Hello Friends!

I bring news of a few forthcoming gigs with Rob Harbron this Autumn. We have a Halloween concert on 31st October at the atmospheric Bishops House Sheffield, a Tudor venue with witch marks carved into the woodwork. Then Kirkgate Arts, Cockermouth...

I’m looking forward to touring with concertina wizard Rob Harbron this Autumn! We’ll be at the following venues in October and November…

I’m delighted to be part of ‘Sea Song Sessions’, a collection of British maritime folk songs and sea shanties, performed Jon Boden, Seth Lakeman, Ben Nicholls , Jack Rutter (and yours truly).

We celebrated the release of the album of the same name in September 2022 on Topic Records with a run of on-board and harbourside performances which we sailed to and from by ship! We are now reuniting for a short run of shows inland, and in venues, to perform songs from the Sea Song Sessions and more.

I’m delighted to announce that I have a new album coming out on 25th November with multi-instrumentalist Rob Harbron, entitled ‘Time Was Away’. It’s available to preorder from our duo website and on our Bandcamp page. Our debut duo album comprises eight folk songs and two 20th Century poems set to music. Recorded and produced by the award-winning Andy Bell of Hudson Records, the album has been described as ‘an elegant and understated fragile gem’ by FRUK.

November brings good tidings: First, I’m part of two very special performances this month celebrating 50 years since the release of Nick Drake’s seminal album Bryter Later. I’ll be singing with The Modern Jazz and Folk Ensemble, featuring my Furrow Collective pal Alasdair Roberts and the renowned Jazz musicians Orphy Robinson, Rowland Sutherland and Dudley Philips.

SAT 13TH NOV - THE SOUTHBANK CENTRE - LONDON

FRI 19TH NOV - GULBENKIAN ARTS CENTRE - CANTERBURY

It’s great to be able to announce a live tour at last! I’ll be out on the road again with the brilliant concertina wizard and multi-instrumentalist Rob Harbron in October. Shortly afterwards we’ll be heading to the studio in November to record our debut duo album, so there will be more exciting album news round the corner. For now though, we’d love to see you in October!

Dear Friends,

It’s been a while! After a year of cancellations I am excited to be able to share the news that I have some gigs coming up!

My first solo online concert is coming up on Wednesday 28th April at 8pm.

Happy New Year!

My first gigs of 2020 will be with English concertina-master and multi-instrumentalist Rob Harbron. We are currently hatching plans to record a duo album together, but in the meantime you can catch us live at the following venues:

SAT JAN 18  Lansdown Hall & Gallery Stroud, United Kingdom

SUN JAN 19  Square Chapel Centre for the Arts Halifax, United Kingdom

FRI FEB 21  Music Room Liverpool, United Kingdom

Thanks to everyone who has supported my music in 2019. It was a great year of music: touring and playing BBC live sessions with The Furrow Collective, performing with a whole host of my heroes at the Barbican for the Topic Records 80th birthday bash, teaching at Dartington Summer School and Halsway Manor, as well as settling into my new role as lecturer in Folk & Traditional music at Newcastle University…

I'm excited to announce a new collaboration with Rob Harbron. Rob is an amazing multi-instrumentalist, member of Leveret, concertina wizard and gifted composer. We'll be heading out for a few gigs together in June and I'm looking forward to it immensely. We'll be playing songs and tunes, original and trad, both together and solo. Come and say hello! 

Rachel Newton, harpist, fiddler and singer extraordinaire, has just been nominated for 'Folk Musician of the Year' in the BBC Folk Awards 2017 - Congratulations Rachel!!! So in the final instalment of my series introducing the Coracle Band, we say both hello and goodbye to Rachel Newton, as this March Tour will be her last with The Coracle Band and The Emily Portman Trio. We'll miss her, and wish her all the best in this new chapter!  

Sophie Parkes interviewed Rachel, to find out more...