News
Cambridge Folk Festival
The full Cambridge Folk Festival line-up has now been announced and Ewan will be returning to perform, his second time there.
Spiral Earth 2013 Award Winner
We're very pleased to announce that Ewan has won the Spiral Earth 2013 award for 'Best Male Singer'. A huge thanks to everyone who cast their vote his way.
Ewan was originally nominated in two categories of the awards, 'Best Songwriter' and 'Best Male Singer'.
Front Page of Living Tradition
Ewan is the featured, front-cover artist of the latest edition of British folk magazine Living Tradition. Inside is an extensive feature on and interview with Ewan, covering his inspirations, his songwriting approach, and his experiences performing and recording music.
Latest fRoots magazine edition features Ewan
There is a feature on Ewan in the latest edition (January/February) of renowned folk and world music magazine fRoots. In the piece, based on a recent interview, the author Colin Irwin writes about Ewan's recent album, his attitude towards politics in music, future plans, and his biggest influences. fRoots is available in many music shops, newsagents and online here:
Lots of new 2013 Dates announced
Birmingham, Milton Keynes, Burton-on-Trent, London, Wales, Suffolk, and Kent are just some of the new tour dates that have just been added to the gig list on ewanmclennan.co.uk
Have a look and see if there's date in your area. Advance booking of tickets is recommended.
More dates to come very soon.
'The Freewheelin Bob Dylan: A Folk Tribute' now available
The BBC Radio 2 show 'The Freewheelin Bob Dylan: A Folk tribute' recorded by many musicians, including Ewan, is now available to buy on MP3 download. Recorded last year around Dylan's 70th birthday by a host of UK Folk musicians - including Billy Bragg, Martin Simpson, Karine Polwart, Martin Carthy, Ralph McTell and many more - it has just been released on Delphonic Music. On the compilation Ewan plays an exclusive arrangement of his of 'Bob Dylan's Blues'.
You can get it on iTunes here: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/freewheelin-bob-dylan-folk/id485644781
Ewan to play Celtic Connections 2013
Ewan will be returning to the fantastic Celtic Connections festival again this year. Along with Roy Bailey, founder of The Laggan Arthur Johnstone and others, he will be playing in a special concert paying tribute to the work of songwriter, folk musician and political agitator Alistair Hulett. (Please see the gigs page for further details).
Here's the description from the Celtic Connections programme:
"The legacy of Red Clydeside, that totemic time of ascendant socialist struggle nearly a century ago, including workers' leader John Maclean's twice-foiled imprisonment and the largest ever deployment of British troops on British soil, after 100,000 protestors raised the red flag in George Square, lives on in Glasgow's political and social culture today.
Not least through the work of the late singer-songwriter and campaigner Alistair Hulett, whose suite of songs revisiting the period, featured on his 2002 Red Clydeside album with Dave Swarbrick, are performed here by the great political song doyen Roy Bailey, rising star Ewan McLennan, Laggan co-founder Arthur Johnstone and other special guests."
FRUK interview and glowing review of 'Last Bird to Sing'
Folk Radio UK have done a very positive review of Ewan's latest album, The Last Bird to Sing. They also feature an interview with him covering a number of topics. Please click here to have a read: http://bit.ly/PeOiiU
Interview with Spiral Earth
Spiral Earth have done an in-depth interview with Ewan where he talks about songwriting, politics in music, guitars and more. Have a read here:
Interview in Acoustic Magazine
The latest (September) issue of Acoustic Magazine features an interview with Ewan in the 'Retune' section, in which he discusses all things guitar-related: from alternate tunings to arranging, and from songwriting to the guitars he plays. A must read for guitar nuts.
Ewan to sing in show by Ice & Fire Theatre about the cuts & austerity
On Tuesday 11/09 Ewan will be performing in the show 'Close to Home' being put on by the highly regarded human rights theatre company, Ice and Fire. It's a new documentary play of unflinching personal testimonies from individuals affected by the cuts, austerity and growing inequality. Are we really all in this together? This play asks you to decide. Ewan will perform a selection of songs from his repertoire that deal with the issues the play touches on.
