.

2012-01-09T13:01:00.001Z

2011-12-03T12:56:00.002Z

A short video (in Vietnamese...) produced by the British Council about the trip to Vietnam to represent the United Kingdom in the 8th UNESCO World Congress in Hanoi, ending in a sold out show at the Hard Rock Cafe, Ho Chi Minh City.

Thanks to Tho Le, Trang Bui, Cuong Dang, Joel Mills and Emily Wilcox-Sloan, and all at the British Council.

2011-08-12T21:55:00.005+01:00

Podcast 2 : "The Sad Boom Of The Bittern Is All That I Hear..." by Jimmoray on Mixcloud

2011-06-26T15:57:00.001+01:00

I've done a new podcast. Featuring me talking rubbish over tracks from Mike Waterson, Gillian Welch, Sam Amidon, Emily Portman and more. Stream it using Mixcloud here :

Podcast 1 : "But she held him tight and she feared him not..." 26/6/11 by Jimmoray on Mixcloud

Jim on WNYC in New York

2011-05-27T19:27:00.003+01:00

John Schaefer's New Sounds on WNYC in New York featured 'Rufford Park Poachers' in a show dedicated to young English folk artists this week. It's available as a podcast here and is well worth a listen.

I went and played live on the New Sounds show last year and John and his engineer Ed Haber were really welcoming and obviously more knowledgable about English folk song than most radio presenters over here. It's a great show and I hope I can visit again sometime.

Spring gigs

2011-02-01T17:41:00.003Z

Hi,
Belated happy new year! I'm still on a comedown from the Hadestown show last week, but here is what I'm doing for the next few months. All shows are solo unless otherwise indicated. I hope to see some of you there!

2nd Feb - The Queens Theatre, Barnstaple
19th Feb - Philharmonic Hall, Liverpool
25th Feb - BAND SHOW IVFDF, Bristol
2nd Mar - Red Lion Folk Club, Birmingham
24th Mar - Cecil Sharp Song Project Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury
26th and 27th Mar - Cecil Sharp Song Project Cecil Sharp House, London
14th April - BAND SHOW Cecil Sharp House, London
15th April - BAND SHOW Brundenell Social Club, Leeds
10th May - St Davids Hall, Cardiff

Hadestown

2010-11-02T13:14:00.003Z

I'm flattered to have been asked to play Orpheus in Anais Mitchell's folk opera Hadestown in London. It's based around the myth of Orpheus and Euridice and set in a post apocalyptic depression-era America. Justin Vernon from Bon Iver sang the role on the album so it's a big honour to be thought of for this. Anais will be playing Euridice and Martin Carthy is playing Hades! It's happening at the Union Chapel on January the 25th.

There are some early bird discount tickets available here - http://www.wegottickets.com/event/98465

Here are some of the things written about the album and a bit of the press release about the London show -

“Multi-layered, sensationally good and endlessly absorbing...
an extraordinary album.” SUNDAY TIMES, CD of the Week *****

“Hadestown is nothing short of incredible...
Mitchell has always been good, but “Hadestown” is her Odyssey” NME 9/10

“Mitchell has created something joyful and witty that yields more with every listen” THE GUARDIAN *****

“Nothing short of awe-inspiring” DROWNED IN SOUND 10/10

From a 200-year-old farmhouse in rural Vermont, Anaïs Mitchell writes songs that are as intimate as conversations and as rich in detail as short stories. She is the rare musician who is equally comfortable wielding an acoustic guitar alone onstage, or scripting a vast operatic journey into the underworld.

‘Hadestown’ is the most recent of Mitchell's three critically acclaimed albums released on Ani DiFranco's Righteous Babe imprint. Recorded with a dream-team lineup including, among others, Ani DiFranco, Justin Vernon (Bon Iver), Greg Brown, and Mitchell herself, Hadestown caught the attention of critics and music fans across the world, receiving five star reviews and raves from some of the most esteemed publications around.

For the first ever performances of Hadestown on this side of the Atlantic, Mitchell has assembled a star cast from the UK's own folk scene, with the legendary Martin Carthy and Jim Moray both having answered personal requests to be involved.

2010-10-07T00:28:00.001+01:00

Lucy Wan live at Cargo (medium res) from Jim Moray on Vimeo.

Discount tickets for London

2010-09-14T12:11:00.002+01:00

A limited amount of discounted tickets for the London show at Cargo on Sept 29th are available through Bright Young Folk at the price of £10. Click the link below.

