Officially released on Sunday 11 June 2017 Painted is the Conservatoire Folk Ensemble‘s first full studio album.
Formed in 1997 in Birmingham by fiddle player and multi-instrumentalist Joe Broughton (The UFQ, Albion Band, Dempsey and Broughton), the band’s line-up embraces a monster 50 musicians.
Previous members recently joined them on stage at Birmingham’s Town Hall for their official 20th Anniversary launch, pushing their number to a hefty 100-plus! The date’s followed by a run of UK shows that include appearances at Shrewsbury and New Forest folk festivals, and their own Power Folk 4 all-dayer.
Discussing producing Painted, Joe said: “The challenge for us has been really capturing the power and intensity of the ensemble without it impacting on the delicacy or fragility of the quieter, more subtle moments. There’s such energy when the entire ensemble performs together, but these are world class musicians, and the tracks on Painted really demonstrate how skilful their individual playing is.”
The first track available is album opener, Banish Misfortune / Poll Ha’penny.
“Banish Misfortune is one of my absolute favourite folk tunes,” says Broughton. “I’ve always loved it but it’s so good that it took me a long time to think of some riffs, to think of an approach that did the tune justice and didn’t ruin what’s good about the tune. There’s a big percussion break joining the two tunes together. When you have five percussionists in the band it is great to give them chance to let loose, you can imagine how this is developed live! Poll Ha’penny was never supposed to be on this album but when working on the live show the electric guitar section wrote a new section for it which I love, so it just had to be included.”
Painted by The Conservatoire Folk Ensemble, is released on Sunday 11 June 2017 via SAE Records.
Conservatoire Folk Ensemble Painted Tour
Thursday 1 June 2017
Alexander’s, Rufus Court, Chester CH1 2JW
8pm, £8/£6
www.alexanderslive.com
Friday 2 June 2017
West End Centre, Queens Road, Aldershot, Hampshire GU11 3JD
8pm, £12-£14 + £0.50 per ticket
hampshireculturaltrust.org.uk/west-end-centre
Saturday 3 June 2017
Huntingdon Hall, Crown Gate, Worcester WR1 3LD
7.30pm, £17 (Concessions £16)
www.worcesterlive.co.uk
Thursday 8 June 2017
Leek Arts Festival, Foxlowe Arts Centre, Market Place, Leek Staffordshire ST13 5HJ
8.30pm, £14
www.leekartsfestival.co.uk
Saturday 10 June 2017
Sutton Village Hall, High Street, Sutton, Sandy, Bedfordshire SG19 2ND
7pm doors; 7.30pm start, Adults £12, children £8
www.suttonvillagehall.org.uk
Sunday 11 June 2017
Power Folk 4
The Conservatoire Folk Ensemble’s annual all day power folk party. With special guests.
Spotted Dog, 104 Warwick Street, Digbeth, Birmingham B12 0NH
Doors 3pm, music from 4pm ‘til late
Folk Ensemble on at 6.30pm. Tickets £TBC
Sunday 18 June 2017
Dorking Halls, Reigate Road, Dorking, Surrey RH4 1SG
Surrey Arts Playing with the Stars 2017 (workshop + performance)
Workshop: www.surreymusichub.com
Concert: www.dorkinghalls.co.uk
Tel: 01306 881717. Tickets/ times: TBC
Thursday 6 July 2017
Forest Arts Centre, Old Milton Road, New Milton, Hampshire BH25 6DS
7.30pm, £13-£14 + 50p per ticket
hampshireculturaltrust.org.uk/forest-arts-centre
Friday 7 July 2017
New Forest Folk Festival
Powells Farm, Salisbury Road, Plaitford, Romsey, Hants, SO51 6EE
www.newforestfolkfestival.co.uk
Friday 25 August 2017
Shrewsbury Folk Festival
West Midlands Showground, Berwick Road, Shrewsbury, Shropshire SY1 2PF
www.shrewsburyfolkfestival.co.uk
Twitter: @Thefolkensemble | Facebook