The play will take place in the prestigious Union Chapel venue in North London. Entry to the show is free, but you must register in advance.
TAPLAS review of new album + front-cover feature
Noted music magazine, TAPLAS, gave Ewan's new album 'The Last Bird to Sing' a glowing review in last month's edition. They write, "McLennan excels again. He mixes traditional and modern songs [while] social conscience is clearly apparent in his own songs...This outing deserves to see McLennan winning yet more awards."
In addition to this review, TAPLAS will give Ewan a front-cover feature in the next edition, with an in-depth interview inside as well as a competition for readers to win the new album.
R2 Magazine give 'The Last Bird to Sing' four stars
The new album, 'The Last Bird to Sing', has been reviewed in this month's edition of music magazine R2 and given a great four stars. They conclude: 'Beautiful...an excellent album'.
Ewan on BBC Radio 2's Mike Harding Show
Ewan was recently on the Mike Harding show on BBC Radio 2 as the featured artist. They played songs from the new album, 'The Last Bird to Sing', and Ewan and Mike had a chat about many things musical and beyond. You can listen again to the show here: www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006wrmz
Interview & Session with Bright Young Folk
A few weeks ago Bright Young Folk recorded a short video of me being interviewed, and playing and introducing songs from my new album - a live session! Click on this link to watch the whole thing: www.brightyoungfolk.com/gigs/video/ewan-mclennan-talks-about-the-last-bird-to-si.aspx
Lots of new dates just announced
Loads of new dates have just been added to the gigs page. Over the coming months Ewan will now also be playing Edinburgh, London, Sidmouth, Essex, Oxford, Fife, Melrose, Leeds, Birmingham, Northamptonshire and many more. Take a look and keep in touch.
Ewan featured in Herald
The Glasgow Herald featured Ewan in a great two-page article and interview, exploring the roots of his music, the tradition, his influences, social commentary and other topics... 'Ewan McLennan continues a dynamic dialogue between tradition and modernity with authority, finesse and eloquence'.
Scotsman gives four star review
The national Scotsman newspaper has reviewed Ewan's new album, 'The Last Bird to Sing', and given it four starsn along with some very good comments. More on their way in coming days and weeks.....
'The Last Bird to Sing' album of the week
Ewan's new release, 'The Last Bird to Sing', has been awarded album of the week on BBC Radio nan Gaidheal.
Upcoming gigs announced for Stroud and Hertfordshire
Two great new upcoming gigs recently in: on the 30th April Ewan will be playing at the Prince Albert in Stroud. And on the 25th May Ewan will play the new Royston Folk Club in Hertfordshire. Please see gig list for further info and ticket links or else get in touch.
Free download from the new album 'The Last Bird to Sing'
There's a free download available to everyone from the new album 'The Last Bird to Sing'. The track from the album is 'Banks of Marble', which also features John McCusker of fiddle.
The new album is officially released on the 21st May, but it will available to buy early from www.ewanmclennan.co.uk from Monday 16th April!
Click here to download the preview track: www.ewanmclennan.co.uk/download
New blog on the recording of the new album
Check out the blog page of this website for the latest on the recording sessions for the new album, the songs on it, the name of the album, the fantastic musicians guesting on it and more.
Folk Radio UK review show at Colchester Arts Centre
In mid February Ewan performed at Colchester Arts Centre's Colchester Folk Club. It was a great night and Folk Radio UK came along to review and photograph the event. Here is the link to the review below, also below a photo from the night.
www.folkradio.co.uk/2012/02/live-review-ewan-mclennan
It’s Monday night at Colchester Arts Centre, which means that the 13th century church is taken over by the city’s folk club. Tonight it’s the turn of BBC Horizon Award Winner 2011, Ewan McLennan. Hailing from Edinburgh, McLennan is a fine exponent of the modal tunings and lilting melodies of Celtic and Irish music. He doesn’t stop there though – the eclectic subject matter of the songs performed tonight reveals a fascination with the history of combining social issues and folk song, especially that of America.