Hope to see you there.

http://www.ticketweb.co.uk/

In Modern History reviews

2010-06-24T18:06:00.005+01:00

All the reviews of In Modern History are being added to the gallery as they come in (click 'gallery' in the menu above and choose 'press'). They say things like...

"This new set shows him moving towards the mainstream, relying on his fine, distinctive voice rather than shock tactics... One of the folk scenes great originals" **** - The Guardian

"Subtle sweetness alongside bitterness and bile. Theres also beauty, beastliness and weirdness. Alluring" **** - The Mirror

"This album marks the full flowering of his singular talents...A ravishing record with an abiding theme:expect the unexpected." ****1/2 - The Sun

"Pretty wonderful" - Outstanding - The Independent on Sunday

"A compelling landmark in contemporary folk" Album Of The Week - The Independent

Order Deluxe Limited Edition Items through Pledge Music

2010-05-08T13:21:00.001+01:00

2010-05-03T13:58:00.001+01:00

Pre-order the standard edition of the new album, In Modern History - Jim Moray Shop, Amazon.co.uk

The deluxe version, and limited edition content will be available to order through Pledge Music very soon...

2010-02-05T10:07:00.000Z

www.inmodernhistory.co.uk

2010-01-29T19:38:00.000Z

2010-01-19T09:24:00.005Z

Jim Moray : A Beginners Guide

‘A Beginners Guide’ compiles tracks from Jim Moray's three ground-breaking and award-winning albums – 2003’s BBC Radio2 Folk Album of Year ‘Sweet England’, ‘Jim Moray’ in 2006 and fRoots Critics Poll and Mojo Folk Album of the Year winner ‘Low Culture’ in 2008 - and also includes tracks from his rare and much sought after ‘I Am Jim Moray’ EP and a bonus video to his award-winning XTC cover ‘All You Pretty Girls’.

Released worldwide on April 25th, 2010.

US Publicity for Jim Moray: A Beginner’s Guide is being handled by Tracy Mann (MG Limited) and Lisa Shively (Press Network).

"The most significant musician since Bob Dylan to decide that the folk idiom is the perfect vehicle for his musical adventures and experiments" Bruce Elder, Sydney Morning Herald, Australia

“Though Folk has returned to the mainstream in recent years as alt.folk, the term mostly signaled a return of drippy singer-songwriters. Only a few try to take on the stark verities of traditional British folk songs. And Moray differs even from them by stapling such songs to modern pop forms. He’s continuing Fairport Convention’s folk-rock experiment, and Low Culture comes even closer to success even than Sweet England. (…) In any other context, he might be a conventional, mainstream figure, but the bottomless trove of sturdy old folk tales, and his musical imagination, spark brightly. (…) There isn’t much lower, or better, culture than that.” – Album of the Week **** - The Independent (UK)

Last minute gig TONIGHT.

2009-12-17T13:08:00.002Z

Hi,
I'm standing in for a poorly Tim Van Eyken at short notice tonight in my native Bedminster.

8pm, The South Bank Club, Dean Lane, Bedminster, Bristol.

Albums of the decade

2009-12-09T15:15:00.002Z

Patrick Wolf – Lychanthropy (2003)
Kathleen Edwards – Failer (2003)
The Blue Nile – High (2004)
Frou Frou – Details (2002)
Wild Beasts – Limbo Panto (2008)/Two Dancers (2009)
Dizzee Rascal – Boy In Da Corner (2003)
June Tabor – An Echo Of Hooves (2003)
James Raynard – Strange Histories (2005)
Art Brut – Bang Bang Rock And Roll (2005)
Radiohead – Kid A (2000)
The Dears – No Cities Left (2004)

Edit: I thought of two more. Can't believe I forgot these :-

Mew - Frengers (2003)
The Streets - Original Pirate Material (2002)

2009-11-13T11:45:00.001Z

Radio 1 session!

2009-10-15T14:38:00.006+01:00

Jim and Bubbz will be live in session for Rob Da Banks show on Radio1 this Saturday (17th October) - it's very early in the morning, but will be on listen again if you can't listen live.

edit: listen again link - http://bbc.co.uk/iplayer/console/b00n6xn5 - about 1'45 in. magic.

