Burd Ellen and Jacken Elswyth
Green Note, Camden
Monday 5th August
Doors 7:00pm, Live Music 8:30pm
Burd Ellen is a new solo project from Debbie Armour (Alasdair Roberts, Green Ribbons, Alex Rex) featuring Gayle Brogan (Pefkin, Barrett’s Dottled Beauty) and Lucy Duncan (Luki). The group uses traditional song to explore and evoke dark landscapes and deep stories. Innovative instrumentation, drone and sound-wash support detailed vocal work to create a unique sonic atmosphere.
Burd Ellen self-released their debut album SILVER CAME in Feb 2019, on limited edition CD. A record exploring women’s narratives in British folk song, SILVER CAME investigates ideas of persistence, defiance, devotion and transformation. The album was recorded by Jer Reid (Painted X-Ray, Claquer, Glasgow Improvisers Orchestra) over two days in the rehearsal space of Glasgow Theatre Arts Collective.
“this is a record which rapidly establishes its credentials as the work of a significant artist” – fRoots Magazine
“A masterclass in shimmering, ethereal folk music… Cannot recommend highly enough” – Kyle Lonsdale, Earth Recordings
Jacken Elswyth is a London-based banjo player exploring traditional tunes, extrapolations thereon, and improvisational pieces for clawhammer banjo.Drawing on old-time Appalachian playing alongside American Primitive guitarists and English folk revivalists, Jacken adds drone accompaniments, extended playing techniques, and elements of free playing to push at the edges of these styles and traditions.
Jacken also organises Betwixt & Between Tapes, a limited-edition series of split cassette tapes, each of which pairs her own banjo playing with folk, drone, improvised and/or ambient music contributed by a different artist.