This fascination with international connections in folk music was echoed in his instrumental arrangement of ‘Auld Lang Syne’: a tune that he admitted, with some understandable reluctance, has possible French origins. Wherever it comes from, it sounded great – the bell-like clarity and precision of his guitar work rang true in the atmospheric St Mary-at-the-Walls.
He continued with the opening track of his debut album, ‘Tramps and Hawkers’ – a traditional Scottish travelling song, with intricate and flowing fingerpicking combining with strident vocals. The influences from across the Atlantic now crept in, with a cover of Les Rice’s ‘Banks of Marble’ – a song written in the 1940s about the Great Depression in America, and a song that holds as much relevance today as it did then: ‘The banks are made of marble/with a guard at every door/and the vaults are stuffed with silver/that the farmer sweated for.’
The event of Bob Dylan’s 70th birthday presented McLennan with an opportunity to reinvent ‘Bob Dylan’s Blues’, and here he performed a compelling version of it (even though he confessed that he didn’t have a clue what it was about) that served as an appropriate introduction to his own brand of protest song in ‘Yorkshire Regiment’. This is an affecting ballad written as a result of McLennan’s campaigning with Families Against the War, and the lines ‘The truth is our lives to our leaders/are not worth a grain of salt/are not worth a damn grain of salt’ elicited a ripple of supportive applause in the audience. Contemporary issues noticeably run deep throughout McLennan’s original work, and ‘Camp Esperanza’ is no different – it’s written from the perspective of the families waiting for their husbands and sons to emerge from the San José copper and gold mine in Chile, an interesting perspective on an otherwise familiar event.
He sheds the guitar for an acapella rendition of Ian Campbell’s ‘Old Man’s Tale’ – again a song that reverberates as much in modern life as it did when it was written. The timbre of his voice here is allowed to shine, and the contemplative lyrics are given extra weight by the silence of the church.
To finish, we are treated to ‘Jock Stewart’ – another track from his album Rags and Robes – an old drinking song from the North-East of Scotland that contains the refrain ‘So be easy and free/when you’re drinking with me/I’m a man you don’t meet every day.’ You certainly don’t meet a guitarist, singer and songwriter of this quality every day.
February Gig Added at the Davy Lamp
Just announced, Ewan will be playing the Davy Lamp Folk Club at the Washington Arts Centre, Tyne and Wear, on the 4th February. It's a fantastic venue, one of Ewan's favourites! www.davylampfolkclub.co.uk
Lots of new 2012 gigs added
Lots of 2012 dates have now been added to the website gigs list. In the coming months Ewan will also now be playing: Hertfordshire, Sheffield, Milngavie, Somerset, Bath, Winchester, Stroud and many more. Please check the gigs list for more info on these and all other gigs. Further new gigs to be added soon. Any suggestions appreciated, email in!
Download free preview track from forthcoming album
Sign up to Ewan's mailing list before the 23rd March and on that date you'll receive a free track to download from the new album, before it's release. NB. Sorry for the delay here guys and the date being pushed back, just the usual wee delays in putting the finishing touches to an album.
Work on the new album begins
The first session in the recording studio for the new album is now complete and a good amount of the material is now down. A second and final week of recording, including a few fantastic musicians who will be adding their contributions, will take place in February. The album will be available, before general release, on ewanmclennan.co.uk in March. Keep posted for more updates, blogs and photos coming soon!
The Freewheelin Bob Dylan Folk Tribute Now Available
BBC Radio 2's 'The Freewheelin Bob Dylan: A Folk Tribute' features interpretations from songs on Dylan's seminal early album by Billy Bragg, Ralph McTell, Karine Polwart, Rory McLeod and of course also Ewan McLennan, who performs his rework of 'Bob Dylan Blues'. The show was originally broadcast to coincide with Dylan's 70th Birthday and is now available to purchase on download from all the usual places. The release will be available in CD format early in the new year.