Jackie Oates on XFM

2009-09-30T11:24:00.001+01:00

Jackie's cover of The Sugarcubes 'Birthday' - produced and arranged by Jim - has been placed on XFM's 'X-posure top 5' playlist. The track has previously recieved airplay from John Kennedy and Cerys Matthews on BBC 6Music, and has been well recieved pretty much everywhere.

The track is available on limited edition vinyl, with artwork by jim sleeve designer David Owen, from jackies website.

Meanwhile, 'Lucy Wan' recieves more Radio1 airplay over the weekend. Not a bad tally!..

-- Post From My iPhone

Lucy Wan : Radio 1

2009-08-30T19:42:00.000+01:00

For those in the uk Lucy Wan recieves it's first play on radio 1 tonight on Rob Da Bank's show!

The show will be available on listen again (more details when they're available) but you could text in after the show to say how much you'd like to hear the track, and others like it, again...

Thanks.

J

Edit: here are the listen again links - http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/console/b00m9zql (iplayer link)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/robdabank/ (page with tracklisting)

2009-08-11T12:30:00.002+01:00

Lucy Wan (feat. Bubbz). New Single - Released 14th September 2009.
Available through iTunes and from the Jim Moray webshop.

Taken from Jim Moray’s multi-award winning album, Low Culture, Lucy Wan is a groundbreaking and innovative pop single. A traditional old English murder song set to a throbbing dubstep beat, and featuring grime MC Bubbz, it is the first time an Urban / Folk crossover track has received plaudits from both musical communities as well as from mainstream pop fans. Since it’s first appearance on Low Culture, Lucy Wan has already caused a huge stir in the musical community, resulting in a plethora of positive reviews across the music press, culminating in a nomination for Best New Track at the 2008 BBC Folk Awards.

Featuring a new mix of the genre-bursting track from the award-winning 'Low Culture', and new song 'Inside The Wolf'.

Live from Womad

2009-07-24T10:11:00.004+01:00

The set from Womad festival will be aired live, as it happens tomorrow night (Sat 25th) on Radio 3 at around 11pm.

Listen live on the radio or on listen again by click here - http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00ls2kp

Study #1

2009-06-07T20:12:00.001+01:00

Study #1 by jimmoray

Wood festival documentary

2009-06-04T11:15:00.001+01:00

Jim can be seen talking and playing a brief excerpt from 'Three Black Feathers' in this documentary from last month's Wood festival.

http://www.vimeo.com/4864132

enjoy!

2009-05-14T16:03:00.002+01:00

Hey you! Would you like to see Alasdair Roberts play a concert in Bristol? But Jim is also playing in Bristol that night. What if they were playing on the same bill though? That way you could see them both for the reasonable sum of only £8.50. That would be brilliant, right?

Click here my friend.

Spot the difference...

2009-04-20T12:31:00.001+01:00

"...then you gotta cool it off a notch. There are a lot of rules."

2009-04-03T20:46:00.002+01:00

http://open.spotify.com/user/jmobot/playlist/6h2Y0F1gRJJh8Je6XdTzDw

I've got feelings of anxiety, me.

2009-03-25T14:28:00.003Z

For your listening pleasure - click me.

(for the unitiated, yes - it's supposed to sound like that. VBS Donkumentary for an explanation)

Back in the studio for a week or so before we start work on the new Jackie Oates album. Hopefully I can get some songs of my own down before it kicks off.

Shoreham show tonight

2009-02-27T16:59:00.001Z

Hi, due to circumstances beyond my control (a car with no brakes, and not unconnected pool of brake fluid in the car park) the show tonight will be acoustic.

Apologies for this, the gigs next week should be unaffected.

Thanks

Jim

-- Post From My iPhone

You didn't see me, right...?

2009-02-05T16:25:00.001Z

I'm probably going to have to take this link down pretty quickly, so nab it while you can...

click me

2009-01-20T22:59:00.001Z

Jim Moray - All You Pretty Girls from Jim Moray on Vimeo.

Guess what...

2009-01-01T11:06:00.004Z

Low Culture is the proud recipient of Fatea magazine's Album of the Year 2008. It narrowly pipped Eliza Carthy's Dreams of Breathing Underwater and Jackie Oates' The Violet Hour. More details here http://www.fatea-records.co.uk/magazine/awards2008.html. This brings the tally of album of the year awards up to four so far. Thanks everybody, it's been quite a good year!

Also, happy 2009!

