Peter Knight & John Spiers – Both in a Tune
Knight & Spiers (KSCD002) – 11 February 2022
Following their 2018 collaboration, Well Met, the inimitable Peter Knight and John Spiers return with the magical Both in a Tune.
Of course, Knight is well known from the world of Steeleye Span and his more recent Gigspanner trio, and Big Band, whilst fellow Big Bander Spiers is equally familiar as one of the founders of folk behemoth Bellowhead alongside his work with Jon Boden and Jackie Oates and many others. Having first come together as part of a ‘one off’ gig at FolkEast in 2016, the duo have developed into one of the most thrilling exponents of traditional music, always consciously respectfully of their heritage but not afraid to bend the rules. Indeed, they positively wrench them, twisting and stretching tunes to almost breaking point before assuredly, expertly, springing back to their heart.
Dedicated Shakespeareans will recognise the album’s title. Both Well Met and Both in a Tune owe a nod to the Bard in their naming, referencing As You Like It (Act IV, Scene 3), in particular, the conversation in the forest between two Pages:
First Page: Well met, honest gentlemen.
Second Page: I’faith, I’faith; and both in a tune, like two gipsies on a horse.
The plays of Shakespeare have, of course, been repeatedly modified down the centuries, and perhaps it is in such elastic experimentation that Both in a Tune can be considered. Just as the theatre has found new and pertinent themes in the plays of the 16th and 17th centuries, ensuring they remain relevant contemporary staging and performance, so too do Knight and Spiers find vitality and vigour in the tunes of the past.
There is a fine blend of traditional tracks and newly written pieces here. Five of the ten tracks on offer are penned by Knight and Spiers, either as a collaboration or independently. The tracks written as a duo: ‘Drone in D’ and ‘Improve 3’, are particularly exciting and superbly highlight the extraordinary freshness and confidence the pair inhabit in their improvisation and musicianship.
Both in a Tune opens with a familiar set of tunes, but in the capable hands of Knight and Spiers, nothing should be taken for granted. ‘Scarborough Fair’, possibly that most well-known of traditional tunes, is coated with an exotic aestheticism that catches the listener by pleasant surprise on first hearing and is a result of the pair trusting in the tune and their own capabilities. ‘Our take on Scarborough Fair’, notes Knight, ‘was one of those experiences where the instruments sort of played themselves.’ The track is characteristic of the duo’s relationship; fiddle and melodeon dance spiritedly together whilst the large, luscious sound of the two instruments is perfectly balanced; each is allowed space to breathe and lead the tune. In the hands of such a masterly duo, a tune so familiar, so inherently recognisable, is delivered with such creativity and verve that it feels brand new.
‘Yellow Haired Laddie’follows with a sprightly interpretation of the 18th-century Scottish air. Knight’s fiddle and Spiers’ melodeon dance together gloriously in a tune which, whilst staying true to the core of tradition, isn’t afraid to engage some invigorating and experimental flourishes. Indeed, it’s in this spirit of experimentation that is at the heart of the duo’s recording.
The key, though, is not to be intimidated by the fear of abstract musical experiments: the tune is the soul of the recording and confidently safe in the hands of Knight and Spiers. Boundaries are pushed, and familiar tunes take some surprising journeys into new and exhilarating directions. Traditional tunes are broken and rebuilt, but the meat remains intact.
Two tracks perfectly illustrate the duo’s passion for experimentation and free improvisation. ‘Drone in D’ attacks the listener with a frenetic and blistering, beat-driven assault before settling into a gentle finale, whilst ‘Improv 3’ sees the duo at perhaps their most experimental; an abstract, invigorating beast of a tune. Merging trad, jazz and classical touches in a fiery tune that roars immediately into life. Fiddle and melodeon attack the tune before softly soothing each other to a quiet, contemplative murmur.
Tradition is well served with ‘Abbot’s Bromley Horn Dance’ [sic], a 13th-century dance which is still performed annually in the Staffordshire village of the same name. It’s a pleasing, simple little tune with a nice melodeon bounce and thoroughly atmospheric.
With Both in a Tune, the duo issue challenges to each other, encouraging each to stretch and push their own boundaries. Exploration is key here and it’s a breath-taking listen as Knight and Spiers sublimely merge folk music with free improvisation, escorting the listener on a spine-tingling musical journey, from the county tunes of northern England to the lowlands of Scotland and on to the pastoral landscapes of France.
Listen, for example, to Knight’s ‘La Dance de Madame Meymerie’, a pounding dance which gives way to the traditional French folk dance ‘Bourrée De Concours’, a sprightly medieval tinged duet. ‘Le Berger De Laleuf’ continues the French-inspired theme and belies Knight’s own background – resident as he is south-west France. The inspiration of Knight’s adopted home of France, in its love of jazz, is palpable, both in terms of its sound but also its playing.
The penultimate track, John Spiers’ tune ‘Union’, originally written to commemorate a friend’s marriage, can also be seen as a sweet ode to the pair’s relationship. Spiers’ melodeon takes a gentle, softly played lead to Knight’s pizzicato before the track develops into a sweeping duet. It is a playful, fizzing little tune, perfectly balanced and soaked in the sheer joy of collaboration.
Both in a Tune concludes with ‘Battle of the Somme’, a pipe tune by Pipe Major William Laurie commemorating the event of July to September 1916. As with the album’s opener, it is a familiar tune, but in the hands of Knight and Spiers, it emerges afresh. An emotional conclusion, a brooding, haunting lament, it perhaps ends the album on a melancholic, reflective note, but one which leaves the listener wanting more. It’s a beautiful, heartfelt closer to a rather special listen.
Considering the performers, it is hardly surprising that Both in a Tune is a genuine joy to listen to. Effortlessly impressive, sublimely performed and gloriously invigorating, it is a sheer delight to listen to two masters of their instruments. A beautifully charming duet and a stimulating welcome to a new year. This is innovation, experimentation and improvisation, played between two friends, at its very best. Early days, but come the end of the year, this album will surely still be in the minds of many as one of the best of 2022.
Both in Tune is released on 11 February 2022.
Order the CD via the websites of Peter Knight or John Spiers
Peter and John are on touring their album from 23 February through to March. Click here for details and ticket links.
Photo by Elly Lucas