This is what Kate Walsh has to say about video…

“Was really lovely recording the video for ‘The Baker’ with Jo on Friday. We were blessed with the sunshine, only thing was our chairs kept falling through the holes between the stones on the beach so there were a few giggles, as always.”

Kate Walsh’s new album ‘The Real Thing‘ isn’t released until November, but every 21st of the month until then Kate is releasing a new video.

‘The Baker‘ is the second in the series of nine videos, the first release was ‘The Real Thing‘, the title track from her forthcoming album.

Truckstop Honeymoon - Folk Music

The Hop Farm has  announced an impressive lineup of acts that will entertain the crowds all day during the three day Kent County Fair starting on 30 April 2011.

On Saturday from 11am enjoy traditional British folk music on fiddle and accordion from ‘Skinners Rats’ who are no strangers to TV appearances, along with music from the ‘Sally Ironmongster band’.  Listen out for some great lyrics about Kent from vocalist Sally who will be accompanied by guitarists Shaun Murray and Brian Carter.

On Sunday from 11am see the ‘Ian Petrie Duo’ deliver rumbustious versions of popular folk music with great vocals, complimented by Ian on the guitar and Ted Handley on the accordion.    ‘The Moveable Feast’, one of the county’s most exciting bands, will also be performing with dynamic vocals from Mitch Feral backed by some superb musicianship.

On Monday from 11am see ‘Los Salvadores’, a fresh band on the music scene, featuring strong vocals and original material in the folk idiom. Performances will include some impressive music by the bands French horn player and fiddler.

‘Truckstop Honeymoon’ will also be stopping off at The Kent County Fair during their European tour, and will end the weekend on Bank Holiday Monday with a grand finale of biting songs about rednecks, squirrel stew and love!  Fantastic vocals from Mike West, accompanied by banjo and guitar and Miss Kate Eulis on stand up bass and vocals.

For 2011, the three day Kent County Fair will embody a new country vibe; celebrating uniquely Kentish activities but with a few added twists as The Hop Farm introduces new entertainment for visitors of all ages.

Thrilling displays by Moto Stunts International will have the crowds in awe as they perform stunt performances, including; motorcycle and quad trick riding, high speed cross over routines, jumps, car crashes and rollovers plus dare devil routines involving fire and stunt men!

In support of preserving the beautiful Kent countryside the Fair will also feature a Green Zone, where visitors can discover how to reduce their carbon footprint and browse some of the sustainable products and services on offer.

Tickets to this year’s fair will also include entrance into The Hop Farm Family Park attraction, where families can enjoy great activities from the driving school to the jumping pillows and magic factory.

New attractions at The Hop Farm Family Park for 2011 are swashbuckling adventures in Pirate Cove and interactive football pitch, shooting alley and climbing wall in the Alps Active area.

Kent County Fair Tickets
For this year’s Fair The Hop Farm have devised unique packages including camping and early booking, online discounts.

Adults and Children: £10.80 (online/advance) or £12.80 (Gate price)
Family: (2+2) £40 (family tickets only available via advance booking)
Visitors can take advantage of the online booking discount and enjoy fast track entry.

For ticket enquiries please contact 01622 872068

Camping
Alternatively, visitors looking for a truly Kentish experience can purchase the three day camping ticket, which includes entry to the Hop Farm and Fair over the weekend.

Adult/Senior: £37.50 (online/advance) or £42.50 (gate price)
Child (3 – 15): £17.50 (online/advance) or £20.00 (gate price)
Family (2 + 2): £99.00 (advance booking online only)
Electric Hook up – £12.30

Camping Packages include 3 nights camping (Friday 29th April, Saturday 30th April and Sunday 1st May) and 3 show days (Saturday 30th April, Sunday 1st May and Monday 2nd May). Campers can arrive from midday on Friday 29th April and must report to the touring office on arrival.

For camping enquiries please contact: 01622 870838

The Kent County Fair will take place at the Hop Farm between 30 April and 2 May 2011, 10am until 6pm.

Colin Devlin

As The Devlins, Colin and his brother Peter defined the cinematic rock sound of the 1990s via a series of internationally acclaimed albums that generated tracks used in dozens of film and television productions.

The Devlins’ atmospheric grooves transcended both genre and era, earning a four-star review in Rolling Stone for their debut, ‘Drift’, and worldwide praise for subsequent efforts.

Colin Devlin released his solo album Democracy of One in his native Ireland in 2010, hot on the heels of a standout performance at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival and a nomination for “Best Solo Male” at The 2010 IMTV Awards in November 2010.

Democracy of One takes singer Colin Devlin’s reputation for erudite simplicity to a whole new level. With this intimate solo album helmed by producer Pierre Marchand, Devlin explores matters of the heart in a lush acoustic setting that puts his voice front and centre, adding emotional nuance to singles ‘The Heart Won’t Be Denied’, ‘Refuge,’ and ‘Raise the Dead.’

