January 2023
The year has begun quietly for me as far as live work is concerned, as indeed did the end of 2022. But from late February I will be pretty busy with concerts till summer time and I’m keeping the second half of the year open for the time being. However I have done some recording this winter. I was asked by Scots,singer and songwriter IAN WALKER to add keyboards and accordion to a few tracks on the new album of the Ian Walker band “WE COME TO SING” on VANGEL RECORDINGS (VANCD16). Ian plays banjo, guitar and autoharp and has been a stalwart feature of the folk scene in Scotland for decades The other band members are his wife Moe and guitarist Jimmy Scott. Other guests are John Graham, Fraser Spiers, Stevie Lawrence and Ian’s son Scott (plus my dear wife Mary joins in one chorus). The album is a broad range of Scots, British and American folk but it also includes Ian’s fine songwriting. A pleasure for me to have been a part of this recording. I’m also currently contributing to an album of songwriter and guitarist (and good friend) Larry Kaplan. Larry lives mostly in London these days but he’s originally from the state of Maine. His songs cover many topics though he does have a penchant for themes maritime. The tracks consistently have very clever lyrics and the song style requires me to adopt a slightly different approach to accompaniment. It keeps my old brain cells busy. There’s no date for the release of this album as yet but I’m sure it will be out later in the year.
Cheers, Alan
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