Anyone reading the album reviews sections of specialist folk or roots music publications will be well aware that there’s an openness to collaboration among the genre’s practitioners. Sometimes those collaborations are unexpected: British guitarist Martin Simpson recording alongside Chinese pipa player Wu Man, or Alison Krauss and Robert Plant finding common ground between the English tradition, rock‘n’roll and bluegrass for example.
Some are less surprising, including the recent one between Martin Harley, Daniel Kimbro and Sam Lewis – three musicians from different backgrounds who have discovered they have a lot in common. British slide guitarist Martin Harley has been exploring the blues and touring the world for over 20 years. To date, he’s released eight critically acclaimed albums, undertaken a carbon-neutral 1200-mile acoustic tour of Britain by bicycle titled ‘Blues Gone Green’, and entered the Guinness Book Of Records when he participated in the “highest gig in the world” – playing at 21,000 ft up Kala Patthar in the Himalayas.
From Knoxville, Tennessee, Grammy-nominated bassist Daniel Kimbro was raised on American roots music in and around Appalachia. He currently tours with John Hiatt, the Jerry Douglas Band and The Earls Of Leicester, and is also a mainstay of the Transatlantic Sessions, where he’s appeared alongside the likes of James Taylor, Alison Krauss, Aly Bain, Michael McGoldrick and Cara Dillon. He was introduced to Harley in 2014 and the pair have regularly toured and released a couple of well-received albums.
Martin and Daniel were introduced to each other by their mutual friend Sam Lewis, a Nashville-based singer-songwriter who has collaborated with everyone from Leon Russell to The Wood Brothers and has been likened to Townes Van Zandt. Often referred to as soulful, Lewis’s music comes from the place where different genres meet and where feel-good music and social commentary go hand in hand.
Martin, Daniel and Sam have just recorded their debut album, a laidback collection that calls to mind an early American songbook and which beautifully brings together Appalachian roots, Nashville songwriting and travelling blues. Touring to promote the album, these exceptional musicians that make up Harley Kimbro Lewis will be at St David’s Hall in Cardiff on Tue 8 Mar as the latest Roots Unearthed series gets back up and running.
Tickets: £18.50. Info: here
Buzz also recommends:
Alaw: Welsh trio touring with their new lineup. The Welfare, Ystradgynlais, Thurs 17 Mar (info: here)
Georgia Ruth + The Gentle Good: Two of Welsh roots music’s finest. Tŷ Tawe, Swansea, Fri 18 Mar (info: here)
Peggy Seeger & Calum MacColl: Legendary folk singer (and son) on her “first farewell tour”. Pontardawe Arts Centre, Tue 29 Mar (info: here); Aberystwyth Arts Centre, Wed 30 Mar (info: here)
Please send your folk and roots listings to [email protected] or submit them via the Buzz website.
Events are Back!
If you’re running or promoting events in Wales, list them here for FREE.
