After spending a crazy weekend at Shrewsbury folk festival I have brought some jewels with me that I hope over the next few articles to share with you.
Firstly, local singer/songwriter Jonathan Day, later this Autumn will be taking his Between the Worlds, tour to China and Thailand. He has several gigs in Hong Kong and then he will move to Bangkok. Although the tour began in July at the international Eisteddfod in Llangollen and does include some English stops the majority of the tour is the Far East.
A question that presents itself, naturally, is how about the language difficulties? The answer; Jonathan informs me, is that there isn’t one. The Chinese seem to enjoy the rhythms and tempo of the Irish Classics such as Whiskey in The Jar, or The Wild Rover. In fact, Jonathan added that they seem to really enjoy the whole English/Irish folk music scene and will happily lap up whatever Jonathan can play.
It is a gamble taking one country’s musical heritage and presenting it to another nation but everything one might expect in the way of a reception does not happen. The suspicion is that an Artist may be presented by a wall of blank faces as he plays but Jonathon assures LoveShrewsbury.com that there will be none of that and the audience will be up and ready for some fun.
The main thrust of Irish and English folk music is the primeval rhythms and beats and they needs no understanding. They are interpreted not by language but by feel. It is difficult to keep still when there are infectious rhythms of whatever language.
On return from China Jonathan can be heard on Genevieve Tudor’s Sunday Night Folk Programme on the 21st of October and will also be seen at Fordhall Farm Folk on the 27th of October. That is a festival close to Market Drayton. However, unperturbed by all his travelling Jonathon will then go on to finish the tour off in Ayia Napa in Cyprus.
The folk tradition can only be kept alive by people playing it and sharing it. How much better can it be that musicians such as Jonathan Day are taking our music and more so our Shrewsbury sound to the far flung corners of the globe?
It will be possible to follow Jonathan as he tours both on Facebook and Twitter. One can only imagine the stories he will have to share on his return. Between The Worlds, is a one man performance and from my own experience of Jonathan’s music, I advise you to see him if at all possible.
Jonathan Day’s Between The Worlds, The Folk Show Radio Shropshire 21st of October and Fordhall Farm Festival 27th of October. For the late holiday makers Jonathon will be in the Far East between the 8th and 27th of September and will close in Ayia Napa on the 30th of November.