Free downloads of exclusive tracks via mailing list
As of this week there will be regular tracks free to download for those on the Ewan McLennan mailing list. Along with the usual newsletter and update sent out every couple of months to those on the mailing list there will be a direct link to download or listen to a new unreleased, specially recorded or exclusive track. The first this week will be a seasonal guitar arrangement. Then in the New Year there will be tracks from Ewan's upcoming album available to download for free before its release. Sign up on the mailing list here for all this.
Concert announced at 'Raise Your Banners', November 26
Ewan will be performing a set of exlusive material at the fantastic festival of political song, 'Raise Your Banners 2011'. He has chosen a range of songs, some performed regularly others never before, that touch upon radical resistance and political struggle through the centuries. For those of you who have never been it is a fantastic festival in Bradford with a brilliant range of musicians from around the world and an atmosphere to match. Come along and support! Ewan's concert will be on at 12pm, Saturday 26th November in the Green Room, Kala Sangam. It would be great to see you there! Please find further details and ticket booking information here: www.raiseyourbanners.org
Going back into the studio for the recording of 2nd album
Ewan will be going back into the studio early in the New year to begin the recording of his second album. With a new mixture of self-penned and traditional material and a few very exciting guest musicians there's already a buzz around the project. Keep posted for more details coming soon, as well a photo diary from the studio, and exclusive preview tracks for those on Ewan's mailing list.
Ewan features in Sky Arts Cambridge TV Highlights
At Cambridge Folk Festival Sky Arts TV filmed a number of the musicians and performances, including a live backstage session with Ewan and an interview with him and BBC Radio 2's Mark Radcliff. It will be broadcasting six hour-long daily shows featuring the highlights of Cambridge Folk Festival from Monday 22nd to Saturday 26th August each beginning at 10pm. Ewan's performance and interview will be broadcasted on the third show, Wednesday 24th.
Exclusive radio session at Cambridge Folk Festival
While performing down at Cambridge Folk Festival, Ewan was asked to record an exclusive live backstage session for the BBC and Sky Arts TV. His performance of Tramps and Hawkers from this session was featured on BBC Radio 2's highlights of Cambridge Folk Festival programme with Mike Harding and Mark Radcliffe. You can listen to it here: www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/console/b0131ym6
The session will be broadcast on TV along with other highlights from Cambridge Folk Festival....more news to come soon.Album signing and acoustic performance at Cambridge
Ewan has been invited to do a CD signing session in the MOJO tent at Cambridge Folk Festival from 6.30pm on Saturday. He will be talking to people about his album, 'Rags & Robes', signing copies and answering any questions about his music. In addition, he will also perform a short and intimate acoustic set!
Ewan featured on BBC Radio 2's Freewheelin' Show
Ewan has been chosen to perform on Bob Dylan's Freewheelin' tribute show which will be broadcast on BBC Radio 2 at 22:00 this Wednesday. Ewan will be featured, alongside top UK folk artists, performing his interpretation of Bob Dylan's Blues. You can listen again on iPlayer for the following week.
Show at the Royal Albert Hall's Cafe Consort series
Ewan has been confirmed for playing at The Royal Albert Hall's Cafe Consort, London, on 21 October 2011. This is a lunchtime concert, from 12:00 to 13:00, and will be free of charge.
Younger Than That Now compilation now released
Ewan's performance of Bob Dylan's Boots of Spanish Leather is featured on the upcoming compilation album 'Younger Than That Now' on FatCat/Circuit music. You can find out more information and purchase a copy of the album, proceeds of which will go to Oxfam, here: www.circuitfatcat.co.uk
'Yorkshire Regiment' featured in Sing Out!
Very pleased to announce that Ewan's self penned song 'Yorkshire Regiment' is featured in this month's edition of legendary US music mag 'Sing Out!'. It is featured on the complimentary CD and the lyrics and musical notation will be inside to read.
