cover pic is by Joe Se
I’ve been working hard on my new Christmas single ‘When Christmas Comes Around’ which I’ve recorded and mixed myself like my previous acoustic festive song ‘St Benedict’s Christmas Fair’.
The song is about the pleasure of spending time with those you love during the festive period and I really enjoy the process of creating a song from scratch, and adding layers and parts to it.
The song has just received airplay on BBC Suffolk which makes all the hard work so rewarding and will be available on my Bandcamp page lisaredford.bandcamp.com
Here's is the unplugged video - When Christmas Comes Around
I launched the single during my short set at Mustard TV’s Christmas Party at The Forum last weekend where I was also joined by my talented student Breeze Redwine to perform two Christmas classics. Breeze has been continuing to receive airplay on BBC Introducing for her latest single ‘1000 Little Pieces’ and has just been invited to perform a festive song on BBC Look East.
Photo from Mustard TV
Really looking forward to seeing Lissie and Teddy Thompson this week at The Waterfront. As an acoustic songwriter myself I always love seeing artists perform solo acoustic sets. Lissie’s music is a great blend of folk, country, rock and pop and both her previous albums, 2010’s ‘Catching a Tiger’ and 2013’s ‘Back to Forever’, made the Top 20 in the charts with the former going Gold. Her songs have been licensed for films and TV shows whilst ‘The Longest Road,’ a song she wrote with DJ Morgan Page was subsequently remixed by Deadmau5 and nominated for a ‘Best Remixed Record’ Grammy.
Her latest studio album ‘My Wild West’, recorded in Nashville with her producer Bill Reynolds (Band of Horses), her band in in Ojai, California and executive producer Curt Schneider in his Studio City home, is Lissie’s most personal to date and for this tour she is also promoting her live album ‘Live at Union Chapel’ which is now available to order, download or stream via her website.
The special guest joining Lissie is Teddy Thompson whose career I’ve followed and I enjoyed his ‘Separate Ways’ album so much I worked with his producer Brad Albetta on my album ‘Clouds with Silver’ in Brooklyn which has been a real highlight of my career. I saw Teddy play earlier this year for the Norfolk and Norwich Festivel at Norwich Playhouse as part of an excellent show with American singer/songwriter Kelly Jones who he collaborated with on duets album ‘Little Windows.’ The stunning show, which had the audience captivated by the sublime harmonies, natural rapport between the band and musicianship, was directed by superb drummer Ethan Eubanks who I was also fortunate enough to have play on my EP ‘Reminders’.
Some other excellent live music treats are coming up. OPEN sees folk singer songwriter and multi instrumentalist Seth Lakeman on 11th December. His high-energy performances and series of best selling albums make him one of folk music’s most renowned artists.
At Norwich Arts Centre on the 21st it’s the annual midwinter moonshine from The Vagaband. I recorded my latest EP with frontman José McGill and this year the band are celebrating their 10th anniversary. Special guests will be alt-country band Morganway from North Norfolk. The superb Glenn Tilbrook is on Monday 12th. One of my first memorable gigs was supporting him at the same venue and with his energy, warmth and gift for writing songs, it’s not hard to see his enduring appeal as one of our most loved songwriters. For fellow Neil Young fans like myself Don’t Spook the Horse return on the 11th taking the audience on a journey through Neil’s long and eclectic career. Sam Kelly and the Lost Boys headline on the 19th. I saw their rousing set at Folk East and he has been awarded many accolades including Horizon winner at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards. Support is Norwich’s Jess Morgan who has been earning rave reviews for her new album 'Edison Gloriette'.
It's been a really busy and rewarding year with all the acclaim received for 'Courage' the debut single I wrote for Breeze and also the lovely reviews and airplay for my EP 'Another Place and Time'. I'm thrilled to hear it's just been nominated for Best British EP at the Belles and Gals Awards, an excellent music website celebrating female artists who perform country music.
"Lisa’s music is a beautiful blend of the sweetest style of country and the purest sound of folk music". Such lovely words from music blog Building Our Own Nashville who have just reviewed the EP and given it a great review:
https://buildingourownnashville.com/2016/11/11/lisa-redford-another-place-and-time-ep-review/
2017 looks set to be exciting too. My song 'Live Your Life' and also an exclusive piano version of 'Courage' are featured on a beautiful charity compilation CD for Postcards for Peace which will be officially released in February. It features 26 songs of war and peace, of hope and of love, of living life to the full, of not giving up and of having the courage to face adversity.
