a series of tiny, distanced gatherings in the mountain forests, which gave me a really valuable opportunity to play this new music for people. It hit us so powerfully how performance is absolutely about all the people involved – the energy constantly fizzling between player and listener. We became really aware of how everything contributes – the venue, the weather, the landscape.
“As a band we were also invited to ‘play’ a lot of virtual festivals – both here and overseas – including a memorable night doing a live distanced performance on the banks of the River Severn. As the Space X shuttle flew its maiden mission literally overhead, we were watched by an audience of very curious and seemingly appreciative calves. We also supported the Pretenders – which I don’t think would have happened without lockdown.
“In the autumn we were allowed to travel for a while but not meet, so I took my ancient yet trusty camper van out to the coast and recorded songs in the often stormy wilderness.
“Now – for a while at least, we can get out again. How wonderful!”
Jonathan’s band are taking their contemporary rural music to a string of festivals this summer. He has a new lineup – not surprisingly after such a hiatus. Fiddle player Samantha Norman was a founding member of the Old Dance School and is now resident player with the Royal Shakespeare Company. Adam Knight on piano played previously with indie bands Remodel and Mytton’s Bear. Josh Arrowsmith on drums, percussion and noises is maybe better known as DJ Buzzword, and Simon Smith on bass has played with Stevie Nicks, the Roches and in Idina Menzel’s band (of Wicked and Frozen fame). They bring a lightness and expansiveness to Jonathan’s music – true to the sound world he’s known for, but exploring new and colourful directions. So why the change?
“We were very graciously invited to headline a couple of festivals. It’s a time for light and hope now (don’t you think?) which we are calling – in a candle in the wind kind of way – ‘the Great Recovery’. All of us in the band have a deep desire to celebrate together – so even with all the difficulties around rehearsing, we’ve made new and I think very joyful arrangements. We’ve also had time to make filmed and animated live projections and even some hand-powered animatronic shadow puppets – which we’re looking for volunteers at the gigs to help us operate. We have a whole menagerie of sea creatures and legendary beings.”
Volunteers can contact Jonathan via Facebook.
Tour Dates
09/07 ‘Not Standing Alone’ A REFUGEE WEEK Concert, In Good Hands, Frankwell, Shrewsbury, https://www.facebook.com/InGoodHands/
16 – 18/07 FESTIVAL at the EDGE, Cleobury Mortimer, Shropshire, https://www.facebook.com/fatestorytelling
23 – 26/07 CONSCIOUS TRIBAL GATHERING, Glyndyfrdwy, y Gogledd/North Wales https://www.facebook.com/events/201531704244257
30/07 – 01/08 LANDED FESTIVAL, Rhayader, http://www.landedfestival.co.uk/tickets
28/08 TRADITIONS IN TRANSITION FESTIVAL , Bangkok, Sangeet Vadhana Hall, Princess Galyani Vadhana Institute of Music
Explore more:
Jonathan and his daughter Niimi talk about different cultures and traditions on the BBC Radio 4 Listening Project (Directed and Animated by Paolo Russo – Bristol School of Animation, UWE Bristol) – Watch here.
Bandcamp | http://www.jonathanday.net/