Cambridge Folk Festival
The full Cambridge Folk Festival line-up has now been announced and Ewan will be returning to perform, his second time there.
Spiral Earth 2013 Award Winner
We're very pleased to announce that Ewan has won the Spiral Earth 2013 award for 'Best Male Singer'. A huge thanks to everyone who cast their vote his way.
Ewan was originally nominated in two categories of the awards, 'Best Songwriter' and 'Best Male Singer'.
Front Page of Living Tradition
Ewan is the featured, front-cover artist of the latest edition of British folk magazine Living Tradition. Inside is an extensive feature on and interview with Ewan, covering his inspirations, his songwriting approach, and his experiences performing and recording music.
Latest fRoots magazine edition features Ewan
There is a feature on Ewan in the latest edition (January/February) of renowned folk and world music magazine fRoots. In the piece, based on a recent interview, the author Colin Irwin writes about Ewan's recent album, his attitude towards politics in music, future plans, and his biggest influences. fRoots is available in many music shops, newsagents and online here:
Lots of new 2013 Dates announced
Birmingham, Milton Keynes, Burton-on-Trent, London, Wales, Suffolk, and Kent are just some of the new tour dates that have just been added to the gig list on ewanmclennan.co.uk
Have a look and see if there's date in your area. Advance booking of tickets is recommended.
More dates to come very soon.
'The Freewheelin Bob Dylan: A Folk Tribute' now available
The BBC Radio 2 show 'The Freewheelin Bob Dylan: A Folk tribute' recorded by many musicians, including Ewan, is now available to buy on MP3 download. Recorded last year around Dylan's 70th birthday by a host of UK Folk musicians - including Billy Bragg, Martin Simpson, Karine Polwart, Martin Carthy, Ralph McTell and many more - it has just been released on Delphonic Music. On the compilation Ewan plays an exclusive arrangement of his of 'Bob Dylan's Blues'.
You can get it on iTunes here: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/freewheelin-bob-dylan-folk/id485644781
Ewan to play Celtic Connections 2013
Ewan will be returning to the fantastic Celtic Connections festival again this year. Along with Roy Bailey, founder of The Laggan Arthur Johnstone and others, he will be playing in a special concert paying tribute to the work of songwriter, folk musician and political agitator Alistair Hulett. (Please see the gigs page for further details).
Here's the description from the Celtic Connections programme:
"The legacy of Red Clydeside, that totemic time of ascendant socialist struggle nearly a century ago, including workers' leader John Maclean's twice-foiled imprisonment and the largest ever deployment of British troops on British soil, after 100,000 protestors raised the red flag in George Square, lives on in Glasgow's political and social culture today.
Not least through the work of the late singer-songwriter and campaigner Alistair Hulett, whose suite of songs revisiting the period, featured on his 2002 Red Clydeside album with Dave Swarbrick, are performed here by the great political song doyen Roy Bailey, rising star Ewan McLennan, Laggan co-founder Arthur Johnstone and other special guests."
FRUK interview and glowing review of 'Last Bird to Sing'
Folk Radio UK have done a very positive review of Ewan's latest album, The Last Bird to Sing. They also feature an interview with him covering a number of topics. Please click here to have a read: http://bit.ly/PeOiiU
Interview with Spiral Earth
Spiral Earth have done an in-depth interview with Ewan where he talks about songwriting, politics in music, guitars and more. Have a read here:
Interview in Acoustic Magazine
The latest (September) issue of Acoustic Magazine features an interview with Ewan in the 'Retune' section, in which he discusses all things guitar-related: from alternate tunings to arranging, and from songwriting to the guitars he plays. A must read for guitar nuts.
Ewan to sing in show by Ice & Fire Theatre about the cuts & austerity
On Tuesday 11/09 Ewan will be performing in the show 'Close to Home' being put on by the highly regarded human rights theatre company, Ice and Fire. It's a new documentary play of unflinching personal testimonies from individuals affected by the cuts, austerity and growing inequality. Are we really all in this together? This play asks you to decide. Ewan will perform a selection of songs from his repertoire that deal with the issues the play touches on.