2008-12-31T07:00:00.002Z

Robin Deneslow included the Low Culture tour in his "World and folk music events: what not to miss in 2009" article in yesterdays Guardian G2.

The article can be read here http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2008/dec/30/best-world-folk-music-2009

another day, another nice thing to read

2008-12-16T20:57:00.002Z

Channel 4 Music included Low Culture in it's 'Albums of 2008' feature. Thanks to Tim "Beef Dripping" Chipping for his kind words.

The feature can be seen here.

Winner.

2008-12-06T10:09:00.002Z

Last night Low Culture was named the winner of the fRoots critics poll for best album. It's the first English album to win in ten years (the last was Eliza Carthy's Red Rice in 2008) and the first album since 2000 to not be from West Africa.

Meanwhile, with immaculate timing my distributor Pinnacle went into receivership this week. There will be new distribution arrangements in place really soon, but in the meantime the record will continue to be available from Amazon or this website (both supplied direct rather than through Pinnacle) should you have problems getting hold of a copy.

thanks

Jim

'zines

2008-11-26T09:16:00.002Z

You may have spotted by now that Jim and Jackie are on the front cover of this months fRoots magazine. Colin Irwin interviews them both inside about all kinds of stuff. More here - http://www.frootsmag.com/

Low Culture has also been named Mojo magazines top folk album of 2008 in the current issue (with Oasis on the front). Jackie Oates' The Violet Hour also reaches number 9 on the list. Hooray!

2008-11-22T10:16:00.000Z

(via http://whythatsdelightful.wordpress.com/)

'wards

2008-11-19T19:24:00.003Z

Hello,
By now you might have heard that Low Culture has received three nominations in the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards - for best album, best traditional track (for 'Lucy Wan' - a murder ballad! with a rapper!) and best original song (for 'All You Pretty Girls' - a pop song! from 1984!). Although I wouldn't usually suggest it, you can discuss these on my messageboard, or go and shout your opinions to the wider world at the BBC messageboards at http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/mbradio2/F2142825. The awards seem to always attract some "controversy" or at the very least minor grumbling, so get on there and show your support (whether for me or someone else).

The album has also been nominated for the fRoots critics poll album of the year. This is what used to be the Radio 3 World Music awards, so its a pretty big deal to be even mentioned bearing in mind that since 2000 the award has been won exclusively by West African artists - the last English album to win was Red Rice by Eliza Carthy in 1997 in fact! With Eliza's latest, Bellowhead's Matachin and my own Low Culture it's quite a strong showing for English music though so fingers crossed etc. You can talk about that one at http://froots.net/phpBB2/index.php where they will likely be sympathetic to your cause or http://www.charliegillett.com/phpBB2/viewforum.php?f=1&sid=37dc1e4e4a7da4bfeb6db0e909f1da19 where they probably won't (they don't like English music there much, but the winner is being announced on Charlie Gillets show on Fri December 6th so the discussion is already underway)

J

2008-10-11T08:35:00.001+01:00

2008-10-09T08:55:00.001+01:00

Bless You tissues - for all pretty girls.

Bristol and London

2008-09-10T20:32:00.002+01:00

Hi,
The Bristol show on Friday the 19th is rapidly approaching. Come along to the Folkhouse on Park St for the last warm up before London on the 23rd. Playing with me will be Low Culture musicians Nick Cooke, James Delarre and bassist Sam Norman who made his debut at Sidmouth. There will also be projections during the gig - not sure what those'll be yet but there you go... Its a big room so bring lots of friends!

The London show is now sold out, although there is likely to be an extra 5-10 tickets released the week before. I'll make sure that they are announced to the mailing list first so make sure you a signed up and activated if you want to snap one up.

Thanks

J

Low Culture postcards

2008-09-08T12:27:00.002+01:00

Hi,

The limited edition Low Culture postcards have finally arrived. They've been in the works for a while, but it was worth the wait as they are by far the most beautiful objects that I've ever had for sale. They are available from the webshop for £5.

There is a postcard for each song on the album by David Owen, plus a book dust jacket to enclose them. More of David's work can be found at http://theinkcorporation.co.uk/ and an exhibition of his work will be showing at Cecil Sharp House in London until Jan '09. The exhibition is launched on Weds 17th of September at 6.30pm - you never know there might be a "surprise guest" performing in the building somewhere...

