Lisa Playing in Speech Project Ensemble...

Lisa Playing in Gerry Diver's "SPEECH PROJECT" Ensemble...

It's been a pleasure to have been in workshop and rehearsal for this project over the last year.  I have been playing hammered dulcimer and violin and a vocal appearance of a sort ??  in one of the pieces live.  It's a fantastic suite of music conceived and created by Gerry involving some luminous Irish Musicians such as Shane MacGowan, Christy Moore, Martin Hayes and more.   We debuted Speech Project with specially commissioned visuals at Liverpool Irish Festival in November which was absolutely thrilling and a real pleasure.  

To find out more about Gerry's SPEECH PROJECT go here. 

The release date for the CD is 6th February 2012 on One Fine Day Records distributed by Proper Distribution.  

Here is a list of SPEECH PROJECT tour dates for the New Year.  Would be great to see you there.

Thanks 

Lisa x

2nd March, The Purcell Room @ Queen Elizabeth Hall, London

www.southbankcentre.co.uk

3rd March North Wall Arts Centre, Oxford

www.thenorthwall.org

7th March The Junction, Cambridge

www.junction.co.uk

8th March The Brewery Arts Centre, Kendal

www.breweryarts.co.uk

9th March, Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury

www.theatresevern.co.uk

14th March, Lincoln Drill Hall, Lincoln

www.lincolndrillhall.com

15th March Waterside Arts Centre, Sale

www.watersideartscentre.co.uk

16th March The Met, Bury

www.themet.biz

17th March MAC, Birmingham

www.macarts.co.uk

18th March The Sage, Gateshead

www.thesagegateshead.org

24th March Howard Assembly Room @ Opera North, Leeds

www.operanorth.co.uk

BBC Radio 3 Late Junction

'Banks of The Bann' a Lisa Knapp/Gerry Diver song was played on Late Junction t'other day.  You can go and listen here.  

As far as I know there is due to be a spring 2011 release of this CD but alternatively and until then you can purchase a copy which was included as a freebie in fRoots magazine a while back.  Look for it here at the FAF SHOP.

New Gig Announcement - 25th Feb at Debut, a tunnel venue under London Bridge!!!

New Roots/Old Routes  -   Friday 25th Feb

A unique new project bringing together the best of the UK's spoken word and hip hop artists;  Dizraeli, Polarbear and MC Jam Baxter joining forces with folk musicians Lisa Knapp and Sam Carter for an intense 3 day collaboration culminating in a one off unique performance on Friday 25th February 2011.  

"Expect live graffiti art, fresh new sounds, raw stories with old tunes and guest performances from the likes of Antique Women and the Roundhouse Experimental Choir."

Organised as part of the 'Coming Up' multidisciplinary arts festival funded by The Old Vic New Voices and Ideas Tap.

Folk on 4, fRoots and Faf! Eff words aplenty in this Christmas catch up

Well not really, just that folk is an eff word isn't it...

BBC 4

Entitled BBC 4 Sessions, this television programme is a 'Christmas Folk music extravaganza' in which Lisa is featured singing the medieval 'Coventry Carol'.  Joined by uber talented Jim Moray on piano and The Unthanks singing angelic harmonies Lisa also performs 'Cherry Tree Carol' with meister fiddle player Gerry Diver.
 

Hosted by current folk Supergroup Bellowhead the programme features a range of guests and promises to put viewers into the festive spirit with aplomb!

Also thoroughly recommend is Come Clog Dancing and Still Folk Dancing - After All These Years if you're interested in English folk customs, there are some utterly inspiring moments here.  

Roll up roll up..

The lastest issue (Jan/feb) of  magazine is replete with a compilation of tracks donated by various folk artists to the worthy cause of  Folk Against Fascism.  Lisa was approached earlier this year to donate a song for this CD release and thought it would be nice to do something completely new!

"I chose a song called Banks of The Bann because a) I've been wanting to record it for some time and b) because some of the lyrics strike an extra resonance in regard to the issues touched on by FAF.  Some will recognise the melody as it is also set to a popular hymn which I remember singing in Primary School.  Some years later I heard it again, sung to an entirely different set of lyrics of course, by singer/concertina player Dave East.  Both melody and lyrics are traditional and originate from Ireland far as I can ascertain.  I have recorded it with multi instrumentalist Gerry Diver who has also produced the track."

The commercial release date is set for Spring 2011 so it is a real treat to be able to obtain this free CD upfront.

New song 'The Queens' Men' released on Folk Police Recordings compilation

"Well the autumn seems to have come early this year; the days of mostly sun turned mostly cloud, evenings drawing in and fat spiders perched on intricate webs, clasped on fading greenery.  I am looking forward to holing myself up in the studio and getting my head stuck into recording for a new album.... lot's to do.

However,  before that there is some news.  I have just finished recording a track for an interesting compiliation to be released by Folk Police Recordings called the Oak Ash & Thorn Project.  It will contain songs from the late Peter Bellamy's albums 'Oak, Ash and Thorn' and 'Merlin's Isle of Gramarye', both of which are Peter's versions of poems by Rudyard Kipling set to music and song.The song I'm doing is called 'The Queens' Men'. 

 It was recorded on the original by Dik Cadbury (vocals), Dolly Collins (organ) and Peter Hall (lute).  Originally written as part of a collection of poems surrounding the character 'Puck' the poem was first published under the title 'Two Cousins'.  

I learned the song exactly as it was recorded but after playing it quite straightforwardly for a while I had a strong urge to do something slightly different with it.  I toyed around with different textures and eventually the melody sort of changed organically, though I've still followed the melodic contour of the song.  I used layered vocal textures and then played some sparse string ideas with the ever inspiring Mister Gerry Diver.  It has taken on quite a different feel.  There it is.  I hope you enjoy it."

Other artists on the album include Jon Boden, Sam Lee, Charlie Parr, The Owl Service, Pamela Wyn-Shannon, Olivia Chaney, Jackie Oates, Tim Erikson, Cath & Phil Tyler, Elle Osborne and others! 

A start studded cast!  Check in soon to find out the release date.