Henry Parker
The Harrison, Kings Cross
Thursday 27th February
Doors 7:30pm, Live music 8:15pm
Tickets £8 Advance, £10 on the door
A devoted guitarist from the West Yorkshire town of Bingley, Henry Parker plays with an intricate finger-picking style that brings to mind the late 60’s folk, psych and progressive rock scenes, with influence drawn from the likes of Bert Jansch, Nick Drake, Pentangle and Fairport Convention. His songwriting lyrically entwines landscapes, people and politics with roots that run deep into the traditional folk songs of England.
After spending his teenage years playing in heavy bands and his early twenties self-releasing various folk demos, cassettes and live CD’s Henry Parker, 25 has now taken a bold move onto the wider folk scene with the release of his debut album Silent Spring. Produced by David Crickmore, well known for his work with Steve Tilston and Pete Coe, and featuring the wood-wind talents of Theo Travis from prog-rock legends Soft Machine, Silent Spring is an album of modern folk music, infused with the spirit of the genre’s progressive and occasionally psychedelic past.
With hundreds of gigs played in his four years of live, predominantly solo, performance, and having supported the likes of Michael Chpaman, Bridget St John and Wizz Jones, Henry Parker seems destined to carry on the role taken up by these original troubadours.
“Channelling the ghosts of Jansch and Renbourn through his fingertips, the fluid playing and emotive singing of Yorkshire-born Henry Parker evokes the spirit of the early-60’s folk revival as if it were yesterday.” ★★★★★ – RnR
“As an album, Silent Spring may be built on and around the folk-infused music of fifty years ago but its message is very much for today. Henry Parker is clearly an excellent guitarist and writer, but he has also not lost sight of the message. He has found his path. Let us walk that way as well. Excellent.” – Folk Radio UK