The album includes Grammy award nominee Linda Thompson, multiple BBC Folk Award winners Lau and Kris Drever, acts that have enjoyed chart success, Hothouse Flowers, and the wonderful Boo Hewerdine and Peggy Seeger.
For more information and to order the CD visit here:
http://www.postcardsforpeace.org/shop/a-world-of-hope-cd/
For all my music news and teaching information, please visit lisaredford.com
Thank you so much for reading my music column this past year. Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas!
Talented Norfolk Singer and Songwriter Lisa Redford will be teaching Guitar and Ukulele at Wensum Lodge, King Street in Norwich this Spring. These are exciting new music courses being launched in association with Norfolk County Council Adult Learning with taster sessions and 10 week beginners courses.
Passionate about teaching music, Lisa Redford is a local musician and professional music tutor who has been described by legendary BBC broadcaster Bob Harris as "one of our finest singer songwriters". Lisa has earned worldwide acclaim for her heartfelt acoustic music and her original songs have featured on BBC Radio 2 and other radio stations worldwide. Having taught locally for over 10 years as well as in Manchester and New York City, Lisa loves sharing her skills and experience as a touring musician and has performed, written and recorded many songs.
Did you know that singing is scientifically proven to reduce stress, lower blood pressure and release endorphins? Group singing also builds a sense of community and boosts your confidence and wellbeing.
Music and singing has always been there for me; during these past few tough months it has particularly provided a real release and escape from the difficult time we have all faced.
During these past two years, many of us have struggled with feelings of isolation and loneliness, and as a performing songwriter and music tutor who thrives on the energy of an audience and enjoys the interaction with my students, I have found it really challenging. Despite continuing to find alternative ways to perform my music online and teach my music lessons since March 2020 via Zoom, it was very strange not seeing others for a very long time.
Five talented musicians have vowed to glean something positive from a harrowing situation by releasing a charity single in aid of East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices (EACH).
Norfolk indie-rock band Red Wine Talk hope to raise more than £1,000 and will be releasing The Deep Blue Sea Between Us on 1st December.
Songwriter and guitarist Callum Robb says the ambient, ten-minute track “fell from his guitar” – but admits it was driven by raw emotion because it is in memory of friend Connor Clark. The 18-year-old was training at the Royal Marine Commando Training Centre, in Devon, and died on 12th June, 2021. His body was found near a railway track.
Now Callum and Co have decided to release their charity single for EACH and headed into the studio to record it on 7th November. It will now be fully mixed and mastered for release on all streaming platforms and CD.
As some of you know, last year I wrote a fundraising single for Norwich community station Future Radio, This Fine City - a celebration of Norwich and also a message of hope with us all coming together to get through this challenging and unprecedented time. It felt very rewarding that it was received so well, gaining radio airplay and local media coverage - including being featured here in an article I wrote for All Things Norfolk - whilst, more importantly, raising funds to help Future find a new city centre studio.
It’s continued to be a challenging start to the year for us all; for myself, with the lack of gigs and festivals on the horizon, it can be hard to find inspiration. I wanted to start the year on a positive note; be creative, while also doing something good, and felt that I wanted to do something for another local charity. One in the Crowd is a new acoustic song in aid of Safe Rescue for Dogs, whose events I have previously attended. As a huge animal lover and dog walker - mostly to springer spaniel Wesley who was also my co-star in the video for From Afar, a single I wrote and recorded during the first lockdown - I know the joy and unconditional love that they bring into our lives.
In her latest feature for All Things Norfolk, Lisa focuses on the exciting launch of her fundraising single in aid of Future Radio "This Fine City" about Norwich and how we're all coming together znd overcoming this tough time.
"I began volunteering at Future Radio in 2018, regularly hosting the Afternoon Session and also briefly covering NR Sounds which showcases bands and artists from Norwich and the surrounding areas of Norfolk and North Suffolk. It has been so rewarding and enjoyable to be part of the station - certainly been a real buzz broadcasting live to listeners and sharing my passion for music"