Two of the most exciting groups to emerge onto the English folk scene in recent years have teamed up to make winter that little bit cosier with the release of an album and a tour.
Together, Lady Maisery – the trio of Hannah James, Rowan Rheingans and Hazel Askew – together with the duo of Jimmy Aldridge & Sid Goldsmith make up a formidable supergroup. Their release Awake Arise: A Winter Album (out December 6 on Many a Thousand Records) is a collection of traditionals and originals that explore winter and the festive season as they have been lived and celebrated for centuries. The pieces include old folk carols, poems and even a recipe for making traditional wassail to bless the trees – and also to make sure you’re kept warm and jolly in the cold evenings.
Lady Maisery’s Hannah James says of the idea behind the project: “Both of our groups are really interested in nature-based music, so it seemed quite natural for us to create a project related to a particular season. We wanted to create an album that really celebrated the different aspects of Christmas and old winter traditions. Many of our winter celebration are to do with bringing warmth and joy to a cold and seemingly lifeless time of year; this album reflects the need to hold onto hope of brighter times, both in winter but also in this uncertain political season that we find ourselves in.”
Photo: Lady Maisery and Jimmy Aldrige & Sid Goldsmith, by Elly Lucas.