jackie oates cover

Track Listing:

Banks Of Green Willow
The Cruel Ships Carpenter
The Streams Of Lovely Nancy
Mormond Braes
I Wish It Was Last September/Ickbod
Lord Abore and Mary Flynn
The Flower of Northumberland
Lavenders Blue
The Staffordshire Maid
The Mistletoe Bough
Rambleaway
Broken Town
14th November

Jackie Oates

You may already know Jackie Oates name as a nominee in the 2003 Young Folk Awards, and as the viola and vocal accompaniment in Rachel Unthank & The Winterset . Even if you haven't, with youth and talent on her side you probably soon will. Through an immersion in folk music plus sheer hard work she has become a seasoned performer and this is her first solo release. It brings together an accomplished set of musicians and apart from one self penned instrumental there's a wealth of skillful storytelling.

Lending a steady hand at the controls is Phil Beer of Show of Hands and it’s to his credit that such an uplifting mood has been captured. Often though this is as much to do with what's been left out. Jackie's viola and voice alone contain life affirming qualities that could raise anyones spirits and it isn't long before this album reveals a thematic thread. These stark and elegant musical settings contain a dark side. There's Machiavellian plotting on ' The Banks of Green Willow,' mass murder on 'The Staffordshire Maid' and bloody battle is fought on 'The 14th November.' It comes as no surprise to see in the sleeve notes that Jackie confesses to a morbid facination for a shadowy tale. This doesn't overwhelm the proceedings though.

Her voice, which is reminiscent of Kate Rusby's at times is capable of conveying many emotional shades and quickly moves us from tragedy to deep devotional sentiment on 'Lavenders Blue.' With minimal rythmic backing from her colleagues her hypnotic viola melodies are given free reign to dance their way into your memory. It all creates a truly joyous journey.

Some combinations just work and with this particular formula Jackie Oates has fashioned beautiful music of intrigue and passion. It all makes for a formidable opening statement that should carry her onto greater recognition in her own right.

"For me personally, one of the best things about this project is that it highlights what the new wave of young musicians are doing with traditional music. Its good to know that its in safe hands and that young people are discovering it and reinventing it in such a profound way. One of the most influential albums of my early life was the Albions/Shirley Collins 'No Roses'. I feel that Jackie is carrying on from where Shirley left off."
Phil Beer

David Kushar