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Cara Luft is an exceptional guitarist, singer and songwriter of the true but inventive roots/Americana variety. She is on tour this month in the UK, over from her (our!) native Canada (Ontario to be precise), and I have the great privilege of showing her off in Oxford on the 28th. Her live performances have been lauded around the world, and I know she shall please you, so do come out, enjoy and support! Red Sea to open :)

http://caraluft.com/

ROBERT MILLS, MAVERICK MAGAZINE 
“I just had the privilege to listen to a few tracks from Cara Luft’s new album “The Light Fantastic.” [These tracks] are indeed fantastic and I hope it is not too long before she graces our UK shores!”

Singer/songwriter/guitarist extraordinaire Cara Luft is that rare artist steeped in folk and traditional roots music almost from birth yet willing to alter that fabric, stretch the boundaries, not afraid to bend genres, styles and integrate what others might regard as a disparate set of influences. Her music has been described as “a rich roots travelogue whose traditional heart beats with a wholly contemporary pulse spanning the distance between the mists of English folk balladry and Middle East mysticism, through to the Mississippi Delta and the rustic wonders of the Appalachian Hills, with a certain fearless reverence and no small amount of soul.” (Ottawa Xpress) Americana UK declares her “a consummate performer. Unlike so many singer-songwriters, Luft’s music has an urgency that can’t be denied.” Critics have drawn comparisons to Julie Miller, June Tabor, Gillian Welch, Linda Thompson and even Brit folk-rockers Pentangle.

Late morning on a Thursday, and I'm in the dining room working on Fire-lives the song, Holding Bay as was. Just me, the Hofner (my cherry-red arch-top acoustic/jazz guitar) and garageband. My vague plan at this point is to begin the song as sparsely as in this recording - where the others will drift in remains to be discovered, but I'm thinking pre-chorus area. Adam will be on acoustic I think, and weave the main Holding Bay riff, absent here. I'm only using the mic on the lap top, so it's kind of hiss city, but I wanted to give you a chance to actually here the developments I described in my last post. Playing the Hofner is bringing a new kind of pain to my fingers, which of course means I need to feel that pain as often as possible between now and the studio :)

Kranky is a newly opened coffee house and bake shop, fresh, bright, and delightfully inviting.

Kicking horse coffee, beer, wine, tasty homemade treats.

Rev Jim names some of the folk at the Ministers to Artists conference at Laity Lodge this past March. 

Me and Charlie Peacock, who produced my Being Here album, at Laity Lodge in Texas.

Pictures from our house concert in San Antonio, Texas. Soooo much fun.

Pictures from our house concert in San Antonio, Texas. Soooo much fun.

Borrowed from ihatemornings, (aka Ben Walker): host, instigator, and setter-upper of these sessions, not to mention guest ukulele genius. Basically the guy who did all the work. I showed up, drank tea for Britain, and did what I love.

Here it is, folks, the last installment of the Solitary Songs project. I've made a little video for it using the isight on my mac, just sat it staring at us while we were recording in the dining room - it's a timid experiment, and not likely to blow your minds (I'm completely new to this video thing), but it's gotten me thinking and tinkering, which is good, and I hope it's a nice little compliment to your listening experience.

Here it is, folks, the last installment of the Solitary Songs project. I've made a little video for it using the isight on my mac, just sat it staring at us while we were recording in the dining room - it's a timid experiment, and not likely to blow your minds (I'm completely new to this video thing), but it's gotten me thinking and tinkering, which is good, and I hope it's a nice little compliment to your listening experience.

Playing my first ever microgig - actually, THE first ever microgig - on Saturday, February 27th in London. Championed by @solobasssteve, microgigs are a live music, community experience like no other. Check 'em out - maybe you can host one?