Tim Graham

Tim is an interpreter and re-appropriator of folk song and story, he has been carving out a reputation for his 'hearty voice and uncluttered Bert Jansch-esque guitar style' (Folk Radio UK). In 2015 Tim will be releasing his first full length album 'Rove' recorded with Ben Walker (Josienne Clarke & Ben Walker, Keston Cobblers Club, Sophie Jamieson, Gavin Davenport) and featuring appearances from Henry Webster (The Will Pound Band) and Aidan Shepherd (Arlet & Effra). Rove picks up from the 2012 E.P 'Absent Minded Traveller' in reflecting Tim's passion for delivering music that reflects his journey from there to here, from then to now. Tim also performs with the cycling group 'Pedal Folk' who tour the country by bike, spreading folk music and good times to all those they meet on their way www.pedalfolk.co.uk For bookings please email [email protected] “overflow(ing) with power, poise and presence… I’ve not heard a better ‘live’ acoustic album in a long time” about the E.P ‘Tim Graham and Rachel Hall’ Folkwords "Graham, more used to the folk circuit, is an excellent interpreter and re-appropriator of songs, with a hearty voice and an uncluttered Bert Jansch-esque guitar style. His spirited, unaccompanied Chiffchaff is one of many highlights (of the show)" FRUK live review of Pedal Folk "Tim Graham understands the meaning of space and is not afraid to use it, which he does to glorious effect on Too Good To Burn. The song seems as built as much on anticipation and atmosphere as it does on vocal delivery and music and the overall effect is fantastic." - The Green Man

[timgrahammusic]

Nearly there!

I have the final mixes: now time for mastering and production and the album will finally (finally) be out! Here’s a taster for you:

[timgrahammusic]

Spring Will Come

I've been rather quiet on here of late. Most of my time has been taken up with watching the season slowly change. Here’s a song I wrote inspired by the words of Edward Thomas.

[timgrahammusic]

Pedal Folk and Three Cane Whale - A Celebration of Edward Thomas

On the 15th November I was honoured to take part in a dream gig at Bedales School in Steep alongside the magnificent Three Cane Whale as a celebration of the poet and writer Edward Thomas. It was a beautiful day, a fantastic venue and we were honoured to have Thomas' great-great Granddaughter in the audience.

The church at Steep

Three Cane Whale warming up in the hall

Pleased as punch to be part of this!

[timgrahammusic]

Beggar

A new song that I'm experimenting with. Such a beautiful story set within a few verses.

[timgrahammusic]

New ALBUM!

Scratch that last post! After thinking my plans through I've decided to extend my planned E.P into a full length recording of 11, 12 I'm not sure how many songs yet! I've been in the studio with Ben over the weekend and the whole thing is taking form, each time we're having more ideas and getting more excited over the whole thing. Here's a few shots from the last month...

Aidan Shepherd putting the sunshine into the music

Ben even lets me play sometimes...

Putting some demo tracks together

I can't wait to share a bit more info with you so stay tuned...

[timgrahammusic]

New E.P

I am very excited to announce that I am headed into the studio next month to record a new CD entitled 'Rove'. I have been playing the tracks out over the last few months and feel that they are ready to put down together, this will also be the first time working with guest musicians on my work and I have been picking some of my favourite players out there, more news to follow soon... For now here's a pic from my recent set at the Village Pump Folk Festival.

[timgrahammusic]

Prospect Union

I found out that my voice has been used for Prospect Union's video of the Tolpuddle Martyrs' Festival. The recording was taken live at the wreath laying, I couldn't hear the Red Notes Choir joining in from where I was but it's nice to hear them now!

Tolpuddle Martyrs’ Festival July 2014 from Prospect Union on Vimeo.