J

September

2008-08-28T17:46:00.003+01:00

I've just found out that the gig at the Green Note on September the 23rd is listed as SOLD OUT. I am trying to find out if they can release more tickets, and I'm sure there will be a certain amount on the door, but if you want to come it might be worth getting there early. If you don't manage to get in then we've added another gig the weekend before at Bristol Folk House on the 19th. I'm also going to be playing North Devon Folk Festival on my own on the 6th. After that there's a gig at Cecil Sharp House celebrating the work of Ralph Vaughan Williams - I'm singing Dives and Lazarus (angry dogs/angels/demons), The Bold Princess Royal (pirates) and The Captains Apprentice (sadism!) - and then a month of producing the debut album by Wheeler Street (the "new faces of folk" apparently - I've heard that somewhere before...)

There should be an interview with me in the next Songlines magazine with pictures taken by Simon "Nick's dad's cousin" Cooke on Sidmouth beach. I haven't seen them yet, but I'm looking forward to seeing how they came out.

Meanwhile, after a series of really disappointing mobile phone let-downs I am most excited about my new iPhone which is due to be delivered tomorrow, and especially Izotope's iDrum software which I'll be installing straight away. The old sampler pad that I've used to play Lemady on most of my gigs since 2001 can now be retired in favour of my... phone!! Of course, it might all backfire horribly, but the prospect of performing a song using only an ipod is quite appealing. I might just be able to do it over a wireless network too with no wires. if anyone has any iPhone+MaxMSP patches then let me know. I really am geekishly excited over this.

More later.

J

Teen Soap Debut.

2008-08-12T10:40:00.002+01:00

Thanks to everyone who came to see us at Sidmouth. We really enjoyed ourselves and we hope you did too.

There are lots more reviews of Low Culture, too many to mention so I'll stick them all up in the gallery.

Also, I make a cameo appearance in the new episode of online sitcom Sceneagers. You need to watch the first episode to follow the plot but I play "the sailor's friend who has come to sing a song from across the seas". Watch it here.

More later.

Jim

The Independent

2008-07-25T10:22:00.003+01:00

Hooray. Low Culture gets the lead review in todays Independent (25th July).

"The bottomless trove of sturdy old folk tales and his musical imagination spark brightly." ****

edit: link here - http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/reviews/

Reviewz

2008-07-24T10:54:00.003+01:00

All the reviews of Low Culture so far are now in the 'press' section of the gallery.

Also, my interview with Colin Irwin for the Guardian is currently the featured 'Editors Pick' on the Guardian Folk Music page (only a week after it was printed...). If you haven't seen it yet then you can do so at http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/folk

Thanks

Jim

Touring

2008-07-17T11:47:00.002+01:00

Hi,
I'm going to be touring the Low Culture band in early 2009 and there are still dates available in Feb/Mar. If you are a promoter or would like to see us in your town then get in touch with Terry O'Brien at the Playpen Agency. I'll get my people to talk to your people. Let's do lunch.

Meanwhile, I'm always interested in recording/production/mixing work. I've been spending a lot of time doing this over the last few years, working on some things that you might have heard of and some things that you won't. I mainly work out of my own studio in Bristol with a mixture of analogue/digital and vintage/new gear. Portfolio available on request. Get in touch.

Thanks

Jim

More reviews.

2008-07-14T09:09:00.004+01:00

Low Culture was reviewed in both The Independent On Sunday and The Observer (twice!) yesterday.

The Independent article doesn't seem to be up online yet, but they awarded it an "outstanding" man leaping out of an armchair symbol - when exactly did the Indie start using a coded system of stick men instead of stars?

The Observer reviewed in both the reviews section (serious, between Walter Becker from Steely Dan and Simon Rattle) and the Music Monthly (neon green on black cover, between Sharleen Spitteri from Texas and Natty)

Music Monthly

Reviews section

Four stars, not just covering up an expletive

2008-07-11T12:24:00.004+01:00

Low Culture recieved four stars in The Guardian today. The review can be found here.

edit: ...and receives a similar review in today (saturdays)'s Telegraph - here.

I'm reading through pitches today then I have to commission a video!! More to come on this, but I'm very very excited by some of the ideas that have come through.

laters...

Whispering Bob Harris!!

2008-06-22T12:05:00.004+01:00

Bob Harris gave the first air play for a Low Culture track last night. He played Leaving Australia and described the album as "a masterpiece of a recording that takes folk music off into a completely new world". Steady on!