The play will take place in the prestigious Union Chapel venue in North London. Entry to the show is free, but you must register in advance.
TAPLAS review of new album + front-cover feature
Noted music magazine, TAPLAS, gave Ewan's new album 'The Last Bird to Sing' a glowing review in last month's edition. They write, "McLennan excels again. He mixes traditional and modern songs [while] social conscience is clearly apparent in his own songs...This outing deserves to see McLennan winning yet more awards."
In addition to this review, TAPLAS will give Ewan a front-cover feature in the next edition, with an in-depth interview inside as well as a competition for readers to win the new album.
R2 Magazine give 'The Last Bird to Sing' four stars
The new album, 'The Last Bird to Sing', has been reviewed in this month's edition of music magazine R2 and given a great four stars. They conclude: 'Beautiful...an excellent album'.
Ewan on BBC Radio 2's Mike Harding Show
Ewan was recently on the Mike Harding show on BBC Radio 2 as the featured artist. They played songs from the new album, 'The Last Bird to Sing', and Ewan and Mike had a chat about many things musical and beyond. You can listen again to the show here: www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006wrmz
Interview & Session with Bright Young Folk
A few weeks ago Bright Young Folk recorded a short video of me being interviewed, and playing and introducing songs from my new album - a live session! Click on this link to watch the whole thing: www.brightyoungfolk.com/gigs/video/ewan-mclennan-talks-about-the-last-bird-to-si.aspx
Lots of new dates just announced
Loads of new dates have just been added to the gigs page. Over the coming months Ewan will now also be playing Edinburgh, London, Sidmouth, Essex, Oxford, Fife, Melrose, Leeds, Birmingham, Northamptonshire and many more. Take a look and keep in touch.
Ewan featured in Herald
The Glasgow Herald featured Ewan in a great two-page article and interview, exploring the roots of his music, the tradition, his influences, social commentary and other topics... 'Ewan McLennan continues a dynamic dialogue between tradition and modernity with authority, finesse and eloquence'.
Scotsman gives four star review
The national Scotsman newspaper has reviewed Ewan's new album, 'The Last Bird to Sing', and given it four starsn along with some very good comments. More on their way in coming days and weeks.....
'The Last Bird to Sing' album of the week
Ewan's new release, 'The Last Bird to Sing', has been awarded album of the week on BBC Radio nan Gaidheal.
Upcoming gigs announced for Stroud and Hertfordshire
Two great new upcoming gigs recently in: on the 30th April Ewan will be playing at the Prince Albert in Stroud. And on the 25th May Ewan will play the new Royston Folk Club in Hertfordshire. Please see gig list for further info and ticket links or else get in touch.
Free download from the new album 'The Last Bird to Sing'
There's a free download available to everyone from the new album 'The Last Bird to Sing'. The track from the album is 'Banks of Marble', which also features John McCusker of fiddle.
The new album is officially released on the 21st May, but it will available to buy early from www.ewanmclennan.co.uk from Monday 16th April!
Click here to download the preview track: www.ewanmclennan.co.uk/download
New blog on the recording of the new album
Check out the blog page of this website for the latest on the recording sessions for the new album, the songs on it, the name of the album, the fantastic musicians guesting on it and more.
Folk Radio UK review show at Colchester Arts Centre
In mid February Ewan performed at Colchester Arts Centre's Colchester Folk Club. It was a great night and Folk Radio UK came along to review and photograph the event. Here is the link to the review below, also below a photo from the night.
www.folkradio.co.uk/2012/02/live-review-ewan-mclennan
It’s Monday night at Colchester Arts Centre, which means that the 13th century church is taken over by the city’s folk club. Tonight it’s the turn of BBC Horizon Award Winner 2011, Ewan McLennan. Hailing from Edinburgh, McLennan is a fine exponent of the modal tunings and lilting melodies of Celtic and Irish music. He doesn’t stop there though – the eclectic subject matter of the songs performed tonight reveals a fascination with the history of combining social issues and folk song, especially that of America.