The Heart Won’t Be Denied is the first single from the album to be released in the UK and is accompanied by the beautiful video, directed by Sebastian Lopez, which was shortlisted for the 2010 IMTV Awards.

Colin Devlin – The Heart Won’t Be Denied

Gerry Rafferty began his music career in a folk group with comedian Billy Connolly as The Humblebums.  They split when Connolly’s comedy became a more prominent part of the set and went on to form Stealers Wheel in 1972 with an old school friend, Joe Egan. They had a commercial hit single with the folk pop music classic, Stuck In The Middle With You in the same year.

Rafferty left Stealers Wheel in 1975 and in 1978 had a massive hit single with Baker Street in the UK and United States. Baker Street was taken from his second solo album, City To City, which sold over 5.5 million copies.

In 1992 director Quentin Tarantino used Stuck in the Middle in his debut film Reservoir Dogs, and was used in the infamous Michael Madsen ear-cutting scene, reviving interest in both Gerry Rafferty and Stealers Wheel.

Stealers Wheel – Stuck In The Middle With You

Gerry Rafferty R.I.P.

Jil is Lucky

French alt folk band Jil is Lucky are gearing up to release their self titled debut album on February 21st, but they have a slice of good fortune by having the current single The Wanderer, taken from the album, used as the soundtrack to the latest TV advert in the UK for Kenzo perfume.

It is a great introduction to the band who have already achieved success across the rest of Europe and is the brainchild of 24 year old Jil who is a persistent wanderer himself, but currently resides in Paris.

Having attached himself to various forms of music during his travels, the album is an effort to sit down and make some sense of it all in the recordings that make up the album.

Drawing his own influences from a wide range of music to start with, Herman Dune, Jonathan Richman, Bob Dylan, Sebadoh, dEUS and even the Violent Femmes, Jil has amalgamated the various forms of music he has picked up on his travels to carve out a rather ingenious first album of songs.

The result is an album that is both melodic and quirky, a mixture of traditional folk and pop music, sincere, humorous and clever that begs to be heard.

It will take more than one listen to adjust yourself to the album, Jil does much of his thinking outside of the box and is not afraid to break any rules in his search for a sound that he can truly call his own.

The Wanderer is a slice of near pop perfection and you can hear it being used on the TV commercial for Kenzo perfume. Jil says; “We were thrilled to hear that the track would be used on the new Kenzo ad. It’s very tastefully used and exudes sophistication when you hear it alongside the ad’s graphics. When we think about how much has happened to the band over the last year, we’re extremely happy to know that so many people will get to hear The Wanderer through this advert over Christmas. We think people will really love the album when they hear it too.”

Watch the Kenzo ad here:

Donovan will performing Sunshine Superman @ the Royal Albert Hall

On 3 June 2011, 1960’s poet and folk-psychedelic-pop legend Donovan will be performing his classic 1966 album Sunshine Superman and a selection of his phenomenal hits at the Royal Albert Hall. The special event will see the celebrated singer-songwriter teaming up with The London Contemporary Orchestra and some very special guests. It’s the centrepiece of a full week of Donovan-related events in London. More information to follow on these.

Donovan says“This year of 2010 Linda and I celebrate our ruby anniversary and when I asked my muse what she wanted to do, she said.. ‘Perform the complete Sunshine Superman album at the Royal Albert Hall’. Her wish is my command! I wrote the album for Linda, and Queen Victoria built the Albert Hall  for you know who, so come and celebrate two love stories next June 3rd and dress for the occasion!”

It’s a long overdue celebration for Donovan’s defining 1960’s psychedelic albums as it hits its 45th birthday. While The Beatles were recording Revolver and Bob Dylan was considering going electric, Donovan was exploring new territory, transforming himself from guitar-toting troubadour to psychedelic popstar, fusing classical, jazz, world music, poetry and switched-on pop to form one glorious whole.

The beginning of a hugely successful three-year collaboration with pop impresario Mickie Most, Sunshine Superman came along like an explosion of colour, capturing the mood of the late ‘60s before they’d even begun.

Before Pet Sounds, before Sergeant Pepper, there was Sunshine Superman featuring the huge hit single of the same name, which features Led Zeppelin and Yardbird Jimmy Page on guitar.

Donovan wrote Sunshine Superman for Linda when they first met in 1965. They married in Windsor five years later. She’s the Linda of Legend of a Girl Child Linda (plus the subject of so many more of his songs) and the reason the album sounds so fresh and inspired some 44 years later.

In September 2010, Donovan was nominated for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. On his induction it cited his importance to the world of rock ‘n’ roll, saying, “He virtually single-handedly initiated the psychedelic revolution with Sunshine Superman.” Come and see why at The Royal Albert Hall, where he will perform Sunshine Superman the album with full orchestra, under the baton of his early arranger and conductor, the British maestro, John Cameron.

Tickets and VIP packages are available from www.royalalberthall.com

Jo hamilton

The wonderful singer/songwriter Jo Hamilton has started to put together a list of international live dates for a tour to take place in 2011 and is asking to hear from fans worldwide who would like her to perform in their town or country.

