hazel askew

Lady Maisery and Jimmy Aldridge & Sid Goldsmith return with “Wakefire: A Summer Album”, a full-scale double album that trumps its predecessor in both ambition and reward. Presented as a largely chronological account of summer, twenty-seven tracks might sound like something of a throwback in today’s climate of instant gratification, but they make it seem like a revolutionary act, and a hugely gratifying one at that.

Lady Maisery, featuring Hazel Askew, Hannah James and Rowan Rheingans, have announced their fourth studio album and a launch tour in November but they need your help in making it a reality.

The Folk Effect features 5 folk bands based across the UK who will be given just 24 hours to write an entirely original song directly inspired by the one created the day before, in a celebration of creativity and togetherness.

Jimmy Aldridge & Sid Goldsmith partner with Kings Place for one-day festival exploring the role folk music can play in highlighting environmental issues. featuring Karine Polwart, Peggy Seeger, George Monbiot, Hazel Askew and Edgelarks.

Watch the new video by folk duo The Askew Sisters from their new album ‘Enclosure’, released on 3rd May 2019. It was filmed at Wilton’s Music Hall by Eric Revill-Dews of Bigger Boat film.

The Askew Sisters return with an album that very few other musicians could have made. ‘Enclosure’ is both intimate and universal, steeped in history of place and society yet looking to the future, an album about captivity that revels in its own musical freedom.

This spring sees The Askew Sisters launch their bold and long-awaited new album ‘Enclosure’. Their tour kicks off this month, watch their new video for Goose & Common.

Lady Maisery and Jimmy Aldridge & Sid Goldsmith join forces for a 9-date Christmas Show featuring an evening of galvanising songs for the wintertime, drawing on a variety of winter traditions from rousing folk carols to more contemplative and hopeful music to brighten the darkest season.

The beginning of 2016 saw the release of the Songs of Separation album, a project featuring Jenny Hill, Eliza Carthy, Hannah James, Hannah Read, Hazel Askew, Jenn Butterworth, Karine Polwart, Kate Young, Mary Macmaster and Rowan Rheingans. To mark its end a final film was commissioned called ‘The Album and Beyond,’ watch it here.

In a special guest post from Hazel Askew of Lady Maisery (our Artists of the Month), she reveals their new video for ‘Order and Chaos’ and talks about the inspiration and the fascinating science behind the song.


Cycle is without doubt, an album stuffed full of formidable singing and excellent musicianship. But more than this, it is an album that has something to say about today’s world and is aware of its place in history. Lady Maisery are unafraid to challenge preconceptions about folk music but are aware of its cultural significance and its historical imperative. This album proves that they are worthy custodians and spirited agitators.

Songs of Separation is a superlative and essential record, from its initial concept through to the final result; it’s a huge accomplishment by anybody’s standards and all involved have every right to feel justifiably proud of their achievement.