Peter Shaw

It’s together that Tobias Ben Jakob and Lukas Drinkwater shine brightest, a synergy of two musicians perfectly complimenting each other, bringing to mind the likes of John Martyn and Danny Thompson. An intense and spellbinding performance at The Riverhouse Barn, Walton-on-Thames.

Shirley Collins’ Lodestar performance at the Barbican is fresh and contemporary and avant-garde at times. The assembled musicians are nothing short of brilliant, the arrangements are in turns atmospheric, joyous, stirring and thrilling.

Geoff Lakeman steps into the limelight at 69 to release his debut solo album. Featuring a host of special guests including the Lakeman brothers, Cara Dillon, Kathryn Roberts and nearby neighbour Nic Jones.

Hannah Ashcroft is a singer/songwriter now based in Manchester. Her debut EP, The Quiet Kind, displays the confidence of a seasoned traveller who has learnt her craft on the road. Definitely a name to watch for…let’s hope an album is to follow soon.

As the year comes to a close and the inevitable ‘best of’ lists appear, it’s gratifying to find another album that demands attention. But The Drowned Lover and Other Dark Tales doesn’t permit you to wallow in the past; Paul is a performer who continues to push himself and all those willing to listen.

As they days draw near their darkest, it’s tempting to sit by an open fire and listen to wintry folk music with fiddles and traditional tunes. But if you want to inject a splash of summer (with a melancholy edge), then this release will get you singing, dancing and pondering. Sometimes a pendulum swing helps you see life from a fresh perspective.

Despite performing solo without the many guest musicians featured on Upcetera, Jim Moray proves that just with his guitar, piano, and unaccompanied, he can still deliver an emotional punch – a raw and profoundly moving performance.

Don’t expect wistful nostalgia, Joe and Billy perform these robust songs because they love them and that passion is persuasive. If you don’t already, you’ll end up loving them too. And it’s a journey well worth taking, particularly alongside these two travelling companions.

Jim Causley could croon the phone book and it would still be worth a listen. But with this latest release he has put his pipes to much better use, setting the verses of visionary Cornish poet Jack Clemo to soaring and often profoundly moving music.

In their latest release Megson tackle vital subjects that very few others in any genre of music have the courage to raise. For that alone they should be applauded, but to do it with such skill, sensitivity and class they should be celebrated.

We talk to Ninebarrow a duo who are emerging as a force to be reckoned with in the UK folk scene, winning rave reviews for their recordings and gigs. Expect to hear a lot more from them this year!

In terms of songwriting this is the most mature and dazzling thing that Kris Drever has produced so far. A triumph that confirms his place among the best of the best…one to savour.