[timgrahammusic]

Tolpuddle Pilrimage

It was my great pleasure last weekend to take part in a leg of the Tolpuddle Pilgrimage that is following the route taken by the Tolpuddle Martyrs from Plymouth to Dorset after being pardoned for setting up a friendly society that demanded fair pay for their work. I walked with the group for 6 miles from Totnes to Occombe farm near Torquay where we made camp, sang and told stories into the night.

Many thanks to Jonathan Magazine for organising such a brilliant event, I was privileged to be asked to record a special song for the walk, a version of Graham Moore and Mick Ryan's song 'The Road to Dorchester'

My friend Leah Crews also designed a super postcard for the walk which is being sent out around the country from any pilgrims who took part in the walk, this was a brilliant weekend that brought together many disparate threads and opened up new possibilities and journeys for the future, watch this space!

[timgrahammusic]

I am very happy to be included in the latest Purbeck! journal chatting about Pedal Folk and what folk music means to me.

[timgrahammusic]

A little snap from the weekend

[timgrahammusic]

In Pursuit of Spring

It's been a little while since my last update, but there has been plenty happening to catch up on here!

The big project that filled the end of April was Pedal Folk's trip from London to Somerset following the route taken by Edward Thomas in his final book of prose 'In Pursuit of Spring'. 

I have been soaking in Thomas' prose and poetry for the past year since finding out about the book; time spent writing, plotting, planning, organising and readying ourselves for the trip ahead.

  The ride itself was fantastic, we followed sustrans routes and B roads taken from google maps... these sometimes took us on surprising and pleasant detours, for example taking us to a small ferry that sailed us across the Thames early on in our journey...

In his book, Thomas searches for signs of the oncoming Spring as he travels across England, we certainly met a fair share April showers but there were plenty of breaks for the sun to warm us to the core; the leg from Winchester to Salisbury certainly sticks out in the memory

The audiences were lovely and each gig was special in their own, very special way.

And in the end we went over the Quatocks! 1083 feet of climbing, straight up into the clouds, our faces were wet with rain that hadn't fallen yet. I will put up a few videos from our Salisbury gig shortly but right now we're looking forward to our next adventure travelling from Bath to Oxford www.pedalfolk.co.uk

[timgrahammusic]

Salt Air

Another tune from today's rehearsal, written by our good friend Kate Liddell, we learned it on the final night of our first Pedal Folk tour upon Kate's barge near Oxford

[timgrahammusic]

Homage Du Effra

After a lovely little practice with Katie for Pedal Folk in May I played her an little ditty that I had knocking around in my head

"One day I'll write the B part!" I joked... on the way home the B part found me

[timgrahammusic]

Gearing up for Pedal Folk

The last couple of months have been rather busy for me as it's all go in the final preparations for the first Pedal Folk of the year. On the April 21st myself, Robin Grey and Chance Kellner will be heading off on our journey from London to the Quantock Hills following the route of Edward Thomas in his book 'In Pursuit of Spring'. This is going to be such a fun adventure and I would love to see lots of people along the way. If you want to join in the fun and have a cycle with us then please drop me an email at [email protected].

Full details are available at www.pedalfolk.co.uk and the FB event is here www.facebook.com/events/600987263303455/

[timgrahammusic]

John Ball

I've just got back home after a wonderful weekend away with Robin Grey and Chance Kellner writing and arranging music for our next Pedal Folk tour in April. After waking up incredibly tired this morning we put down this track with maximum concentration though little fuss, have a listen!

[timgrahammusic]

Think no more lad

My interpretation of George Butterworth's arrangement of the A.E Houseman poem. This song marvelously captures the bitterness, untruths and propaganda that surrounded the first world war... 

I haven't played my classical guitar for a while but it seemed to call for it

[timgrahammusic]

Green Grows the Ivy

I hope you have had a lovely festive season and are looking forward to the new year. Last Sunday I headed along to Bradford upon Avon for a carolling session where a group of us got to sing a new carol put together by Anne Gregson with words from Henry VIII (we're pretty sure they're out of copyright). I'm sure this is going to become a favourite in this area!