This fascination with international connections in folk music was echoed in his instrumental arrangement of ‘Auld Lang Syne’: a tune that he admitted, with some understandable reluctance, has possible French origins. Wherever it comes from, it sounded great – the bell-like clarity and precision of his guitar work rang true in the atmospheric St Mary-at-the-Walls.
He continued with the opening track of his debut album, ‘Tramps and Hawkers’ – a traditional Scottish travelling song, with intricate and flowing fingerpicking combining with strident vocals. The influences from across the Atlantic now crept in, with a cover of Les Rice’s ‘Banks of Marble’ – a song written in the 1940s about the Great Depression in America, and a song that holds as much relevance today as it did then: ‘The banks are made of marble/with a guard at every door/and the vaults are stuffed with silver/that the farmer sweated for.’
The event of Bob Dylan’s 70th birthday presented McLennan with an opportunity to reinvent ‘Bob Dylan’s Blues’, and here he performed a compelling version of it (even though he confessed that he didn’t have a clue what it was about) that served as an appropriate introduction to his own brand of protest song in ‘Yorkshire Regiment’. This is an affecting ballad written as a result of McLennan’s campaigning with Families Against the War, and the lines ‘The truth is our lives to our leaders/are not worth a grain of salt/are not worth a damn grain of salt’ elicited a ripple of supportive applause in the audience. Contemporary issues noticeably run deep throughout McLennan’s original work, and ‘Camp Esperanza’ is no different – it’s written from the perspective of the families waiting for their husbands and sons to emerge from the San José copper and gold mine in Chile, an interesting perspective on an otherwise familiar event.
He sheds the guitar for an acapella rendition of Ian Campbell’s ‘Old Man’s Tale’ – again a song that reverberates as much in modern life as it did when it was written. The timbre of his voice here is allowed to shine, and the contemplative lyrics are given extra weight by the silence of the church.
To finish, we are treated to ‘Jock Stewart’ – another track from his album Rags and Robes – an old drinking song from the North-East of Scotland that contains the refrain ‘So be easy and free/when you’re drinking with me/I’m a man you don’t meet every day.’ You certainly don’t meet a guitarist, singer and songwriter of this quality every day.
February Gig Added at the Davy Lamp
Just announced, Ewan will be playing the Davy Lamp Folk Club at the Washington Arts Centre, Tyne and Wear, on the 4th February. It's a fantastic venue, one of Ewan's favourites! www.davylampfolkclub.co.uk
Lots of new 2012 gigs added
Lots of 2012 dates have now been added to the website gigs list. In the coming months Ewan will also now be playing: Hertfordshire, Sheffield, Milngavie, Somerset, Bath, Winchester, Stroud and many more. Please check the gigs list for more info on these and all other gigs. Further new gigs to be added soon. Any suggestions appreciated, email in!
Download free preview track from forthcoming album
Sign up to Ewan's mailing list before the 23rd March and on that date you'll receive a free track to download from the new album, before it's release. NB. Sorry for the delay here guys and the date being pushed back, just the usual wee delays in putting the finishing touches to an album.
Work on the new album begins
The first session in the recording studio for the new album is now complete and a good amount of the material is now down. A second and final week of recording, including a few fantastic musicians who will be adding their contributions, will take place in February. The album will be available, before general release, on ewanmclennan.co.uk in March. Keep posted for more updates, blogs and photos coming soon!
The Freewheelin Bob Dylan Folk Tribute Now Available
BBC Radio 2's 'The Freewheelin Bob Dylan: A Folk Tribute' features interpretations from songs on Dylan's seminal early album by Billy Bragg, Ralph McTell, Karine Polwart, Rory McLeod and of course also Ewan McLennan, who performs his rework of 'Bob Dylan Blues'. The show was originally broadcast to coincide with Dylan's 70th Birthday and is now available to purchase on download from all the usual places. The release will be available in CD format early in the new year.
