JAMES KERRY
Source
Philippe Cousin
For once, let's turn to Britain, where traditional music also has its place. Hailing from Kent in the south-east of England, James Kerry is a member of the English folk scene, renowned for his passionate, rhythmic playing rooted in the dance tradition.
He plays the melodeon and is assisted here by Tom Kitching on fiddle, James Delarre on viola and mandolin and Danny Tonk on guitar. J.Kerry began his musical journey at a very young age, and, spurred on by a local legend, he quickly progressed to performing in céilidhs and with various bands such as Foot Down and Hilltop Céilidh Band, of which he is one of the founders.
As with many others, the periods of lockdown enabled him to explore his own playing, and to write and arrange his own compositions. This led to the release of his first solo project, the album Source.
This is a perfect representation of James' style and passions, revealing his great respect for traditional music and his desire to pass it on. Composed partly of traditional tunes and partly of personal or contemporary compositions, this is an album arranged in a truly unique style.
The album opens with Brighton Camp, giving us a taste of what's to come in the remaining nine tracks. It contains superb interpretations of Morris dance tunes such as Upon Severn Stick Dance and Brighton Camp. But it's also sprinkled with original compositions such as Goat of Dunsdale, Trip to Kitchen and Lili's. Traditional and original songs are sometimes combined in the same set. Golden Slippers/Soldiers' Joy/Great North Run '86. The album ends with Verticulos, an original song that showcases the musical range of J.Kerry and his little friends.
An album that's out of the ordinary, but perhaps one that will help you discover that there's also traditional music in England alongside showbiz music.
Autoproduit JK2022CD - www.jameskerrymusic.com