On the off chance that you're reading this, thanks Bob!

edit: Bob played Three Black Feathers on this Saturday's programme (28th June) too. It should be up on the BBC iPlayer for the next week. Thanks again Bob!

Bargain corner

2008-06-12T11:02:00.004+01:00

+

=

Hooray!

Loughborough Town Hall

2008-06-03T11:12:00.003+01:00

We regret that, due to circumstances beyond our control, the date on Saturday (7th of June) at Loughborough Town Hall has been postponed until a later date. I'm sorry to everyone that was due to see us and now can't, but we'll keep you informed of any news on when the gig will take place.

Thanks to everyone that did see us on our brief tour. Its been fun. Now I'm off to make a video dressed asa pirate...

No reason needed...

2008-05-21T18:34:00.000+01:00

Signs of Life

2008-05-01T20:33:00.003+01:00

If you are reading this, then chances are that you are doing so through the medium of the new website. Hello. This blog will be the first port of call for news from now on. Hell, I might even start blogging in the accepted sense of the word...

Meanwhile, the album 'Low Culture' will be released through Pinnacle on July 14th, available from all good record shops (if there are any actual physical record shops left in two months time that is... at this rate not likely) and the usual online outlets. More later.

The best financial advice anyone has ever sent to me.

2008-02-20T18:07:00.004Z

..is here. http://scalzi.com/whatever/?p=362. Its American, so you'll have to substitute "Inland Revenue" for "IRS", and "London" for "New York/LA/San Francisco" but it's still relevant. If you are in any creative profession then take note.

Happy New Year.

2008-01-02T22:34:00.000Z

Hi,
I'm sitting here listening to some rough mixes of my third album which will be out in May. Its called Low Culture and I think its pretty good. I'm sure you'll hear more about it in 2008, but I just have a bit more crossing of I's and sipping of T's and then it'll be done. Hooray for that.

Also, watch out for a remastered (i.e. mastered at all, LOL!!1!) version of the 'I Am Jim Moray' EP that was initially released back in 2001. Its going to have a couple of bonus tracks on it and it'll be available from gigs, on download and mail order from the website (www.jimmoray.co.uk) in a month or so. A lot of people have asked about this, and there are only 1000 copies of the original in total so if you have one hang onto it!

As if that wasn't enough, the Jim Moray 4 (comprising the Sweet England-era touring band of Laurence Hunt on drums, Jonny Race on guitar and Ryan Trebilcock on bass) played a pretty heavy set at St Martins church in Birmingham on the 2005 tour that remains one of my favourite gigs we ever did. It was recorded and filmed by Scott Johnson of Film Ficciones, and I'm halfway through mixing it for a live EP that will be available at the gigs and from the website. There's some stuff on there that was never released on an album, plus (to my mind) definitive versions of some of the Sweet England tracks played live. I imagine that'll be ready for the March and May dates.

Anyway, happy 2008 and I'll see you somewhere down the road!

Jim

My favourite video in a very long time.

2007-10-30T15:49:00.001Z

I guess I should explain...

2007-10-24T12:38:00.000+01:00

I've got into the habit of just posting photos out of context. sorry about that.

The record is sounding good. I've had all sorts of people to the house in the last few weeks to try to finish it off. The guy playing Kora and Dilruba in the pictures below is called Dan Wilkins who studied at Conservatoire with me. As far as I know he's the first and only student to be a first study Kora player. He's on a track featuring the electric thumb piano I made. I now have several including a bass electric thumb piano. Lots of problems because the track is now in F#min and the thumb pianos are all tuned to G...

My buddy Laurence Hunt is playing drums and marimba on a track. I've played with Loz longer than anyone else (apart from maybe my sister) and he played some of the drums on Sweet England and toured with me for a few years. I've played the majority of the drums this time round but its was still nice to have him on the album. The brass guys are Jim Cornick and Rob Williams, who are in a band called Glow who I share a studio space with, and Dave Byett, musician for Bristol Morris Men amongst other things (more on them later).

Nick Cooke and Jamie Delarre have played melodeon and fiddle respectively, and Jackie has played and sung a bit too. I'm due to go to Manchester to collect some Hurdy Gurdy parts and some more strings in the next few weeks. I'm also hunting round for someone in Bristol with a real piano I can record for an afternoon.

More soon.

...introducing the worlds first Hardanger viola and morris bells duo.