All you need to do is tell Jo where you would  like to see her play by voting for your town/country. She is completely open to suggestions, and very simply the more support received from a town, the more likely she’ll come for tea (or to sample your local speciality beverage)!

Spread the word amongst your friends and encourage them to take part,to vote for your town simply visit www.johamilton.com and demand that she comes to see you!

Because so many people have discovered the music of Jo Hamilton recently, she will be broadcasting a live online concert in December, you can find details on Buzzin Pop Music here.

A beguiling mix of acoustic innocence and pure voice, 22-year-old Natalie McCool is already tipped by many to break through nationally. Her debut EP, Shoot Shoot, promises to be one of the music highlights of the last quarter of this year.

Natalie also had the privilege of showcasing her songs while studying at LIPA to none other than Sir Paul McCartney, who incidentally, grabbed a guitar and played along to one of her songs, then found a silver sharpie and signed her guitar!

During her time at LIPA Natalie recruited her band and took to the road playing venues across the UK. Demonstrating a musical knowledge and guitar mastery and already hotly tipped as a ‘rising star’ by the BBC, “Natalie McCool is a must see for 2010. Go catch her before the rest of the world does”.

In this video Natalie McCool performs the lead track from her new EP Shoot Shoot live on the streets of London during the recent London Fashion Week.

Natalie McCool – Shoot Shoot

Natalie McCool will be performing at the following venues in October:

14th Oct – Bull & Gate, London
19th Oct – Night & Day, Manchester
29th Oct – Parr St Studio, Liverpool

China Soul - Secrets & Words

‘The writing of a song enables me to realize
what it is that I am feeling. These moments of
honesty, my secrets and words, springing forth
from that timy voice deep within, are my own way
of making sense of this mortal coil.’ – China Soul

After establishing herself as one of the most promising up and coming singer songwriters in the acoustic music scene, China Soul is set to release her much-anticipated new album Secrets & Words.

Originally born in Tampa, Florida and raised in Los Angeles, China soul daughter of Starsky and Hutch star David Soul, has performed at various venues throughout LA and built up a steady fan base within the acoustic music scene.

Since moving to London, she has continued to build an outstanding live reputation and made appearances on the Jools Holland BBC Radio 2 show that have cemented her reputation as a real name to look out for.

The tracks on Secrets & Words showcase China Soul’s richly expressive and distinctively soulful voice and the album is steeped in the sound of West-Coast 1970’s folk-rock while still managing to feel vibrant and contemporary.

Co-written with Ian Dury & the Blockheads’ Chaz Jankel, Secrets & Words draws on China’s inspiration from such artists as Bob Dylan, Ray Charles and Tracey Chapman while feeling uniquely personal to her and Secrets and Words heralds the arrival of a special new talent on a record that is soulful to its very core.

Secrets & Words by China Soul is released on 18th October 2010.

Recognition of her own vocal talents came early and she duly joined local acapella group Sweet Nothings, with whom she performed at the musical Valhalla, the Royal Albert Hall.

Relocating to London Doonan soon found that she was a small fish in a massive pond, but she joined up with old schoolfriend and fellow songwriter Ben Murray and the pair delivered the incredible Mill Lane album, earning a nomination for BBC Radio 2 Folk Award.

With a new a focus and renewed drive Doonan struck out on her own and set about cherry-picking her past experiences. All of which led to the quite stunning debut album “Moving On”. Receiving critical acclaim across the board, “Moving On” finally revealed the true talent and effortless songwriting ability she had always held close.

Rosie Doonan has the ability to perfectly bridge the dichotomy between self-reflection and free expression that is eminently visible on her brand new album Pot Of Gold. Songs such as Darker Side of You and title track Pot Of Gold, whilst presenting themselves in completely different guises, deliver Rosie’s unique brand of heartbreaking yet redemptive stories, finished with her own ethereal touch. What makes her different is the ease with which she draws you in to a situation you’re already familiar with.

Perfectly highlighting this is first single Fall For Me, which evokes a time in everyone’s life where we meet a stranger and inexplicably fall head over heels. Follow this with the up-tempo yet torrid tale of break up, Lay Your Love, and you have the essence of what this very special songwriter is all about.

Rosie Doonan – Fall For Me

The single Fall For Me is released on November 1st, followed by the album Pot Of Gold on November 15th, both via Silvertop Records.

In between time Rosie Doonan will be performing at the following venues during October and November:
1st Oct @ Lawrence Batley Theatre, Leeds
2nd Oct @ Otley Court House, Leeds
8th Oct @ The Hop, Wakefield
15th Oct @ Milo (Dirty Hippy Fest), Leeds
23rd Oct @ The Newhampton, Wolverhampton
30th Oct @ The Adelphi, Leeds
12th Nov @ The Peacock Lounge, Huddersfield
19th Nov @ Thornesians Rugby Club, Doncaster
20th Nov @ The New Roscoe, Leeds

For further information visit the Rosie Doonan mySpace page.