Free downloads of exclusive tracks via mailing list
As of this week there will be regular tracks free to download for those on the Ewan McLennan mailing list. Along with the usual newsletter and update sent out every couple of months to those on the mailing list there will be a direct link to download or listen to a new unreleased, specially recorded or exclusive track. The first this week will be a seasonal guitar arrangement. Then in the New Year there will be tracks from Ewan's upcoming album available to download for free before its release. Sign up on the mailing list here for all this.
Concert announced at 'Raise Your Banners', November 26
Ewan will be performing a set of exlusive material at the fantastic festival of political song, 'Raise Your Banners 2011'. He has chosen a range of songs, some performed regularly others never before, that touch upon radical resistance and political struggle through the centuries. For those of you who have never been it is a fantastic festival in Bradford with a brilliant range of musicians from around the world and an atmosphere to match. Come along and support! Ewan's concert will be on at 12pm, Saturday 26th November in the Green Room, Kala Sangam. It would be great to see you there! Please find further details and ticket booking information here: www.raiseyourbanners.org
Going back into the studio for the recording of 2nd album
Ewan will be going back into the studio early in the New year to begin the recording of his second album. With a new mixture of self-penned and traditional material and a few very exciting guest musicians there's already a buzz around the project. Keep posted for more details coming soon, as well a photo diary from the studio, and exclusive preview tracks for those on Ewan's mailing list.
Ewan features in Sky Arts Cambridge TV Highlights
At Cambridge Folk Festival Sky Arts TV filmed a number of the musicians and performances, including a live backstage session with Ewan and an interview with him and BBC Radio 2's Mark Radcliff. It will be broadcasting six hour-long daily shows featuring the highlights of Cambridge Folk Festival from Monday 22nd to Saturday 26th August each beginning at 10pm. Ewan's performance and interview will be broadcasted on the third show, Wednesday 24th.
Exclusive radio session at Cambridge Folk Festival
While performing down at Cambridge Folk Festival, Ewan was asked to record an exclusive live backstage session for the BBC and Sky Arts TV. His performance of Tramps and Hawkers from this session was featured on BBC Radio 2's highlights of Cambridge Folk Festival programme with Mike Harding and Mark Radcliffe. You can listen to it here: www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/console/b0131ym6
The session will be broadcast on TV along with other highlights from Cambridge Folk Festival....more news to come soon.Album signing and acoustic performance at Cambridge
Ewan has been invited to do a CD signing session in the MOJO tent at Cambridge Folk Festival from 6.30pm on Saturday. He will be talking to people about his album, 'Rags & Robes', signing copies and answering any questions about his music. In addition, he will also perform a short and intimate acoustic set!
Ewan featured on BBC Radio 2's Freewheelin' Show
Ewan has been chosen to perform on Bob Dylan's Freewheelin' tribute show which will be broadcast on BBC Radio 2 at 22:00 this Wednesday. Ewan will be featured, alongside top UK folk artists, performing his interpretation of Bob Dylan's Blues. You can listen again on iPlayer for the following week.
Show at the Royal Albert Hall's Cafe Consort series
Ewan has been confirmed for playing at The Royal Albert Hall's Cafe Consort, London, on 21 October 2011. This is a lunchtime concert, from 12:00 to 13:00, and will be free of charge.
Younger Than That Now compilation now released
Ewan's performance of Bob Dylan's Boots of Spanish Leather is featured on the upcoming compilation album 'Younger Than That Now' on FatCat/Circuit music. You can find out more information and purchase a copy of the album, proceeds of which will go to Oxfam, here: www.circuitfatcat.co.uk
'Yorkshire Regiment' featured in Sing Out!
Very pleased to announce that Ewan's self penned song 'Yorkshire Regiment' is featured in this month's edition of legendary US music mag 'Sing Out!'. It is featured on the complimentary CD and the lyrics and musical notation will be inside to read.