2007-10-16T17:51:00.000+01:00

Supporting Bellowhead at Shepherds Bush empire

2007-09-27T13:24:00.000+01:00

The view from the balcony during soundcheck...

"foot-tapping folk big band Bellowhead perform their rambunctious Dixieland jazz, supported by alternative folkster Jim Moray..."

Isle of Wight

2007-09-27T13:11:00.000+01:00

edit: It's funny how your first impressions can be so far wrong. While we enjoyed the IOW folk and blues fest at the time, I've since found out that their organisation leaves a little to be desired... They're now being investigated by the MU so watch this space for developments...

What a great festival! Nice people and a great audience. The organisers decided to use the "glitter eye" pictures of me as the posters for the festival. My face was literally everywhere on the island, and when we finally reached the festival site we found that a face painting stall had been giving people a Moray makeover. Here are some of the organising commitee...

Thanks all!

2007-09-22T17:08:00.000+01:00

...and the band begins to play.

2007-09-22T08:41:00.000+01:00

Drum and Marimba, Kora and Dilruba.

2007-09-06T11:34:00.000+01:00

Cambridge and beyond

2007-07-30T22:08:00.000+01:00

Just got back from this years Cambridge folk festival. Half an hours work playing guitar for my sister and three days ligging - perfect. Huge thanks to everyone who came to see Jackie for making it so nice for us. I don't have any photos 'cause my phone battery ran out.

It was nice to catch up with everyone and stock up on another years worth of news, gossip and new music. I'm particularly enjoying Kate Rusby's new album Awkward Annie, especially the track 'John Barbury'. And Bella Hardy's forthcoming album Night Visiting. The song 'Alone Jane?' is my favourite.

That is all.

Electric Thumb Piano

2007-07-19T15:04:00.000+01:00

Tuned to a G melodic minor scale, with dual pickups under the soundboard and stereo output.

Shepherds Bush Empire with Bellowhead

2007-07-16T18:53:00.000+01:00

A quick heads-up - The good burghers of Bellowhead have asked us to support them at their Shepherds Bush Empire show in September. I'm pretty sure it will sell out VERY fast, so go to their site sharpish to buy tickets if you want to see this. A good night guaranteed by all and we're looking forward to it immensely.

Thanks Bellowhead!

Black Joak

2007-07-11T09:42:00.000+01:00

Here is a preview of the Jim Moray trio's contribution to Ashley Hutchings' 'Mother of all Morris' album. It was recorded entirely in dressing rooms and hotel rooms between gigs in Manchester, Leigh-on-Sea and Bristol.

Sweet England in todays Independent

2007-07-06T14:21:00.001+01:00

Page 5, Arts and Books review. A huge surprise, but a very pleasant one.

If you're reading this, Robert Webb, thanks!!

Jim

RNCM

2007-06-29T20:23:00.000+01:00

I did a set of new songs for chamber(ish) ensemble at the RNCM in Manchester last week. I was writing right up to the night before - not a good idea. None the less, I think we got away with it, just.

The piece was based on the wax recordings made by Percy Grainger between 1906 and 1909 in Brigg in Lincolnshire. Amongst the singers he recorded was Joseph Taylor, possibly the most influential 'source' singer of them all. He's certainly the most influential on me. I used to think that Taylor was a young man when the recordings were made because they sound so powerful and fresh in a way that other source recordings don't. He was actually well into his seventies, and the groundsman at Saxby-All-Saints where he is buried. Grainger, meanwhile, was only 24. He was loaned a wax cylinder machine by the EFDSS - the machine is still there in the Vaughan Williams memorial library, and he carried it up to Lincolnshire to try to record some of the singers over subsequent visits. These were eventually released as the first ever commercial folk recording, entitled "Authentic Songs of Peasant Folk Singers" in 1908. They were also released as "Unto Brigg Fair" by Leader records in 1972, making them amongst the 'lost' Leader catalogue owned by Dave Bulmer and Celtic Music. My copy of Unto Brigg Fair came from ebay. In my piece, half the songs were sung by the voice of Joseph Taylor synched up with the ensemble - easier said than done.

After one performance, I think the piece needs a bit of re-think. Its got the makings of something good though. This was the view in the interval from my place.

J

New Blog

2007-06-29T20:06:00.000+01:00

Hello,
I'm in the middle stages of making a new album. Hopefully this blog will follow the whole thing through to being released, played live and into the faces of the public.

Thats the plan anyway. More later.

J