Chris Wood
February 25th
**SOLD OUT**
Singer of the Year and Best Album BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards 2009
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Chris Wood is an uncompromising writer whose music reveals his love for the un-official history of the English speaking people. With gentle intelligence he weaves the tradition with his own contemporary parables. His writing has been said to share the same timeless quality as Richard Thompson at his best.
Chris’s latest projects include the new album, Trespasser, which has been widely critically acclaimed and nominated for the 2009 BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards. It was recorded at his R.U.F Records / English Acoustic Collective base in Kent and includes the vocals of Karine Polwart.
He is also part of Simon Emmerson’s project, ‘The Imagined Village’ which won a 2008 BBC Radio 2 Folk Award for ‘Best Track’ for ‘Cold Hailey Rainy Night’. The project also features artists such as Eliza Carthy, Martin Carthy, Johnny Kalsi and Benjamin Zephaniah.
The Irish Times heralded Chris Wood as "the renaissance man of English folk" when on his own R.U.F Records label he released The Lark Descending which included the BBC Folk Award winning song One In A Million in 2005.
Wood’s appeal has now gone way beyond English folk music. He was invited to sing at last year's WOMEX where he garnered much praise and found many new followers. Likewise, his spot at the WOMAD 2008 festival was testament to his widening appeal. He has had musical commissions from BBC Radio 3's Late Junction and Between The Ears, and also from The Sage Gateshead, and has completed work for Arts Council England whilst also writing and lecturing.
“In a warm, dark brown voice with sparse, minimalist accompaniment, Wood is an intimate story teller, applying such nuance and gravitas to every phrase you are imperceptibly lured into his world…. he seamlessly knits the spirit of the tradition into his very contemporary parables. And it's magnificent.” Colin Irwin, The Observer Music Monthly ****
“…unshowy charm…talented interpreter of traditional material…bewitching treatises.. possessed of a time less quality…” Sarah Boden , Observer Music Monthly ****
4/5 Mojo Magazine ****
4/5 Album Of The Month
The Telegraph ****
Folk Album Of The Week The Times **** 4/5
Q Magazine **** 4/5 + Best Of Month List
